Optimize PDFs for SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

PDF content should be unique and structured as follows:

• Use a single main heading/title beginning with a keyword

• Use keyword subheadings organized in a hierarchical structure

• Use short paragraphs containing keywords and lists

• Add internal and external (content on your website or other websites) hyperlinks

• Add a hyperlinked table of contents for documents longer than 25 pages

• Run text recognition on all scanned documents

• Build PDFs that are mobile friendly
  To check the mobile viewing experience of your PDF, open the file in the Acrobat Reader mobile app and turn on Liquid Mode. Include additional subheadings if necessary to improve navigation.

  

Add key Document Properties as follows:

1. Select File > Properties or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + D on Windows or Cmd + D on Mac and select the Description tab.

2. Enter a keyword-optimized title in the Title: field.

3. Make sure the Author: field doesn’t identify a specific individual within your organization.

4. Enter a keyword-optimized summary of your document in the Subject: field.
   Try beginning the summary using an action verb like Learn, Discover, Explore, etc.

5. Select Additional Metadata to add copyright or public domain information if applicable.

   

Tag a PDF as follows:

1. Select Accessibility in the Tools center.

2. Select Autotag Document in the right-hand pane.

3. Follow the hints for repair in the left-hand pane Recognition Report.

4. Run Set Alternate Text if necessary.

5. Use keywords to describe the image in the Alternate Text.

   

Prepare your PDF for the web as follows:

To prepare your PDF for the web, select File > Save as Other > Reduced Size PDF.

This step reduces the file size and enables Fast Web View in the PDF. Fast Web View allows the file to be immediately opened, viewed, and searched before the entire file is streamed or downloaded—-creating an optimal end-user experience. Open Document Properties (Ctrl + D on Windows or Cmd + D on Mac) to determine if Fast Web View is enabled.

Create a keyword filename as follows:

The filename becomes part of the URL when a PDF is posted on the web. A good practice is to match your keyword-optimized title with the filename. To be search-friendly—use lowercase, no punctuation or hashes, and avoid stop words (a, an, the, and, it, for, or, but, in, my, your, our, and their, etc.). If you use separate words, add hyphens or underscores between the words.

Secure a PDF as follows:

1. Open Document Properties (Ctrl + D on Windows or Cmd + D on Mac) and select the Security tab.

2. Check Printing editing and printing of the document. A password will be required in order to change these settings.

3. Under Changes Allowed: select None.

4. Check Enable text access for screen reader devices for the visually impaired.

5. Enter and confirm a strong password.

6. Select OK and save the file.