An E-book (electronic book, digital book or e-book) is defined as a text and image based publication in a digital form, produced on, published by and readable on computers or other digital devices (The Wall Street Journal).

For the purpose of this piece I will be discussing the most important eBook characteristics from a promotional and marketing standpoint. This piece will discuss the characteristics you need to know about an eBook, why to use eBooks and the basics on promoting them.

 The 5 Most Important Characteristics for Great E-books

Social media has become one of the top promotional tools for marketers. In order to succeed within the social media madness, you need quality content. There are many ways to get up-to-date and current content; blogs, whitepapers, Infographics, reviews and of course E-Books. Creating great E-Books is an in-depth process. When I think of what are the characteristics of a great E-book, I look for these points to determine its statue:

  1. Did the author write about something he/she knows well? Yes, it is possible for a great writer to write about a subject he or she isn’t an expert on. With that said, there is something magical about an author writing on what they know about. Their knowledge has a way of shining through when writing about topics in their wheelhouse.
  2. Is the material current and unique? Writing about current content will not only attract more attention, it will also trend more on social media networks as it will be news or information readers are currently looking for.
  3. Was it promoted well? Content is only good if you can get it in front of your target market therefore it needs to be promoted. Take the time to setup a proper promotional schedule including social media and SEO efforts in order to get you the best possible results.
  4. Did the author properly cite his/her sources? It’s only proper to give credit to those who deserve it. When you are gathering information for your content pieces, be sure to cite the source. Even if it is not mandatory for all types of content, it is a great rule to follow anyway. Your readers will trust you more for it.
  5. Was there a preview or free trial before purchase? Let your prospects get a sneak peak on what they are purchasing or signing up for. You don’t want to give it all away up front but you do what to entice your prospect enough to want to take the next step.

Why E-books?

There are many reasons why creating E-Books makes great business sense and for that same reason and many others is why your prospects and customers will want them as well.

Qualities of E-Books:

  • Quicker to produce and obtain for your audience
  • Easier to upgrade or make changes to
  • Take less space and are more portable
  • Easier to market and promote online (embeddable links, Key words, etc.)
  • They are searchable online
  • Can be used as leverage to entice prospects to make a purchasing action or sign up for more information

Basic E-Book Promotion

Producing E-Books with today’s technology is easier than ever. With that said, it can be harder to market them because of the flood of information online. Below are 5 tips to try for better E-Book promotion results.

  1. Give Away Something For Free – A great way to get people to notice you is to give away something for free. Everyone loves FREE. One option would be to give an introductory subscription away, one of your E-Books or even a sample of one of your products. Doing this creates a buzz about your product and gets it into more hands, faster.
  2. Create a Video – 90% of online shoppers have found videos helpful during the purchase process and are more likely to make a purchase after viewing one. Also, 80% of internet users recall a video they watched online in the past 30 days. It gets even better, of those 80%, 46% percent took some action after viewing the video (shared it, bough something, signed up, etc.). (www.VideoBrewery.com)
  3. Be Social – Build up your social network. Access your Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google +, LinkedIn, etc. and increase your engagement within each of those networks. The more you engage with your prospects and customers, the more they will express and share their interest with you and others.
  4. Get Reviews – To secure reviews you can simply ask for them. If that is not providing you with enough, send your readers a secure PDF or review flyer to give you more feedback. Reviews are very helpful to list on your website. They give readers a chance to see how others feel about you. Also be sure to build up your reviews on other web pages, not just your own.
  5. Of Course, You Must Blog – Blogging is a must. It is the best way to get revolving content on your website. The more quality content you have to market and promote, the better chances you will have for people to find you. Your blog can be a way to be seen as an expert in your industry, build trust and promote your brand and of course your E-Book(s).

Final Thoughts

Simply put, I love E-Books. I love that they are easy to get, read and provide instant information on the subject matter you are looking for. From a business standpoint they can be a gateway to so much more. Take the time to create a plan to incorporate E-Books into your content marketing strategy.

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein