Tech For Free!

Here’s the request: “Please put this PDF on the website”.  This of course is a  simple task that should take mere minutes to complete, but before  that  PDF file  (or for that matter any other file type such as .doc, .xls, .ppt) goes up,  take the time  to think critically about the request, and provide some leadership regarding the placement of it whether you are the web designer or content provider.

Why Does The PDF Need To Be Uploaded?
Determine if  the content of the file serves the purpose of the site. All too often I’ve seen files uploaded to a website because someONE MIGHT want that piece of information.  Keep your site clean and provide only the most relevant pieces of information that serve your larger audience.  Avoid altering your website for the ONE person that MIGHT access it. If the PDF content is aligned with the purpose of the site you should proceed, but be sure to carefully consider where the file will be added on the site.

Adding a PDF to a site has implications for the site’s users,  so before you begin adding PDFs, consider the following 5 questions.

Is The Location Right?
If a file doesn’t quite fit the purpose of the site, then finding the right location for it can be a challenge. As a result, you may find yourself adding the file to a page where it “SORT OF”  makes sense.  When this occurs users “MIGHT” stumble upon it, but it will be difficult for users in general to know logically where to find the pdf in the future.  That said, consider again the purpose of the site. Does the content of the PDF make sense? If it does, then identify the best location for it on your site so that users will easily find it. This may mean adding a new page to your website. Don’t be lazy and just throw up file to the site!

Do Your Users Know What They Are Clicking On?
There’s nothing worse than browsing a website and then suddenly finding out that you have inadvertently started a download of a file. When adding PDFs to your site, avoid having download links as part of your primary navigation system. List your PDF files within the main content area of your site and indicate to the users that clicking the link will initiate a download (or view) of a PDF file. Example.

Is Your PDF Accessible?
Users utilizing assistive technology devices such as screen readers may find it difficult to access the contents of the PDF. There are various steps you can take to creating an accessible PDF files, but generally speaking most usability experts  will agree that PDFs are less desirable, and that regular HTML is best. You may be thinking that accessibility isn’t an issue for you or your audience, but you want may want to read up who is required to create accessible websites (inclusive of content found within any PDF file). If you are  federally funded, or funded by a state which has adopted Section 508 as state law (such as California),  you  are required to make all of your content (including PDFs) accessible. Even if you’re not federally or state funded  you may want to jump on the band wagon as Target recently settled a brought against them (they are neither federal or state funded) by the National Federation of the Blind.  Depending upon the PDF, making  it accessible can be simple, or a time consuming challenge. Therefore you may want to consider creating HTML file(s) instead, and then use the PDF file as a printable version of the page.

Can Your PDF Be Found?
As discussed earlier, determining the best location for your PDF to reside is important. It must be in a location obvious to users of your site so they can find it. But what about people who aren’t on your web site yet? Perhaps you want the content to be searchable? Before uploading that PDF be sure to do some PDF Search Engine Optimization by adding details about the document itself (author, date, description)  using Adobe Acrobat Professional.

What Would Rebecka Do?
How could I resist this question? I’ll wrap things up here by explaining how I tend to place PDFs on a site. Once its been determined that the content of that file has  to be online, I first examine where the file should go on the site.  If necessary I will make  navigational adjustments. For example, if I have a PDF of a meeting agenda but have no other information about the meeting on the website, I probably need to add some pages/navigation to my site about the meeting itself. From there, I would  include a link to the meeting agenda. Whenever possible I will take the content of the PDF and turn it into (copy/paste to HTML) a regular HTML page  that is stylized in the same way other HTML files are on the site and include a link to download a printer friendly version of the page. Example.

To conclude, before you put up that PDF make sure you take the time to ensure that the file fits with the purpose of your site, that is properly placed, that your users are aware of what they are accessing, that it’s accessible, and that the contents of your file can be found.