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Gorgeous docs host Issuu launches pro service

Beautiful document sharing service Issuu grows up with a new business plan for pro users to put branded, ad-free docs right on their sites.

Josh Lowensohn Former Senior Writer
Josh Lowensohn joined CNET in 2006 and now covers Apple. Before that, Josh wrote about everything from new Web start-ups, to remote-controlled robots that watch your house. Prior to joining CNET, Josh covered breaking video game news, as well as reviewing game software. His current console favorite is the Xbox 360.
Josh Lowensohn

Last week Web-hosted documents service Issuu launched a brand-new service for business users who want to host document files without Issuu's branding or advertising. Users who subscribe to this model can be billed by the page view, all the way up to a million views a month, with a special viewer that can be both integrated and branded to match the site.

Additionally, pro subscribers get document SEO, reader analytics, and a bulk uploader to send up files in large batches. Of the three, SEO is likely to be the most attractive since documents that have been posted can bring readers back to other pages or get indexed into a site's search tool.

Still missing is a way to embed rich media elements in the docs, which despite running in Adobe Flash, cannot run Flash movie or music players. However, according to the pro service FAQ, this feature is coming.

Issuu is offering anyone the option to use the pro service free of charge until January 1, 2009. After that, you'll have to pick one of the six plans which range in price per page view from $19 to $1,140 a month.

Previously: Issuu is like Scribd's hotter cousin