eBooks have become an extremely popular content marketing asset, allowing brands to demonstrate expertise, generate leads, and build relationships with their audience. This comprehensive 2800+ word guide will explore the elements of an effective eBook content marketing strategy.
What are eBooks and Why Use Them in Content Marketing?
eBooks are digital documents designed to provide in-depth information on a topic in an easily digestible format. According to HubSpot research, over half of marketers leverage eBooks in their content strategies because of key benefits like:
- Lead generation: eBooks collected in exchange for contact information are powerful lead magnets. Include calls-to-action to channel this interest.
- Thought leadership: Long-form branded content shows you‘re an authority on a topic.
- Deeper audience relationships: Useful eBook content helps you engage your audience and meet their informational needs.
Because they allow in-depth exploration of a topic, eBooks are highly sharable and have a long shelf life – making them a valuable content marketing asset.
Creating Effective eBook Content
Follow these best practices when creating eBook content as part of your content marketing strategy:
Provide Truly Useful Information
This builds trust and goodwill with readers. Share little-known tips, actionable advice, insider knowledge or original research tailored to your audience‘s interests.
Maintain a Clear Structure
Well-organized information is more digestible. Use a table of contents, divide concepts into chapters or modules, and use headers, bullet points and illustrations for clarity.
Make it Visually Appealing
Paragraphs of dense text are dull. Break it up with images, data visualizations, charts, diagrams color and white space for enhanced engagement.
Include Strategic Calls-to-Action
Calls-to-action to download other content, sign up for a newsletter or visit certain product pages channel reader interest. Place them seamlessly within content.
Types of eBooks to Create
Certain eBook types are better suited for certain business goals:
- Tutorials: Teach a skill (e.g. how to use a product). Useful for onboarding.
- "Listicle" guides: Listicles like "10 Tips for X" are quick wins that easily go viral.
- Research Reports: Showcase primary data to establish authority.
- Case Studies: Demonstrate products/services in action to convert readers.
- Industry Trend Reports: Build mindshare and awareness with future trend analysis.
Promoting Your eBook
Content promotion is key to ensure your eBook content marketing succeeds.
Website
- Feature the eBook prominently with an eye-catching cover image.
- Describe key takeaways in the excerpt to entice clicks.
- Promote downloads with sticky header or footer popups.
- Send a dedicated email campaign announcing the eBook launch.
- Promote it in regular newsletters.
- Send final download reminders to those who didn‘t finish reading.
Social Media
- Run sponsored social media ads pointed to the eBook landing page.
- Have influencers and loyal followers organically promote with social shares.
Paid Ads
- Run Google/FB ads specifically targeting those interested in the eBook topic to drive conversions.
Tracking eBook Effectiveness
Leverage analytics to continually refine your eBook content marketing for better results:
- Downloads indicate initial interest.
- Email conversions show those willing to trade contact info for content.
- Which eBook topics and formats attract most engagement?
- Analyze reader drop-off to identify which sections lost interest.
- Track links clicked within the eBook to highlight popular destination pages.
Top eBook Creation & Publishing Tools
Streamline eBook creation and distribution with these excellent tools:
- Canva: Template-based drag-and-drop design for stunning visuals
- LucidPress: Collaborative editor for structure and content creation
- Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing: Mass distribution on Amazon‘s Kindle Store
- Mailchimp: Convert contacts into email subscribers with integrated sign-up forms
For more options, explore our list of Top eBook Creation Tools.
Success Stories: eBook Marketing Done Right
Let‘s look at real-world examples of brands absolutely nailing their eBook content marketing game:
Hubspot‘s Website Grader eBook
This short 11-page eBook promised a 35-point website review. It convinced over 220,000 people to hand over their emails to access this tool! The wildly viral lead gen asset became the cornerstone of Hubspot‘s content strategy.
Shopify‘s Employee Handbook eBook
Shopify published their iconically well-designed employee handbook exclusively as an eBook titled "How We Work". It gave a rare insider look into their progressive organizational culture – winning major PR coverage and affiliate links.
Common Mistakes
However, eBook content marketing does not always hit the mark. Avoid these blunders in your own efforts:
- Dull visually. Don‘t just slap your brand colors on walls of plain text.
- Self-promotional. Readers want helpful information, not just product pitches.
- Disorganized structure. Confusing, dense blocks of text are hard to digest.
- Inconsistent calls to action. Readers lose track of desired pathways forward.
- Not promoting effectively. An eBook on your blog won‘t automatically attract readers on its own.
- Lack of continued optimization. Analyze reader behavior to identify issues and opportunities.
The Future of eBooks in Content Marketing
As technology capabilities grow, what‘s on the horizon for eBook based content marketing?
- More interactive formats, like TikTok videos embedded within Tap Books.
- Shoppable eBooks that drive conversions with in-line links to product pages .
- Personalization algorithms tailoring eBook content to reader interests for better engagement, like Amazon Kindle Vella stories.
The possibilities to leverage eBooks within a content marketing strategy are truly endless to attract and nurture your audience. Use this guide‘s recommendations to maximize the impact of your next eBook – and take your content marketing efforts to the next level.
