The PDF, shouldn’t we say goodbye to it? But what is the alternative? In this article I share inspiring examples.
A while ago I read a strong article by Femke Koning on Frankwatching with 6 reasons why PDFs on websites are no longer possible. While reading, I recognized her frustrations surrounding the PDF and its ‘user-friendliness’ – in quotes. The format is invented in 1993 and that is noticeable. The comments below the article show that many agree with her, but a fair question was also asked: what is the alternative?
The PDF no longer suits today’s online readers
First let’s go back to why most people hate the PDF so much. Femke gives six good reasons and briefly explains that PDFs…
- are not user-friendly or digitally accessible
- poor scaling across devices
- not easy to find in Google (SEO)
- are difficult to measure in terms of interaction
- be cumbersome to maintain
- not convert properly
I agree with that and would like to add that I do static in sad find. Moreover, they are difficult to share. A PDF that you send by email or share on your website must always be downloaded first. Do you have a new version? You can then upload it again or send it again by email. You have no control over whether your reader is looking at the most recent version.
At this point I assume that you are convinced that we should say goodbye to the PDF as a format. To do that, we must focus on an alternative.
The world of online publishing
To find the alternative to static PDFs, we will have to look beyond static file formats. Let’s get to know ‘digital publishing’—or just ‘digital publishing’ in Dutch. I hear you thinking: “Huh, but we already know this, right? About the eBooks and stuff?”. That is partly correct. In this context, however, I want to talk about a broader form.
What I mean by it in this article is publishing (business) documents and long-form content on the web. So online. In this situation, your content is no longer a fixed file that you have to download, but a living collection of web pages at its own URL. That is why we also call them ‘online publications’.
All the benefits of the web without the complexity of a website
Online publications simply offer possibilities that the PDF cannot compete with. Logical, because we are talking about one webdocument versus a static one file format. The main difference is that a web document can respond to user input. A website is an example of a collection of web documents.
The fact that an online publication lives on the web comes with a number of advantages, namely:
Read and share directly on your own URL
No hassle with downloads, just share a link. This works best for all channels, such as e-mail, social media and even messengers such as WhatsApp.
Directly readable on your website
Most online publications are also ’embeddable’. This means that they can be integrated into your website and can be read directly without your visitor having to leave the website or download a file.
Always up to date
Where you previously had to re-upload or re-send your document if changes were made, this is no longer the case with online publications. Just a click of a button and your changes are published. The best? The change will be implemented on the same URL and in all places where your publication is embedded. This way, everyone with the link always reads the latest version.
Improved accessibility and responsiveness
Something created in the ‘language’ of the web automatically performs better. Online publications can be designed in such a way that they scale nicely on both small and larger screens. In addition, you have control over digital accessibility to ensure that absolutely everyone can read your publication, such as visually impaired people.
Easy to find in search engines
Your document consists of, among other things: HTMLwhich is easy to index by search engines. This means that if you have written content that matches the user’s search intent, there is a greater chance that Google will show your document higher in the search results. And what organization doesn’t want to be found easily?
Measurable
Measuring is knowing, right? You can ‘track’ your online publications with tools such as Google Analytics. This way you gain insight into the number of views, clicks, scrolls, and on which devices your target group reads the publication. This way you can improve your content based on data.
Options that are not (or poorly) supported in PDFs
An online publication can respond to reader input. This means you can animate or change elements based on mouse movements, clicks, scrolling, and key strokes – making the reading experience a lot more interesting! In addition, it includes better support when it comes to forms or creating a link with an external system, for example Hubspot. The lower the threshold, the higher your chance of conversion!
Some examples
Ultimately, it’s better to see online publications for yourself to understand what I’m talking about. Therefore, here are a number of examples of online publications based on well-known brands.
1. ANWB reaches a broader target group with a digital version of the ‘Champion’
De Kampioen is undeniably a well-known membership magazine in the Netherlands that comes with your membership. But hey, not everyone likes to have it delivered to their doorstep anymore. That is why, in addition to a print, they also make an online version. And that is useful, because it can be read anywhere on any device. Moreover, ANWB can keep track of which topics their readers find interesting by measuring views and clicks. The interactive format offers great options for their topics, for example an interactive map that the user can click around.
View an example of the digital Champion here.
2. The Municipality of Amsterdam strives for inclusivity with a digital magazine
Many government agencies are required to communicate. Digital accessibility is an extremely important element for them, because the municipality must be there for everyone. For example, the Municipality of Amsterdam publishes important information through a digital magazine that is accessible to everyone. Another added benefit? You can quickly create the same publication in another language, for example English.
Take a look at this 2024 budget as an example.
3. Albert Heijn makes complex data manageable and clear
If there’s anything more boring than a PDF, it’s a PDF with a lot of complex information. Mainly in the case of mandatory reporting (for example due to the introduction of the CSRD) many companies have to share big buckets of figures with stakeholders. Those readers are certainly not going to scroll through your entire document. You prefer to give them clarity at a glance with infographics, tables and graphs and other beautiful data visualization techniques. Albert Heijn understands this very well and publishes a sustainability report every year that is pleasant to read. They also offer the PDF version under a download button for those who want it.
View the 2023 sustainability report.
4. Renault makes electric driving simple with a dynamic brochure
Organizations that sell something have one important goal: to convert. To do that, you must provide your target group with the right information. Renault’s digital brochure on electric driving takes you through everything you need to know before you make a purchase. Moving elements fit well with the subject and look great in this online format.
Start publishing online
Creating an online publication requires more skill than exporting a PDF. Luckily there are a lot software platforms who have made it their core service to let users design, publish and analyze documents in one place without having to write code. What suits your organization depends on what you find important. Here are some things to keep in mind when orientating:
Type of publication
Digital publications come in different forms. The most famous are flipbooks (with ‘flippable’ pages) and HTML5-publications (such as the examples above). The reading experience starts with choosing your reading format and often depends on the software platform you use to publish. Many of the previously mentioned benefits apply primarily to HTML5 magazines, but a flipbook is a good middle ground if you already have a PDF version of your document.
Free design or templates
Think carefully about your design. Do you like speed and convenience? Then templates are a good starting point. Would you rather come up with an original design yourself? Then choose software that offers you that freedom. Of course you can also go for a balance between the two. Which gradations are suitable for you depends on your goal, experience and time.
Separate environment for mobile design
A huge amount of online content is read on mobile. That is why it is important that your publication is optimized for smaller screens. A software program that lets you design the layout for mobile separately is a huge plus. This way you can test whether everything remains legible and clickable.
Statistics and links with external systems
Measuring is knowing. Once you have data about your reader, you can make targeted adjustments to improve the reading experience. So choose a type of publication or software platform that provides insight into reading behavior in the form of statistics. You may already be collecting data in your own tool. The possibility of linking the publishing software to your existing tools is therefore not an unnecessary luxury.
When it is better to stick to the PDF
I hardly dare to say it, but… in some cases it is better to opt for the PDF. However, the list of reasons is getting shorter and shorter as technology advances. One of the few advantages that PDF has over digital publications is that it remains close to the print format. If printing your document is important, it is better to choose the PDF. Or of course just both. Who says you have to choose?
Nevertheless, it can no longer be ignored that we are communicating more and more online. Preparing for new forms of communication is therefore a smart move. Do you still do a lot of your business communication in PDF format, such as a magazine, brochure or white paper? And are they actually not easy to read, difficult to maintain and you don’t really know how it will be received by your reader? Then an alternative is something to think about.
Source: www.frankwatching.com
