Are you interested in learning how to add and upload PDF in WordPress?
As a blogger or website owner, you may have heard about the benefits of adding PDF files to your WordPress website.
In this guide, I’ll take you through the simple process of uploading a PDF to your WordPress website step-by-step.
Don’t panic.
You won’t have to code!
This post covers:
- Benefits of PDF files
- Why add PDF files in WordPress
- How to prepare your PDF document for upload
- How to upload PDF to WordPress
- How to add & embed PDF to WordPress posts & pages
- Conclusion: The pros of adding PDFs in WordPress
- FAQs about adding PDFs in WordPress
Benefits Of PDF Files
Before we dive into the technical details of adding PDFs to WordPress, let’s discuss how they can IMPROVE the content flow of your website.
PDFs are a popular file format for sharing documents, manuals, eBooks, and other types of content online.
One of the main benefits of using PDFs is that they preserve the original document’s formatting, including fonts, images, and layout.
This makes them ideal for sharing content that needs to be displayed CONSISTENTLY across different devices and platforms.
If you have documents that contain a large amount of text that is not suitable to publish directly into the post, then using PDFs will come in handy.
Why Add PDF Files In WordPress
As we’ve already mentioned, PDFs are a great way to share information and resources with your audience.
But why add them to your WordPress website specifically?
One reason is that WordPress makes uploading and managing PDF files easy.
You can add PDFs to your media library just like any other file type and then insert them into your posts and pages using various methods (which I’ll cover later in this guide).
In addition, adding PDFs to your WordPress website can help improve your search engine rankings.
PDFs are indexed by search engines just like web pages, so if you optimize your PDF files for SEO, you may be able to drive more traffic to your website.
How To Prepare Your PDF Document For Upload
Before uploading your PDF to WordPress, it’s vital to ensure the document is prepared correctly.
Here are a few things you should do before uploading your PDF.
1. Check The File Size
PDFs can be large, so your PDF size must be appropriate for online use.
If your PDF is too large, it may take a long time to load, which can frustrate your visitors and hurt your search engine rankings.
And that’s not something we want, right?
Slow website = Poor user experience.
To check the size of your PDF, you can right-click on the file and select “Properties” (on Windows) or “Get Info” (on Mac). This will display the file size in megabytes (MB) or kilobytes (KB).
If your PDF is larger than 3MB, you may want to consider COMPRESSING it to reduce the file size.
There are a variety of online tools (I use I Love PDF) that can help you reduce the size of your PDF files without losing quality.
2. Add Metadata
Metadata is information about your PDF that can help search engines while they index the document. This includes the title, author, and keywords.
You can use Adobe Acrobat or other PDF editing software to add metadata to your PDF.
Open the document and go to “File” > “Properties” > “Description” and add the necessary data and information (being descriptive can benefit you in the long run).
3. Review The Document
Before you upload your PDF to WordPress, it’s a good idea to test the document to ensure it displays correctly (compressing the file can sometimes hurt the content display, so double-check everything appears correctly) and all the links and images work properly.
How To Upload PDF To WordPress
Now that your PDF is properly prepared, it’s time to upload it to WordPress.
It only takes a few short steps:
- First, you’ll need to log in to your WordPress backend.
- Once logged in, click “Media” in the left-hand menu to the Media Library.
- Click “Add New” in the Media Library to upload a new file.
- Click the “Select Files” button to choose your PDF file from your computer. You can also drag and drop the file into the upload area.
- Once you’ve selected your PDF file, click the “Upload” button to start the upload process. Depending on the size of your file, this may take a few moments.
- After your file has been uploaded, you can edit the file details if you want. This includes adding the title, caption, alt text, and description.
- Finally, you can insert the PDF into your post or page by clicking the “Insert into post” or “Insert into page” button.
How To Add & Embed PDF To WordPress Posts & Pages
Another way to add a PDF to your WordPress website is by adding a link to the file.
This is useful if you want to offer a download link for your PDF or if you want to link to an external PDF file.
Add PDF Via Classic Editor
Even though the Gutenberg editor was released quite some time ago, many people still prefer to use the classic editor (it has 5+ million active installs!).
So, let’s start with the old and tested method:
- Go to the post or page editor where you want to add the link.
- Highlight the text that you want to turn into a link. This could be the title of your PDF or a call-to-action like “Download now.”
- Click on the link button in the editor toolbar. This looks like a chain link.
- In the link dialog box, insert the URL of your PDF file. You can also choose whether to open the link in a new window.
- Finally, save your changes and preview your post or page to ensure the link works properly.
Add PDF Via Gutenberg (Block Editor)
If you’re using the Gutenberg block editor in WordPress, you can add PDFs to your posts and pages using the “File” block.
- In the Gutenberg editor, create a new block by clicking on the “+” icon.
- In the block library, select the “File” block. This will allow you to upload a PDF file.
- Click the “Upload” button to choose your PDF file from your computer. You can also drag and drop the file into the upload area.
- After your file has been uploaded, you can edit the file details if you want. This includes the title, caption, and description.
- Finally, save your changes and preview your post or page to ensure the PDF displays correctly.
Add PDF In WordPress Using Google Drive
If you have a PDF file stored on Google Drive, you can easily add it to your WordPress website using the Google Drive Embedder plugin.
- First, you must install it from the WordPress plugin repository. (I also created a tutorial on how to install a WordPress plugin if you need additional assistance.)
- After the plugin is installed, go to “Settings” > “Google Drive Embedder” in your WordPress dashboard.
- Click the “Connect to Google Drive” button and follow the instructions to connect the plugin to your Google Drive account.
- Click on the “Embed Google Drive” button in the plugin settings. This will open a dialog box where you can search for your PDF file.
- Once you’ve found your PDF file, click the “Embed” button. This will insert the PDF into your post or page using a WordPress shortcode.
And you’re done.
You must admit all the different methods are pretty easy and intuitive, right?
Add PDF With A Plugin
If you are still unsure how to add the PDF file to your content, you can also use one of the WordPress plugins to help you out.
There are many plugins available that can help enhance the functionality of PDFs in WordPress.
One of my favorite plugins is the PDF Embedder.
This plugin allows you to upload PDFs directly to your website and embed them into your posts and pages easy as pie.
It also has a built-in viewer that allows readers to view the PDF directly on your website without downloading the file.
This is a great option, and I recommend you take advantage of it.
Another interesting solution is the feature of the WPForms plugin, which allows you to create PDF forms your readers can download and fill out.
Add A PDF Viewer
Suppose you want to enhance the functionality of your PDFs in WordPress.
In that case, you can add a PDF viewer plugin (or just use the PDF Embedder mentioned above) that allows visitors to view and interact with your PDFs directly on your website without needing a separate viewer.
How To Add A Downloadable PDF In WordPress
Please refer to the section above, where we added the PDF with the classic editor, as the procedure is the same.
You need to add the URL of the PDF file to desired text that you want to use, for example, a call-to-action like “Download now.”
Conclusion: The Pros Of Adding PDFs In WordPress
Adding PDFs to your WordPress content can bring a lot of extra utility and value to your website.
They can be a great way to provide your readers with downloadable, easy-to-read, and organized content.
Additionally, properly formatted and optimized PDFs can help IMPROVE your website’s search engine ranking and reduce load times.
By following the tips and techniques outlined in this article, you should be able to upload, add and embed your PDF files in a breeze.
FAQs About Adding PDFs In WordPress
How do I upload and add a PDF file to a WordPress post or page?
In the WordPress editor, click on the “Add Media” button, then select “Upload Files” to upload your PDF from your computer. Once uploaded, you can select the PDF and insert it into your post or page. WordPress will automatically create a link to the PDF file.
Can I display a PDF directly on a WordPress page instead of linking to it?
Yes, you can embed a PDF directly into a page using a plugin like PDF Embedder. Once the plugin is installed, you upload your PDF through the media library and then add it to your pages or posts using the provided shortcode or block by the plugin.
How do I ensure my PDF is mobile-friendly when displayed on my WordPress site?
Using a responsive PDF viewer plugin, like PDF Embedder, can ensure that your PDF files are displayed in a mobile-friendly manner. These plugins often provide a viewer that adjusts the PDF’s size based on the user’s screen size.
Can I track how many times a PDF is downloaded from my WordPress site?
Yes, by using plugins that integrate with Google Analytics or other analytics platforms, you can track PDF downloads. Plugins like MonsterInsights make setting up event tracking for file downloads easy.
How can I protect a PDF from being downloaded or copied from my WordPress site?
While you can never fully prevent a PDF from being downloaded if it’s viewable online, you can make it harder by using a plugin that disables right-click functionality on your site. Additionally, consider using PDF viewer plugins that do not have a download option or that encrypt the PDF content. However, be aware that this may affect accessibility for some users.
