Ads for Adobe PDF

Here is some interesting technology you should be aware of: Adobe has announced Ads for Adobe PDF. With this technology, currently in beta, publishers can elect to allow Yahoo to place context-sensitive ads next to PDF files as they are viewed. This provides essentially the same technology to PDF content as is already available for HTML web pages via Google Adsense and others. It provides a way for publishers to "monetize" PDF content. Here is a quick breakdown of how it works:

1. Create your PDF content the same way you've always done it.

2. Upload your PDF to an Adobe server, where the content is analyzed and the PDF is "enabled" for ads. The ad-enabled PDF is then returned to you.

3. Post the PDF on your Web site, or distribute it via email.

4. When someone opens the PDF with Adobe Reader 8.1 or later, they will see content-sensitive ads displayed in a separate column to the right of each page of the PDF. (Click here for a screen shot). If the PDF is opened with an older version of Reader, the user is given the option to upgrade to Reader 8.1. If they do not upgrade, the PDF still opens, and they will not see the ads.

Again, this is technology that is currently in Beta. But start learning about this now, and think about if it makes sense with your business model to try to obtain revenue from your content in this manner.