Structuring Long-Form Content and Guides
Why (Not) PDFs?
Pros
- Quick Translation: Preserve custom designs created for print, such as posters, newsletters, and annual reports
- Supported: Easy to attach
- Secure: Can be password protected
- User Edited: Can contain interactive forms
Cons
- Inherently Inaccessible: Must be intentionally designed for accessibility with correct structure and alternative text
- Not Responsive: Don’t reflow or scale easily for different devices. Require pinch and zoom to navigate and read.
(As in those frustrating menu experiences we have all had!)
- Jarring: Take the user out of the website context, and are difficult to navigate and return to where the use was
- Static: Files shared via email or on a webpage live locally after they are downloaded. Can’t be updated on the fly, and instead require editing, resaving, and resending—which can result in confusion and misinformation.
- Not Searchable: Content isn’t indexed or searchable
by Google or site search
- Slow to Load: PDFs generally take longer to load than web pages