Importance of Watermark in PDF Files

Today, information in different forms and for several purposes exists in PDF format. They include legal files, educational documents, and medical records.

In some cases, these documents are not secured and can be falsified as a result. This risk has led to the inclusion of the watermark feature in word processors and PDF-creating tools.

With a PDF editor, you can easily add PDF watermark, which protects documents effectively. Though this feature has some downsides, it has many benefits, which this article will address.

What is a watermark?

Watermarking involves superimposing a logo or text over an entire document or picture file. The logo or text overlay on a digital picture or document discourages people from exploiting the file without the owner’s permission. This practice is popular among bloggers, photographers, and corporations that trade intellectual property and proprietary information.

With a PDF editor, you can insert watermarks in your files and customize them to any size, text, color, and angle. A standard PDF editing tool will let you add multiple watermarks in a document or save a previous watermark for automatic insertion later.

Why use watermarks?

To secure the file

You can add watermark to PDF documents to secure any sensitive information within. Although there are other ways of securing your document’s contents, watermarking is the most frequently used and easily-implemented approach.

Using a watermark in a document makes it clear to the reader that the document has sensitive information and discourages them from tampering with it.

Many firms add watermark in PDF online to prevent unauthorized use or duplication of their intellectual property. The application is convenient when they can’t control the document’s circulation online, leading to random people stealing its content.

To ascertain the origin of the information

Adding a watermark to your PDF file can indicate whether or not the text included in the document is original or an unauthorized copy. It helps classify documents, such as invoices and receipts, in online e-commerce. Many people use watermarks in these ways to let others know the document’s history.

To indicate confidentiality levels in a file

You can put watermark on PDF documents or other files to remind the recipient of the need to keep it from wandering eyes. People who get a document marked as “confidential” will likely lock their devices as they go out. 

For advertising

Watermarking can become part of your advertising strategy, especially if you are on a budget. Painters or artists use watermarks on their artwork to promote their brand whenever the work is published, shared, or downloaded on Instagram or other online platforms.

Where should you place a watermark?

Protecting your document begins when you add draft watermark to PDF. The bottom-right corner is the most common point for placing watermarks, especially in images. In this position, the watermark doesn’t distract observers.

Corner placement is not foolproof, as people can crop out any watermarks you place in the corners of an image.

Alternatively, use a PDF viewer or editor to place your watermark in the middle of the document. You can make it cover at least 30% of the page for the best protection. To enhance the viewing experience, make the watermark semi-transparent and send it behind the text. 

Disadvantages of watermarks

Although watermarking your photographs may help prevent theft, this technique is contentious among creatives and brands. There are drawbacks to watermarking your pictures that you should keep in mind.

Distractions for viewers

People using a PDF reader to view documents have expressed dissatisfaction with watermarks because of the visual cluster they add to the pages of documents and images. For photographs, watermarks may distract viewers from the quality of a photo, focusing their attention on the hugely visible watermark at the center of the image. 

Can be removed 

Watermarks are often used to keep the intellectual property at a lower risk of theft. But, with tools for removing watermark PDF online, people can undo your efforts at little or no cost.

Watermarking isn’t a guaranteed way to keep your property from being stolen. Skilled editors can remove your watermark using an online PDF editor that supports the feature. After removing your watermark, the person can add a different watermark to the picture or document.

Discourages sharing 

If you add a watermark to your online PDF file, you may succeed in keeping it safe, but it will reduce the level of attention your work deserves. Web-sized photographs with visible watermarks may deter some users from sharing the images they find visually attractive.

Promotes negative brand image

If you add watermark to PDF online, you may succeed in safeguarding your rights; however, it may harm your company’s reputation. It may seem to visitors that you are primarily focused on preventing unauthorized use of your photographs and documents than on exhibiting them in their original form. 

Instead of helping customers appreciate what they’re purchasing, large watermarks over product images or pages of documents may be off-putting. 

Alternatives to watermarks

Whether you use a watermark or not, you’d want to safeguard your file or photo whenever you post online. Luckily, there are several reliable alternatives for protecting your document from tampering. 

Managing permissions

You can keep your document’s contents confidential by blocking access to unauthorized persons. This file form of restriction lets you grant or deny access with a click. After granting access, you can decide the changes viewers can make on file. Rather than insert watermark in PDF files, you can manage how people interact with them.

Using on-screen protection 

The on-screen protection alternative prevents users from making image-based copies of your file. This feature protects confidential information from being copied or reproduced by discouraging efforts to capture your PDF’s content through screenshots.

Turning off the copy feature in your document

You can also restrict intruders from copying your PDF content. But this approach isn’t 100% effective in deterring a determined person from duplicating your document. They can re-type the document on a new page, especially if it doesn’t have too many text or image elements; therefore, it is not the best PDF protection form.

Setting password protection

In sending and receiving confidential data like invoices and other official documents, it is best to package them as PDFs. You can lock the PDF file using a password and select what the receiver can do with the document.

Using a password is the best means of securing your PDF, as only you and the recipient will access the document. Many banks and financial organizations use passwords on their documents, and you can get the feature in premium PDF editors. 

Conclusion

Watermarks are not mere decorations for documents they keep the content of your documents safe. They also protect your file from being copied or misused. Though watermarks still have disadvantages, you can use them in your document without negatively affecting the reader’s experience if you are careful.