Typesetting is at the heart of what we do when it comes to publication design, whether that be for annual reports, policy papers or brochures. No matter whether you’re a non-profit or a private sector business typesetting is one of the ways we help you make an impact and see a return on your investment.

But, what do we actually do under the umbrella of ‘typesetting’ and, more to the point perhaps, how does it, or could it, add value to you?

What does typesetting mean?

First off, what it is. The Cambridge Dictionary, defines it as the activity of arranging printed text and images on the page when preparing a book, newspaper, etc. for printing

It’s therefore best to consider it as a graphic design discipline. As in other areas of graphic design there are some fundamental rules to follow which we’ll set out here.

The reason it and its rules are so important is because, when done well, it helps your readers understand what you’re saying.

How does typesetting add value in publication design?

The rules we follow allow us to reduce the likelihood of eyestrain and thus increase the likelihood of those who pick up your publication reading until the end. If your content lacks flow and is difficult to follow because it has not been typeset properly, the likelihood of people making their way to the end significantly decreases.

Widows and orphans – the basics of flow

For example, two of the things we look out for when typesetting are what’s known as ‘widows and orphans’. This is when you have one small lonely word at the bottom of a paragraph of text (widow) or at the top of the page (orphan) instead of on the previous page. These matter because they look messy and so are distracting, this distraction breaks the reader’s flow which often results in someone having to re-read what they’ve just read.

Leading, kerning, and alignment

Our work though doesn’t just involve checking for rogue words that break a reader’s flow. These three techniques – leading, kerning and alignment – do a lot of the heavy lifting in any well-typeset document.

Leading controls the spacing between lines, if you get it wrong in either direction then text becomes either cramped or airy to the point of losing its coherence. Kerning adjusts the space between individual characters for visual consistency. Alignment governs how text sits on the page, and the choice between justified, left-aligned, or centred text has a significant effect on readability depending on the context.

Together, these create a document that readers move through without friction.

Brand consistency and tone of voice

In addition to creating an aesthetically pleasing design, good typesetting helps express and reinforce your tone of voice. When type is selected and arranged consistently with your brand guidelines, it strengthens your overall message while brand consistency will strengthen your overall brand.

A serif typeface tends to read as formal and considered, which is often the right choice for policy or financial publications. A sans-serif typeface reads as contemporary and accessible. Neither is right or wrong; the choice should be deliberate and consistent throughout. Click here to find out more about type and its impact.

This matters beyond aesthetics: inconsistency in type undermines the authority of a document. For a think tank publishing a policy paper, or a business presenting an annual report to investors, that authority is the point.

Accessibility

Typesetting plays a direct role in how accessible your publication is. Type size, line spacing, colour contrast, and alignment all affect whether a document can be read comfortably by people with visual impairments or reading differences. We apply accessibility standards as standard, not as an afterthought.

What we do and who we do it for

We specialise in typesetting for organisations that publish regularly and care about how their work is received. We’ve typeset annual reports and policy publications for organisations as diverse as the City of London, the Centre for Social Justice and io consulting, the common element being how the quality of a published document reflects directly on the credibility of the work inside it. This tends to be the case for across think tanks, charities, public sector bodies, consultancies, and professional services firms, all being organisations where a well-produced report or publication is part of how they demonstrate rigour.

Our typesetting work sits within a broader publication design process that includes layout, print-readiness, and in some cases copyediting for consistency. You can find out more about how we approach this on our typesetting and reports service page.

Talk to us about your publication

If your organisation publishes documents that need to make an impression, we’d like to hear from you. Get in touch to discuss your project