For printed paper to maintain or improve market share in digitally developed nations in the future, it will need to benefit from being able to more seamlessly interact with digital devices. Earlier this week, Ricoh Europe, London, U.K, announced it has developed new authoring capabilities for Clickable Paper™ that will enable companies to deliver a more responsive client-centric service. Ricoh is also launching customization software during the second half of 2015 that will allow clients to embed Clickable Paper into their own branded apps.  

Clickable Paper provides immediate one-touch access to multiple online resources such as video, websites, e-commerce sites, and social networks by simply pointing a smartphone or tablet at any printed surface. It is an image recognition technology based on Ricoh Visual Search technology developed by Ricoh Innovations. It allows printed materials to be repurposed without marking, editing, or reformatting the source documents. Hotspots are used to link to rich media from related authored content, end-user contributed social information or calls to action such as tweets, maps, calls, and emails. The technology allows communication to be taken beyond the page to deliver far-reaching value to readers by leverging rich media sources.

 

 

"Clickable Paper’s ability to provide immediate one touch access to multiple online information is already well known," said Graham Moore, director of business development, Ricoh Europe. "However, until now, Ricoh handled the authoring process. With this latest release, print service providers can now undertake the process themselves to ensure faster turnaround. Hotspots can also be managed in a more hands on way so content can be adapted to offer a truly responsive information resource."

The new authoring capabilities are now live across Europe, and British commercial printer Barnwell Print, an early Clickable Paper pioneer, has become the first print service provider to implement them. "Authoring enables us to manage the whole process under one roof. It is well designed, well thought out, and very simple to use. It is so easy to apply the hotspots and the accountability is readily reported, which enables our customers to better understand its impact, "Joint Managing Director Julian Barnwell commented. 

Barnwell addes that putting the authoring capability in the hands of users will help make the production process smoother and enable Barnwell to better support more happy clients like a well known Norfolk Broads cruise operator who used Clickable Paper to link a hotspot to a 360 degree tour of one of its boats. After seeing the spike in viewings that Clickable Paper delivered, the company decided to drive bookings by producing similar videos of the rest of the fleet.

"Every time we show people Clickable Paper they love it. Readers can access the information on any number of devices so they don’t have to be in front of a computer. The printed page is hugely trusted and Clickable Paper empowers print. Being able to self-author means we can be more responsive and creative with the service we provide," he said.

The next step in Clickable Paper’s development is the branding of hotspots in clients’ corporate livery. This approach has been market tested and will now be made available Europe-wide.

"The app adds a level of usability and manageability to help companies offer their clients greater choice," added Moore. "It is another step towards identifying the impact of a campaign and overall engagement."

"These new developments enable a greater level of product flexibility that will drive market interest towards creating print that links to online resources using innovative and flexible technology and will, in turn, generate sales. The fact that so much functionality can be added quickly and easily will encourage more end users to specify Ricoh’s Clickable Paper to improve content accessibility and develop more productive client relationships," Moore concludes.