🔧 How PDF Stores Data: The "Info Dictionary"
A PDF file is not just flat text. It contains a hidden data structure called the Trailer, which points to the Info Dictionary. This key-value pair storage holds the document's DNA.
Title (Not Filename)
This is what Google displays in search results and what browsers show in the tab bar. It is separate from the file name (e.g., report.pdf).
Author & Creator
Stores who created the file and which software was used (e.g., "Microsoft Word"). Changing this is crucial for white-labeling documents.
Why Metadata Matters for SEO?
Search engines like Google index PDF files just like web pages. Without proper metadata, your PDF is essentially "invisible."
- Keywords: Injected into the metadata stream, these help search algorithms understand the topic without OCR.
- Subject: Acts as a meta-description for the document.
- Creation Date: Establishes the timeline of the document's validity.
Technical Field Structure
| Property Key | Data Type | Function |
|---|---|---|
| /Title | String | Browser Tab Label & Google Link Text |
| /Author | String | Citation & Ownership |
| /Keywords | String | Search Indexing (Comma Separated) |
| /ModDate | Date (ASN.1) | Last Modified Timestamp |
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