Tips to Optimize Your PDF Files for SEO

SEO PDF files, or optimizing PDF files for SEO for search engines, is one of the most important components of SEO. It is true that PDF files are not worth ranking in search results, but they are part of the optimization components of our site. In other words, the main goal of optimizing PDF files is not to rank them in Google but to help improve our website’s SEO. Any file in any format is part of the content of our website, and it needs to be placed on our website in a completely optimal way. Just like the images and videos that we try to display in the best way on our website, PDF files are the same and will be of great value to us in many cases. Today, this article will explain practical tips about optimizing PDF files in detail. If you are living in Toronto, and the neighborhood, looking for a dedicated and successful team working on optimizing PDF files, Website Design Art is the right option for you. With years of experience and expertise, our Winnipeg website SEO team knows how to do the task efficiently.

Why Should We Use PDF Files?

Believe it or not, PDF files are one of the most popular content formats among Internet users. These days, for example, eBooks with PDF extensions have always had their own fans. And according to our website design experts, one of the ways to provide user-friendly content is to go through PDF files. If you strive to make your content viral, creating PDF files is one of the best ways. If you own a small business or a large one, you can introduce your business to a large audience by publishing your eBooks. If your eBook is really useful and valuable, do not hesitate that it will be published by other sites.
The publication of PDF files is considered one of the best solutions for branding in SEO, and the way it is distributed is directly related to this matter. One of the main goals in optimizing PDF files is to create good and quality backlinks for the website. In the following, we will explain more about getting backlinks using PDF files.
As mentioned earlier, PDF files play an important role in SEO and can directly help improve the SEO of our website in various ways.

The Ways of Optimizing PDF Files for SEO

Before, many website design experts had the opinion that SEO for PDF files does not make sense because Google cannot read PDF files at all. This wrong thought still exists among many people. You must have seen pages in the search results whose extension is PDF. So, based on this case, it can be said that Google can monitor PDF files and even check its internal content. SEO of PDF files is just like SEO of a page or an article on our site; only it is slightly different. In the following, we will go through these differences.

Choosing the Right Title for the PDF File

It is undeniable that the title has always been the most important part of SEO content. Whether it is a video, an article, or a PDF file, it should have an attractive and, at the same time, optimal title. Be sure to use the main keyword in the title of your PDF file. To write the title of your PDF files, follow the principles and rules of writing a compelling title.

Optimizing the Title of the PDF File

By default, the title of your PDF file is part of its URL. As a result, it is necessary to use keywords in the URL of the page.

Optimizing Images in PDF Files

As mentioned before, Google is able to check your PDF file thoroughly. Therefore, the images in your PDF file must be optimal. Just like the images you put in the articles on your site, you should optimize the size of the images and use descriptions and alternative text for them in PDF files. Try to reduce the size of the images so that their quality does not decrease. By doing this, you can reduce the overall size of your PDF file to a great extent. This is also an important issue in PDF optimization.

Using Internal Links in the PDF File

Wherever necessary, refer your audience to different parts of your website through internal links. If there is an article related to your PDF topic on your website, mention it through internal linking. If necessary, use external links to reference websites and sources.

Not Forgetting to Use Optimal Titles

Just like writing an SEO article, try to use main and subheadings in your PDF files. Be sure to use keywords and phrases in the H2 and H3 tags correctly.

Linking to Your PDF Files

Try to link on every page or article related to the subject of your PDF file. Your audience can use PDF files just like other articles on your site. You can increase their value in search engines by linking to PDF files.

Not Using Duplicate Content in PDFs

Making a PDF version of your articles and presenting them to your users is a good action and one of the essential factors in UX. But you should create PDFs that you intend to distribute. Never duplicate content because Google can quickly check the content inside PDF files and find out if it is duplicated. Unfortunately, many website owners use copied content from other sites to create eBooks and PDF files. They wrongly think that Google cannot read the content in the PDF!

Inserting the Website Link in the Footer of the Pages

Make sure to make a footer and header for your PDF file. Be sure to put your website address and business title in the footer of your PDF pages as a link. It is also a perfect thing to repeat the title of your website several times in your PDF file with and without links. This will be very important when creating links for your PDF files.

Using PDF Extension

The last and most crucial point in the SEO for PDF files is to upload them on your website with the extension pdf. PDF files should be opened in users’ browsers just like a separate page from your website. Never put your PDF files zipped on the website. Even on your landing pages, use PDF format to publish them. By doing this, you allow Google to easily read the internal content of your PDF file. And then will, the SEO of your PDF file be determined.

Important Points in Distributing PDF Files

The tips mentioned so far were about optimizing the PDF files you will publish on your website. From now on, our Winnipeg SEO experts will tell important points about PDF distribution on other websites and branding through publishing PDF files.
As we said before, one of our goals in providing PDF files is to get quality back links and attract more audiences to our website. In the following, we will highlight the important points you should know in distributing and publishing PDF files on other websites.

PDF File Cover

Before sharing your PDF files, you should know that the cover of your PDF file is very important. Cover refers to the cover photo that is supposed to be the photo of your eBook. You should include the PDF file’s main title, the website address, and the author. You must know that Google can process photos. So, if your PDF is published on a website, even if you are not given a link, the website address and logo of your website on the cover of the book will act as a backlink for you.

Publish on free eBook Download Websites

The first and most important tip is to publish your PDF file on free eBook download websites. Websites like Project Gutenberg, Open Library, Google eBookstore, and Amazon Free Kindle Books are the best free eBook download websites where you can easily publish your PDF files.

Re-share Your eBook Publisher Pages

If you can build backlinks to the pages where your eBook is featured, you’ve done a great job. By doing this, your published book’s importance increases, making that page rank well in Google search results. Also, be sure to share them on different social networks and social bookmarks.

Make a Backlink for a PDF File

As our dedicated and experienced website designers explain, one helpful action you can do in SEO branding is to use PDFs in your link building. Try to create a backlink directly for your PDF link. In addition to making your backlinks natural, this also increases the overall value of your website’s links. There are sites through which you can create high-quality backlinks for your PDFs. The critical point is that you should use websites that link your PDFs.

The Final Remarks

The most significant reason for publishing PDF files is that they become viral and get quality backlinks through them. Like other content published on the web, PDF files can be tracked by Google. Your published eBooks will still be valuable if they do not contain backlinks for you. As we already mentioned, when the cover of your e-book is present on the desired site, it can be an essential factor in identifying your e-book for Google.