After you browse Amazon for a couple of minutes, one thing is very clear. E-books are booming, and the world can’t get enough. According to one study, over 191 million e-books were sold in 2020 alone. And as everyone becomes more and more fixated on conveniently consuming information, that number will likely rise.
So as anyone would, you may want to get in on the action. Write a new bestselling e-book, make some money for your business and other pursuits— The whole shebang. But how? How do you string together the right words in a way that will connect with your audience?
The truth is that it can be a bit tricky.
There are well over 12 million e-books on Amazon right now— That’s a lot of competition. However, you can do it. You can reach the top of the bestseller list and have an amazing e-book under your name. The only thing you need is help— The right kind of help at that.
That’s where we come in.
This article from Business Marketing Engine will be your how-to guide on everything you need to know. We’ll cover what an e-book really is, what you need to write from A to Z and more. So if you’re serious about writing an e-book and putting money in your pocket, continue reading for more information.
You won’t regret it.
What is an E-book?
The first step to creating is understanding. If you attempt to create an e-book without taking that first step, you’ll have a difficult time. Luckily, e-books are easy to grasp. Even those fresh out of a time machine from the 80s could wrap their heads around the idea. It’s true.
The dictionary description of an e-book is just “a book in digital form.” However, we believe that doesn’t quite capture it.
While the dictionary definition is technically correct, e-books do differ in some ways and can reach beyond traditional books. For instance, unlike regular books, e-books may be structured similarly to a magazine or blog post. And they may use big, bold headers like the one above these paragraphs to break down portions of the text.
But here’s the biggest twist, e-books aren’t just books or at least they don’t have to be.
While they can provide immense value on their own, they can also be a ticket to something more. In other words, they can be the perfect lead magnet. (Lead magnets are free items or services offered in exchange for contact details.) They come in many forms, but e-books undoubtedly reign supreme.
One e-book can give a reader:
- In-depth, enjoyable insight into fields mostly populated by loud headlines that hold little information
- Visual data that compliments the copy
- Instant, on-demand access to content (Virtually accessible anywhere)
- And more
However, an e-book isn’t just valuable for the reader. It’s also beneficial for you. By releasing an e-book, you or your business can:
- Turn a profit through sales
- Attract new clients
- Generate excitement around your name and offers
- Secure your business as an industry leader
Overall, it’s up to you to decide what you want your e-book to become.
If you need help making a lead magnet? We can help.
At Business Marketing Engine, we’ve made several world-class lead magnets for our clients.
If you want to discover how we can help you make yours, learn more by scheduling a call now.
Is It Profitable To Sell E-Books?
Yes, if you do it right. Most people try to push a high volume of e-books out at a low price point to turn a profit. And you’ll likely need to do the same to compete in some markets. But with that said, you don’t always have to stick with a low price.
Depending on the industry, you could sell a highly specialized e-book for well over $100. Just keep in mind that e-books on the U.S. market usually fall in the range of $1.00 to $2.00. And the highest revenue numbers fall in the $9.00 to $10.00 range.
However, before you get any sort of price in mind, you need to do one thing— Research. The right value depends on your audience and platform. So you’ll want to explore both. First, you should settle on a platform.
Some of the most popular are:
- Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
- KITABOO
- Apple iBooks Store
- Barnes & Noble Press
- Smashwords
You can visit platforms like Apple iBooks Store and Amazon to see where your audience is and what they’ll pay. Use whatever information you find to set your price.
How Do You Write an E-Book That Will Sell?
Now, we’re going to get into the real meat of this article. Below, we’re going to cover everything you should consider while bringing your e-book to life. It doesn’t matter if you have a ton of writing experience or little to none; you’ll find what you need. We can guarantee you that.
1. Choose a Topic
When picking a topic, don’t deviate too far from the content on your other marketing channels.
(You want to remain on brand for the most part.)
Take this chance to dive headfirst into a subject you’ve only briefly covered until now— Something your audience cares about. For example, if you cover landscaping in your other marketing channels, you can dive into the intricacies of that. This is also your chance to pick a title.
To help kick start your brain and get your creative thoughts going, look at some popular e-book titles. It doesn’t have to be an amazing title. But invest some time into creating something that truly fits your business and topic. You also want it accurately describe what a reader will receive from your e-book.
2. Create an Outline for Each Chapter of Your E-Book
Now, you can start making some serious progress with outlines.
Start with the introduction of your e-book and set the stage for the rest of the chapters to follow. Make sure your introduction will cover what your e-book will be about and what the reader will learn. If your introduction doesn’t strike a chord with your audience, it can instantly turn the reader off.
Moving forward, think of your e-book as a very long blog post. Ensure that each chapter gently flows into the next all the way until the last word. There shouldn’t be many hard cuts.
There aren’t really any rules about length. But we recommend thinking about e-books as crash courses. You don’t need to leave room for side stories or rambles. Just make sure you can include relevant information.
3. Break Down Each Chapter
You’re finally at the fun part— Writing. As you’re writing, continue with that long blog post mindset.
Use bullet points and small, concise sections to keep things easy to read. You’re going for a low-grade reading level— Don’t write anything too sophisticated unless your audience demands it. For instance, if it’s the medical field, you can use a few extra words to get your message across.
But focus on educating your reader and being consistent across each chapter to hold on their attention. You can also use certain words to grasp attention easily. Such as:
- Amazing
- Brilliant
- Great
- Ultimate
Also, remember to use bold text, italics and different font sizes. Things like that grab someone’s attention quickly as they easily catch eyes. Bold text is especially effective when you’re trying to emphasize a certain point.
4. Create Your Design
It’s design time. You need something that will catch someone’s eye while glancing over the 12 million e-books on Amazon. But remember, this isn’t just about the cover. You also need to have designs for the pages within the e-book.
Make sure your designs are bold and pop off the screen without being out of character or overly distracting.
5. Use the Appropriate Colors
Colors, colors, colors. There are many different options, and it can feel overwhelming. But that’s okay. You narrow it down easily by using colors from your own company’s color palette.
Choose something that complements the colors in your logo and stands out from other e-books with similar topics. Now, depending on your industry, some colors may just not work at all. Hot pink for landscaping? Probably not.
But if you’re in the beauty industry, perhaps that could work.
If you don’t have any logo colors to use, you can create your own palette here.
6. Use High-Resolution Images
High-resolution images can make a good e-book great. But you can’t use them randomly. The best practice is to use images that compliment your writing and help emphasize your points.
The images can be almost anything you want, but they must be relevant. There are a ton of great resources online for sourcing images, so be sure to explore a few. And make sure that the images you pick aren’t overly distracting.
Remember, your words are the vital part— The pictures just add interest.
7. Highlight Data/Statistics or Quotes
Another great way to enhance your e-book is to use supporting data and statistics. Love them or hate them; nobody can deny them. That means they’re a great way to add some punch to a point. If your topic allows, you can incorporate them pretty easily.
Just make sure the data is accurate.
If your topic doesn’t really align with data and statistics, use quotes! Quotes can go a long way in e-books, especially if you haven’t made a mark on the industry yet.
8. Use the Right Calls-To-Action (CTA) in Your E-Book
To attract new clients and generate interest in your business, ensure people know where to go with CTAs. Calls-to-action should always be the same across one piece of content. For instance, in a blog post like this, our CTA is to contact us.
If we included several CTAs that led to different places, that might confuse our audience. So be sure to pick a single destination.
If your goal is to get people on your YouTube channel, great. Just make sure you’re clear about that, and readers know how to find it. It’s that simple.
9. Convert to a PDF File
Once you’re done writing and everything looks perfect, it’s time to convert your e-book to a PDF file. That way, it’s transferable from you to your reader. PDF files are also great for e-books because they eliminate the edit option.
That means your content will remain the same, and your hard work won’t be easily corrupted.
10. Create a Dedicated Landing Page for Your E-Book
A landing page is simple. At the end of the day, it’s just a web page that promotes your e-book or another offer.
It gives website visitors all the information they need and convinces them to purchase your e-book. With a dedicated landing page, you can convert your visitors into leads for your business to contact.
11. Promote Your E-Book and Ask for Reviews
Alright, you have the e-book done. You have the correct file type and link. You have a brilliant landing page that highlights all of the benefits your e-book grants a reader. Now, it’s time to take it all and let your audience know about it.
This part is a little tricky.
You have to ensure that you’re marketing your e-book to the right audience— The audience that can benefit. And you also have to ensure that you’re asking for reviews along the way. The right review on your side can help sales continue growing even when your marketing efforts expire.
What E-Books Sell the Most on Amazon?
Are you still stuck on the first step? Don’t worry. We have your back, and we’ll make sure you leave with some ideas. While the best-selling types of e-books shouldn’t influence your decision too much, you can use them for inspiration. So below, we’ll go over some of the e-book types that have the most significant impact on Amazon.
But fair warning, just because something has worked in the past doesn’t mean it will again. If you really want to make a best-seller, make something that is 100 percent unique.
- Religion and Spirituality
Let’s be honest. Both religion and spirituality books will always fly off virtual and real shelves. The world just can’t get enough. In 2021, religion-based books generated $700 million in sales revenue. And it’s more than likely that the number will constantly climb.
- Biographies and Memoirs
It’s difficult to get an exact number for these books. However, new biographies and memoirs are constantly hitting the bookshelves and will likely continue to become more popular. After all, we’ll always be interested in the most famous among us.
- Business and Money
One thing that people will always want more of? Money. That’s the simple truth of the matter. And people will always seek help from more experienced people when running a business. So you can count on this category sticking around.
- Self Help
Following Covid-19 times, self-help books are bigger than ever. And studies show that. In fact, the number of self-help books nearly tripled between 2013 and 2019, reaching 85,000.
- Cookbooks, food and wine
Who doesn’t love food? If anyone, they must live outside of the U.S. because we’re more crazed than ever. Cookbook sales have increased by over 42 percent since 2020, and they’re still continuing their rampage on the market. Overall, 21 million cookbooks were sold in 2021 alone.
What E-Books Make the Most Money?
Unsurprisingly, the most popular and most profitable variety of e-books is fiction. After all, who doesn’t like to read a good story about dragons or vampires and the fate of the world? Or a girl with dragon tattoos? No matter who you are, young or old, there’s something under the fiction umbrella that can catch your attention.
And that’s your competition as you’re creating your e-book.
Unlike the e-book you have in development, fiction e-books don’t rely on facts and figures. They use words and the reader’s imagination to build worlds. To beat those e-books, you have to provide tremendous quality to your audience.
If you need help with any part of this process, we want to help you.
Those of us at Business Marketing Engine understand the e-book environment and know how to make yours a best seller. We can help you build your e-book from start to finish.
And then, we can track down your desired audience and craft content that will strike the right cord with them. From A to Z, we’ll support you and your e-book dreams.
For more information on how Business Marketing Engine can help create a high-quality e-book, contact us today.