With web-to-print, you can create individualized advertising material based on predefined templates with just a few clicks.
What is web-to-print?
Why is web-to-print important for your business?
Your top 10 advantages with web-to-print
Essential components at a glance
For whom is web-to-print suitable for?
Cost and process optimization with web-to-print
What is the difference between web-to-print and web-to-publish?
Current trends in web-to-print
Which cost models are available for web-to-print systems?
What does a software solution look like?
What business models are there?
Overview of frequently asked questions
Web to Print, also known as Web2Print or W2P, is a simple and inexpensive way to produce personalized printed matter. Independently of location, print templates can be customized digitally. With the automated, internet-based transmission of print data, web-to-print solutions facilitate the printing of personalized advertising materials and products and streamline the management and communication processes between your sales and distribution partners, branches, branches and the central marketing department. Branch offices can easily adapt and print printed products and articles according to their needs and their own customers, without worrying unnecessarily about the right design. Prior knowledge is not necessary for this, as the corporate design is always guaranteed by the brand's templates. A web to print shop is tailored precisely to the needs of the customer and includes a variety of possible services: posters, flyers or business cards (business equipment) can be created and printed just as easily as displays or sales documents. The print documents are still checked in the system and sent to the printer or can be downloaded directly via the web-to-print software. In this way, marketing succeeds in successful campaigns that are true to the corporate design and that are geared towards the needs of local customers.
The advantages of web-to-print shops are manifold. But does a web to print system really fit your needs? When is it really worth investing in web to print software?
Web-to-print is advantageous for your brand when you are interested in the successful management of campaigns for local marketing (adaptation to local customers) or marketing automation that is as precisely as possible on your sales and sales partners, branches and branches are tailored. This can be problematic for a large number of branch offices. Thanks to Web2Print software, however, partners can easily order printed matter based on your current needs and offer the customer exactly what they need on site. The central marketing department is relieved of the workload by these independent individualization options for the articles and can devote its capacities to larger projects. In addition, the simple creation of printed matter and the direct transmission of the print data to the printer result in considerable time and cost savings. As a result, web-to-print is not only fast, easy and strengthens the personal responsibility of your employees, but is also reflected in your sales.
Uncomplicated to use and a streamlining factor in workflow and in-house management - that is what the optimal web-to-print solution should bring with it. But there are also numerous functions that companies can use for their own benefit through the various application and modification options of web2print shops. But what do they look like in detail?
For a successful web-to-print solution, the individual components of web-to-print should be optimally tailored to your own needs.
Editor
The layout engine, so to speak the editor, is used to display the text or image information fed in for reproduction on a screen or print product. This is where the design of the products takes place. The editor offers various functions. On the one hand, personalized printed matter is appropriately displayed in the web2print shop. At the same time, the print documents are checked for their feasibility. The design takes place on the basis of the templates provided. This means that communication and management can run uniformly for the entire brand.
Online shop
The integrated shop for the various web2print articles makes it easy to order printed matter. Not only is the whereabouts of the person placing the order irrelevant, but also the question of whether the goods are in stock or individualized items. At the same time, numerous regulatory functions, such as the management of service providers, approvals or user administration, can be combined within the shop.
Analysis / controlling
The user-friendly reporting tools can be used to analyze activities in the web-to-print system at any time and easily. Here companies can observe the marketing activities of their individual partners / branches / branches: Who orders which advertising material and when - and who does not? The targeted analysis can intervene directly and offer help and other services where they are needed. It also offers enough data to calculate future marketing expenses for print products.
A web-to-print shop is met with great enthusiasm, especially in the management of decentralized companies. Far away from the head office and independent of time zones, print products can be purchased and ordered via a web2print system. Field workers can easily produce and reorder printed matter such as business cards or displays according to their needs. Industries in which a web-to-print solution can facilitate and enrich everyday work, versatile:
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Inexpensive, fast, easy - suitable web to print solutions offer all of this. By using ready-made templates, there is no need for correction loops between graphics and the marketing department. Processes are streamlined, agreements are superfluous. This means that marketing capacities can be used more efficiently. Thanks to automatic transfers from other systems, address data does not have to be manually fed into the web-to-print system and can be transferred directly to the products, reducing the error rate. In addition, web to print shops check the quality and design of the print data before it is sent directly to the print shop. Thus, the printing of advertising material is carried out efficiently and inexpensively.
Sample calculation for creating an advertisement with and without a web-to-print system:
| Activity | Manual (in minutes) | Automatic (in minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| Inquiry at Marketing / Web-to-Print-System | 15 | 5 |
| Display structure | 60 | 15 |
| Dispatch PDF to client | 5 | 0 |
| Corrections | 25 | 0 |
| Transfer of final print file to client | 5 | 0 |
| Printing approval by client | 5 | 5 |
| Forwarding to publisher/customer | 5 | 5 |
| Total | 120 | 30 |
| Cost per ad (hourly rate: 70,00 EUR) | 140,00 EUR | 35,00 EUR |
Web-to-print and web-to-publish are often associated with one another. But what is the difference between the systems? A web to publish system is used to publish content via a central system. It does not matter whether it is the design of print products, websites or apps. In contrast, Web-to-Print converts information fed into the system exclusively into print products. This makes web-to-print a part of web-to-publish.
The responsibility for creating the individual printed matter is increasingly being transferred to the user. Templates can be digitally individualized according to the corporate design of the brand and can be automatically ordered within the shop independently of the marketing department.
While in the past the focus was on pure print, these advertising formats are now increasingly used digitally. A wide variety of file formats (e.g. PDF, JPG) can be created using the various functions in the web-to-print system.
Using disproportionate scaling, the user can individually and digitally influence the size of a template within the shop. So z. B. Ads in height and width can be edited as required. Texts and images are scaled and positioned individually, but the brand's corporate design is adhered to with all changes.
Would you like to integrate web-to-print into your brand? Then choose a cost model based on your calculation.
Purchase
When you buy a web-to-print system, you purchase all of the services offered by the provider with a single payment. In addition to the web-to-print program itself, a purchase usually includes other services such as comprehensive service, support, performance checks, employee training and consulting. Buying a web-to-print solution may be the most expensive cost model. In return, it offers your brand the most comprehensive services.
Rental fee
Some providers allow customers not to buy the licenses for a program at a high price, but to rent them for monthly payments. This keeps the costs of the web-to-print program clearer and easier to calculate. However, with long-term rentals it can happen that the monthly contributions in their entirety exceed the one-time purchase price.
Participation in order volume
If you participate in the order volume, there are low or no investment costs for the web-to-print system. This is made available to the company by the web-to-print provider. In return, the head office pays a "handling fee" to the provider of the Web2Print system, which is linked to the order volume. The company thus agrees to give the web-to-print provider a small percentage of the turnover for each print that is generated when orders are placed through the system.
Based on your company's own web-to-print requirements, the scope of a web-to-print system can be easily adapted. Depending on the requirements, the various elements of Web2Print are tailored to your needs.
The key feature with the simple and safe editing tool for optimal editing of your documents. The step-by-step wizard accompanies you online through the personalization of your printed matter and includes the option - to insert images, text modules and graphics into the template and to edit them specifically. With all of these steps, you don't have to worry about the design. With the help of the preview function, you will also receive direct feedback on every change.
The key feature for optimal and targeted communication between your sales and distribution partners, branches or branches and the print service providers. Any print service provider can be connected to the marketing portal via the open eco-system, so that orders and status reports can be exchanged online.
The key feature for optimal monitoring and general management of your order processes. The approval process takes place via a central point in the company and thus offers absolute transparency and control. After a successful check, the order is automatically forwarded to the responsible print service provider or, if necessary, canceled.
The design of a suitable web-to-print solution can be very diverse. Nevertheless, different business models can be divided into three categories based on their availability.
License-based (commercial) programs
License-based web-to-print programs are classic software applications that are acquired by companies. With the purchase of the (single) license it is possible to install the program internally. With good support, the web-to-print software can be tailored precisely to individual needs. However, license-based web to print solutions can be associated with high costs.
Open source programs
Since open source programs are not distributed commercially, they are largely free of charge. As a result, open source web-to-print solutions can be the cheapest way to access the advantages of this technology. However, in order to guarantee that all employees can use the program in the best possible way, costs for training must be factored in. Therefore, open source web-to-print software is particularly suitable if the employees have sufficient IT knowledge and can thus familiarize themselves with the programs.
SaaS offers
With so-called software as service offers (SaaS), cloud programs are used that are made available online as web apps. Employees can access SaaS services online and regardless of their location via individual user accounts. Instead of paying a high one-time sum as with a license-based solution, SaaS offers usually rely on lower monthly fees. For the successful integration of a SaaS offer into the workflow, however, it is essential to have a continuous Internet connection of excellent quality, which enables work to be carried out online.
Web-to-Print is a technology that offers users functions to make simple adjustments (text changes, image replacement) to a template (template). Via a web interface, users can access the print templates using an editor and make individualizations and personalizations directly. This technology can only be used for print pieces (such as brochures, flyers, posters, etc.) where a print-ready PDF is required for production. The finished print PDF can be automatically forwarded to the service provider via connected service providers (printers).
Printed items can only be created via web-to-print systems. Examples: business cards, flyers, brochures, posters, mailings, advertising material, POS material, etc.
A web-to-print system is suitable for companies that want to automate their production of standardized marketing measures. It does not depend on a specific number of employees, but how many items are produced per month and whether these can be standardized.
The cost model is based on the number of users. The price includes hosting, maintenance and further development of the system (Software-as-a-Service). Send us an inquiry and we will send you our price list.
The basic system of the web-to-print system is ready for use within 48 hours. Individual interfaces (e.g. media database, CRM etc.) can then be programmed or additional developments can be made. The customer can then maintain the articles and templates.
By using a profitability calculation, you can evaluate what costs you save compared to a manual process. You are welcome to use our whitepaper, which you can download. We would also be happy to help you with the calculation.
A web-to-print system is a platform that focuses solely on the creation and production of print media. As a result, the focus is on the creation of business stationery, POS advertising material or promotional items. With a marketing portal, marketing and advertising measures can be created and booked for any channel. It doesn't matter whether it's online, social media video or out-of-home marketing (classic and digital).
