Creating a document that can be easily downloaded from the web is critically important in today’s marketplace.  It is common to have both printed color copies of a collateral piece that is handed to people, as well as a downloadable version.  Unfortunately, many people do not realize that printed collateral is not always formatted correctly for web based downloading.  The following tips will help you make sure that people can download your next brochure as easily as pick it up from a kiosk in your office.

1.Simplify Graphics. Although all of the graphic images you included in your brochure make it very appealing (especially that centerfold pic!), they are often cumbersome to download.  Depending on the type of image files you use, they can also become impossible to view when your customers download.  Don’t avoid images, but do use them sparingly and make sure they are not too dense in file size to download easily.

Keep image sizes small and double check that they are in .jpeg or .gif, both files are most likely to be printable from an online source document.

2.Avoid Tables. Many publishing programs rely on tables and boxes (text and image) to create printable documents.  Although, these tools allow ultimate flexibility in design, they often create big issues when you are trying to upload and download documents.  Don’t be surprised if your beautifully formatted published brochure ends up looking like a mess of overlapping text and missing images.  

Avoid using tables and box design process when creating downloadable documents.

3.Check your fonts. Not all fonts in publishing programs are web friendly.  The last thing you want to do is create a downloadable document that is unreadable on the web.  Check out http://www.ampsoft.net/webdesign-l/WindowsMacFonts.htmlfor a list of common web safe fonts for window and mac operating systems.

Go tohttp://www.ampsoft.net/webdesign-l/WindowsMacFonts.htmlto find web safe fonts.

4.Basic colors. Colors show up differently online then they do in print.  Keep your color combinations simple.  Sites like http://www.digitdesigns.com/colrPick/framePic.htm, will give some ideas of what colors you can out together on web based documents.  Your mother was right, purple and green just shouldn’t be seen together.

Go tohttp://www.digitdesigns.com/colrPick/framePic.htmto find color combinations that work best in web based documents and downloads.

5.Use PDF. Finally, one of the simplest things you can do to create a web safe version of your brochure or catalogue for downloading, is to create a PDF (Pretty Damned Fine?) version.  You can do that by going to http://www.primopdf.com/index.aspx, where you can convert your document for free.

Go tohttp://www.primopdf.com/index.aspxto convert your document to a PDF.