Can Google read PDF files?

BrightSparke · #1 11th August 2006, 07:37

Hi

A client of mine wants to put a bunch of PDF documents on their new website (so visitors can right-click and download them).

They are relevant and content rich.

Can Google read PDFs? Will it be able to follow the links and read the content?

I frequently see PDF documents with an HTML option on Google searches, so wondered.

Thanks, Peter

Rob Holmes · #2 11th August 2006, 08:28

Hi Peter,

Yes Google can read and rank PDF documents - so you need to make sure they are as optimised as possible (even in the PDF Title and other properties embedded when the pdf is created)

Rob

Yorganic · #3 11th August 2006, 10:58

Depends on whether the PDF was created from text or from graphics. A common thing to do is to scan old brochures and save them as PDF. If you did that then your average sarch engine [including Google] could not read them.

Ender · #4 16th August 2006, 18:35

There's a problem though if your pdf page ends up higher in Google's results than your homepage. When a Googler opens the result; he or she will open the pdf and there's no easy way for them to get back to the home page - sort of like a dead end for most people.

Cheers,
Ender.

mia · #5 17th August 2006, 15:11

Google can read most PDFs, but another option might be to use the Macromedia solution. Looks better and load a lot faster.