Optimize the viewer of your digital publications

In PRODUCT
20 October 2022
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The viewer of your publications is a key element of digital publishing. By adapting it, you improve the entire user experience (also called UX). So how do you optimize the Calameo reader to create an exceptional reading experience for your digital publications?

From its visual aspect to the elements that compose it, we will explain how to optimize the settings of the reader of your digital publications according to your needs and your objectives. Please note that these settings can be different for each of your publications, depending on their specific objectives.

💡 TIP: Before you even convert your documents into publications on Calaméo, make sure they are optimized for digital publishing.

Choose the right display mode

The “display mode” is the way your document will be displayed and read by your readers. It is therefore a crucial element of the user experience. Calameo allows you to publish many different contents by offering you the possibility to choose between 3 display modes from the settings page of your publication:

  • Publication: to create a flipbook, with pages that turn like a book. This type of display is recommended for: magazines, books, catalogs.
  • Scroll: the pages of your publication scroll vertically. This type of display is recommended for tutorials and infographics.
  • Slide: the pages of your publication are displayed one by one on the screen. This type of display is recommended for slideshows and presentations.

Selecting the right display mode for your document type is crucial to providing a good user experience.

Choose the right theme

If you are a BASIC or PREMIUM user, your only available choice is the default theme: 2021.

  • 2021 : Our newest theme. With a simple and optimized design. Perfect for all types of documents, it will highlight your publications while providing a pleasant reading experience.

However, if you are a PLATINUM user, you can also choose from a selection of display themes depending on your strategy and needs. Here is the list of themes we offer (in addition to the 2021 theme):

  • Cribd : This theme is in light color by default. Discreet buttons at the top, a navigation bar at the bottom with the page number displayed to better find your way in your document. An elegant theme.
  • Default : A sober and uncluttered design, the buttons are displayed at the top. Two navigations are available: a bar at the bottom and arrows on the sides. Perfect to offer a simple reading experience: nothing is difficult to access.
  • Delisus : The reader can scroll through all the pages of your document in a box below your publication. This saves time in finding the page that interests them! In addition, the buttons are hidden so as not to hinder reading and only appear when the mouse passes over your publication.
  • Interface : A slider, and arrows for easy navigation. A classic and sober design that has proven itself, with its bar of buttons at the top, like on a website.
  • Simple : As the name suggests, this is a very clean theme that puts your publication first. If your goal is to read your document, not to share or print it, then this is the ideal theme.

Finally, PLATINUM users also have the option of creating their own design for the viewer, to personalize it as much as possible.

💡TIP: The PLATINUM subscription unlocks all of Calaméo’s customization and optimization possibilities, such as the “elements” feature that allows you to customize the viewer to your liking.

Finally, the viewer on mobiles and tablets that we offer to all our users has been designed to provide an optimal user experience, taking into account the particularities of these specific media: learn more.

Choose the right options

Define your goals and choose the right options to achieve them. Whether your goal is to strengthen your brand image, attract new leads, or make your content more accessible, Calameo offers many options:

Basic option:

  • Reading mode: allows you to adapt your content to the language of your document and your readership.

Options for PREMIUM and/or PLATINUM users only:

In this article we have only presented the options that change the appearance of the Calameo viewer, but there are even more options to improve your publications and the reading experience.

💡 TIP : The Editor tool allows you to add interactive elements to your publications for example, or the Private Publication mode that restricts access to your content, and much more on Calameo!

Conclusion

Thanks to Calameo, you can offer a unique and pleasant online reading experience by making the right choices for your viewer. Moreover, its optimization will enable you to build loyalty among your audience and attract new prospects. It is therefore important to choose the right options to best adapt it to your content, your strategy and your readers.

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PRODUCT

Host your logo and more on Calaméo!

In PRODUCT
23 May 2019

We are excited to announce a feature that will make customizing your publications on Calaméo easy as pie.

From now on, you can now upload custom logos, backgrounds and viewer themes directly to your Calaméo account!

That’s right—host your custom viewer elements right here on Calaméo, then just choose which you’d like to display when publishing your documents. Our new Theme Editor lets you make easy modifications to the viewer and apply to your publications in just a few clicks. All in one place.

PLATINUM users can upload up to 3 logos, 3 backgrounds and create up to 3 custom viewer themes.

PREMIUM users will still need to host their own customization elements in order to use a logo, background or theme to their publications. We’ve simplified how you add these resources to your publications in your publication’s Properties.

You’ll be able to select your logo in the Branding tab, while you’ll find backgrounds and themes in the Design tab.

There are lots of reasons to customize your digital publications on Calaméo: to optimize UX, to build your brand and share with style. Now, it’s easier than ever to adapt the viewer your business’s needs for even better digital publishing.

We’ll be sharing more tips, guides and tutorials to help you make the most out of these new tools all summer long. Check back soon to see what else is new on the Calaméo blog!

For more information about customizing the viewer, browse our Help Center. Interested in giving our new Elements feature a spin? Request your free, two-week PLATINUM Demo today!

PRODUCT

Discover these 3 other hidden (and amazing) Calaméo features!

In PRODUCT
8 August 2024

Welcome to our second article on the lesser-known features of Calaméo. In the previous article, we unveiled three lesser-known aspects of our platform that appeal to the savvy user. Today, we’re going to highlight three more features. Let’s discover together these often overlooked aspects that make Calaméo so much more than a simple online document hosting space.

1. Guide your readers towards purchase

If our Shopify integration is an interesting solution for guiding your readers to buy online, our Leaflet integration can help you guide them directly to your physical points of sale.

Leaflet integration is as simple as it is intuitive. In just a few steps, you can enrich your publications with interactive maps, offering your readers a captivating reading experience. Simply add the interactive map to your publication, mark strategic points of sale and allow your readers to easily navigate to the store of their choice.

The benefits of using our Leaflet integration :

  1. Increased proximity: your readers can locate the nearest point of sale at a glance, creating instant proximity to your product or service.
  2. Incentive to buy: by facilitating navigation to points of sale, Leaflet integration actively encourages your readers to turn their interest into a purchase.
  3. Enhanced user experience: transform simple reading into an immersive, engaging experience, where every click on the map brings your readers closer to completing their purchase.

🔎 READ MORE: Leaflet: add interactive maps to your Calaméo publications.

2. Give your audience a say

Thanks to our survey and form tool integrations (Google Forms, Hubspot Forms, MailChimp, Jotform, Typeform), Calaméo offers you much more options and becomes a two-way communication platform, allowing you to get to know your audience like never before.

These tools are simple and intuitive to use. Integrate interactive polls or forms directly into your publications, encouraging your readers to share their opinions. Then, analyze the responses to refine your editorial strategy and create content that really resonates with your audience. Turn your audience into active contributors.

The benefits of using our survey and form integrations:

  1. Content personalization: By understanding your audience’s specific needs, you can tailor your content to meet their expectations, boosting engagement and loyalty.
  2. Collaborative creation: Involve your readers in the creation process, transforming your publication into a collaborative experience where every voice counts.
  3. Strengthening the relationship with your audience: By giving your audience a voice, you establish a deeper connection, strengthening the relationship between you as publisher and your readers.

🔎 READ MORE: 3 reasons to include forms in your Calaméo publications.

3. Master the art of timing

In our exploration of Calaméo’s more discreet features, let’s dive into the third one, which highlights the crucial importance of timing in your editorial strategy. Thanks to our triggers feature, Calaméo lets you automatically trigger specific actions (such as the automatic playback of a video, or the opening of a form window, for example) at key moments, optimizing the impact of your content.

Using triggers on Calaméo is simple and flexible. Choose the moment that best matches your objective, define the action to be triggered, and watch as your content dynamically comes to life, offering your readers a unique experience. On Calaméo, you can choose between three key moments to trigger an action: when the publication is opened, when it is downloaded or when it is printed. These strategic moments are designed to capture your audience’s attention and maximize the impact of your content.

Why timing is crucial :

  1. Capture immediate attention: Trigger an action as soon as your publication is opened to instantly capture your audience’s attention.
  2. Collect data at key moments: Choose to add a mandatory form with a trigger using the option: “this trigger must be completed to continue”. Whether it’s when the publication is opened, downloaded or printed, you’ll be able to collect your audience’s data at the most appropriate moment for your marketing strategy.

💡 FIND OUT how to create and use triggers for each of our integrations.

Conclusion

In exploring Calaméo’s lesser-known features, we’ve plunged into a world of innovations designed to transform your digital publishing experience. Leaflet integration brings you physically closer to your readers, surveys and forms let you understand them and adapt your content, while triggers give you the power of perfect timing. As a result, these hidden features are not just options, but strategic tools for enriching your content, enhancing interaction with your audience, and maximizing the impact of your publications.

💡Integrations and triggers are features reserved for PLATINUM accounts. Ask for your free 14-day trial to Calaméo PLATINUM and test all our professional tools!