In the world of web content, PDFs are the underdog. Although PDF files like white papers, product manuals, and brochures usually contain relevant, useful information, they are often overlooked and under-optimized. Search marketers continue to debate the value of PDF optimization, but search engines like Google and Bing insist that most PDF content is indexed, searchable, and just as important as standard HTML content--if it’s optimized properly, that is.
Ready for some simple SEO techniques? Follow these tips for easy PDF optimization.
Choose a keyword-rich, strategic filename.
In most cases, when a PDF is published online, the filename becomes a part of its URL. Leverage this opportunity by choosing a keyword-relevant filename that makes sense not only to your company and your current audience, but to anyone who might see your PDF on a search engine results page (SERP). Below, an example of what a PDF looks like in a SERP. Note the title and its presence in the URL.
Customize the title tag, subject, author, and other document properties.
Metadata is a critical part of good SEO, and luckily, it’s easy to control. Common elements of metadata are keyword-rich titles and descriptions for each web page, title tags for images, and, yes, titles for PDFs. If you use Adobe Acrobat to view and edit PDFs, updating metadata is simple. Open your PDF in Acrobat, use the top navigation toolbar to go File>Properties, and the Document Properties window will open. Here, you can input a title, author, subject, and keywords. The title is what will actually show up in search results, so make it intriguing, keyword-relevant, and short. It can be the same as your filename, but it doesn’t have to be.
Note: Adobe Acrobat is a software application used to view, create, and edit PDF files. Adobe Reader is the free version. With Adobe Reader, users cannot edit a PDF document, but in newer versions (starting with Adobe Reader 9), users can edit document properties. Learn more about Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat here.
Opt for text-based (not image-based) PDFs.
Search engines understand text much better than images, in both PDFs and standard HTML content. Make sure your text is actual text, not pictures of words. If a PDF contains mainly screenshots of PowerPoint slides or scanned documents, it’s not sending many signals to a search engine. A general rule of thumb: if you can select, copy, and paste text, you’re doing it right.
Avoid duplicate content.
Duplicate content can be confusing for search engines, and for users. If you need to offer site visitors a PDF version of information included on your website, that’s okay, but Google recommends taking steps to indicate which version is the one you want users to find. To do this, you can include the preferred URL in your site’s XML sitemap or use the rel=”canonical” tag in your HTML, which basically tells a search engine which page to find first. For more about canonicalization, read Google’s guide.
Generally, it’s a good idea to take stock of all your content and ask a few questions. What information is in a PDF vs. on your website? Who is the target audience for that information? How do you want them to find that information? Often, fantastic content is relegated to a PDF when it could perform well as on-page content, driving search traffic and attracting backlinks.
Create good content following SEO best practices.
The best way to make sure people find your content? Make good, i.e. useful, engaging, and unique content. Good web content pays attention to basic SEO strategies, so like the rest of your web site, your PDF should contain natural but keyword-rich content, contextual links, and images optimized with title tags.
Save the PDF as a smaller file size.
No one likes to wait for a file or a page to load--not humans, and not search engines. Avoid slow download times by maintaining a small file size for PDFs. Newer versions of Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader allow users to simply select the “Reduce File Size” function, usually found in the program’s File menu, or as an option under “Save As.”
For more advanced Acrobat users, consider trying the PDF Optimizer, a tool that shrinks file size while allowing users to customize how exactly the size is altered (image compression, embedded fonts, etc.). Adobe has a helpful video about this process.
Most Apple computers are equipped with Preview, a PDF reader and editor. To change the size of a PDF in preview, go File>Save As, and select “Reduce File Size” under the Quartz Filter menu.
Questions about optimizing PDFS or implementing an SEO strategy? Read about ArcStone's web marketing services and get in touch!
