Web-to-print – IMG.LY Blog

What Does Print-Ready PDF Mean? Understanding PDF/X Standards for Professional Printing

Klaudia — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 08:35:21 GMT

Commercial printing is unforgiving. Files need to follow pretty strict technical rules or things go sideways fast - missing fonts, wrong colors, transparency glitches and suddenly the output looks nothing like the original design. Standard PDFs are too flexible for this: they allow RGB sneaking in, optional font embedding, different transparency interpretations, and all sorts of surprises that print shops definitely don’t want.

This guide breaks down what makes a PDF actually print-ready for commercial printing, why PDF/X standards (X-1a, X-3, X-4) fix the most common issues, and how to export files that print reliably without production delays or those expensive re-prints.

What Makes a PDF Print-Ready?

A print-ready PDF is basically a normal PDF with less freedom and more control. It enforces technical requirements so nothing unpredictable happens once the file hits a press. Commercial printers deal with precise workflows that expect files prepared exactly to specification, and there’s little room to improvise when the job is already scheduled on the machine.

So what makes a file print-ready?

Fonts 100% embedded: text looks the same everywhere.
Correct color spaces: most often CMYK for presses instead of screen-only RGB sneaking in.
High-resolution images: 300 DPI (or better) for photos, 1200 DPI for line art.
Bleed included: trimming doesn’t cut off important design elements.
Transparency handled properly: either flattened or preserved correctly, depending on the workflow.
All content embedded: no external links that can break at the worst time.

What is PDF/X and Why Print Shops Require It

PDF/X is a subset of the broader PDF specification built specifically for professional printing. It removes any features that could cause printers to guess or “interpret” content differently.

Why PDF/X Exists

Normal PDFs are built for flexibility, which is great for documents that live on screens. But that flexibility can become a liability when the goal is consistent printing. A standard PDF might have a linked asset that suddenly goes missing, or a transparency effect that forces the RIP to make a decision you didn’t intend.

PDF/X basically says: No guessing. No surprises. Everything defined.

It requires full font embedding, correct color spaces, output intent profiles, and forbids interactive elements like form fields or videos. So when a PDF/X file reaches a print shop, they know exactly how the document should be printed with nothing left to interpretation.

When PDF/X is Expected

In professional settings like offset printing, packaging, magazine layouts, book production, and branded marketing materials, PDF/X is the default requirement. The cost of errors is too high to rely on files that “should be fine.”

In contrast, standard PDFs are great for digital docs, office printing, and collaboration workflows where perfect print fidelity isn’t the main objective.

PDF/X Standards: X-1a, X-3, and X-4 Explained

There isn’t just one PDF/X format — they evolved alongside printing technology.

PDF/X-1a: Most Compatible with CMYK-Only Printing

PDF/X-1a remains the most widely requested standard because it plays nicely with legacy systems and modern presses alike. It enforces CMYK-only color (plus spot colors), flattening transparency along the way. Everything in the file must be embedded, including fonts and images. This makes the file extremely predictable at every stage of print production, though transparency flattening may make files heavier and sometimes slightly alters blending appearance.

PDF/X-3: For Color-Managed Workflows

As printing workflows started adopting stronger color management, PDF/X-3 was introduced. It’s similar to X-1a but allows RGB and Lab color spaces as long as they include ICC profiles that tell the press how to interpret them. Many European workflows in particular rely on this standard.

Transparency flattening still applies, so the print shop still gets static objects but with more informative color handling.

PDF/X-4: Modern, Flexible, and Transparency-Friendly

PDF/X-4 is designed with modern digital presses and RIP systems in mind. Transparency stays live, layers are allowed, and device-independent color is supported with ICC profiles. This means:

Smaller file sizes
Faster rendering
Visual effects preserved exactly as designed

Adoption has grown a lot in recent years, but if you’re unsure whether the print provider supports it, PDF/X-1a remains the “safe option.”

Choosing the Right PDF/X Standard

Always confirm requirements with your print provider. When in doubt, PDF/X-1a offers the safest choice for compatibility, while PDF/X-4 provides advantages for modern digital workflows if supported.

How to Create Print-Ready PDF/X Files

Preparing a document for PDF/X isn’t something most designers want to think about every day. But a few fundamentals always matter:

Work in the right color settings from the start
Ensure images have high enough resolution
Embed fonts (and be sure licenses allow it)
Set trim and bleed properly in your layout

Then, during export, the software handles the heavy lifting converting colors, flattening transparency if needed, validating structure, and attaching the right ICC profile as output intent.

Manual PDF/X exports can be a bit intimidating because every piece needs to line up with specification rules. It’s why designers sometimes end up exporting multiple times (and sending multiple emails) before the print provider approves the file.

PDF/X Export with IMG.LY’s CreativeEditor SDK

The CreativeEditor SDK offers a dedicated Print-Ready PDF plugin that handles much of the complexity behind converting interactive or web-designed layouts into print-fit documents, so your team doesn’t need to become PDF or pre-press specialists.

The plugin supports workflows where you can generate print-ready files either in the editor UI or programmatically via code.

Out of the box, it can:

Convert color spaces (e.g., from RGB to CMYK using ICC-profiles such as FOGRA39) to match commercial offset printing standards.
Embed an output intent profile and set PDF-X compliance markers (for PDF/X-3:2003) so the exported PDF meets a recognized print standard.
Handle transparency flattening when required (or allow you to disable it if transparency isn’t used) to ensure reliable print output.
Enable streamlined export via JavaScript/Node or UI button, helping automate large-scale production workflows (print-on-demand, web-to-print, enterprise design platforms).

This makes it suitable for environments where you need to reliably generate thousands of output-files without needing dedicated pre-press steps.

PDF/X vs. Standard PDF: The TL;DR

Standard PDFs are more flexible for general documents and screen use but for commercial printing you want a locked-down format: specifying color space, embedding all assets, disallowing interactive elements, and including an output intent. PDF/X ensures what you send is what prints, avoiding surprises or delays at the printer.

Bottom line: If you’re building a print-workflow where precision, repeatability and automation matter, pick PDF/X (and leverage CE.SDK’s print-ready plugin) over a generic PDF export.

Getting Started

If you’re aiming for flawless print results right out of your app, the CreativeEditor SDK supports full PDF/X export. Easily test it in the interactive demo, dive into the docs, or just start a free trial and see how fast it fits into your print workflows. And if your process has unique production needs, our team’s happy to help, just reach out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does PDF/X-1a mean?

PDF/X-1a is the most restrictive and universally supported PDF/X standard for professional printing. It requires CMYK and spot colors only (no RGB), complete font embedding, flattened transparency, defined trim and bleed boxes, and no external content references. This standard guarantees maximum compatibility with virtually all commercial printing equipment, making it the most commonly requested format by print shops.

What is the difference between PDF/X-1a and PDF/X-4?
PDF/X-1a requires CMYK-only colors and flattened transparency, ensuring maximum compatibility with all printing equipment including older systems. PDF/X-4 supports device-independent color spaces with ICC profiles and preserves native transparency without flattening, resulting in smaller file sizes and better quality for complex designs. PDF/X-4 works best with modern digital printing equipment, while PDF/X-1a remains the safer choice for universal compatibility.

Why do RGB colors cause problems in PDF/X-1a?
Commercial printing presses use CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) ink, not the RGB (red, green, blue) light-based color used by screens. PDF/X-1a prohibits RGB entirely because different systems convert RGB to CMYK differently, creating unpredictable color results. By requiring CMYK-only, PDF/X-1a gives designers explicit control over color conversion rather than leaving it to the print shop’s systems, ensuring predictable and consistent color reproduction.

How do I fix font embedding errors?
Font embedding errors occur when fonts cannot be included in the PDF due to licensing restrictions or technical limitations. Verify font licensing permits embedding for commercial printing, replace restricted fonts with alternatives that allow embedding, and ensure the export system has access to complete font files, not just screen-optimized versions. For text converted to outlines, verify the conversion happened completely, as partially outlined text can cause validation errors.

What is transparency flattening and why does it matter?
Transparency flattening converts transparency effects (drop shadows, opacity changes, blend modes) into rasterized elements that can be reliably printed on any system. PDF/X-1a and X-3 require transparency flattening to ensure maximum compatibility. While flattening increases file size and can introduce visual artifacts in complex designs, it guarantees consistent reproduction across different printing equipment. PDF/X-4 preserves native transparency for modern systems that support it.

What resolution do images need for print?
Images need 300 DPI (dots per inch) at final print size for photographic content and color images. Line art should be 1200 DPI minimum. Screen-resolution images (72-96 DPI) appear pixelated when printed at commercial print resolution. Vector graphics avoid resolution issues entirely by scaling without quality loss, making them ideal for logos and illustrations.

What are bleed and trim boxes?
The trim box defines the final document size after cutting. The bleed box defines extended image areas beyond trim (typically 3mm or 0.125 inches on all sides) that account for slight variations in cutting precision. Bleed ensures design elements extend past trim edges, preventing white gaps if cutting is not perfectly precise. PDF/X files must include properly defined trim, bleed, and media boxes to pass preflight validation.

What is an output intent profile?
An output intent profile is an ICC color profile embedded in the PDF/X file that describes the intended printing condition. This profile tells the printing system how to interpret colors in the file. Common profiles include Coated FOGRA39 (ISO 12647-2:2004) for coated paper in Europe, GRACoL2006_Coated1v2 for coated paper in North America, and SWOP2006_Coated3v2 as an alternative North American standard. Always confirm the appropriate profile with your print provider.

How do I convert PDF to PDF/X-1a?
Converting existing PDFs to PDF/X-1a requires ensuring the file meets all compliance requirements: converting RGB colors to CMYK, embedding all fonts completely, flattening transparency effects, adding bleed and trim box definitions, specifying an output intent ICC profile, and embedding any linked external content. Professional PDF tools or SDKs with PDF/X export capabilities handle these conversions automatically, while manual conversion requires technical knowledge of PDF structure and color management.

Can I create PDF/X files without specialized software?
Creating compliant PDF/X files reliably requires software that understands PDF/X specifications and can handle color space conversion, font embedding validation, transparency flattening, and compliance checking. While some general PDF tools offer PDF/X export, they may not handle all compliance requirements correctly. Professional design applications (Adobe InDesign, Illustrator) include PDF/X export, or SDKs like IMG.LY’s Creative Editor SDK provide integrated PDF/X capabilities for custom applications.

Do I need PDF/X for digital printing?
Most commercial digital printing operations require PDF/X files to ensure consistent, reliable production results. Digital printing equipment processes files more predictably when color spaces, fonts, and transparency are handled consistently through PDF/X compliance. Modern digital print shops often prefer PDF/X-4 for its native transparency support and efficiency, though PDF/X-1a remains widely accepted for maximum compatibility.

Can I edit a PDF/X file after export?
PDF/X files can be edited like any PDF, but modifications may break compliance. Editing colors, fonts, images, or transparency can introduce elements that violate PDF/X requirements. After editing, the file must be re-exported as PDF/X with full compliance validation to ensure it remains print-ready. Maintaining source files (InDesign documents, design files) for editing and exporting fresh PDF/X files for each revision is the recommended workflow.

How do I check if my PDF is PDF/X compliant?
Professional PDF applications include preflight tools that validate PDF/X compliance against standard requirements. These tools check color spaces, font embedding, transparency handling, bleed and trim definitions, output intent profiles, and other technical requirements. Adobe Acrobat Pro, PitStop, and Enfocus PitStop are common preflight tools. Many print shops also run preflight validation and will notify you of compliance failures before production.

What is a PDF/X converter?
A PDF/X converter is software that transforms standard PDFs or other file formats into compliant PDF/X files. Converters handle color space conversion, font embedding, transparency flattening, metadata insertion, and validation. However, conversion quality varies significantly between tools. Files designed for print from the beginning with proper color modes and fonts typically produce better PDF/X output than files converted after creation with incompatible settings.

Is PDF/X the same as PDF/A?
No. PDF/X is designed for commercial printing and enforces print-ready requirements like CMYK color and font embedding. PDF/A is designed for long-term archiving and enforces different requirements focused on preservation and self-contained documents. PDF/A files are not necessarily print-ready, and PDF/X files are not optimized for archiving. These are distinct standards serving different purposes.

Why is my PDF/X file larger than a standard PDF?
PDF/X files can be larger due to compliance requirements. Complete font embedding adds file size compared to partial subset embedding. Transparency flattening in PDF/X-1a significantly increases size for designs with complex transparency effects, as flattened areas become rasterized rather than remaining as compact vector data. However, PDF/X-4 files are often smaller than equivalent flattened X-1a files because native transparency preserves efficient vector representation. For print production, reliability matters more than optimizing for minimal file size.

Can PDF/X files contain images?
Yes. PDF/X files contain images just like standard PDFs, but images must meet specific requirements. For PDF/X-1a, images must use CMYK or grayscale color spaces (no RGB without conversion). Images must meet minimum resolution requirements (typically 300 DPI for photos). All images must be embedded, not linked externally. PDF/X-4 allows device-independent color spaces with proper ICC profiles, providing more flexibility for image color management.

What happens if I submit a non-compliant file to a print shop?
Print shops typically run preflight validation on submitted files. Non-compliant files will be rejected with a report detailing compliance failures—RGB colors in PDF/X-1a files, missing font embedding, insufficient image resolution, missing bleed definitions, etc. Production cannot proceed until files are corrected and resubmitted. This delays timelines and can incur additional fees for file preparation services if the print shop must fix issues. Submitting compliant PDF/X files from the beginning prevents these delays and costs.
No. PDF/X is designed for commercial printing and enforces print-ready requirements like CMYK color and font embedding. PDF/A is designed for long-term archiving and enforces different requirements focused on preservation and self-contained documents. PDF/A files are not necessarily print-ready, and PDF/X files are not optimized for archiving. These are distinct standards serving different purposes.

Best Web-to-Print Editor SDKs - Your 2025 Guide

Vatsala — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 09:25:57 GMT

In this guide, we’ll compare six leading web-to-print editor SDKs: IMG.LY CreativeEditor SDK, Adobe InDesign Server, CHILI GraFx, Customer’s Canvas, PrintUI, and Design Huddle Web-to-Print, focusing on their:

Features & capabilities
Implementation & use case
Future-proofing, support & pricing.

At the end, we’ll also show why IMG.LY CreativeEditor SDK (CE.SDK) stands out as the most complete, modern alternative to legacy print workflows.

1. IMG.LY CreativeEditor SDK (CE.SDK)

The first one on our list is IMG.LY CreativeEditor SDK (CE.SDK). It’s a modern design SDK with support for both print and digital outputs. CE.SDK is built to give companies a single, scalable solution for user-facing editing and backend automation.

Features & capabilities: CE.SDK delivers a complete editor experience designed for both print and digital. Key features include multi-layer editing, customizable templates, brand controls, background removal, AI enhancements, and advanced print support like CMYK/Pantone, cutout lines, and variable data printing. With customizable export options and an extensible plugin architecture, teams can build workflows that go far beyond basic editing.
Platforms & customization: CE.SDK runs across Web, iOS, Android, React Native, Flutter, Node.js, and Electron. It’s fully white-label and allows deep customization through a plugin system, so the editor looks and feels native to your brand.
Implementation & use cases: The SDK is designed for quick embedding with enterprise-ready defaults. You can start with out-of-the-box UIs and scale into custom workflows as needed. Common use cases include e-commerce product personalization, marketing platforms, packaging, and DAMs.
Future-proofing, support & pricing: IMG.LY ships frequent releases, maintains a strong AI roadmap, and ensures feature parity across platforms. Enterprise customers benefit from SLAs, onboarding engineers, and solution support. Pricing is based on enterprise licensing.
Who it’s for: IMG.LY is best for companies looking for a modern alternative to InDesign Server or CHILI GraFx, and teams that want interactive editing combined with backend automation in one SDK.

Key differentiator

Unlike traditional tools that split editing and automation, CE.SDK combines interactive editor UX with automation and print-ready output in a single SDK. This means you can scale both user-facing personalization and backend production workflows without bolting together multiple tools.

Check out a few useful showcases of IMG.LY in action.

Apparel UI: Custom, mobile apparel UI for creating print-ready designs.
Postcard UI: Built to facilitate optimal post- & greeting-card design
Photobook UI: Custom UI for building photo books, focusing on theming, page layouts, and managing photo assets.

2. Adobe InDesign Server

Adobe InDesign Server is the enterprise-grade server edition of InDesign built to automate publishing and print workflows at scale. It is widely used by large publishers that require professional typesetting and automation. While powerful, it demands significant infrastructure and is best suited for organizations already invested in Adobe’s ecosystem.

Features & capabilities: As we mentioned, Adobe InDesign Server is a mature and trusted solution in the print industry. It brings professional typesetting, advanced layout control, variable data printing, and print-ready PDF export.
Platforms & customization: Runs on Windows and macOS servers. Customization is handled via scripting in JavaScript, VBScript, or AppleScript, which allows teams to automate tasks and extend functionality. However, the scripting model requires specialized expertise and can slow down implementation.
Implementation & use cases: The platform is built for high-volume publishing, such as catalogs, magazines, and enterprise-scale print production. While powerful, it requires dedicated infrastructure and maintenance. It’s less suited for cloud-native or mobile-first workflows, which limits flexibility for modern SaaS or e-commerce integrations.
Future-proofing, support & pricing: It comes with enterprise Adobe support, but its innovation pace is slower compared to newer cloud-native tools. Pricing is among the highest in the category, tied to server seat licenses.
Who it’s for: Adobe InDesign Server is suitable for large publishers and enterprises with legacy Adobe workflows that need precise control over layout and large-scale automation.

Comparison to IMG.LY

While Adobe is powerful for large-scale publishing, it is infrastructure-heavy and harder to scale across modern platforms. IMG.LY offers a cloud-ready, cross-platform SDK that delivers the same automation benefits but with faster implementation, ready-to-use UI, and broader use cases.

Find out more about how IMG.LY is a great alternative to InDesign here.

3. CHILI GraFx

CHILI GraFx is a cloud-based creative automation platform for print and omnichannel personalization. It is designed for enterprises that need to manage large volumes of marketing and packaging assets across distributed teams. By focusing on smart template logic and centralized control, it helps organizations ensure brand consistency while scaling creative output.

Features & capabilities: CHILI GraFx is a cloud-first creative automation platform that provides smart templates, dynamic layouts, print-ready output, and variable data handling.
Platforms & customization: It runs entirely as a cloud SaaS platform, where template logic and API integrations drive automation. While powerful for structured workflows, it offers less freedom for creative, freeform editing.
Implementation & use cases: CHILI is popular among retailers, large-scale marketing platforms, and packaging companies. It excels at managing distributed campaigns where consistency and automated adaptation of templates matter.
Future-proofing, support & pricing: Their roadmap emphasizes AI-driven automation and large-scale scalability. Pricing is on the high end, reflecting its enterprise orientation. Support includes enterprise-level onboarding and training programs.
Who it’s for: CHILI GraFx is best suited for companies needing scalable print and creative automation.

Comparison to IMG.LY

CHILI excels in template-driven automation, but its SaaS-first approach limits customization for interactive editing. IMG.LY balances both worlds, offering automation and a highly flexible editor UI that adapts to any platform.

Find out in detail how CHILI GraFx compares to IMG.LY here.

4. Customer’s Canvas

Customer’s Canvas is a web-to-print SDK and editor built for online product personalization. It helps print shops, packaging businesses, and e-commerce platforms deliver custom products at scale.

Features & capabilities: It supports packaging workflows and online customization with a browser-based WYSIWYG editor. The platform also delivers print-ready templates and variable data printing, making it a strong option for businesses that need reliable print output tied to personalized designs.
Platforms & customization: Runs as a web SDK with iframe-based embedding, making it accessible to most online platforms. It offers a white-label editor so companies can align the interface with their brand. While this provides a polished experience, customization options are narrower compared to plugin-based systems like IMG.LY.
Implementation & use cases: Implementation requires more development effort because it is not a SaaS-first product. Businesses often need to integrate it directly into their sites and workflows. But once in place, it is valuable for print shops, packaging businesses, and e-commerce platforms that want to give users control over product personalization with print-ready accuracy.
Future-proofing, support & pricing: The platform is actively developed with a focus on the print commerce industry. Vendors provide onboarding, training, and technical support to ease adoption. Pricing follows a licensing model that is generally more affordable than enterprise-focused options like Adobe or CHILI, making it appealing for mid-market businesses.
Who it’s for: Best suited for SMBs and enterprises that rely heavily on product personalization and packaging as part of their business model.

Comparison to IMG.LY

Customer’s Canvas is strong for print commerce but limited in multi-platform editing. IMG.LY extends beyond print, supporting web, mobile, and automation with AI-powered tools, making it a better choice for enterprises aiming to scale across digital and print workflows.

To get more information, read our detailed guide on IMG.LY vs Customer’s Canvas.

5. PrintUI

PrintUI is a web-to-print solution designed to help businesses create and manage personalized print products online. It focuses on making template editing and brand control accessible without heavy development, so companies can quickly offer customizable marketing and packaging materials.

Features & capabilities: PrintUI offers brand-controlled templates, variable data printing, and a browser-based WYSIWYG editor that is easy for end users to navigate. These features make it suitable for generating marketing collateral, promotional products, and packaging with consistent branding.
Platforms & customization: As a cloud SaaS tool, PrintUI is hosted online and integrates with other systems through APIs. It offers white-label capabilities so companies can present the editor under their own brand. Templates can be configured to meet different requirements, though deep customization is limited compared to a plugin-based system.
Implementation & use cases: Implementation is of medium complexity and typically done through API or iframe embedding. It requires some developer involvement but is still manageable for most teams. Once integrated, it is commonly used in marketing platforms, online shops, and packaging companies where users need quick, reliable access to personalization features.
Future-proofing, support & pricing: The platform has a SaaS roadmap focused primarily on print automation and does not expand into broader digital or cross-platform workflows. Vendor support is available for onboarding and setup, and pricing is offered on a subscription or license basis, depending on scale and usage.
Who it’s for: PrintUI is best for businesses seeking a dependable, easy-to-integrate print editor where simplicity and speed matter more than extensive customization or multi-platform flexibility.

Comparison to IMG.LY

PrintUI offers simplicity for print shops, but its scope is limited to print-first workflows. IMG.LY, on the other hand, expands these capabilities by adding cross-platform support, deeper customization, and AI-assisted editing for broader use cases.

Check out more information on how IMG.LY is a leading competitor of PrintUI.

6. Design Huddle Web-to-Print

Design Huddle offers a cloud-based web-to-print editor that gives enterprises a template-driven editing environment. Focusing on template management and automation, it helps marketing teams and print providers streamline how they deliver personalized designs at scale.

Features & capabilities: Design Huddle provides a web-based, template-driven editor with automation features. It supports template management, WYSIWYG editing, and dynamic content insertion, making it useful for scalable campaigns.
Platforms & customization: Design Huddle runs as a SaaS product and can be embedded via API or iframe, making deployment straightforward for most enterprise environments. It offers white-labeling and branding options so companies can present the editor as their own.
Implementation & use cases: Embedding is quick, with a two-way API and iframe communication that allows smooth integration with existing systems. It works well for marketing teams that need to roll out campaigns at scale and print shops offering client-facing personalization.
Future-proofing, support & pricing: Design Huddle follows an enterprise-focused roadmap that emphasizes template automation and scalability. The vendor provides onboarding and integration support to help teams adopt the platform quickly. It offers pricing as enterprise licensing or subscription, reflecting its focus on larger organizations.
Who it’s for: It is best suited for companies that want a modern, template-driven web-to-print platform.

Comparison to IMG.LY

Design Huddle delivers solid template automation but is limited in customization depth and platform coverage. IMG.LY builds on this by offering interactive design features, native mobile SDKs, and an automation stack combined in one solution.

Overview Table

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the tools we’ve discussed. Use this overview to see which tool fits you best.

Choosing the right option: Where IMG.LY delivers more value

Choosing a web-to-print editor SDK depends on your company’s size, workflows, and long-term goals. Here’s a quick summary to help you choose the tool.

Adobe InDesign Server: Still a powerhouse for professional publishing and high-volume print workflows, but lacks an UI, requires significant infrastructure and specialized expertise.
CHILI GraFx: Enterprise-focused, it excels at template automation and variable data printing for marketing and retail. It’s a strong fit for enterprises that want cloud-first, template-driven automation at scale, though its web-to-print UX remains SaaS-bound.
Customer’s Canvas: A flexible web-to-print SDK with strong product personalization capabilities. It is ideal for print shops and SMBs, making it well-suited for mid-market companies focused on packaging and personalization workflows.
PrintUI: PrintUI focuses on web-to-print workflows and integrates easily into platforms that need personalized products, marketing materials, and packaging.
Design Huddle: Modern web-to-print solution with template-driven automation. Ideal for marketing campaigns, product personalization, and print-ready output.

So if your focus is print automation and variable data printing, solutions like CHILI GraFx, Customer’s Canvas, PrintUI, and Design Huddle Web-to-Print are strong contenders. However, if you want cross-platform editing, interactive design, and AI-enhanced workflows among other features, IMG.LY is the best choice. Read on to know more.

Why IMG.LY is the best web-to-print editor SDK

Among all the options, IMG.LY CE.SDK offers the most complete package. It goes beyond being just a web-to-print tool by supporting digital design, packaging, and personalization on every major platform.

CE.SDK combines interactive editing with automation, variable data printing, and AI-driven enhancements, giving your team the flexibility to serve end users and streamline backend workflows in one stack. With frequent updates, enterprise-grade support, and a scalable architecture, our SDK gives companies a foundation that grows with your business instead of holding you back.

We are already helping startups, SMBs, and large enterprises alike with 500M+ video and photo creations each month! Check out our case studies to see some of these success stories in action.

Or, get in touch with our team, get AI plugins for CE.SDK and start using it today!

CE.SDK v1.21 Release Notes

Neslihan — Thu, 22 Feb 2024 16:22:28 GMT

Since our last release, we’ve been crafting new features to empower your users’ creative journey. Today, we are happy to introduce CE.SDK v1.21!

Create Videos With A New Timeline for Web

Create eye-catching videos within your web app for any platform, including Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube! Here’s what’s new: the integrated timeline supports the arrangement of elements like videos, photos, text, audio, shapes and stickers. Users can fine-tune their projects with adjustments or filters, and personalize their creations with audio from a customizable library.

To simplify your content creation, use our formats that automatically set your canvas size for social media and other popular video resolutions.

Effectively arrange and edit multiple elements within your videos, offering precise control over the editing process. Easily split, trim, and replace. Lastly, make it pop by adding audio files to the composition.

Creating templates with placeholders for your users is just as easy. Simply select an element, click ‘Placeholder’, and decide which elements can be edited.

To integrate, browse our Guide. Try the video editor live demo yourself. This showcase contains templates, audio and video examples for you to try.

Keep Designs in Focus on iOS

Our new Camera Zoom Limits make editing a design easier. Your page stays in focus to avoid accidental scrolling outside the design. The zoom level is set within a minimum and maximum range, ensuring a practical, usable view at all times. When you select an element in your design, it stays in focus when opening adjustments or other inspectors. It allows you to immediately see changes made to the selected element. This improvement is available for iOS and Android, and can be tested in our Design Editor Demo on the App Store and Google Play.

Ensure Color Purity in Print

Our newly introduced Underlayer API guarantees the preservation of color purity whenever you export designs using our CE.SDK for print. This solution specifically addresses the challenge of maintaining the richness and vibrancy of colors, irrespective of the color of the canvas, which could range from apparel to paper.

When you’re ready to export your design, this feature adds a special ‘underbase’ layer, underneath your design. This layer, typically a white or specific primer coat, makes sure the final printed colors match your original vision perfectly.

Very soon: Integrate Short-Form Video Creation

Video remains key for attracting, engaging and retaining audiences, especially on mobile. Creating a video editor can be tough, thus we’re thrilled to soon release our turnkey solution for mobile video content creation.

Combined with our new Camera SDK, users can seamlessly blend video, audio, text, and graphics on a sleek timeline. It includes features like voiceover, zoom, tap to record, and the popular split screen modes for reactions and duets. You may recognize these from Instagram or TikTok!

Last chance: Secure your waitlist spot to our Video Content Creation Release. You will also receive access to our TestFlight app.
Registration is only open until March 6, 2024.

? Gain Access to our Video Content Creation Release
? Download Feature Exposé instantly (PDF)

We can’t wait to hear your feedback!

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CE.SDK v1.15 Release Notes

Neslihan — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 08:14:20 GMT

Since our last release, we’ve been busy crafting new features and enhancements to empower your creative editing journey. We are thrilled to release CE.SDK v1.15!

With this release, you can:

Create Accurate Cutouts and Vectors

Interfaces: Engine, Editor
Platforms: All

Picture this: Your users are deep into a design project, and need to isolate an object from an image. Our latest feature simplifies this process. Whether it’s a logo, text, or a complex shape in an SVG - by clicking “Generate from Selection”, our system precisely detects object contours and effortlessly converts them into cutout lines. This means you can breeze through your design tasks without the hassle of manual tracing.
Learn more about Cutouts in our documentation.

Effortlessly Edit Across All Screen Sizes

Interfaces: Editor
Platforms: Web

We’re excited to introduce a suite of responsive UI enhancements that ensure effortless editing on all devices, including smaller screens and mobile devices. Our editor adapts to limited screen space, automatically fits content to avoid cutoffs, hides button labels when space is tight, and ensures panels remain easy to use, even on small screens. Plus, you have complete control over when and where labels appear, allowing you to customize the interface to your liking.

Improved Android Video & Audio Experience

Interfaces: Editor, Engine
Platforms: Android

Experience an enhanced video and audio experience on Android with our latest update. With our optimized codec performance, we’ve fine-tuned our tools to ensure your videos and audio play flawlessly. Enjoy smoother playback, especially when navigating through your content. Also, no more delays or interruptions when seeking in your videos or audio files. Now, you can effortlessly skip to your desired moments for uninterrupted enjoyment.

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Interview: Talking Personalization With Richard Askam

Jan — Tue, 23 May 2023 12:39:46 GMT

When it comes to personalization in print, one name stands out: Richard Askam. With an impressive 17 years of expertise in this dynamic field and a keen awareness of emerging trends, Richard has emerged as a true pioneer in personalization within the print industry.

As the visionary behind the iconic “Share a Coke” campaign and the esteemed host of the FESPA podcast, Richard brings a wealth of invaluable insights. He sheds light on the transformative power that personalization holds in captivating audiences, forging meaningful connections, and delivering unparalleled marketing experiences. Moreover, Richard shares his perspectives on how the print industry can effectively tap into this remarkable potential.

Richard, what is personalization to you, and where do you see the value of personalization?

Personalization to me should be renamed. If we can go back and put the genie back in the bottle, then release it again but call it individualization instead. That is what it means to me, adding value and emotion to the individual. That moment when you stand in front of a loved one or colleague who you have created an individualized gift for and watch their face as they open it—is priceless. This is not limited to gifting but can be used by brands to “personalize” the relationship to a deeper level with their clients by individualizing their approach. Perhaps it is time we re-branded personalization…?

You are one of the trailblazers in the personalization space, leading with the renowned “Share a Coke” campaign. The campaign was a huge success, but it began over ten years ago, and it doesn’t seem like we have seen an increase in personalized campaigns, why do you think that is?

When I first started in personalization—just over 17 years ago—it felt as though we were at the start of something. Seven years later in 2013, when Coca-Cola brought me in to work on the online Share a Coke campaign in Europe, it seemed as though personalization was beginning to take off. But now, it appears that personalization has become stuck as the idea of putting a name on something, while the wealth of opportunity to use personalization to engender loyalty and build long-term customer relationships remains largely untapped.

There’s a big difference between something that is personalized and something that is personal. Putting someone’s name on something is a great conversation starter—that was the whole point of the Share a Coke campaign—but before you do that, you need to think about what comes next. There is no point in starting a conversation and then walking away!

Personalization needs to deliver value. I don’t mean return on marketing investment; I mean value for the customer. It should enhance their lives and make them feel recognized and understood because it is this that will engender loyalty and deepen the customer relationship. When it comes to customer loyalty programs, this includes personalizing the reward—or possibly allowing the customer to choose it themselves—according to the customer’s preferences, interests, and buying behavior.

Personalized rewards can deploy the ‘surprise and delight’ marketers seek to make an emotional connection with customers. When you consider that emotionally connected customers have a higher lifetime value, stay with a brand for longer, and advocate for brands more, this alone seems a compelling reason to personalize rewards. And with research showing that consumers want to receive relevant recommendations and are more likely to make repeat purchases from companies that personalize, it is clear that consumers are looking for personalized communications too.

Perhaps this is why it has become a little stuck as in the mind of the brand, they are concerned about people’s privacy but at the same time searching for a way of unlocking the relationship. Catch 22… If there is no strategy driving your personalization efforts, then you’re just using personalization to be clever. However, while that may be great for brand awareness, it is unlikely to build loyalty. Indeed, this may be one of the factors in some marketers reconsidering their spending on personalization—in 2019, Gartner suggested that by 2025, 80% of marketers who have invested in personalization may abandon their efforts due to a lack of ROI, the challenges of managing data, or some combination of both.

Which market trends are driving the need for personalization?

I don’t see this as a market trend, more of a behavior. What was once the luxury of adding personalization to products has become the standard, the normal. So in many ways now it is the consumer driving the need and requirement for more personalized options. As with all societal changes, those that adapt to consumer demand and adopt the behavior that encourages it will triumph while those that wait for the demand to return to something they are more comfortable with –their legacy– will wither on the vine.

Why do you think printers struggle to market their personalization services to brands and agencies?

I think fundamentally printers have sprinted towards technical upgrades and capability but not slowed down to explain what that offers to brands and agencies. They have been left behind and as a consequence, are largely unaware of many of the clever ways that print can be used to further their own ambitions and build a relationship with new consumers in an increasingly noisy world, a world that is getting almost impossible to stand out in. Printers need to behave like an agency, not just a tech business, and bring brands along for the ride.

What are some technological challenges to achieve large-scale adoption of personalization in print?

There are none. Simple. As I said in the previous question, the print industry has grabbed hold of tech and run with it, and their capability to deliver large-scale adoption of personalization in print has been in place for nearly 10 years—but it feels like the best-kept secret and as such, is why personalization is still stuck as largely a labeling option.

There are many points in the customer relationship where personalization can occur, starting with the marketing message, the packaging to the product itself. At which point do you think its use is most effective?

I would say “think like a consumer.” At what point do you appreciate a personal approach, at what point does someone do something over and above the norm really grab your attention and make you lean in? This is different for every one of us, and there is no standard approach, which might explain why brands still take a standard approach to hit the average. But it’s time to think about what the individual wants and deliver on that.

We are becoming more and more numb to personalized messaging in the digital sphere, recent advances in AI will only serve to accelerate this trend. Do you think this will present print with an opportunity to stand out or does it raise the bar for personalization across the board?

As I said earlier, what was once considered luxury is now considered standard and as such, noticed less. Perhaps one of the reasons we have not seen the same quantum shift that the Share a Coke campaign delivered 10 years ago is because brands don’t want to be seen to be copying others, or they have tried something basic and consumers haven’t noticed or reacted to it. Coke moved the dial… given the wide availability of technical knowledge and print capability, it’s time the dial got moved again!

Thank you for the insightful interview, Richard. Your invaluable knowledge will undoubtedly inspire and empower others in their pursuit of personalized marketing experiences.

Looking for a solution to scale your personalization efforts? Check how IMG.LY can help with bringing personalization into your application. Stay ahead of the curve with our newsletter and sign up now!

CE.SDK v1.11 Release

Neslihan — Tue, 16 May 2023 15:37:49 GMT

We are introducing CE.SDK v1.11! Elevate your editing game with new features like Cutout Lines, Advanced Text Styling, HEVC/H.265 codec, and transparent video support. We’ve also improved asset resource management, and added user interfaces to enhance your template creation and editing workflow. See how CE.SDK v1.11 can bring your creative vision to life.

With this release, you can:

Create Cutout Stickers and Shapes
Choose Letter Cases
Keep Font Size Consistent in Templates
Enhance and Highlight Text
Ensure Effortless Layouting with Alignment Options
Support More Video Codecs
Use Less Memory
Enjoy Smoother Editing

Create Cutout Stickers and Shapes

Interfaces: API, Default UI, Advanced UI
Platforms: Web, Server, iOS, Android

We are excited to announce that CE.SDK now supports cutout lines, which includes a new type of block that enables users to create these lines and perform cutout line combinations. A future update will allow dynamic generation of such lines for existing blocks. This feature is based on the technology used for named/spot colors and is available for use with a range of printers.

Create Cutout and Adjust Offset
By providing precise control over the offset, we enable print businesses to ensure accurate and high-quality output for their users. Empower your users to create designs with exceptional precision, perfect for applications like stickers.

Combine Cutout Shapes (Boolean Operations)
These boolean operations provide designers with the ability to manipulate and combine Cutout shapes in various ways, enabling the creation of complex designs and precise control over the final output.

Union: Combines two or more shapes into a single shape, creating a merged outline of the combined areas.
Subtract: Removes one shape from another, resulting in a new shape formed by subtracting the overlapping region.
Intersect: Creates a new shape that represents the overlapping area between two or more shapes.
Exclude: Achieve artistic flair by excluding the overlapping area between shapes, resulting in a unique and captivating composition.

Visit our documentation on using cutouts to get started.

Choose Letter Cases

Interfaces: API, Advanced UI, Default UI
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android, Server

In our Advanced Text Styling, users can now adjust multiple new settings to enhance the visual appeal of their designs:

Letter case settings, including uppercase, lowercase, and title case.

Using the new styling settings enhances your design’s visual appeal while reducing implementation time and effort.

Keep Font Size Consistent in Templates

Interfaces: API, Default UI, Advanced UI
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android, Server

CE.SDK’s new Automatic Font Size feature adjusts font size to fit within text frame constraints, enabling users to create visually appealing designs with ease. For example, a text placeholder for names will now adjust the font size for longer names, ensuring they fit perfectly within a print design. Users can now enter as much text as they need, without worrying about it overflowing out of the designated frame.

Enhance and Highlight Text

Interfaces: API, Advanced UI, Default UI
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android, Server

Easily manipulate individual segments of text within a text block with Text Run. That means, you can modify the formatting of specific words or phrases, such as font weight and changing colors, without having to manipulate the entire text block. This feature is particularly useful for creating visually appealing text effects or highlighting specific words or phrases within a larger body of text.

Ensure Effortless Layouting with Alignment Options

Interfaces: API, Advanced UI, Default UI
Platforms: Web, Server, iOS, Android

We are introducing the Block Align feature, which transforms the editing experience by enabling users to effortlessly align blocks to the page or each other, empowering them to achieve their desired layout with ease. Read our documentation on Block Alignment for more details.

Support More Codecs and Transparent Videos

Interfaces: All
Platforms: Web

We have added support for hardware-accelerated video decoding of the HEVC/H.265 codec. This new feature will allow users to decode high-quality videos with better compression and smaller file sizes. It enables CE.SDK to handle a wider range of video files with improved efficiency.

Please note: At the moment, we do not support transparent videos on some major platforms due to a limitation on Windows. However, we’re excited to announce preliminary MOV container support, allowing you to work with a wider range of video files.

Use Less Memory

Loading and unloading assets, including images and fonts, has been updated to allow for the unloading of unused items. This unused asset usage optimization frees up memory and reduces the engine’s memory footprint, resulting in more stable and longer editing sessions.

Smoother Editing

This update addresses issues with the undo/redo stack not being built properly in certain scenarios, which could cause delays in updating the video timeline. With these improvements, users can now benefit from a smoother and more efficient editing experience.

Thanks for reading. Visit our changelog for more details and start creating with confidence.

How to Build a Cross-Platform Editing Experience for Web-to-Print

Jan — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 12:34:14 GMT

We have previously talked about the importance of taking your web-to-print app cross-platform. Whether you are operating a print-on-demand platform and you want to retain customers through a mobile app, or you are developing a physical print kiosk at your point of sale, you will not get around a native editing experience.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/cRqm9-c17-c?feature=oembed

Relegating the user experience on mobile to the back seat of your digital strategy or simply using it as a checkout front leaves real money on the table.

Customers looking for a shopping experience on mobile will not abandon the process in order to switch to the desktop to perform design tasks.

Unfortunately, it is not as easy as dropping in a web editor into your mobile app or on your website, the editing experience on the web will be massively degraded as compared with a native mobile design editor. Gesture support is limited, and interaction patterns just do not feel native, what is more, operating within the confines of the browser imposes memory constraints and the inability to take advantage of hardware acceleration.

Fortunately, IMG.LY just released full cross-platform support of the CreativeEditor SDK. You can now build on IMG.LY’s engine tech on the web, Android and iOS.

We are going to explore what goes into building a unified editing experience for a particular use case across these platforms while taking into account platform-specific patterns and usage habits.

But first, we need some background on the technology powering our cross-platform solutions.

The Foundation: Platform Agnostic Graphical Engine

The primary challenge of attempting to take a graphics processing SDK cross-platform is avoiding the need to rebuild the same technology on each platform. Instead, we aim to build on previous insights and experience and reuse as much technology as possible. After four years of research and development, IMG.LY’s Creative Engine forms one core piece of software built in C++ that implements the foundational building blocks of state-of-the-art graphics processing. Crucially, the engine can be easily ported to any platform.

This “build once, port anywhere” approach allows for the rapid rolling out of new platform support while ensuring feature parity and most essentially consistency.

Ensuring Consistent Cross-Platform Output

Consistency in this context means that design templates can be shared across platforms while always rendering the exact same output. This is challenging to accomplish if your rendering engine differs from platform to platform.

Something as seemingly innocuous as consistently rendering the same text regardless of platform turns out to be notoriously difficult.
In the context of print applications, this is the biggest technical hurdle to clear.

It is imperative for designs on mobile and the web to produce the same print-ready output file, such as a PDF. Furthermore, to be effective across platforms, users expect to save work in progress and resume it on another device. Therefore, we must support the ability to serialize and deserialize in-progress designs while ensuring consistency.

In addition to interoperability during the design process, it is often necessary to re-render user-generated designs. This is the case when designs are intended to be applied to much larger media than can be rendered on a device, such as high-resolution banners or posters. In this scenario, the serialized edits must be applied to the high-resolution medium on a server, adding yet another platform into the mix.

Designing UIs - Balancing Requirements and Constraints

To illustrate the various platform requirements and constraints involved in designing UIs, we developed starter kit editors using the CE.SDK engine for apparel design. Our apparel designer enables users to design the front of a t-shirt for deployment on web storefronts, mobile apps (Android and iOS), and print kiosks for in-store customization.

While we could have used our default Design UI and added a t-shirt backdrop, we opted for a more specific approach that prioritizes the features necessary for an optimal t-shirt design experience. Our UI places these features front and center, while also providing guardrails to prevent bad designs and hide unnecessary complexity.

Thankfully, the CE.SDK Engine allows for the creation of entirely custom UIs using any UI framework, thanks to its image and video manipulation API.

Our custom UI for editing t-shirts on the web can be used on both desktop and mobile web, as well as deployed to a print kiosk inside a web view. To create an optimal user experience, we identified the most important editing options for a t-shirt design in order of relevance: overlaying text, adding images, shapes, and stickers, and uploading new image assets.

It’s worth noting that users start from a template rather than a blank canvas. We strive to give users the best starting point for their creative journey, minimizing setup and menial work as much as possible. The same principle applies to discovering editing features. When a user selects an element, a context menu appears with essential editing options. For example, for a text element, options would include changing color, font, or alignment.

Template Creation on the Web

The most important difference between the web and mobile use cases is that templates will in almost all cases be created using the web interface, whereas users on mobile will simply adapt existing templates.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/VLBXMxQMKak?feature=oembed

This means that in addition to the user-facing apparel UI, we also need to ship a more complex UI allowing the creation of templates. Creating templates requires more granular control over an element’s design, as well as the ability to define placeholders and design constraints.

These templates can then be deployed to the simpler adoption UIs on mobile, where the users’ design is guided by those constraints.

Mobile UIs

Designing for mobile devices presents a unique set of challenges due to the limited screen size, reliance on gestures for interaction, and hardware and bandwidth constraints. To address these constraints, we take a strict template-first approach. Most users prefer to begin their work from a template or continue working on a design they started on their desktop. Thus, the first step in the user journey is browsing and selecting designs.

In addition, we need to consider mobile interaction patterns and be even more context-sensitive than we are on the web. For instance, in a print context, the asset size is typically larger than the device’s screen size. This size limitation affects the navigation pattern, and users need to zoom in by pinching to focus on smaller elements. However, we cannot use the pinch gesture to modify an element’s size because it conflicts with the zoom gesture. Instead, users must first select the element explicitly to activate it and then change its size via a pinch gesture.

Conclusion

Creating user interfaces for designing print products on the web and mobile that allow users to be productive is a complex task. We started out by considering the technical complexities involved in bringing any cross-platform editing solution to fruition, and went on to consider both the broad strokes workflow and the minute details of individual element manipulation.

You can adapt the cross-platform apparel editor that we built in this process and integrate it into your product. Hopefully, these example UIs form a useful foundation on which to build your use case.

Designing user interfaces that allow users to create print products on web and mobile platforms is a complex task that requires a thorough understanding of technical and UX complexities. Our team embarked on this journey with a focus on bringing a cross-platform editing solution to life. We delved into the intricate details of individual element manipulation and considered the broad strokes of template-based workflow design, so you don’t have to.

Through this process, we developed a cross-platform apparel editor that can be easily adapted and integrated into your product. Our aim is to provide you with a solid foundation that will enable you to build a UI that is tailored to your use case. With our example UIs as a starting point, you can develop a product that empowers your users to create and customize print products with ease.

In conclusion, designing a user interface that allows for print product creation on web and mobile platforms is a complex undertaking. However, with the right approach and attention to detail, it is possible to create a UI that is both intuitive and efficient. Our team has provided a starting point with our cross-platform apparel editor, and we hope that it serves as a useful foundation for your own UI development efforts.

Reach out to our solutions team to explore your particular use case.

Variable Data Printing: What Is It & Why Do You Need It

Klaudia — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 09:45:33 GMT

Variable data printing (VDP) has been around since the 1980s, helping businesses automate manual processes, scale personalization efforts, and utilize the power of direct mail marketing. While the term “variable data printing” may not be familiar to everyone, we encounter its use regularly in our day-to-day lives through bills, event tickets, or membership cards.

VDP’s ability to leverage data and create personalized tangible items, such as postcards or brochures, provides a more intimate experience compared to digital communication. Although process automation is a significant advantage of VDP, there are many other ways to use it.

In this article, we’ll explore the most common applications of VDP and the best practices for working with it.

How It Works

To fully understand the advantages of variable data printing (VDP), let’s start with a clear definition. VDP, also referred to as variable data imaging, is a digital printing technique that enables the creation of numerous customized materials in a single print run. This process is powered by software that can generate data-driven designs or templates by pulling variables from databases or files.

The variables used in VDP can automatically generate unique and personalized materials based on data sources. Anything that can be customized, such as names, addresses, messages, or images, can be utilized as a variable. These elements can be changed on each printed piece without slowing down the printing process.

To illustrate how VDP works in practice, let’s consider a scenario where a company offers a loyalty program for customers to collect points when they make purchases. To encourage more spending, customers can use their accumulated points to receive discounts or freebies. Although points and bonuses can be accessed through an app or website, the company can create immediate gamification by sending a personalized card with every new purchase.

To personalize that card, we are looking at three separate variables: name, number of points, and type of discount that can be applied. To manually generate all variations of the same template would be counterproductive, but with variables connected to a database it’s an automated process. A name is connected to a number of points, which in turn are connected to discounts. The software does all the heavy lifting, while marketers and designers can focus on other tasks.

Common Applications of VDP

Although VDP was originally used to automate manual mail processes, its usefulness extends beyond that. Its ability to personalize marketing and advertising materials quickly and efficiently has made it widely appreciated and used in various industries.

While there are many ways to use VDP, we’ll focus on its most common applications in marketing, advertising, and customer relationship management. These areas benefit greatly from the ability to tailor messages to specific audiences and create unique, personalized experiences.

Marketing

From quickly generating business cards to creating custom QR codes, variable data printing is a big part of marketing efforts for most businesses. Apart from handling internal processes, VPD also has a hand in scaling personalized marketing campaigns. The growing preference for personalized messaging and products goes alongside increased usage of VDP.

Production of personalized labels, packaging, or brochures is one of the best ways to leverage VDP in marketing. It can be used as a step in a broader personalization campaign, like generating custom QR codes to bring users to personalized landing pages. Or be a venture on its own, like “Share a Coke” by Coca-Cola and its widely successful personalization of labels.

Advertising

Variable data printing brought new life to direct mail, moving away from what once was perceived as junk and irrelevant advertising, and bringing about a new age of valuable and relatable mail. A recent study reported that 70% of consumers see direct mail as more personal than online interactions, with 54% claiming they want direct mail from brands that interest them. Moreover, direct mail has the highest response rate among all advertising channels being five to nine times higher than other forms, with a simple act of adding a name to a direct mail piece that can increase response rates by 135%.

Taking advantage of VPD in advertising usually includes customized leaflets or coupons with images and content based on age or demographics. One of the personalization examples is including custom maps with steps on how to reach an advertised location, making it much more relatable and easy to act on.

Customer Relationship Management

While VDP helps marketing and advertising drive acquisition, it’s also a great way to help with customer retention. Small and yet important gestures of appreciation like custom-made thank you and birthday cards can go a long way. As mentioned before, VDP can also be used to generate membership cards or personalized bonuses and discounts based on shopping preferences. Tapping into the power of variables, every printed material sent to a customer can be created in a way that will feel personal and appreciative, in turn helping sustain loyal customers.

Why Use VDP

Variable data printing is not reserved for a single industry or business type. It can be leveraged across multiple customer touchpoints, from the awareness stage via direct mail advertising, to a personalized label and thank you card shipped with a purchased product. VDP can also be used internally to show gratitude and appreciation to employees with custom-made cards and packaging. In fact, variable data printing can be used on any piece of printed content or design that can be personalized.

Benefits

The advantages of variable data printing go hand-in-hand with the advantages of personalization. Studies show that customers respond much better to marketing materials they can connect to, with 60% of consumers saying they will likely become repeat buyers after a personalized shopping experience with a retailer.

VDP can help create a valuable experience from start to finish and facilitate a meaningful connection between a brand and a customer. Some of the most prominent benefits are:

Providing personalized shopping experience in the form of custom labels, packaging & cards
Building strong customer relationships with personalized thank you & birthday cards, custom messaging, and discounts
Delivering meaningful direct mail advertising with higher conversion rates
Generating personalized marketing campaigns & materials that customers can connect with

Bringing variable data printing to your workflows, whether it concerts marketing, advertising, HR, or sales, is a great way to tap into powerful benefits of personalization.

Challenges

The main challenge of VDP is having software that can efficiently work with variables and generate print-ready designs, while also providing advanced design editing features.

Since the popularization of personalization, variables can be leveraged in many different types of marketing materials. However, the design of those materials is equally important, and so it’s an automated print validation process.

This challenge applies to companies that use variable data to generate designs, as well as Print Service Providers (PSP) working with VDP. For the PSP, another challenge is file format submission, especially if they don’t have a web-to-print editor their customers can use to submit their orders. Flawed print validation, incompatible format, low resolution, or insufficient quality could be costly mistakes to make. Hence, the best option for print service providers is to develop their own web-to-print editor with variable data printing that will take care of those problems and limit manual work to a minimum.

Example of Leveraging Variable Data Printing with CE.SDK

IMG.LY has developed CreativeEditor SDK to help integrate VDP into all designs in an easy and intuitive way. CE.SDK is fully customizable and can be integrated into a customer-facing web-to-print editor, providing powerful editing features, or an in-house design editor for all creative needs. Here’s an example of how you can leverage variables with our editor.

Creating Custom Thank-You Card

As mentioned before, thank you cards are a great way to show appreciation and build stronger connections with both customers and employees. Creation of a custom thank-you card is pretty straightforward, here are the necessary steps:

Creating a Smart Template

To create a personalized card, we begin by designing a template with variable fields. The front design remains consistent, while the back features unique personalized messages.

2. Assigning Placeholders

The next step is to choose the elements that will be personalized. For example, we may select a personalized greeting, such as “Hello {{name}}”, and address information. To insert a variable, we use double curly brackets {{}} and a placeholder name, such as {{firstname}} or {{address}}.

3. Connecting Template to a Data Source

The last step is connecting your template to a data source with list of variables. This can be done by using the Creative Engine variable API to programmatically set values for the variables and render the final personalized card.

4. Design Validation

In the example above, there shouldn’t be any issue with text exceeding beyond bleed line or other common print errors, however, design validation is an important feature of CE.SDK. It will automatically detect any issues that might cause a print error, cause trademark infringement or generate harmful content.

And that’s it! We have created a template for custom thank-you card in three easy steps. Here is what a card would look like.

Try creating a custom card with CE.SDK yourself on our showcase page!

Conclusion

Variable data printing can be a valuable tool to boost performance and take initiatives to the next level. It can help scale personalization efforts, acquire new customers, add value to the final product, and make employees feel appreciated. By using VDP, businesses can efficiently grow and reap numerous benefits, with only a few obstacles that can be easily overcome with the right solution.

To take advantage of the benefits of VDP and overcome its challenges, consider using CreativeEditor SDK and see how it can help you scale personalization and bring variable data printing to your company and customers.

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Why Mobile-First is the Future of Print

Klaudia — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 13:11:09 GMT

Over the last 30 years, mobile phones have heavily influenced lifestyles across the globe. They have changed the way we communicate, spend leisure time, look for information, and shop.

Thanks to its accessibility and powerful capabilities, mobile has eclipsed the desktop. Statista reported last year, 59% of all global web traffic came from mobile, with almost five billion people accessing the internet through mobile devices. Moreover, since 2018, app usage has exceeded browser usage on mobile devices, with shopping apps noting 49% year-over-year usage increase between 2020 & 2021.

This means companies have to not only provide a seamless mobile experience if they wish to attract and convert users, but also invest in app development to stay ahead of the curve.

Market Trends

The printing industry is showing no signs of slowing down. In 2021, the global print-on-demand market was valued at $4.90 billion, and it’s projected to generate $39.40 billion in revenue by 2030, according to industry reports from Grand View Research. The report also suggests that print-on-demand is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 26.1% from 2022 to 2030, indicating significant potential for further expansion.

However, print-on-demand is not the only promising sector to watch. The Print Advertising segment is projected to have ad spending worth $46.87 billion in 2023. This sector has remained resilient to the global decline in the print industry during the Covid-19 pandemic, registering an 18% revenue increase in the US between 2019 and 2020.

With the printing industry’s rapid growth, competition is likely to increase, making it essential for companies to prioritize excellence in order to attract and retain customers.

User Preference

It’s undeniable that mobile is becoming increasingly dominant in e-commerce. According to Shopify, almost 50% of all e-commerce transactions are predicted to occur via mobile devices by 2024, with an expected revenue of $620.97 billion. Being able to quickly and effectively serve customers on mobile is now essential for businesses looking to thrive. In 2022, Shopify launched shop.app, a mobile-only e-commerce platform, raising the bar for the industry. To stay competitive, other e-commerce businesses will need to develop similarly sophisticated solutions for mobile users.

Having a seamless mobile experience is also an important factor for B2B companies. Although most interactions still occur on desktop, modern working arrangements allow people to work on the go, without being limited to one device. Providing customers with flexible options is a significant advantage. For example, a web-to-print editor for print advertising should be cross-platform, providing the same experience across all devices during design creation and print validation processes. Offering agile solutions ahead of industry standards can position a company as a go-to service provider. However, an excellent editor alone is not enough; covering the basics of a good mobile experience is crucial.

Game-Changing Mobile Factors

Customers are becoming more unforgiving when it comes to poor user experience. According to Google, 61% of mobile users won’t return to a site they had trouble accessing, with 40% turning to a competitor’s site instead. For print companies relying almost exclusively on online purchases, this poses a substantial threat, hence, the need to fulfill a long list of expectations to satisfy users.

While the ultimate recommendation is to build a mobile app, customers will most likely want to check out the web page first, hence, the importance of providing a spotless web experience.

Here are some of the most prominent factors of mobile UX to optimize.

Design Editing

While for most e-commerce stores developing a smooth purchase experience is rather straightforward, many printing companies have an added layer of complication - catering to custom-made products. Once a rarity, personalization of products has proven to be a constantly growing trend many companies choose to embrace, and rightly so. The global Custom T-shirt Printing market alone was valued at $3.7 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $6.98 billion by 2028.

With a growing demand for custom prints, follows a necessity for a web-to-print editor that will provide a seamless design process - on both desktop and mobile. Web-to-print editor simplifies artwork supply, jumpstarts the creative process, and takes care of print validation. The ideal tool should be intuitive to navigate and have a quick load time while providing a quality design experience. The same approach should be adopted by print service providers, breaching a gap between multiple software and communication channels clients have to endure.

A powerful web-to-print editor doesn’t just enhance the user experience on your website - it can also open new doors for your business, such as scaling to native mobile apps, print kiosks, and terminals. Developing separate tools for each platform can be time-consuming and costly. With ready-made solutions (as we will discover below), you can speed up the development process and achieve a seamless editing experience across all devices without starting from scratch each time.

Site Speed

In a study conducted by Deloitte, they observed that a difference of 0.1 seconds has improved conversion rate by 8% and increased purchase value by 10% in the retail sector. The highest conversion rate occurs on pages with a load time of 0-2 seconds, and as reported by Google, 53% of users abandon the page if the load time takes more than 3 seconds. Moreover, it has been estimated that slow-loading websites cost retailers $2.6 billion in lost sales every year.

It’s also worth mentioning that Core Web Vitals monitoring page speed is a Google ranking factor. Poor page speed performance will in turn take a hit on rankings - and with a loss of each position on the Search Engine Result Page, the click-through rate falls significantly.

Investing in optimizing page speed and providing a smooth user experience is a win-win on every front.

Mobile-First Design

Responsive web design is not enough anymore. Websites have to be built with a mobile-first approach in mind. What’s the difference? Responsive design ensures that a page can be viewed on all devices, changing its dimensions to fit different screen sizes. The content and the layout of the page, however, remain unchanged.

While responsive web design is just a part of the design workflow making sure a website is accessible for mobile, mobile-first defines the design approach and focuses on creating a website that is intended for mobile users. It means that every aspect of mobile interaction is taken into account when designing a page.

While the general layout of a page is important for both desktop and mobile, clickable elements of design such as buttons and navigation menus can have larger importance for mobile users. Navigating with a thumb or a finger poses more challenges than a neat computer cursor. The mobile-first design makes sure that every part of the page - content, media, navigation, and calls-to-action, feels intuitive to navigate and use. However, even the best mobile-first web design can’t compare to native mobile apps, which usability and performance are far superior.
Hence, mobile-first should be a necessity embraced by all, those who want to go a step further and provide a fully optimized user experience should turn their eyes to app development.

Payments

The simplicity of mobile payments is yet another reason why mobile purchases are on the rise. Mobile wallet solutions like Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay allow users to complete a transaction with just one click, removing the need for credit card input.

Nowadays, providing an easy and quick checkout experience is more important than ever. Over the last few years, the cart abandonment rate significantly increased, from 59.80% back in 2006 to 88.05% in 2020. Focusing on optimizing the checkout and payment processes could reduce the risk of not completing a purchase. A great example of a seamless payment experience is Shopify’s Shop.app with a one-tap checkout, making it as easy as possible for users to convert.

The checkout funnel is also a great space to utilize personalization hacks and recommend similar products. Instapage reported that shopping cart recommendations influence 92% of users, making it a great tool to increase basket size.

Beyond Browser - Investing in Mobile Apps

Mobile app downloads increased by over 80% since 2016, reaching a mighty 255 billion in 2022. The growing popularity of mobile apps is quite understandable, apps provide a better native experience, are easier to navigate, and usually provide personalized recommendations and remember users’ last activity (58% of users consider this important).

In-app shopping, when correctly optimized, is quick and easy, with enhanced product presentation, intuitive navigation, and no unnecessary hassle of filling in forms and adding credit card details.

Print is once again one of the industries that could leverage all advantages mobile apps have to offer. An example of a company that did it right is IMG.LY’s customer Shutterfly, which combined the emerging trends of personalization and going mobile. The company developed an app that automatically creates personalized items users can purchase. They simply ask for permission to access user’s photo gallery, identify pictures with faces and apply them to product templates. This way, customers can be presented with unique products with zero effort of creating an actual design.

Even without automatically generated custom products, an app-to-print editor provides a much smoother editing experience and interface, with native hardware acceleration, local storage, and easier access to photos or even a camera. Moreover, apps present the possibility to provide more accurate recommendations and personalized content, like in-app notifications, reminders, and activity-based discounts. Hence, developing a quality mobile app could not only boost sales, but also increase brand loyalty and customer satisfaction.

Streamlining Mobile Web-to-Print Editing with CE.SDK

With the undeniable advantages of web-to-print design tools come significant challenges in their development. However, CreativeEditor SDK offers a powerful design editor that delivers consistent experiences across all platforms. Our cross-platform engine can power any editor UI, ensuring 100% consistency in the rendered designs across different devices.

Discover how CE.SDK can streamline your mobile web-to-print process with the following capabilities:

Efficient Client-Side Encoding

Our client-side encoding ensures a smooth and fast design process, as the editor runs directly on the user’s mobile device or web browser. This not only reduces upload time and bandwidth costs, but also allows for easy scalability without incurring additional server costs.

Seamless Cross-Platform Integration

CE.SDK simplifies the process of building an application for the web, iOS, Android, and server by providing a creative engine that’s portable across all platforms. This means that you can easily integrate our solution into your existing systems, saving valuable time and resources. And with consistent design and functionality across all devices, your users can switch between platforms with ease.

Powerful Editing Features

With CE.SDK, your users can unleash their creativity and design high-quality prints effortlessly. Take advantage of our powerful editing features, including the ability to capture and edit photos. CE.SDK also allows you to predefine the design process with adjustable placeholders and constraints, making sure that your final product meets all of the necessary print criteria.

Preview & Design Validation

Imagine being able to preview your design in real-time, ensuring your product expectations are exceeded every time. Plus, with automatic design validation, you can rest easy knowing that no element will extend beyond the bleed margins, minimizing the risk of misprints. Don’t just take our word for it, check out our showcases and see for yourself how CE.SDK can transform your design process.

Conclusion

As we navigate the ever-changing landscape of technology, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve and keep up with emerging trends. With mobile devices becoming increasingly essential in our lives, it’s an crucial time to invest in creating a delightful mobile experience for your customers. By designing an intuitive website, prioritizing fast page load times, and providing a smooth checkout process, you can create a seamless experience for your users. And for print companies, taking it a step further with an exceptional in-app custom-print design tool is a must to help users bring their dream creations to life. These investments can not only enhance customer satisfaction but also give your business a competitive edge in the market.

However, building a cross-platform editor from scratch can be a time-consuming and costly venture with numerous technical challenges. Fortunately, IMG.LY has developed a solution for those who want a quicker and more efficient option. Check out our CreativeEditor SDK, which enables seamless integration of a robust editor for web-to-print across desktop, mobile, and server.

If you’re interested in integrating CE.SDK, our documentation provides detailed information on how to get started, or you can try it out for free!

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IMG.LY's Founders Discuss Personalization on the FESPA Podcast

Jan — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 11:41:40 GMT

The Personalization Experience is a new initiative by the global print expo FESPA that brings together over 3,000 stakeholders from every part of the print value chain, from brands and agencies to retailers, printers, and their suppliers. Its goal is to connect them with OEMs and software providers to explore the potential of personalization in sportswear, packaging, products, loyalty, and custom interiors.

The Personalization Experience Podcast features a series of interviews with key stakeholders to set the tone for the conference. In one such interview, Richard Askam spoke with our founders to discuss how IMG.LY’s solution fits into this puzzle.

Key Takeaways

Where does IMG.LY sit in the world of personalization?

IMG.LY started out by bringing photo and video editing to software on the web and on mobile as a classic SDK. This experience gave us some perspective on the overarching creative needs in digital and physical industries.

We set our eyes on this grander scheme and build a universal creative tool enabling workflows and automation in a fraction of the time and money you’d spent implementing creative capabilities yourself.

Personalization is at the core of IMG.LY’s CreativeEditor SDK, and it is being used to add personalization capabilities to print products as well as marketing and e-commerce applications.

What are the unique capabilities of IMG.LY’s SDK for personalization?

Any editing experience starts either from a blank canvas or a predefined design a user can adopt. The crucial insight is that every product needs a slightly different editing experience, both from the editor and templating point of view. Most design tools are far too complex for the average user to employ effectively, so we spent a lot of time figuring out the best starting point for every use case. Users can then tweak and adapt to add the core personalization element without worrying about designing non-essential elements from scratch.

Furthermore, personalization does not always have to require individual input, it can happen in an automated fashion as well. That is why CreativeEditor SDK also supports powerful automation features that enable variable data printing and mass customization using personal data.

What is the state of personalization in the print industry?

During his 15+ years in the personalization business, Richard has encountered a common objection: it’s just not cost-effective to print a single item. However, his go-to rejoinder is that you are printing a million ones. While the technical feasibility of personalization is present, the print industry has traditionally been hesitant to promote personalization to customers. Fortunately, this is changing with unit economics that are reducing the cost of small-batch printing, coupled with readily available personalization software such as IMG.LY’s CreativeEditor SDK.

While technology infrastructure can be a significant cost, CreativeEditor SDK can substantially bring down costs and facilitate a faster time to market. More importantly, personalization adds substantial value to any product and increases customers’ willingness to pay, easily offsetting any cost increase.

What is the biggest barrier to personalization?

Many things need to come together for personalization to go fully mainstream. In addition to the technical capacity and brands’ willingness to take risks with personalization, the process from the consumer end must also be accessible. However, it is not always clear how to add consumer-facing personalization capabilities to an existing product. Starting with a design generated outside the core workflow of a printing application can be cumbersome and create too much friction for consumer-scale deployment.

Nevertheless, as more print applications appear in the wild and positive examples are set, user habits form, and the adoption of personalization becomes more widespread, the easier it will become for all stakeholders to adopt personalization on a larger scale.

There’s a growing trend that is making simpler personalization increasingly important, and that is the decreasing costs of hardware. Even high-end industrial printers are becoming more affordable, which means smaller shops can now acquire industrial-grade printers. However, this also brings new challenges, as smaller shops may not have the design resources to implement personalization on the frontend of their powerful hardware. This is where IMG.LY’s editor comes in - it provides design capabilities to the printer’s customers and creates an ecosystem around the editor that offers templates and other assets to use for print designs.

If you’re interested in discussing personalization or want to explore a solution for your use case, we invite you to meet us at FESPA 2023 or reach out to us directly.