While the volume of print magazines keeps falling, their digital counterparts are on the rise. In 2021, e-magazine consumers are projected to reach a 40-million US audience. It’s a 22 million increase compared to 2015.

That’s why modern publishers start offering more digital magazines created with the help of rendering. They use HTML to PDF converters to render professional-looking online magazines and keep their audience. The need to change PDF to HTML format and vice versa is one of the primary reasons to adopt HTML to PDF converters. The quality of generated magazines and content customization are some other advantages.

Learn more about turning PDF into an online magazine and why you need an HTML to PDF converter for this below.

PDF, HTML5, and More: What Formats Rule in Digital Publishing?

Digital publishers have plenty of formats to choose from. They can create Flash magazines, native app journals, PDF flipbooks, HTML5 magazines. The look of the final magazine, its responsiveness, and customization capabilities will depend on the selected format.

Although PDF to flipbook is the most commonly used solution, let’s see all of the options you have:

• Flash magazines. Flash is an outdated technology that used to be a popular format for online magazines and books. It simulates the page flip effect like in print magazines. Now, we wouldn’t recommend choosing publishing software based on Flash. It has limited capabilities and cannot compare to more advanced options, such as PDF or HTML5 flipbook software.
• Standard PDF magazines. When you turn PDF into an online magazine, you can generate an exact copy of your printed edition. This solution is favored by digital printers that already have their offline editions and want to go digital. The leading US digital printer, WebMD Magazine, uses this format and boasts 12.7 million unique monthly visitors. The only drawback is that when you convert your PDF to a magazine, it will be non-responsive. Mobile readers will have to zoom the content.
• PDF-based flipbook magazines. Flipbooks are a new way to turn PDF into an online magazine. These are flippable and browsable PDF files. Just like standard PDFs, they are the most convenient on desktop devices.

• Native apps from digital publishers. Industry leaders like Cosmopolitan or Economist can afford to develop custom apps. After downloading them, users can access digital content provided by this publisher. Thanks to digital text reflow, the content adapts to different mobile devices.
• HTML5 magazines. This type of digital magazine relies on the same technologies as websites: HTML, JavaScript, CSS. HTML5 is suitable if you want to create a web browser journal from scratch and don’t have a physical copy of the magazine.
  

Out of these options, PDF magazines remain the most popular. They have several undeniable advantages that make digital publishers turn PDF into online magazines.

Why Turn PDF into Online Magazines Rather than Use Other Formats?

If you already own an offline magazine, most likely, its existing issues have been created in PDF. PDF formatting allows preparing the final draft before printing to understand how the issue will look like. Hence, if you choose to turn PDF into an online magazine, the previous issues become valuable content. You can publish them on your website to attract more readers, create archives, and quickly enter the digital market.

In the future, the choice of the PDF format will allow you to develop both offline and online copies at once. With some minor changes, you will customize the content for online readers and make it more responsive. Compared to PDF, all other formats are much more time-consuming.

Why Use an HTML to PDF Converter to Create PDF Magazines?

Note that PDF is used for the final version of magazines before publishing. All the dirty work you will do in XML and HTML markup languages. To arrange headers, add graphs, configure the layout, you need to prepare HTML first and then convert it to PDF documents for further publishing. That’s why digital publishing agencies need HTML to PDF converters.

HTML to PDF converters enable you to change PDF to HTML format and vice versa, depending on your needs. For example, you can convert the finalized HTML to PDF for publishing it on the web as a magazine. You can similarly change PDF to HTML format back if additional editing is required.

Rendering software is particularly useful for publishers posting a large volume of content. HTML to PDF converters allow them to quickly switch between formats and generate content more efficiently.

Learn How to Convert HTML into PDF With the Right Format

What to Watch out for When You Turn PDF into an Online Magazine?

With the right digital publishing software and an HTML to PDF converter, magazine rendering is easy. Most of the problems with magazine quality stem from poor HTML to PDF conversion. Still, some pitfalls can affect the look of the final electronic magazine or book. Here are the issues to watch out for:

Page Headers and Footers

When you convert HTML files to PDF, it may be challenging to include different headers and footers for different pages. Since digital magazines usually have multiple sections, you must be able to customize their headers.

Page Size and Formatting

A standard PDF has 8.5 x 11 inches. Even though you might stick to standards, it’s better to customize the size of magazine pages. It will facilitate the navigation and reading for your target audience. Since not all HTML to PDF converters allow to modify page dimensions easily, it can be problematic.

Check out Styling Capabilities Offered in an HTML to PDF Converter API

Image Rendering

If your source HTML has images or logos, they can be distorted during HTML to PDF conversion. You will have to troubleshoot and find ways to keep the necessary images intact in the final version.

Responsiveness

Originally, PDF files remain unmodified regardless of the device. Hence, digital publishers that target mobile users and choose the PDF format for their content need to take care of responsiveness. To deal with these limitations, you will need an HTML to PDF converter with broad customization capabilities. Text reflow and easy zooming are some other must-haves for PDF magazines.

Fortunately, modern HTML to PDF converters help to avoid the most common formatting issues or troubleshoot them. Inkit Render is one of the tools designed for smooth HTML to PDF rendering applicable across many industries, including digital publishing.

How Inkit Render HTML to PDF Converter Simplifies the Work of Digital Publishers

Render is an HTML to PDF converter offered by Inkit. It automatically converts HTML to PDF to generate digital magazines and other documents like invoices, statements, or reports.

Thanks to broad customization capabilities, Render allows publishers to change HTML parameters in order to tailor the final PDF. They can quickly convert large volumes of HTML source files to neat custom PDFs for publishing e-content on their websites.