Producing an eBook has certin advantages over other content mediums. eBooks are particularly good if you wish to go the extra mile to deliver value. Sometimes an infographic or a blog post can only cover so much information, so it makes sense to use an eBook for extended discussions. eBooks are also highly shareable, visually engaging and are a great way to solicit opt-ins for your newsletter. Here are some of the things to keep in mind when creating an eBook.
Know your audience
In order to build brand awareness, it’s important that you tailor your eBook to your target audience. It’s highly recommended that you perform some market research and find out more about the wishes, desires and most importantly, the problems faced by your target audience. This will enable you to use your expertise in order to give actionable advice that will improve the lives and/or businesses of your readership. If you’re sure that your eBook can make a tangible positive difference to your readers, you’re onto a winner!
Killer content
The adage ‘content is king’ most definitely applies to eBooks. The more you can selflessly provide value to your audience, the more your brand will benefit as a consequence. Structure is also important. Just as with blog posts where text should be separated into digestible chunks in order to make the content scan-able, the same applies to eBook content. Use plenty of subheadings and chapter headings throughout so that a reader can immediately scan through the eBook when they first open it. People want to see that your chapter headings and subheadings are interesting to them before they make the commitment to read on.
While informing instead of selling is the objective with eBooks, it’s perfectly acceptable to include a subtle call to action at an appropriate place – usually near the end. This might simply be an email address or phone number where they can find out more information, or an opt-in to find out about your products or services if they are contextually relevant.
Design
As Pamela Vaughan, writing for HubSpot, suggests: “If eBook creation is (or you plan it to be) a big part of your content strategy, it’s wise to first spend some time establishing a consistent brand style guide to which all your marketing content – not just your eBooks, but also your presentations and other marketing collateral – adheres. This will give your publications a more professional, branded look which translates to a sense of credibility.”
The colours of your eBook are also incredibly important, both in terms of the emotions conveyed but also in terms of brand recognition. If the eBook is branded in a similar style to your site, readers will already feel at home if they arrive at your site after reading (and hopefully liking) your eBook. Consistent visual elements and formatting is a must, and it’s also wise to pick a font which is unique and engaging. Avoid generic, overused fonts such as Arial at all costs!
Promotion
Even if you have the most excellently written, exquisitely designed eBook, if you don’t promote it then no one will be aware of it. LinkedIn is an excellent platform for promoting eBooks which pertain to fields such as marketing and PR, whereas you may find other platforms such as Facebook and Twitter more effective for entertaining rather than educational eBooks. If you already have a newsletter, be sure to mention your ebook and provide your readers with a link to the landing page where the book is hosted. Be sure to include social media links on the landing page so people can easily share it once they find out how amazingly high value it is!
Conclusion
Putting out a free eBook can help to differentiate yourself from your competitors. In an industry where everyone considers putting out one blog post a week to be sufficient for content marketing, going further and publishing a free value-laden eBook with no immediate benefit to yourself really shows that you care about your audience. This builds trust and over time, results in high levels of brand recognition, which can also result in business growth.
Now download your eBook – Getting to the Root of PR – by clicking the link on the right.
Tags: brand awareness, brand messages, brand pofile, brand trust, branding, digital, ebook, social media
