Microsoft Word, part of the Microsoft Office Suite, is often thought of as the go-to software for word processing and creating things like business reports, letters and lists. Word's functionality extends past that, though, and can help you create promotional materials such as advertisements. When you're taking out a quarter page ad in a magazine, newspaper or program, you'll find Word requires just a few quick steps to get your document ready to go.
Step 1
Open Word, which automatically defaults into a standard 8.5-by-11-inch page. Pull down the "Insert" menu and select "Text Box." Click the blank Word page once, which deposits a framed square shape on the page.
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Step 2
Double-click the frame of the text box, which is actually going to be your guide for the advertisement size, to bring up the "Format Text Box" window. Click the "Size" tab.
Step 3
Type your dimensions into the "Width" and "Height" boxes; note that a quarter page ad in a magazine is going to vary widely from a quarter page ad in a newspaper. The Georgia Library Quarterly, for example, offers a 3.5-by-4.875-inch space for a quarter-page ad, whereas a quarter-page ad for the Christian Covenant High School is 4 by 5 inches. Make sure the "Lock aspect ratio" box is checked and click the "OK" button; the text box resizes on the screen.
Step 4
Click your cursor inside the text box and type the headline of your advertisement, such as "Cat Toys: 50% Off!" Highlight the words and use the text toolbar at the top of the page to change their font, size, position and color.
Step 5
Press the "Enter" key a few times to add space under the headline. Type the rest of the advertisement information, such as your website address, store hours of operation, details about your product or service and the best way to get in contact with you.
Step 6
Click your cursor in the white space of the ad between the headline and the other text. Pull down the "Insert" menu and click "Picture." If you have your own image, such as a company logo or picture, click "From File," browse the image and double-click it so it opens on the ad space. Otherwise, click "Clip Art," type a word or phrase into the "Search for" box and click "Go." Scroll through the results and double-click an image to add it to the ad. Grab a corner of the graphic and shrink it down to size so both the graphic and your text fit the confines of the ad box.
Step 7
Give the ad a colored background by double-clicking the text box frame again and selecting "Format Text Box." Click the "Colors and Lines" tab, pull down the "Color" menu under the "Fill" section and click a colored box. Click "OK" and the text box background changes color.
Step 8
Pull down the "File" menu, click "Save As," name the ad and save it to your computer.
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