- Masthead - normally includes the title, address and staff. The name / title is displayed in typeface which it is designed, as it is the visual branding of the titl,e and is usually done in a unique typeface to be very recognisable.
- Dateline - Month and year of publication, often with the price, so people know how old/new information is, and even for collectors. Note that a monthly magazine usually hits the news-stands the month before the cover date.
- Main image - on many magazines there is a large image, which is the main focus on the front cover. This sets the tone / genre, as its very important as it needs to attract the audience, as its the first thing they see, e.g. a beauty magazine may have a close up of a womans face showing makeup, and then will attract young females.
- Model credit - the model's name, with a quote or description, which is either relevant to the gossip included, or a positive statement about them, which would attract the audience as a well known star is included.
- Coverlines - these are groups of text which are distributed around the main image, without detracting from it too much, to give little snippets of information to the reader, to entice them to buy it.
- Main cover line - this is normally very large - normally taking up about a quarter of the cover area. Most likely in a bold colour, so its eye catching, and as its the main story it will attract the correct audience, allowing the tone of the magazine to become apparent, wether its for mothers or men etc.
- Left third - this is where a magazine cover includes the most text, as its where the eye instinctivly looks, as we read from left to right, so will give the audience the information quickly and easily.
- Bar code - standard barcode used by retailers, to price the product.
- Selling line - short, sharp, positive quote or description, about the magazine, to make it look well known and popular, to sell the magazine.
