Not everybody realizes what’s the real potential and possibilities of PDF files. Bear in mind that PDF content is frequently valuable and this format is usually chosen by people who want to gain expertise in a given field.
It’s almost impossible not to encounter PDF files when browsing the net. Although these files surround us every day, most users aren’t aware of their SEO potential. It’s true that this format type is less common than content published on websites, however, it’s still worth finding out how to create PDF content that will help you reach a wide group of potential recipients.
The history of PDF files dates back to 1991 when the co-owner of Adobe started the revolutionary adventure of converting paper documents to digital ones. Since then, PDF files have been created in accordance with special standards, their use is safe and convenient. More importantly, they’re applicable when it comes to presenting, transferring, and printing content such as online publications, manuals, contracts, or document templates.
PDF vs. SEO – what to keep in mind? One of the cornerstones is to make sure that the PDF name corresponds to its content. For this purpose, it’s worth using keywords that don’t only indicate what’s in the file but also increase your chances of reaching high positions in the search results. However, keep in mind that the title should be between 50 and 70 words long, and the link itself needs to be as natural as possible, with no keyword stuffing accepted. When devising your PDF file name, get rid of special characters, underscores or spaces, otherwise, the generated URL will contain elements that aren’t URL-friendly.
Both title and description of a PDF file serve exactly the same purpose as title and meta description of HTML. Consequently, when doing SEO for PDFs, you should take into consideration both users and search engine algorithms. The title of the PDF document itself may differ from the name you assign to the document. In this case, it’s worth benefiting from the potential of long tail keywords related to a given field or inflected forms of key phrases. When it comes to the description, it’s crucial to apply CTAs, meaning phrases like “check out”, “see” or “learn” that encourage users to click on the link.
SEO for PDF files is based on the same principles as SEO for standard HTML pages. However, keep in mind that text optimization isn’t enough. Make sure that your content is unique, don’t copy it from other websites or sources. Otherwise, the search engine will see your PDF file as duplicate content. To learn more about this issue, go to our previous entry: https://delante.co/content-duplication-how-to-deal-with-this-issue/
To make sure that the search engine indexes your PDF properly, you should save the document as a text file. It’s not the best idea to publish content in the form of an image as Google robots won’t cope with the indexation and consequently, the file’s visibility in the search results won’t improve.
