The Complete Guide to Using PDFs in WordPress

Whether you want to share free content, sell digital downloads, or build membership sites, adding PDF capability to your WordPress site is a must.

In this detailed guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know as a WordPress user, from uploading and embedding PDFs to integrating advanced PDF functionality with plugins.

After 15 years as a WordPress webmaster, I’ll share troubleshooting tips, recommendations, and best practices to help you effectively manage PDFs in WordPress.

Let’s dive in!

Why You Should Use PDFs on Your WordPress Site

PDF, which stands for Portable Document Format, has become one of the most ubiquitous file formats on the web. Here are some key reasons why it’s a good idea to offer PDF content:

✔️ PDFs are incredibly popular – Over 2.5 trillion PDFs are used globally, according to Datalogics. PDF is the most used document format.

✔️ PDFs are multi-platform – They can be opened on any device with a PDF reader installed. This makes your content highly accessible.

✔️ PDFs maintain formatting – Unlike plain text documents, PDFs keep all images, fonts, and layouts intact across platforms.

✔️ PDFs are easy to control – You can secure PDF files with permissions and encryption. Or require an email address to access gated content.

✔️ PDFs convert well – Many types of content like Word docs, spreadsheets, and images can be turned into high-quality PDF files.

Using PDF downloads on your WordPress site can help you achieve goals like:

• Building email lists with opt-in content upgrades
• Driving traffic with gated premium content
• Selling digital products like ebooks, guides, and workbooks
• Accepting submissions and applications via PDF forms
• Reducing bounce rates by giving visitors more options

Now let’s look at how to make all of this possible by adding PDF capabilities in WordPress.

Uploading PDFs in WordPress

The great news is uploading PDF files works just like adding images or other media in WordPress. No special plugins are required.

Here is the step-by-step process:

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard

2. Go to Media > Add New

3. Drag and drop your PDF file into the uploader window

   • Or click Select Files to choose the file

4. Once uploaded, the PDF will appear in your Media Library

And that’s it! The PDF is now hosted on your site and ready to be embedded or linked to from blog posts, pages, etc.

Here are a few pro tips for smooth PDF uploading:

• Optimize your PDF file size – Use compression tools to reduce large file sizes before uploading. This will improve page load speeds.

• Add descriptive titles and captions – Give your PDFs readable names and descriptions to find them more easily later.

• Use subfolders for organization – Upload PDFs into specific folders like “ebooks”, “client-uploads”, etc. to stay organized.

• Rename files for redirects – If linking to an existing PDF, rename the new upload identically so as not to break the original URL.

With your PDFs hosted in the media library, you’re ready to integrate them into your content. Next I’ll share how to display PDFs beautifully on your pages.

Embedding PDFs in WordPress Posts and Pages

Once uploaded, you can embed PDFs directly into your blog posts, pages, and custom post types. Here’s how:

Block Editor Method

The block editor makes embedding PDFs a breeze:

1. Edit the post or page where you want your PDF to appear.

2. Click the + icon to add a new block.

3. Search for “File” and select the File block type.

4. Click Media Library and choose the uploaded PDF you want to embed.

5. The live PDF preview will appear automatically. Customize as needed.

6. Save your changes and view the front end to test the embedded PDF.

Classic Editor Method

If using the classic editor, embedding PDFs takes a couple more steps:

1. Click the Add Media button while editing your post or page.

2. Select your uploaded PDF from the media library window.

3. Choose the file attachment display settings – we recommend selecting Media File so it displays the full embedded PDF.

4. Insert into post and preview your changes. Test the front end view.

In both editors, you have the option to toggle off the default inline PDF embed and simply show a download link. This allows you to gate access to the PDF content.

Now let’s explore some of the cool things you can do when embedding PDFs in WordPress.

Powerful Ways to Use Embedded PDFs

Embedded PDFs allow you to add an interactive document viewing experience to your WordPress site. Here are some of the top things you can do:

Offer Downloadable Content Upgrades

Turn your blog posts into downloadable PDFs to gate behind opt-in forms. Offer these “content upgrades” in exchange for email signups.

For example, take an in-depth blog article and cut 30% of the content. Provide the rest as a downloadable PDF ebook for subscribers.

This tactic converts casual readers into high-quality email leads. According to studies, content upgrades can increase conversion rates by up to 650% compared to basic opt-in forms.

I recommend using the OptinMonster plugin to quickly create beautiful content upgrade forms including popups, floating bars, and slide-ins. Their template library makes it super easy to start converting visitors in minutes.

Share Product Manuals and Documentation

Embedding PDFs enables you to seamlessly share manuals, documentation, and catalogs right on your site.

For example, if you sell physical products, you can upload PDF user guides to help customers better understand and utilize what they purchased.

You can also embed spec sheets, warranty info, tutorials and more to improve the customer experience on your site.

Publish an Embeddable Digital Catalog

Allow site visitors to flip through product and service offerings right on your website by embedding an interactive PDF catalog.

This can work for any type of catalog from retail merchandise to restaurant menus. Help visitors browse offerings before making a purchase decision.

Be sure to optimize the PDF for web viewing by keeping file size reasonable. Also use the PDF options to enable flipping through pages within the embed.

Add Interactive Forms and Quizzes

Make your PDFs more engaging by enabling form fields that allow site visitors to fill in information right in the document.

Use form fields strategically in documents like questionnaires, surveys, order forms, applications, and worksheets.

For example, you can add quizzes and assessments to PDF guides and ebooks. The interactive component takes your content up a level.

Gate Long-Form Posts into Downloadables

If you publish extremely lengthy blog posts, break the content up by making the full post a gated PDF download.

Offer an overview of the post for free on your blog. Then allow site visitors to grab the PDF to access the entire contents.

Share Multimedia-Rich Reports as PDFs

PDF supports embedding of multimedia like images, audio, video, and more. Take advantage by converting media-rich content into interactive PDF files.

For example, market research reports often include graphs, charts, photos, etc. Condensing this into a visually engaging PDF makes for an easy sharing and reading experience.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to effectively leveraging PDF content in WordPress. Next, let’s look at some pro tips for advanced PDF setups.

Going Pro: Advanced PDF Tips for WordPress

Here are some pro tips from my experience as a WordPress webmaster to take your PDF game to the next level:

Fine-Tune PDF Display Options

When embedding a PDF, make sure to configure the display settings for the best user experience:

✔️ Disable the sidebar in viewer – Keeps focus on document

✔️ Enable full-width view – Allows responsive sizing

✔️ Disable scrolling – Only if you want to limit viewing

✔️ Enable flipping – Creates an interactive catalog feel

Tweak these options on a case-by-case basis for your needs.

Limit PDF File Sizes

To avoid crashing browsers or slowing load speeds, keep PDF file sizes optimized. Here are some size benchmarks:

Use Case	File Size Limit
Web Viewing	2-3 MB
Downloadable Files	5-10 MB
Print Quality	200 MB+

Use the “Save As Other” option when exporting PDFs to lower file size.

Secure Downloaded PDFs

To protect gated PDF content from being shared without permission, use PDF permissions and passwords:

Passwords – Require a password to open or edit
Permissions – Disable printing, copying, editing as needed

This ensures only users who opt-in to access your premium content can engage with it.

Track PDF Performance with Google Analytics

To see which PDFs get the most downloads and engagement, connect Google Analytics to your WordPress site.

The MonsterInsights plugin makes this easy and automatically tracks PDF performance. I use their “Top Download Report” to optimize my PDF strategy.

Let Visitors Upload PDFs with Forms

Allow users to submit their own PDFs via upload forms on your site without allowing admin access.

WPForms drag-and-drop form builder makes this a breeze. I simply enable the file upload field and build the form in minutes.

Sell PDFs or Lock Behind Memberships

To monetize your PDFs or make them exclusive content, use a membership plugin like MemberPress.

This allows you to sell PDFs as one-off downloads or gate access only to paying members. The protected content feature keeps them private.

Troubleshoot PDF Issues

Here are some common PDF problems and fixes:

Won‘t upload? – Try optimizing the file size or adjusting server file limits.

Appears blank? – Check that content didn‘t get stripped. Try generating a fresh PDF for upload.

Loads slowly? – Compress images in the file to improve load time.

Doesn‘t open? – Make sure your PDF isn‘t corrupted. If so, export a new version.

Can‘t find in Media Library? – Use the file name filter to quickly locate your uploaded PDF.

Hopefully these tips and best practices will help you take your PDF game to new heights! Let’s wrap up with a recap.

Summary of Key Takeaways

The main things to keep in mind when using PDFs in WordPress:

• PDFs are versatile and great for sharing content in a consistent, controllable way.

• Uploading PDFs works just like images and other media – no plugins needed.

• Use the File block or Add Media to embed PDFs seamlessly in posts/pages.

• Play with embed settings like scrolling and sizing to customize PDF viewer experience.

• Offer PDF content upgrades to convert readers into email subscribers.

• Add interactive forms for surveys, orders, applications, and assessments.

• Gate lengthy posts as downloadable PDFs to gate portions of content.

• Password protect or limit permissions on PDFs that contain premium content.

• Use plugins like OptinMonster, MonsterInsights, WPForms, and MemberPress to enhance PDF capabilities.

• Refer to the pro tips in this guide for advanced PDF optimizations, tracking, security, troubleshooting, and more!

I hope this detailed guide gives you all the tools you need to effectively integrate PDFs into your WordPress site. Please let me know in the comments if you have any other PDF-related questions!