While searching for online brochure templates I came across a blog post that resonated with me about the hidden truths of free software on the web. The article resonated with me because the writer echoed my sentiments about how much time could be wasted finding an application that actually worked. There is no such supply of software that falls short of inefficiency but fortunately for those of us who actually value our time, there are actually very few that deliver!
Online Brochure Templates the hidden gems
The article in question brought into perspective the rarity of finding free software that actually did what developers promised it would. What was easier to find were applications with a lot of flashes and not much to offer. When searching for brochure makers online it’s not uncommon to find flawed or unaccommodating free versions that hinder creativity and prevent you from getting your brochure designed properly in the first place.
In his article, the blogger had suggested his top ten list of software that came with free versions that were comparable even to some of the best-paid products on the market. I was intrigued. He’d chosen to explore online brochure templates and programs related to brochure design and out of all the software highlighted the one that stood out most to me was Yumpu Publishing.
The free version of the software is part of a broader digital publishing platform that simulated the experience of reading a print publication online. The platform boasted over 20 million magazines and a network in the millions of online active readers. This software featured leading and emerging titles in fashion, culture, arts, and hyper-local content that was accessible on any device.
I was impressed to find that in addition to creating brochures and online magazines the platform also made it possible to design flyers and catalogs. Their brochure-making process was described as fast and effortless and when I created my free account and tried it out for myself I found that the description fits perfectly.
Free Is Not Always Lame And Restrictive
It was reassuring to find an application that understood that my time was as valuable as my money. I have lost all respect for companies that make their free versions difficult to use in an effort to rush potential customers into buying the real thing. A better strategy would be for them to follow in the footsteps of platforms like Yumpu Publishing by making the free version feature-rich and compelling and thus causing the user to spend more time with the platform and as they do so be more persuaded to upgrade over time. After trying the brochure maker out for myself I can attest that the free version contains all the essentials for making an attractive, engaging digital brochure online. And if you want extra features there’s always the option of a paid plan.
What Else?
The feature I spent the most time playing around with was the hotspot editor that made it super easy to add media to publications. I used the editor and tossed in some sounds, videos, links, and even a slideshow. I linked previously published material from sites like Vimeo, Youtube, and Soundcloud to my brochure and found out later that it was also possible to upload content directly onto the platform, then link it to your publication. The same went for slideshows; users could either upload an unlimited number of images via sites like Flickr or directly through the app to be included in their brochures.
When I read about the application’s optimized content delivery I understood fully why it had made the top ten list of free brochure-making applications. Through their optimization techniques, user content was always shown most favorably – no matter what kind of device was being used. That equated to shorter than usual loading times, something that was a huge problem with other applications in this class. This feature makes it possible to see small images without quality loss issues on smartphones as compared to high-quality images on the screen. All of this to say, goodbye to tedious wait times for oversized content!
The online app is fully integrated with all major social networks and the application’s social media optimized sharing is a much talked about feature that makes it possible to share publications to sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google Plus with a few short clicks. Users can choose to share full publications or select parts. I chose to share my interactive brochure through my social media channels right away. I couldn’t wait to see people’s reactions, and as expected, they too were impressed.
For once I’d spent more time designing and less time trying to make sense of complicated software and that was something to shout about. You can try it for yourself at Yumpu Publishing.
