The Western Wayne News team is excited to help you make the most of your investment in our advertising services. This page has guidelines and tips for designing and submitting your ad to ensure your campaign has the maximum impact.

Note that if you are using WWN’s design services, you can just send us the raw materials and information you want to include in our ad, let us know what kind of cropping you want to use on any photos you include, and our design team will handle the rest. Still, some of the information below may be useful as you think about the kind of ad you want to run.

If you run in to concerns or if you have questions, please contact us.

Contents

Design Tools & Process

You don’t need to be a professional designer to create an effective ad. What matters most is clarity, simplicity, and using the right file format when you submit.

Choosing a design tool

Use whatever you’re comfortable with. Common options include:

  • Beginner-friendly: Canva (drag-and-drop templates)
  • Intermediate: Adobe Express, Affinity Designer
  • Advanced: Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator

If you’re new to ad design, start with a template and modify it rather than designing from scratch.

Basic design process

  1. Start with one goal: Decide what the ad should accomplish (sell a product, promote an event, build awareness).
  2. Prioritize your message: Include only what matters, such as
    • Business or organization name
    • Key offer or message
    • Contact info (phone, website, location)
  3. Use a simple layout: one main headline, supporting text, and one strong image.
  4. Design at the correct size: Build your ad at the exact dimensions required (see print section below).
  5. Export correctly
    • File types: JPG, PNG, or PDF
    • Resolution: 300 DPI (required for print) or 150 DPI (for online)
  6. Keep your source file: You may be asked for the original file (Canva, Photoshop, etc.) if adjustments are needed.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Using low-resolution images (they will look blurry in print)
  • Overcrowding the design with too much text
  • Using too many fonts or colors
  • Designing at the wrong size and expecting it to scale cleanly

Further reading

Print Ad Design

Print ads require more precision than digital ads. What you see on your screen must translate cleanly to ink on paper.

Ad sizing

Our newspaper uses a 5-column layout on a 10″ x 16″ page.

Column widths:

  • 1 column = 1.86″
  • 2 columns = 3.9″
  • 3 columns = 5.93″
  • 4 columns = 7.96″
  • 5 columns = 10″ (full width)

Build your ad to match the exact column width and desired height. Any stretching or scaling can reduce print quality.

Business card ads:

  • Design size: 3.5″ x 2″
  • Printed slightly smaller (approx. 1.75:1 ratio)

Print design guidelines

Keep it readable

  • Use bold, simple fonts (sans serif recommended).
  • Minimum text size: 10 pt
  • Avoid decorative or thin fonts for important information.

Use strong contrast

  • Dark text on light background works best.
  • Avoid faded or busy backgrounds behind text.

Color usage

  • Use no more than 3 printing colors. Rich and complex color combinations are difficult to reproduce on newsprint.
  • Black text should be 100% black only (not mixed colors).

Be cautious with reverse text

  • Light text on dark backgrounds must have strong contrast.
  • Thin or small reverse text can print poorly.

Simplify
Readers glance at print ads for only a few seconds. Your message should be immediately clear.

File requirements

  • Format: JPG, PNG, or PDF
  • Resolution: 300 DPI minimum

Low-quality files may not print correctly, and we reserve the right to reject them to maintain overall print quality.

Further reading

Online Ad Design

Online ads are more flexible than print but come with their own considerations, mainly screen sizes, attention span, and click behavior.

Key differences from print

  • Lower resolution is acceptable (typically 72–150 DPI)
  • Designs should look good on both mobile and desktop browsers
  • Ads should encourage clicking or interaction

Best practices

Design for quick scanning

  • Use a clear headline
  • Keep text minimal
  • Make your main message obvious in seconds

Use strong visuals

  • Bright, high-quality images perform better
  • Avoid cluttered or overly detailed graphics

Include a clear call to action
Examples:

  • “Learn More”
  • “Shop Now”
  • “Call Today”
  • “Visit Our Website”

Make sure the website address viewers will click through to matches the general messaging and visual style of the ad so they know they’re in the right place.

Optimize for different sizes
Online ads may appear in multiple placements. Flexible layouts or multiple versions can help.

Keep file sizes reasonable
Large files load slowly and may be rejected.

File formats

  • JPG
  • PNG (most common)

Common mistakes

  • Reusing a print ad without adjusting for screen readability
  • Too much text (hard to read on mobile)
  • No clear action for the viewer to take

Further reading