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Review this page first! We have documented our best practices to set you up for success.
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One of the first duties of the yearbook staff is to select a theme that reflects their school for this particular year. Your goal is to select a theme that everyone in your school can relate to and understand. This will increase the value of your yearbook, and it will also help you reach your sales goal.
Document your project deadlines to keep track of important tasks and dates.
Your ladder diagram is your overall map that shows the content of every spread in the yearbook. We’ll help you set this up.
Set your yearbook team up for success by identifying roles and responsibilities.
This is the fun part. Allow us to introduce you to the elements of design!
Portraits & Photography
Learn how to upload and manage images in your yearbook website.
Promoting a yearbook works best when you have a plan and stick to it. Staying organized helps reduce stress, while ensuring you never miss an important opportunity.
We’ve documented your checklist for distribution.
Review these questions with your Yearbook Account Manager before you start your yearbook project:
• What is your final order quantity?
How many did you order last year and the year before that? Did you run out of yearbooks? Consider ordering 5-10 extra copies to sell after the books arrive.
• Do you want a custom cover design? If yes, please ensure this is included in your contract.
• When do you want your yearbooks delivered? Remember, your delivery date determines your deadlines.
• How do you want Spring content included? Spring holds some of the best school year memories! You can add spring content by including a supplement or selecting a later delivery date.
• How are you charging?
Are you purchasing for all students in the school? Will you offer tiered pricing to families? Do you need to make a profit to purchase new equipment?
• What factors are included in your budget? Click to download: Budget Worksheet.
• How many pages will your yearbook have? How many pages did your yearbook have last year? Are you adding coverage?
• What if you add pages?
Just know that your price and cover spine may be impacted. Check with your yearbook account manager for the specifics.
• What type of binding is included in your contract? Binding styles are determined by the number of pages and book size. Ask your Yearbook Account Manager for guidance.
• Are you a returning user?
Activate Smart Start to get a jump start on this year’s yearbook by importing preferences and elements from last year’s yearbook.
Meet one of our Board of Yearbook Advisers: Barbara
Click here to watch a workshop recording where Barbara shares her “Best Practices For All Advisers.”
If you have any questions about your contract, please contact your Yearbook Account Manager or Adviser Support at 1-800-736-4761.
The yearbook theme is the unifying concept that holds the book together verbally and visually. The best themes reflect specific, unique aspects of the year.
Theme Development Resources
• Theme Ideas for 2024
• Theme Exploration Poster
• Visual Theme Ideas for 2024
• Yearbook Ideas
• Video: Meet Yearbook Design Services
Virtual Workshop Recordings:
• Theme Development
• Theme Ideas
Handout:
• Theme Choice
• Theme Development
One of the first duties of the yearbook staff is to select a theme that reflects their school for this particular year. The theme is a concept that everyone in the school can understand and realize how it applies to them.
Learn more about theme development in the Yearbook Curriculum Chapter 3: Theme Development.
A predesigned yearbook theme is a great option if you need to ease your design workload. Predesigned themes include covers, backgrounds, embellishments, font choices, and suggested color palletes that will auto-populate on your yearbook pages.
Theme Development Resources
• Elementary Theme Development
• Secondary Theme Development
Virtual Training Series:
• Get To Know Themes
Document your project deadlines to keep track of important tasks and dates.
Work with your Yearbook Account Manager to determine your deadlines, starting with your desired delivery date.
• Use your email calendar to schedule meetings.
• Create a specific yearbook calendar that you can share with your yearbook account manager, yearbook staff, and school staff.
• Enter all school events into your email calendar.
• Document who is photographing or attending each event.
• Assign staff to the online calendar events they are responsible for capturing.
• Email reminders to photographers, reporters, and group sponsors for the events you are photographing.
DUE DATE _ DEADLINE TYPE:
Desired distribution date
Desired ship date to school
Final quantity order entered on website
Final page deadline
Third page deadline
Second page deadline
First page deadline
Cover submission due date
Picture Retake Day
Picture Day
Activate YBPay
Renew agreement with Yearbook Account Manager
Important Tip: we find it’s easier to work backwards!
Traditional
Student life, sports, academics, organizations and people. Optional sections might include ads, fine arts, honors, and other sections your yearbook always features.
Can be structured by seasons, grading periods, months or weeks. View a sample Chronological Diagram here.
Blended
Schools using this approach blend student life, academics and organizations together in one chronological section. Following this is a chronologically-structured sports section and a people section at the end.
Ladder Diagram Resources
• Content and Coverage Ideas
• Headline Ideas
• How to Write Headlines
• Coverage Checklist
Virtual Training Series:
• Ladder Diagram
• Organize Pages
Virtual Workshop Recordings:
• Planning Content
• Ladder & Structure
Before entering your book’s coverage topics into the online ladder, use a paper or poster ladder to plan your book’s content and structure. Order your complimentary ladder diagram poster on the Lifetouch yearbook website!
Size: 22” x 25.5”
Go to Resources & Tools> Order Materials. Download a digital Ladder Diagram here
Coverage Ideas in our Yearbook Curriculum
Chapter 6: Content & Coverage (Pages 3-10)
n If you are a returning user, get started with Smart Start to import preferences and elements from last year’s yearbook.
n Monitor the yearbook website dashboard
n Meet with sales pro to determine budget and book cost/sale price
n Add and manage users
n Examine “Contract and Book Settings” under “Book Builder” to ensure accuracy and to select preferences
n Create or select cover and theme
n Plan Ladder Diagram
n Assign photographers to cover early school year events
n Select, edit, upload and tag images
n Note or schedule Picture Day
n Note or schedule Picture Retake Day
n Design Master Pages with desired page number placement and section graphics and tie them to the online ladder
n Design and approve custom layouts for all sections
n Determine number of pages needed for portrait pages
n Design portrait pages to accommodate the number of students in each class.
n Flow portrait images
n Set up YB Pay
n Create pages or correct assigned pages
n Proofread pages
n Submit pages
Small yearbook staff?
These are the key roles:
• Adviser
• Editor
• Photographer
• Writers
• Designers
Large yearbook staff?
These are the key roles:
• Primary Adviser
• Co-Adviser(s)
• Editor in Chief
• Co-Editor(s)
• Business Manager(s)
• Photographer(s)
• Photography Editor(s)
• Section Editor(s)
• Section Team Member(s)
Virtual Training Series:
• Manage Users
Learn more about staff management in our Yearbook Curriculum Chapter 1: Introduction (pages 5-12).
Designing pages is one of the most creative aspects in producing your yearbook. Designers work with photos, lines, color and typography to produce pages that intrigue readers and pull them into the book’s double-page spreads.
A line connects two points. There are various types of lines: straight, wavy, dotted, visible, invisible, etc.
Design Resources
• Design Grid Sheet
• Bubble Sheet Planner
• Select the Right Type
• Yearbook Copyright
Yearbook Curriculum:
• Typography
• Law & Ethics
Virtual Training Series:
• Create Custom Layouts
• Create Master Pages
• Text Actions & Fonts
• Get to know Page Builder
Virtual Workshop Recordings:
• Beginning Design
• Advanced Design
Using texture in design is a good way to add visual depth to your design.
Different sized elements create visual interest, dominance, and define importance.
Learn more about yearbook design in the Yearbook Curriculum Chapter 4: Yearbook Design and Chapter 6: Content & Coverage.
Color is used to create visual importance, evoke emotion and so much more.
Design Resources
• Design Grid Sheet
• Bubble Sheet Planner
• Select the Right Type
• Yearbook Copyright
Yearbook Curriculum:
• Typography
• Law & Ethics
Virtual Training Series:
• Create Custom Layouts
• Create Master Pages
• Text Actions & Fonts
• Get to know Page Builder
Value is how light or dark an element appears on the page.
Make your design stand out by using color, typography and textures.
Use white space to direct the eye or give the eye a place to rest.
Virtual Workshop Recordings:
• Beginning Design
• Advanced Design
Repetition establishes rhythm, which creates consistency across your design.
Proximity creates cohesiveness in design. Elements that belong together should be placed close together.
Alignment allows for design elements to be visually connected and cohesive.
Design Resources
• Design Grid Sheet
• Bubble Sheet Planner
• Select the Right Type
• Yearbook Copyright
Yearbook Curriculum:
• Typography
• Law & Ethics
Virtual Training Series:
• Create Custom Layouts
• Create Master Pages
• Text Actions & Fonts
• Get to know Page Builder
Virtual Workshop Recordings:
• Beginning Design
• Advanced Design
Learn more about yearbook design in the Yearbook Curriculum
Chapter 4: Yearbook Design and Chapter 6: Content & Coverage.
You’ve reached our favorite part of the yearbook building process: Photography!
The yearbook website has a ton of features for uploading and managing images and we have resources to help you learn. Access the detailed help guide by clicking on the topic below:
Educational Photography Resources
• Tips to manage images
Digital Guide:
• Taking Better Cell Phone Photos
• 15 Tips For Yearbook Pics
Virtual Training Series:
• Flow Portraits
• Unflowing Portraits
Virtual Workshop Recordings:
• Everyone Can Be a Photographer
• InDesign
Upload candid images Edit a candid image
Create an index
• The Artistic Side of Photoshop
• The Photo Side of Photoshop
• Lightroom
• Visual Storytelling
• Capturing Sports
• Photo Stories
Create a portrait group Flow portrait group to a page
Edit a portrait group
• Photo Composition
• Using Light to Enhance Your Images
• Photo Enhancement Software
We are excited to announce that Lifetouch Community Upload, our new photo sharing site, is live! Collecting candid yearbook photos from your school community has never been faster and did we say... easier!
Share your school’s unique code with students, staff and families. Photo sharing is now accessible to all, and a great way to add content to your yearbook.
To set up Community Upload, go to Book Builder and move down to Contract & Book Settings. Click the “yes” button. Then you will receive directions for creating your unique ID.
If you partner with Lifetouch for School Photography, your picture day dates are on the dashboard of your yearbook website.
If you still need to schedule a Picture Day or Retake Day this year, contact your Yearbook Account Manager today!
Learn more about photography in the Yearbook Curriculum Chapter 5: The Power of Photography
Whether you sell your book or include it in your school’s tuition, your staff needs to find a way to create a buzz about the book.
Identify your target audiences
Break them down into sub-groups. Freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, athletes, scholars, club members, fine arts students, students who aren’t involved, first-time buyers, etc.
Determine the “needs” of each group
After listing each major group and sub-group, determine how you will market to each target audience and why a yearbook may be important to them.
Identify nine touchpoints to market your Yearbook
Now that you’ve identified your audience, you are ready to build your marketing plan.
Download your marketing plan worksheet and select nine touchpoints from the list below. Let’s get selling!
Marketing Resources
• Marketing Plan Worksheet
• The Non-Marketers Guide to Marketing a Yearbook
• Social Media Marketing Images
Virtual Workshop Recordings:
• Marketing
Learn more about Marketing in the Yearbook Curriculum Chapter 7: Marketing & Budgeting.
• Set up your YBPay online ordering website in Sales Tracker.
• Your YBPay website will automatically shut down when your yearbook order ships.
Contact your Yearbook Account Manager to place an order for printed flyers.
We have complimentary selling tools available to order on the Yearbook Website. Navigate to Resources & Tools > Order Materials.
• Use our web banners to promote on your school’s website.
• Create graphics to promote on social media.
In school promotions may include back-to-school, conferences, holiday sales, school dances, spring bloom sale, athletic events, school plays, etc. Ask your staffers to create event-specific flyers to place around the school!
• Learn how to set up YBPay
• Electronic Yearbook
Sales Flyer
• Digital Website Banners
Virtual Training Series:
• Set Up Ad Builder
• Purchase an Ad on YBPay
• Review and Approve Ads
• Place an Ad on a Yearbook Page
Add your Job Number to selling materials so community members can search for your school’s yearbook on YBPay.com
Your YBPay website will remain open until your order ships.
n Be on the lookout for a yearbook shipping confirmation email. Yearbook delivery tracking is available on the homepage of your yearbook websites!
n After your yearbook order ships, print the most up-to-date “Order List” from Sales Tracker.
n Merge lists of online sales and cash sales.
n Schedule and announce a distribution day.
n Rally volunteers to hand out books.
n Organize / set up distribution tables by last name. Recruit people to help with this!
n Ask each student to initial next to their name when they pick up their yearbook.
n Create a plan to sell extra yearbooks.
n Remind students and parents to bring cash or credit cards when purchasing extra books.
Your YBPay online ordering website will now remain open until your yearbook order ships. (You still have the option to select a YBPay close date that is earlier if you’d prefer.)
What does this mean?! Now, you have more time to sell your yearbook online!
• We encourage Advisers to order 5-10 additional copies to ensure they have enough yearbooks to sell for cash!
• Your “Last Chance Sale” should be just before the time you submit your final quantity order.
• Your YBPay website will automatically close when the order ships. Orders can ship earlier than expected.
• YBPay will also close if you sell out of yearbooks online.
• Print your “Order List’ from sales tracker AFTER your yearbook order ships. This will ensure that on distribution day you aren’t selling yearbooks that were already purchased online (after you submitted your final order).
If you need to order additional yearbooks, contact your Yearbook Account Manager.
*Clicking a topic will take you to that location on another website.
DIGITAL RESOURCES
YEARBOOK WEBSITE
VIRTUAL TRAINING SERIES
YEARBOOK WEBINAR SERIES
YEARBOOK CLASS
CURRICULUM
SELLING RESOURCES
Our goal is to help you and your yearbook staff create the best yearbook your school has ever seen. The Lifetouch Yearbook Curriculum is a great resource to help you get started.
Chapter 1: An Introduction to Yearbooks
Chapter 2: Learning the Lingo
Chapter 3: Theme Development
Chapter 4: Yearbook Design
Chapter 5: The Power of Photography
Chapter 6: Content & Coverage
Chapter 7: Marketing & Budgeting
Chapter 8: The Power of Writing
Chapter 9: Press Law, Ethics & Responsibility
Chapter 10 : Glossary
CORE Curriculum Standards
One-Click Lessons & Exercises
Elementary Theme
Elementary Basic Design
Elementary Advanced Design
Elementary Photography
Reach out to your Yearbook Account Manager to order a printed copy of the Lifetouch Yearbook Curriculum.
Secondary Theme
Secondary Basic Design
Secondary Advanced Design
Secondary Photography
Minimum Requirements
• Google Chrome, latest version
• Windows
- Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows 11 or later
- 1.3 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor
- 4GB RAM
• Network connection
- 15 Mbps download speed
- 1 Mbps upload speed
• Screen resolution of 1920 x 1080
• Chrome books with latest Google Chrome browser version
• Apple tablets with latest Google Chrome browser version
• Mac
- OS X El Capitan 10.11 or later
Recommended Requirements:
• Google Chrome, latest version
• Windows
- Windows 10 or later
- 2.8 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor
- 8GB RAM
• Network connection - 20 Mbps - 2 Mbps upload speed
• Screen resolution of 2048 x 1080
• Chrome books with latest Google Chrome browser version
• Apple tablets with latest Google Chrome browser version
• Mac
- OS X El Capitan 10.11 or later
Updated Sept. 2022
Check memory consumption that may cause the Google Chrome to slow down. There might be applications that are running in the background on your computer.
If your computer seems slow, restart it to clear the cache.
The Yearbook Adviser Support team provides one-on-one assistance to advisers when help is needed. Yearbook Adviser Support is available Monday – Friday, 8 AM – 5 PM CST.
Contact U.S. Yearbook Adviser Support:
1-800-736-4761
yearbookadvisersupport@lifetouch.com
Families should contact Customer Care if they forgot whether they ordered, need their confirmation number, want to create a parent ad, or any other information regarding the production of their order.
Contact Customer Care:
schools.lifetouch.com/contactyearbooks
Lifetouch Yearbook Account Managers love what a yearbook represents for the school. They’ll help you understand available program options and find a yearbook offering perfect for your school. They’re knowledgeable in “all things yearbook”, including photography, design and journalism.
Yearbook Account Manager:
Phone Numer: Email:
The new Adviser resource hub is your one-stop-shop for digital resources that will help you organize, plan and design your yearbook.
Whether you need creative advice, custom design elements, or want a custom-designed yearbook cover, our Yearbook Design Services team is available to help make your yearbook vision a reality. Contact your Yearbook Account Manager to see if you are contracted for Yearbook Design Services.
Parent Notify is a Picture Day and yearbook communication solution for schools that simplifies administrative tasks and reduces questions from parents.
YBPay is an online ordering tool your community will use to purchase yearbooks online. Your Yearbook job number is the code your community will use to search for your school’s yearbook.
Activate YBPay
Ascenders: Letters that rise above the baseline of type (b, d, f, h, k, l).
Baseline: An imaginary rule where lines of text sit.
Bleed: An element or picture extending off the page.
Candid Photo: An activity photo in which the subjects are informal, spontaneous and un-posed.
Depth of Field: Area that is in focus in a photo or video shot. Less depth of field is great for one to three subjects. Greater depth of field is suggested for group photos.
Descenders: Letters that fall below the baseline (g, j, p, q, y).
Display Type: Type sized to 14-point or above.
Decorative Type: Script, Cursive, Olde English or Novelty type faces used in headlines to reflect the yearbooks theme.
Divider: A single-page or double-page spread used to separate each section of the yearbook, which ties the section to the theme.
Dominant Photo: Photo that is obviously larger than any other photo on the spread.
Double Page Spread (DPS): Two facing pages visible at one time (e.g. pages 2-3).
Endsheet: Heavy sheet of paper that attaches the book to the cover. There is an endsheet in both the front and back of the book. These can be printed or left blank.
Folio: The page number along with a possible graphic element at the bottom left or right of the spread.
Gutter: Space where the book is bound between two facing pages.
Headline: The large text that introduces the story on the page.
Index: A complete alphabetical listing, along with corresponding page numbers, of everyone featured in the yearbook.
Eyeline: To link a spread, a horizontal line is established across the spread above or below the center to give movement to the reader’s eye.
Internal Margins: Spacing between columns on a spread. A one pica separation between elements is most common.
Job Number: The number assigned by the publishing company to the school. You can find your Job Number in Contract and Book Settings.
Ladder Diagram: The overall map that shows the placement of every layout in the yearbook.
Margins: The empty border that creates a frame around a spread. Consistent margins should be established on each page.
Pica: A unit of measurement used in yearbook production. Six picas = one inch.
Points: A unit of measurement for type faces and tight internal margins.
• 72 points= 1 inch
• 12 points= 1 pica
Budgeting And Pricing Guide
Calendar Of Success
Checking out Equipment Form
Contract For for Parents of Yearbook Staff Members to Sign
Model Release Form
Teacher Recommendation Form
What To Send When?
Yearbook Staff Application
Yearbook Editor Application
Clear and timely communication is the key to a successful yearbook project.
-Jennie, Lifetouch Board of Adviser Member, High School Yearbook AdviserWork smarter...not harder. Take lots of pictures and upload them into the correct groups as soon as you can. This little tip will make things easier in the end when creating pages.
-Shelby, Lifetouch Board of Adviser Member, Elementary Yearbook Adviser
Let students do the work. It’s really easy to fall into the trap of taking most of the photos, designing most of the spreads, and rewriting most of the copy; sure, you can do it faster, and often you can do it better. But in the end, everyone loses. The students don’t learn and you stay overworked and overwhelmed.
Because you work them hard, reward them well. Food is a great motivator. Celebrate birthdays and holidays. Let them plan a secret Santa exchange at Christmas. Decorate pumpkins at Halloween. Bake a batch of cupcakes and bring icing and let them decorate them. Aim for something fun once a month.
And while spending time with the students creating the book is fun, you need to be able to communicate with other adults, too. Go to workshops when you can. Join your state’s journalism organization and attend events when offered. Create a network of adviser friends and email them for advice and help and ideas when you need it. Other advisers and workshops and conferences all provide new, fresh ideas and plenty of positive energy to keep you going!
-Melonie, Lifetouch Board of Adviser Member, High School Yearbook Adviser
Start the year off on an organized foot, ask your senior staff members to come up with theme ideas ahead of time. Then meet with them over coffee, or something else fun, and sketch up the theme, elements, cover design, and end sheets. That way you are hitting the ground running when the year starts!
-Patti, Lifetouch Board of Adviser Member, High School Yearbook Adviser