An offer, menu or form may seem ready to publish as soon as you export it to PDF. What matters to visitors is whether they can read it on their phone, find the information they need and download it without difficulty. You also need to know what the file contains, including information that is not immediately visible on its pages.
If you publish downloadable documents, treat each file as part of your website: give it a clear purpose, check its contents and decide how you will keep it up to date.
1. When to choose a PDF and when a web page works better
A PDF is useful when someone needs to save, print or share a document with a consistent layout. Technical specifications, forms intended for offline completion and catalogues designed for distribution can all be suitable uses.
A web page is usually more convenient for information that people need quickly or that changes regularly. Someone checking a menu on their phone, looking up opening hours or comparing services should not have to open a separate file to find the basics.
- Choose a web page for navigation, searching and content that needs to adapt to different screen sizes.
- Choose a PDF when printing, retaining a particular edition or preserving the document layout matters.
- Use both formats when the main information belongs online but a downloadable copy is still useful.
For example, put an offer summary and its key conditions on the page, then provide the complete document as a download. Decide which version is the authoritative source and keep both formats updated so they do not give conflicting information.
2. Check selectable text and reading on a phone
Open the exported file, not just the source document in your editing application. Try selecting a paragraph, copying it into a plain text editor and searching for a word within the PDF. If each page is simply an image, visitors will not normally be able to select or search its text.
Optical character recognition can add a text layer to scanned documents. Check the result carefully: names, accented characters, product codes and contact details may be recognised incorrectly. An automatic conversion is not a substitute for reviewing the content.
Selectable text is only the starting point
An accessible PDF also needs structure: correctly marked headings, a logical reading order, a defined document language and alternative descriptions for meaningful images. PDF structure tags support assistive technologies, but their presence alone does not establish that a document is accessible.
- Check that text remains readable when enlarged and that meaning does not depend on colour alone.
- Test links and use wording that explains where they lead.
- For fillable forms, check field labels, keyboard navigation order and whether entered information can be saved.
Open the document on a phone as well. If reading requires constant sideways scrolling or zooming, provide the essential information on a web page too.
3. Reduce file size without damaging the content
An appropriate file size depends on the document's length and the images it needs. There is no single limit that suits every PDF. Check the exported file size and test downloading it over a mobile connection, rather than relying only on your office network.
- Remove blank pages, duplicate images and unnecessary decorative elements.
- Resize images for their intended use and apply suitable compression.
- Use your application's optimisation options for online publication.
- Compare the optimised file with the original, including tables, diagrams and small print.
Avoid turning every page into an image simply to control its appearance. This can remove selectable text and make information harder to access. For a substantial catalogue, consider offering clearly labelled sections as well as the complete document.
If you regularly distribute large documents, consider storage, traffic and file delivery when assessing a web hosting service. Reducing unnecessary file size remains worthwhile regardless of the infrastructure you choose.
4. Review document properties and sensitive information
PDF properties can include the title, author, subject, keywords and details of the application used to create the file. This metadata may contain an employee's name, a client's name or an internal project title carried over from the source document. Add a descriptive title and remove information that does not belong in the public version.
Do not stop at the properties panel. Depending on the application and export settings, the PDF may contain comments, attachments, layers or other elements that need inspection. Review the visible content too, including personal information, signatures, bank details and commercial terms intended for a particular recipient.
Covering information does not remove it
Placing a rectangle over text is not a reliable way to conceal sensitive information. The underlying content may remain in the document and could still be copied or extracted. Use a dedicated redaction feature, apply the changes and inspect the resulting file. Work on a copy and keep the original in a location with controlled access.
For the final check, close and reopen the PDF you intend to publish. Search for the removed text and inspect properties, comments and attachments again. Before uploading confidential material to an online conversion or compression service, review how that service processes your data.
5. Publish with a clear link and appropriate access
Choose a descriptive filename, such as “autumn-product-catalogue.pdf”, rather than “document-final-new.pdf”. On the web page, explain what the document contains, identify the format and state the file size. For offers or procedures, include the last updated date and any applicable validity period.
A link labelled “Download the menu as a PDF” is more helpful than “Click here”. After uploading, test the link from the public page. If the file is intended for everyone, also test it in a browser window where you are not signed in.
If you use WordPress, check both the page introducing the document and the file's direct address. Hiding the page or protecting it with a password does not automatically protect the PDF itself. For a site using WordPress hosting, document access needs to be checked against the actual configuration.
A hard-to-guess URL is not access control. Instructions for search engines are not a substitute for authentication and authorisation either. Documents intended for particular people need a delivery mechanism that checks whether the person requesting them has permission.
6. Manage older versions and make one final check
Before publishing, decide what will happen at the next update. You can retain a stable address for the current document or publish files with a date or version number in their names. A stable address is easier to share; versioned filenames make individual editions easier to identify. Either way, clearly identify the current version on the page introducing the document.
If you keep an archive, mark outdated documents clearly. If you withdraw them, check internal links and direct file addresses. Redirecting to a replacement only makes sense when the new document serves the same purpose. Caches and previously downloaded copies may retain an earlier edition, so removing a file from the server does not remove it everywhere.
If you accidentally publish sensitive information, restrict access and assess the exposure. For questions about your hosting configuration, use the contact page without unnecessarily sending the confidential document itself.
Before publishing, check six things: the choice of format, selectable text, mobile readability, file size, hidden information and version management. A carefully prepared PDF is easier for visitors to use and easier for you to maintain.
