Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Warehousing • Body Copy • Overrun

Cover Lines

Term from Magazine Publishing industry explained for recruiters

Cover lines are the attention-grabbing headlines or text that appear on magazine covers. They are designed to entice readers to pick up and purchase the magazine by highlighting the most interesting stories inside. Think of them as the magazine's "storefront window display" – they need to be compelling, clear, and deliver on what's promised inside the magazine. This is different from the magazine's main title or logo, which stays the same each issue. Good cover lines are crucial for newsstand sales and subscriber interest.

Examples in Resumes

Increased newsstand sales 30% through strategic Cover Line placement and testing

Wrote and edited Cover Lines for monthly fashion magazine with 500,000+ circulation

Led team brainstorming sessions to develop engaging Cover Lines and cover strategies

Typical job title: "Magazine Editors"

Also try searching for:

Copy Editor Magazine Editor Content Editor Editorial Director Managing Editor Features Editor Senior Editor

Where to Find Magazine Editors

Professional Organizations

Job Boards

Industry Networks

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How would you develop a cover line strategy for a magazine that's struggling with newsstand sales?

Expected Answer: Should discuss analyzing competitor covers, sales data, and target audience preferences. Should mention A/B testing different approaches, working with art directors on placement, and measuring results.

Q: How do you balance creative cover lines with SEO requirements for digital editions?

Expected Answer: Should explain process of creating engaging headlines that work both in print and digital formats, understanding of digital reader behavior, and ability to adapt traditional cover line techniques for online platforms.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What factors do you consider when writing cover lines?

Expected Answer: Should mention target audience interests, newsstand visibility, word choice impact, placement on cover, and relationship to cover image and main story.

Q: How do you test the effectiveness of cover lines?

Expected Answer: Should discuss methods like focus groups, A/B testing, sales data analysis, and social media feedback to determine which cover lines perform best.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What makes a good cover line?

Expected Answer: Should discuss clarity, attention-grabbing qualities, promise to reader, and connection to magazine content.

Q: How do you ensure cover lines accurately reflect the magazine's content?

Expected Answer: Should explain process of reading articles thoroughly, working with article authors, and fact-checking to ensure cover lines don't mislead readers.