Use a web page when people need to find an answer, compare options or take the next step. Use a PDF when they need to save, print or keep a fixed copy. If they need both, put the key facts on the page and offer the file as a choice.
The right format starts with the reader's task, not the file your team has ready. A well-designed brochure can still be the wrong way to share a closing date or explain how to apply.
Start with what people need to do
Before you upload a file, finish this sentence: “People come here to…”
- Check a date, fee or rule: put the answer on a web page.
- Choose a service: give them clear page content and a next step.
- Print a guide for an event: a PDF may help.
- Keep a copy of a report as it stood on a set date: offer a dated file.
- Fill in a form: consider a web form rather than a file they must download and send back.
This is a choice about use, not a ban on PDFs. Do not make people download a whole document for one key fact.
Put the main answer on the page
Picture a parent checking the cost of a school trip on a phone. A link marked “Information pack” sends them into a file before they know where to look.
A more useful page shows the cost, dates, who can attend and how to book. The full pack can sit below those facts for people who need it.
The same rule works for a charity's support guide or a firm's service brochure. Give people enough detail to decide whether the next step is right for them.
The test is simple: can someone complete the main task without opening the file?
Choose a format that is easier to use
Web pages can adapt to small screens and let readers move through clear headings. A fixed page layout may make people zoom and scroll from side to side.
The UK Government Digital Service names HTML, the format used for web pages, as its first choice for publishing accessible documents. Its guidance also calls for clear headings, useful link text and checks on reading order.
That is useful design guidance, not a statement of Australian law. Nor does it mean every web page is easy to use. The page still needs good structure, clear text and testing.
If a PDF is needed, check the file itself. Can people select the text? Are headings tagged? Does the reading order make sense? Are links clear? A scan of a printed page is not a useful substitute for readable text.
Keep a PDF when the fixed copy has a purpose
An annual report, print guide or formal record may need to stay in a set layout. In that case, give the file a clear home on the website.
- Explain what the file contains and who it is for.
- Show its date or version so readers can judge whether it is current.
- Label the link with the document name, file type and size.
- Provide an accessible alternative where needed.
- Keep essential next steps on the page, not just inside the file.
For example, “Download the annual report (PDF, 2 MB)” is clearer than “Click here”. Use the real file size when you publish.
Avoid two versions of the truth
Using both formats brings a new risk: the page says one thing and the file says another.
Choose which source your team updates first. Give one person the job of checking both when dates, prices or rules change. Show a review date where it helps the reader.
Our guide to keeping a website accurate after launch explains why clear owners matter. Apply that same rule to downloads, not just pages.
Start small, with the content that matters most
You do not need to turn every old file into a page at once. Start with the files that sit between a visitor and an important task.
- List the downloads linked from your key service and enquiry pages.
- Check what each visitor needs to learn or do.
- Move short, useful answers onto the page.
- Keep files that serve a clear print or record-keeping need.
- Assign an owner and test the page and file on a phone.
After the change, check whether people can find the answer and take the next step. A drop in downloads alone is not proof of a problem. They may no longer need the file.
Planning a rebuild or sorting out a large document library? Talk to IGNITE about your content structure. We can help you decide what belongs on a page, what should stay a download and how your team will keep it current.