The TOC (Table Of Contents) section is the part of any newsletter content that is essentially a list of the major articles and features contained in that edition with pointers to where they appear. Newsletter fillers or secondary items are not normally included, as that would detract from its major purpose: being a navigational aid, a sort of map if you like, for the benefit of the readers.
Table of Contents
Some newsletter publishers don’t include a TOC, reasoning that it’s a waste of space for a four or eight page publication. This is an understandable view, of course, but where space is not at a premium it is often to the publisher’s advantage to include one. As well as being useful to the reader it can advertise, in a very subtle way, the attractions of the content. Using carefully thought-out newsletter headlines (and remember, headlines are not subject to copyright ownership) it can whet the reader’s appetite for the goodies to come. In other words, it’s a golden opportunity to entice readers into… well, reading!
The Name
‘Table Of Contents’ is perfectly acceptable but may be too formal or otherwise not in keeping with the tone of the newsletter. ‘In This Issue’, ‘What’s Inside’, or just ‘Inside’, tend to be far less formal, as is ‘Contents’. You can call it whatever you like but you should use the same name in each issue and it should be in keeping with the general tenor of the publication.
General Layout
Clarity should be the over-riding concern when considering the general layout of a TOC. Most often the clearest way to organize data is in order of pages. In other words, what appears on page one is shown first, followed by page two, and so on. Sometimes though, regular features are separated from issue-specific content so that the TOC is divided into two sections, such as ‘In This Issue’ and ‘Regulars’. Regardless, always ensure that item headings in the TOC exactly match the item titles on the actual pages otherwise confusion will creep in.
The Look
The size of a newsletter will often determine how much space is to be devoted to the TOC. A four-page club newsletter will necessarily have a smaller contents section than an eight-page school newsletter. It might take up half, or even a whole column in a three-column layout, or be spread across two columns, or take up a quarter page across all columns. You can afford to be creative with the TOC, since you will want to repeat the formula from issue to issue. It is an ideal opportunity, for example, to include graphics such as a special headline font or fancy numbering. Remember, this is an opportunity to advertise your ‘wares’, so make it stand out, but keep it within the bounds set by the tone of the newsletter. The one essential element, as is so often the case in newsletters, is consistency.
Although quite often the last part of a newsletter to be worked on, it should never be an afterthought. It should be a carefully thought out section, planned in advance.
Positioning
The best place for it in almost all newsletters is somewhere on the front page. Publications that place the TOC inside, such as magazines, usually use cover lines (interest-piquing headlines on the cover that call attention to items within) but few newsletters have the space to spare.
Consistency of page positioning is important too, since readers expect the TOC to be in the same place every time. This is one area, once a position is chosen, where things are best left as they are rather than constantly changing.