I was looking for a great solution on how to display PDF in HTML websites. As a blogger with a solid base of readers, I understand the importance of visual elements. What I write is only as important as how well I can present it. That’s why my first priority is meaningful, interesting content. But right on par with strong content, I rely on tools like YUMPU Publishing ePapers to get that meaning across elegantly and easily.
While my audience cares enough about what I have to say to keep coming back, I also need to provide them with fast-loading content, to make their reading experience satisfying. In the past, I would create the ideal PDF, to perfectly complement the rest of my content, only to discover that it loaded far too slowly for my readers’ patience. Instead of drawing readers in, it would alienate them. Viewers using mobile devices quickly lost interest and clicked away before the PDF could load. Naturally, the PDF format didn’t let me embed videos or audio files. Neither could I share the PDFs very well through social media. So, displaying PDF in HTML was no option for me.
As I realized the problems of displaying PDF in HTML, I started polling fellow bloggers and friends who had their own websites and webshops. There were plenty of similar stories, of their frustration with how slowly pages with PDFs would load. The more their site relied on PDFs and visuals, the more acutely they experienced this problem. Finally, an old friend and very seasoned webmaster told me a similar story. But this time, it was all in the past tense. Ever since she had discovered a program with a funny name – YUMPU Publishing– my friend swore by ePapers instead of any more PDFs. I gave it a go, and haven’t switched back a single time since.
Table of contents
- The new way to display PDF in HTML:
- Benefits of the PDF format called ePaper
- Can a PDF displayed in HTML do this? NO!
The new way to display PDF in HTML:
YUMPU Publishing offers a format called the ePaper as an alternative to the display PDF in HTML. When I reformat my PDFs as ePapers, for starters, they are instantly loadable on all possible devices. Visitors to my site can be using smartphones, tablets, PCs, or Macs – it doesn’t matter. Each page loads as quickly as if it were plain text. For myself and so many bloggers I know, making content available for on-the-go reading has become critical. If my readers can keep up with my posts on their mobile devices, I’ll lose their readership. With ePapers, I’m seeing quicker loading times and greater satisfaction.
Another popular tool would be Issuu, but I had quite some problems using this site. That’s why I think that the PDF Magazine Creator is the better Issuu APP Alternative.
Benefits of the PDF format called ePaper
Not only does the ePaper beat PDFs for quicker loading. It also takes care of more interactive elements. PDFs can be a real drag when you need to embed signup forms, videos, audios, or hyperlinks. I can do all of those, though, directly within an ePaper. That versatility, it turns out, accounts for serious changes in web traffic. According to a digital publishing study conducted in 2014, Paper gets 2.5 more page views than a downloadable PDF. When readers decide to ease into reading longer content, it’s well documented that most prefer a more “natural reading” context, that emulates traditional reading from pages. The ePaper addresses this angle directly with a double-sided presentation. The subtle sense of turning pages typically keeps readers’ attention longer, affecting how well you can get your content across.
While the double-sided format may seem to make a minimal difference, the proof is in the kind of viewership that an ePaper-enabled site attracts. Since an ePaper is indexed by search engines, it can be optimized to enhance your website’s search engine standing and attract new, interested parties to your site. On average, ePaper-enabled sites attract 12x more readers via Google and other search engines.
Can a PDF displayed in HTML do this? NO!
While search engine optimization is a critical aspect of website design, any site up today also needs to channel some energy to a strong social media presence. In fact, it was with ePapers that I really saw my site’s social presence begin to change. As I could easily share ePapers, more viewers got to glimpse the real value of my site. Plus, I could share ePapers with embedded links, images, videos, and audio clips, giving these first-time viewers a richer first taste of what my own site offers.
Last but not least, ePapers have solved my initial problem with PDFs once and for all. No longer do my site viewers have to wait for PDFs to load because of the display PDF in HTML format. I find that viewers stay on ePaper pages far longer than on those with PDFs. Plus, they’re more likely to click elsewhere on my own site, after reading through an absorbing ePaper, than to click elsewhere, tired of waiting for PDFs to load.
Given these 7 advantages of the ePaper, I can think of only one reason anyone still uses PDFs. They are well-known. Of course, fewer people have heard of YUMPU Publishing than Adobe. But, I can hardly imagine designing my website based on the status quo. I’ve come to develop a relationship with my readers that involves a degree of trust, of looking out for their needs. When a product as good as YUMPU Publishing exists, I can’t make them sit and wait for PDFs to sluggishly load. Plus, they now associate my brand with a peaceful and richly integrated reading experience. The feeling of flipping each page is appealing, and it’s become unthinkable to me to forgo embedded videos or seamless social sharing. In short, ePapers have become so core to my site that I can hardly imagine ever displaying PDF in HTML again.