Before dwelling in deep into W2P Technology essentials and the difference the web to print market has induced on marketers to gain such an instant response, let us start off with the basics and explain what Web to Print is.

Web to Print Explained

Web to Print, short for Web to Print is referred to any kind of a printed document that is ordered online acquiring the services of a website. This document can be both simple and complex. It can be in form of a business or visiting card. It can also be in form of entering a branded portal and engaging in designing of a marketing campaign. This complex campaign can be multi channeled that coordinates entirely database driven, fully personalized, personalized direct mail, triggered mail and/or follow up text messaging.

One prime reason that contributes to the instant acceptance and success of Web to Print industry is its nature of serving as marketing portal and not just plain printed documents. Web to Print serves as the base to create components that serve all protocols of fully incorporated marketing campaigns. Any kind of marketing campaigning that involves printing as one of its components can be included in Web to Print.

Significance to Consumers

Web to Print is of similar importance for domestic use or for use by consumers. Using the Web to Print the general consumer can access any public or private catalog available online. Using the application, if the need arises, any last minute changes can be made to any prepress template. The Web to Print application is a cost effective remedy to all consumer print solutions that do not work out well.

Significance to Marketers

The significance of Web to Print technology is greater to marketers, as discussed earlier, the application offers tremendous potential to drive extended marketing campaigns through utilizing print as a source. Some of these potential advantages include

1. Designing of customizable, professional and authentic documents in least possible time.
2. Shrink turnaround time to bare minimum through automating the process of prepress and proofing.
3. Through use of optimized Web to Print online design tool, software, templates and other components, the process of segmenting, targeting and even entirely personalizing the documents is automated and streamlined.
4. Development of marketing programs that are entirely integrated and personalized, along with being multi component and multi channeled.
5. Decentralizing of the marketing process is another advantage. Through this advantage segments such as branch offices, designated third parties inclusive of creative agencies and distributors and internal departments can customize the document programs and kits as per need.
6. Offering a print brand management solution. Through this centralized system of management, the repository can allow marketers, irrespective of their size to offer access to third parties, with the option of continuously managing the brand as well. This option can be availed both by small and large (global) marketers.
7. Cutting down costs through offering the option of on time ordering, reducing the requirements of warehousing thus eliminating possibility of obsolescence. Also the process minimizes cost incurred on managing branding, duplication and portal costs.
8. Allowing creation of follow up brochures, mails and other documents that are one off and personalized to every individual recipient.
9. Changing the focus of marketing and business models, forcing them to focus more on the content, instead of mere print.

Although Web to Print has in a small span of time managed to take over the business print arena, however the extent of its implication capabilities is still unknown. Viewing the difference Web to Print websites and the technology as a whole has managed to induce in the ways marketers perceive, deploy and manage their print documents in marketing campaigns say a lot about the radical changes that have occurred and will in future.