Blogging is an attractive avenue for building your authority, amassing a large audience, and developing your brand. Some bloggers, however, take it to the next level by selling their infomercial product.
With products such as paid courses, subscription-based content, and eBooks, bloggers can establish themselves as niche experts. This status can drive massive traffic to your site and make readers more receptive to your blog content. Furthermore, infomercial products can be reliable sources of passive income, which can help you sustain and grow your website for the long-term.
When it comes to a particular infomercial product, the numerous benefits of eBooks make them a popular choice for independent bloggers and small business owners. However, they can be challenging to make and sell.
If you are planning to sell your eBook, below are the things you need to remember:
Plan Epic Content
Writing eBooks is different from creating blog posts. You need to do extensive research, provide in-depth information, and structure the entire eBook into an experience that fosters learning.
Although writing an entire eBook may sound like a daunting task, it is a very rewarding experience from start to finish especially if you already have a particular set of objectives for your project. For example, will your eBook be a full-length self-help book, or will it be just a quick guide? Will you be using visual content within the pages to improve the reading experience?
Answering these problems will help you look for the right tools for the job. Additionally, make sure you plan an outline that covers every section of the book. Doing so will make the content more cohesive rather than a combination of disjointed articles. It will also speed up the entire writing process because you no longer have to form new ideas as you go.
Make it Look Professional
Apparently, an eBook must be packaged like an actual book. That means you also need all the visual details such as a cover page, a table of contents, an author bio page, and some acknowledgments if necessary.
When it comes to eBooks, however, there’s no need for a fancy publishing house to make it look professional. If you are skilled in image editing, then you are free to create your visuals. If not, then you can hire a freelance eBook designer from websites like Upwork. Just be careful on whom you choose to work with. Look for those with a proven track record or see if they can show you a design portfolio.
Keep in mind that your eBook’s cover design must be eye-catching. If you plan to outsource a freelancer, be sure to collaborate well with the designer to minimize revisions. Also, make sure that the cover looks good in thumbnails.
Invest Time and Money for Editing
Grammar or spelling mistake can be forgivable in a blog post, but not on a paid eBook. If you want to establish yourself as a reliable information provider, you must iron out all the creases and present your best work. That said, be sure to proofread and polish your eBook before saving it in a PDF format.
A rule of thumb is to read and edit the entire eBook at least once. Then, have someone else read it and check it for errors you may have missed. If you have extra funds, then you might as well hire a professional editor from freelancing platforms. Alternatively, look for recommendations from your peers. Keep in mind that editing an eBook is a tremendous responsibility. You cannot afford to leave it in the hands of someone you cannot trust.
Choose a Platform
Self-publishing platforms such as Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing, Lulu, and Smashwords made it easy for bloggers to monetize their work. Unlike traditional publishing, self-publishing an eBook as a blogger gives the owner full control of the design and selling processes. Unfortunately, having to shoulder all the responsibilities is a double-edged sword.
Keep in mind that you need thorough research to understand how a self-publishing company works. How much royalty do they offer authors? Are there any eligibility requirements for aspiring self-publishers? Most importantly, can this self-publishing company expose your eBook to the right audience?
Finally, self-publishing your eBook means you will be directly involved with its promotion. A good strategy is to promote it via newsletter to your subscribers who are most likely to buy. Promoting it in channels like social media and other people’s blogs will also maximize its exposure.
Conclusion
Self-publishing an eBook is a great way to offer more value to your readers. However, you need thorough research and planning if you want to self-publish your work. Despite the challenges, rest assured that writing and selling an eBook is a straightforward process. It can be fun especially if you are enthused with the topic.