PDF Preparation for ZOOMcatalog
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      Saving Design Files for ZOOMcatalog, customizable catalogs, and Flyers

      How your design files are saved makes a difference to how your ZOOMcatalog looks. There are a few guidelines to ensure the best results.

      1. Branded ZOOMcatalog specs

      2. Client-Friendly ZOOMcatalog Customizable Catalog specs

      3. Client-Friendly ZOOMcatalog customizable flyer specs

       

      Branded ZOOMcatalog specs

      This is the MUST DO list when saving your files:

      • It is recommended that this version of your catalog remain branded with your logo. It is OK to have your website URL in this version and company identifiers, but please remove direct contact information like email addresses and phone numbers.
      • The file size must be less than 500MB. Contact us if your file is larger than this.
      • Save your design files in InDesign or Adobe Acrobat Pro as RGB (Color space for computers). CMYK will produce dull images and colors, as this is the color space for print.
      • All pages must be combined in a single Adobe PDF.
      • All pages must be the same size.
      • Your catalog PDF must be single page spread, not double.
      • The resolution must be a minimum of 150dpi and max of 300dpi.
      • No crop marks, double-page spreads, or bleeds.
      • All fonts must be embedded, and text must not be outlined.
      • You can add internal and external links in the catalog PDF, and they will be imported into your ZOOMcatalog. 

       

      Here is our guide for adding links and videos to your PDF. 

       

      • You can add video links in your catalog, which will be imported into your ZOOMcatalog. We highly recommend YouTube or Vimeo links.
      • Bookmark the pages in your final PDF before uploading it to ZOOMcatalog. Your bookmarks will convert to a Table of Contents in your ZOOMcatalog, allowing for easy navigation.
       

      Click here to learn how to add bookmarks

       

      • Number the cover of your catalog as page #1, inside cover as page #2, and so on. This leads to more accurate URLs after conversion. If you have not designed your catalog this way, we can make adjustments, but your URL will not match the page number exactly.
      • When designing your catalogs, keep your company logo, web address, industry identifiers, and other content that may not be end-user friendly on one layer in your design files so it can be removed easily for the unbranded version (ZOOMcustom) of your catalog.

      This is the DO NOT DO list when saving your files:

      • Do not include your company phone numbers, email address, or physical address of your facilities. Your catalogs must be end-user friendly as they will appear on distributor websites if published to ZOOMcatalog.
      • Do not add any hidden text to the PDF.
      • Do not add form fields to your PDF.
      • Do not compress images as they will translate into bitmapped images in your ZOOMcatalog.

      When your PDF is ready

      Login to your account on www.zoomcatalog.com to upload it to your dashboard. Once converted, you will be sent a link to your catalog for approval. We require your approval before your catalog is published.

       

      PLEASE AVOID SENDING US YOUR FILES THROUGH OTHER METHODS SUCH AS WETRANSFER, HIGHTAIL, OR GOOGLE DRIVE. WE COLLECT IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CATALOG ON OUR DASHBOARD (for example, if the catalog PDF has video links, who the contact for approvals is, publish dates, etc.)

       

       

      Client-Friendly ZOOMcatalog customizable catalog specs

      • Follow all ZOOMcatalog specifications listed above.
      • Leave white space (recommended size is one-quarter of the cover) on the cover of your catalog for the distributor logo and personalization. We recommend white space as distributors may only have a jpeg of their logo. To accommodate this requirement, you may want to design an alternative cover for your client-friendly catalog.
      • Remove all company-specific information, including your logo, website URL, contact information, industry identifiers, etc., to ensure the catalog is completely end-user friendly once the distributor has customized it. 

      Client-Friendly ZOOMcatalog customizable flyer specs

      • Leave white space on your flyers for the distributor logo and personalization. We recommend white space as distributors may only have a jpeg of their logo.
      • We recommend that the white space on your flyer is rectangular or square in shape and takes up 15-20% of the flyer.
      • Include an expiration date.
      • If you include pricing on your flyer, consider including a disclaimer that pricing may be subject to change.
      • Pricing should be list price, not net price.
      • The recommended dimension for flyers is 8.5” x 11”.
      • The file size must be less than 10MB. Contact us if your file is larger than this.
      • Flyers must be one to four pages. For multi-page flyers, all pages must be combined into a single PDF.
      • For multi-page flyers, all pages must be the same size.
      • The resolution must be a minimum of 150dpi and a maximum of 300dpi.
      • No crop marks, spreads or bleeds.
      • All fonts must be embedded, and text must not be outlined.
      • When designing your flyers, keep them end-user friendly. Do not include your company logo, web address, phone number, email address, industry identifiers, EQP specials, net price lists, and other content that may not be end-user friendly.
      • Do not upload editable PDFs.
      • Do not add form fields to your PDFs.

      When your Flyer is ready

      • Login to your account on www.zoomcatalog.com to upload it to your dashboard.
      • From the dashboard, you can adjust the flyers shown in your portal and more.
      • Tag your flyer appropriately so that it will be properly indexed in the search engine.
      • You can set publish and expiration dates for your flyers and upload, replace, and delete them as needed. The flyers are interchangeable, and the number of flyers in your ZOOMcatalog package will determine how many you can have live at any given time.