Almost half of Australia's print buyers say they use the internet to find a local printer – and most rely on Google to narrow their search.

 

That's the view of a new study by print communications group Worldwide Online Printing, which has used the research to create an optimised information and artwork upload portal at www.worldwide.com.au/upload-artwork.htm designed to make life much easier for the country's web-savvy consumers of business design, print and copywriting services.

 

“Finding relevant, easy-to-understand information about creative services and print options is just too hard, and we felt we had to begin our online project with a long, hard look at who was out there searching – and for what.” said Worldwide's Senior Marketing Coordinator and web champion, Katharina Kotte.

 

“When our research showed that as few as one in eight people use printed directories to find supplies of design and print-related products and services, it was clear where we should channel our energies.”

 

“We turned to specialist web writers at Wordplay Media to produce over 200,000 words of content optimised to meet the needs of the prevailing search algorithms, and used it to create the information-rich portal which we're confident will capture a large share of search traffic.”

 

The site, which was developed in Melbourne by SkyMedia, is also fitted with a number of functions to make life easy for visitors once they've found their way to it.

 

Facilities include the chance for information-seekers to quickly find out which of Worldwide's 88 Centres is most local to them – and then plot the quickest way to get there. Each Centre has its own microsite which is used to promote specific offers and discounts. Online Print Management and artwork upload functions makes placing print orders quick and simple.

 

For less confident print buyers, the site's Quote Request function pre-populates its forms with the most popular variations of each product set, and the site provides fast, fuss-free access to handy templates, tips and advice on creating artwork and branding, and helpful information on the technical side of printing.