• Home
• About

Information to Include on Your CD and DVD Labels

Both CDs and DVDs can be valuable tools for distributing information quickly and effectively. These eminently portable discs can hold data ranging from music and movies to slideshows, presentations and written documents. Whether you’re sharing photos from your most recent family vacation with friends and relatives, attempting to generate interest in a professional project among potential investors or sending a demo CD of your music to record labels and DJs, you should consider having your discs professionally replicated – and labeled. CD and DVD labels provide both clarity and professionalism to your digital media discs, and having these labels printed directly onto your CDs and DVDs can be surprisingly affordable. Since space is limited on CD and DVD labels, however, you’ll need to make a strategic decision about what information must be included – and what can be left off. Here are some ideas for information you may need to include on your labels in order to help you get started on the design process:

• Title. If you’re using your CD or DVD to share something creative, like an album or film, you will definitely want to begin by making sure the title is printed on the label. Particularly long titles (especially those with subtitles or alternate titles) should be kept as brief as possible. Keep in mind that your disc will probably be stored in a paper sleeve or plastic case, so you can include your full title there rather than attempting to cram it all onto the disc itself. For discs containing information like family photos or work-related projects, you should still include a title, even if it’s something simple and straightforward like “Jones Family Summer Vacation ’09” or “Marketing Presentation Materials.” This will help prevent the “mystery disc” syndrome that can occur when unlabeled CDs and DVDs get lost in the shuffle.
• Your name & contact info. There are two main reasons why you should include your full name and contact information on your CD or DVD: First, because it allows recipients to get in touch with you easily if they like what they see (or hear), and second, because it will help your discs find their way home in case they are misplaced. As far as contact info, an email address, website URL, social networking link or phone number should suffice.
• Date. This is optional, but it can be valuable information depending on the nature of the information on your discs. Photos should always be dated for posterity; similarly, time-sensitive materials should also be dated, so recipients can remember when they first received the disc.
• Tracklisting or chapter titles. If you have room on your label, you may want to include a tracklisting (or list of songs, for a CD) or chapter guide (for DVDs), in order to clarify what the recipient can expect from your disc and to make skipping ahead to different songs or chapters easier.
• An image. Again, this is optional – and something you may choose to forgo for work-related CDs and DVDs – but including an eye-catching yet topically appropriate image can be a great way to make your disc more memorable. If you do decide to include a photo or illustration on your label, make sure to invest in full color printing; it will make your picture pop!

Did you enjoy this post? Why not leave a comment below and continue the conversation, or subscribe to my feed and get articles like this delivered automatically to your feed reader.