What are PDFs, and why do you need them on your site?
PDF files are a common way to share documents with visitors. A restaurant might use them to showcase a menu on their site, while a researcher might use them to publish reports or white papers. PDF files keep your formatting intact and are easy to download, which is why many sites rely on them to share key resources.
The downside? PDFs are often hard to find, both for visitors and search engines. They sit in your media library without structure, making them difficult to manage and oftentimes invisible in search results.
Why should you improve your site’s PDF handling?
Improving how your site handles PDFs helps you organize your files and makes it easier for search engines and users to find them. Ravi recommends two plugins that will help you improve your PDF handling.
With the Document Library Pro plugin, you can build a proper PDF library on your site. It lets you organize PDFs in folders and categories, display them in a searchable grid or table, and make it easier for visitors to find what they need. Instead of hidden files in your media library, you’ll have a clear, accessible structure that keeps your content tidy and easy to use.
When you add our XML Sitemap for PDFs for Yoast SEO plugin, you make sure search engines can crawl and index those files. This plugin adds your PDF files to your sitemap so they can appear in the search results.
Together, these plugins improve visibility, SEO, and usability by turning your PDFs into assets that actually work for your site.
How do you improve your site’s PDF handling?
Go to the Progress Planner dashboard and follow the steps to complete Ravi’s Recommendation. Or you can take the following steps:
To install the Document Library Pro plugin:
- Get the Document Library Pro plugin.
- Go to your WordPress dashboard and go to “Plugins”.
- Click on “Add Plugin” and click on “Upload Plugin”.
- Upload the downloaded files here to install the plugin.
- Follow these instructions to create a PDF library.
To install the XML Sitemap for PDFs for Yoast SEO:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard and go to “Plugins”.
- Click on “Add Plugin” and search for “XML Sitemap for PDFs for Yoast SEO”.
- Click on “Install Now” and then click on “Activate” to activate the plugin.
Why is this a Ravi’s Recommendation?
Ravi’s Recommendations are all about smart wins. PDFs often include valuable content that search engines find difficult to index. By organizing them with a proper library and making sure they’re included in your sitemap, you help your site stay searchable.