How to Choose the Right Magazine Format and Binding

Your Magazine’s First Impression Starts with Format

How your magazine looks at first glance is about more than just what’s on its cover. It’s also about its overall dimensions and binding. These details convey a lot about your content, and can even impact a reader’s decision to open it up in the first place. With that in mind, let's discuss how to find the right options to boost engagement and meet your specific marketing goals for your next publication.

Understanding Magazine Size Options

In the US, the three most common magazine size options are*:

• Digest (5.5” x 8.5”)
• Letter (8.5” x 11”)
• Tabloid (11” x 17”)

Other sizes that you may see offered include:

• A5 (5.83” x 8.27”): The international equivalent of the US Digest size.
• A4 (8.27” x 11.69): The international equivalent of the US Letter size.

*Many US printers will also offer square-shaped magazine printing, particularly in 5.5” and 8.5” measurements.

US Digest/A5 Magazines

The US Digest and A5 sizes are popular for publications that feature mostly text-based content, and/or are supposed to be carried around by the reader. They’re a good choice when you want to communicate that your content is intellectual, witty, informative, or actionable.

US Letter/A4 Magazines

The US Letter and A4 sizes are the most common magazine sizes, offering plenty of space for detailed imagery as well as long-form written content. They’re a good choice when you want recipients to immediately recognize your content as a magazine intended to entertain, inform, and/or entice them with fresh offers.

US Tabloid Magazines

The US Tabloid size is most commonly used when oversized content needs to be printed, such as large photos or month-long calendars with boxes for each day’s details. Paired with a large headline and strong cover image, this size makes its content seem particularly sensational and exciting.

Square/Unconventional Magazines

Lastly, square formats and other unconventional dimensions are more likely to come across as artisanal, charming, or even quirky to recipients. Their uniqueness can help make your magazine stand out from the crowd, particularly when it's delivered as just one of many direct mail items.

How to Choose the Right Binding Style

There are three binding options available for most print sizes - saddle-stitch binding, perfect binding, and spiral/wire-o binding. 

Saddle-stitch binding is the classic magazine binding option, generally accommodating up to 64 pages of content in quantities divisible by four. This binding is simple, clean, and recognizable. Use it when you want to ensure your content is instantly recognizable as a well-made magazine.

Perfect binding is the second most common magazine binding option. Unlike saddle-stitch, it results in a flat spine that allows for additional information to be printed, such as brand name, publication year, or title. It can also accommodate more pages than saddle stitch, up to several hundred. In the context of a magazine, a perfect binding often reads as more upscale, especially when paired with thicker paper stock for the covers.

Spiral/Wire-O bindings are two different ways to pass a rigid, cylindrical support through regularly punched holes along the spine edge of your publication. This binding option is more durable than either saddle-stitch or perfect binding, and can accommodate a similar page count to perfect binding. These qualities help it convey an added sense of utility and value to your magazine, particularly when your content can be used as an ongoing resource or reference. 

Magazine Design Harmony: Matching Format to Brand Style

To illustrate how format decisions can harmonize with a magazine’s overall design and marketing goals, let's look at a few hypothetical examples.

Example 1: A Unique Magazine Promoting Luxury Cosmetics

Brand A sells luxury cosmetics, and is creating a magazine with a mixed promotional and brand storytelling approach. Their content includes editorial photos highlighting upcoming collections, articles discussing their creative process, and a statement about their brand values of developing ethical, cruelty-free products. They choose an 8.5” x 8.5” square size to emphasize their brand’s boutique identity. Once the design is finalized, their page count comes out to 36 pages. While this is within the parameters required for a saddle stitch binding, they ultimately choose a perfect binding to convey a stronger sense of uniqueness and upscale quality to their audience.

The Industry: Retail

The Audience: High-end cosmetics shoppers

The Content: Promotional, entertaining, informative

The Format: Square (8.5” x 8.5”), perfect binding

Example 2: A Classic Magazine to Engage Bank Staff

Brand B is a national bank creating a quarterly brand magazine to send to their branch managers, bankers, and tellers. Their content includes company performance goals and metrics, c-suite and board member interviews, regulatory updates, and client success stories. They choose a US Letter size and a saddle stitch binding to create an instantly-recognizable, 24-page magazine that invites staff to pick it up for casual browsing both during breaks and outside of work.

The Industry: Finance

The Audience: Internal branch staff

The Content: Informative, affinity-building

The Format: US Letter (8.5” x 11”), saddle stitch binding

Example 3: A Compact Magazine for Keeping Patients In-the-Know

Brand C, a large healthcare provider, creates a yearly magazine for patients undergoing care for a chronic health problem. Their content includes care provider directories, tips for managing their condition, and articles promoting additonal programs, services, and studies patients may be eligible for. They choose a US Digest size to help communicate that this publication is a convenient reference to have on hand at all times. They also opt for a spiral binding, reinforcing the longevity and utility of its content.

The Industry: Healthcare

The Audience: Long-term patients eligible for additional services

The Content: Referential, promotional

The Format: US Digest (5.5” x 8.5”), spiral binding

Want to explore print magazine options for your brand? Wondering what design strategies would help maximize your unique message? All it takes to get started is reaching out to Wallace Carlson today!