How to Make a Catalog for Your Business

What is a Digital Business Catalog?

The world of digital content production is vast, and there is a wide range of content that is produced every day, ranging from high-fashion editorials to community newsletters to individually published zines. One of the most common and effective forms of digital content is the online catalog. As marketing and sales efforts continually transition to online formats and e-commerce platforms become increasingly relevant, most brands have opted to create a digital version of their catalog and, in some cases, entirely switch to online material.

Benefits of Publishing Digital Catalogs

One massive advantage is that you do not incur any print cost, and with Issuu you can easily sign up for free to publish your catalog online. This is an incredible cost-saver and is especially beneficial for smaller businesses that do not have the resources to print large quantities. On a global scale, this is also substantially more environmentally friendly than print media. As environmental consciousness becomes a larger factor for brands and their concerned audiences, online catalogs and other digital marketing materials progressively become a more attractive option.

The other advantage of digital catalogs is that the distribution process becomes exponentially easier. With print catalogs, you need to have a specific address for each catalog recipient and then spend even more money on the shipping itself. This is often ineffective and is another massive cost that is avoided with digital publishing. When you publish your catalog online, you can easily share it on social media, embed it in email campaigns, send it directly to specific buyers, and transform the content into other formats for continued use!

Components of a Catalog

Before we dive into how to create an online business catalog, let’s break down some of the key components of a catalog, physical or virtual. Although catalogs come in many different formats, certain elements remain the same:

1. Front cover: stunning design, title, a brief description of the content, and edition number.

2. Table of Contents: Broken down by section and page number, list the content covered in the catalog. Highlight any key products or content that the reader won’t want to miss.

3. Introduction: Brief description of the company, product, or service; make sure to include an effective CTA.

4. Primary content pages: Show off your content, including visuals, prices, and ways the reader can purchase.

5. Closing thoughts: Include any final takeaways or CTA’s you want your readers to remember.

6. Back Cover: Make sure to include your website URL and contact information.

Key Design Details

Once you have a general structure for your catalog, there are a few key details you do not want to miss when designing the actual pages:

1. Effective branding: Your catalog should be clearly identifiable with your business. Make sure your catalog matches the brand elements of your company including the font, colors, and logos.

2. Cohesive design: Use effective design strategies to create a stunning visual layout for your magazine. This includes incorporating effective color contrast, using clear fonts with headings and subheadings, and arranging each element on a page proportionally so everything appears balanced.

3. Professional photography/images: Perhaps the most important detail is that your catalog should include very high-quality images of your products. The ultimate goal of a catalog is to encourage readers to buy, and your images should also work towards this goal. Beautiful lighting and crisp, clear image quality are all key.

4. Storytelling/Messaging: Although your catalog's goal is primarily to highlight the products you are selling, you should also make sure to include some form of storytelling within it. Give readers an inside look into your brand, highlight a brand ambassador with a full-page photo and caption, share insights into your industry as a whole, or deepen your reader’s understanding with a look at your production process. These techniques all help draw readers in and keep them engaged.

5. CTAs/pricing/online sales: It is important to make it as easy as possible for your readers to transition from the catalog to your sales funnel. Part of this is making sure you clearly list prices, and where each item can be purchased.

How to Create a Digital Catalog

At this point, your catalog has been fully conceptualized, you have taken high-quality product photos, and you have a rough idea of the design techniques and overall layout you want to use. Now, to create a digital catalog can seem daunting, but with the right tools and steps, it becomes a smooth and efficient process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

1. Gather Your Tools

   • Jump on the tools you'll need for the creation process. If you don't know which one you should choose, we made it really easy for you to get started by integrating with Canva, Adobe Express, and Adobe InDesign. Make sure to select the design software you are most comfortable with!

2. Choose and Customize a Template

   • Pick one of Canva's catalog templates or one from Adobe Express and customize it to align with your brand and content needs. This step includes adding your product photos, adjusting the layout, and incorporating your brand’s color scheme and typography.

3. Fine-tune Your Design

   • Pay attention to details. Ensure that the layout is visually appealing, the text is legible, and the overall design reflects your brand identity.

4. Review and Finalize

   • Before publishing, review the entire catalog thoroughly. Look for errors, inconsistencies, or areas that need improvement, and make necessary adjustments.

5. Share Your Catalog on Issuu

   • Once your digital catalog is finalized, publish it directly on Issuu using our integrations. Our platform makes it easy to reach global audiences and skyrocket sales -- it only takes a few minutes!

6. Elevate Your Business Catalog

   • Use Issuu to incorporate multimedia elements into your catalog to instantly captivate readers and turn them into buyers. From shopping Links or auto-playing Videos, the world is your oyster.

Amplify Your Marketing Tactics

Now that you have created a stunning online publication, what’s next? It’s time to start marketing and sharing your new catalog and its offerings!

Issuu's platform is the perfect place to publish and distribute your content for maximum engagement and reach. Here are a few steps to help get you started and optimize your content for digital distribution:

1. Publish your content: Learn how to upload your content from your computer, Google Drive, or Dropbox and publish it on the Issuu platform.

2. Add links to your website to send readers directly into your sales funnel. Take advantage of Issuu’s Links feature to add shopping links that send your audience to specific product pages on your website or directly to check out. You can also link to another page within your publication to create an interactive table of contents!

3. Embed your content directly onto your website or blog to increase reach. Issuu’s Embed tool allows you to quickly incorporate your publication within your content ecosystem to naturally increase reach and promote your publication to all website traffic.

4. Repurpose content to continue your success. Publishing your catalog is just the first step. Use Issuu to generate eye-catching Social Posts and mobile-friendly Articles to remix your content for different platforms and different audiences.