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