The first word that comes to mind with Issuu is “awesome.”  Issuu is a free online publishing site that allows users to convert documents into interactive online publications and then embed the documents into websites or blogs.   The document is presented in an interface so realistic it feels as if you are thumbing through a magazine or glossy brochure.

Here is a document we put together to try out Issuu… click on the document for the expanded view.

Imagine the possibilities: Transform product literature, fact sheets, brochures, training manuals, annual reports and other printed business materials into elegant, interactive documents.

Getting started: Sign up and create a profile with a description, image and website and blog links. You can explore documents published by the Issuu community, make some friends, learn more about Issuu for business use or read the Issuu blog.

Publishing documents:  Issuu requires all documents to be uploaded in .pdf format. If you already have a brochure in a .pdf format, give the process a try by clicking on “Upload A Document,” completing the document information and then submitting.

Once uploaded, click on the document to ensure it looks as expected, then click on the drop down on the lower right hand corner to get the code for embedding the document into a web page or blog.  It’s that simple.

But wait, I’m not a graphics person…You can create some attractive documents with tools you probably already have.  If you have Microsoft Word and a photo editor, give this a try.

Create a new Microsoft Word document and change all the margins to 0.   In a photo or graphics program, create a layout that measures 817 pixels X 1056 pixels, which should be the same as one page in your Word document.   When you have your image/page complete, save it and then go into Word and Insert the picture. Create a page break and repeat for the next page.  When you are finished, convert the Word document to a PDF and your are ready to upload.  If you do not have a .pdf converter, check the Issuu FAQs for suggestions.