Even though people are still in love with traditional cover-to-cover books, it doesn’t mean they’re not reading other mediums. In fact, electronic books, typically just referred to as eBooks, have picked up quite the following. In early 2016, there were over 5 million eBooks on Kindle alone. Other than the fact that people love them, there are also a variety of benefits to using eBooks as a marketing tool.
Easy to Repurpose Content
One of the best business benefits of eBooks is the fact that the content can easily be repurposed. A 20-page eBook that touches on several issues can quickly be turned into dozens of short blogs. The best part is that many anyone can write these eBooks and follow-up blogs with just a few simple directions.
eBooks Create Thought Leaders
Anyone can go toss a 300-word blog up on their website, but an eBook takes time, knowledge and authority. When consumers see that a company has written an extensive eBook on a certain topic, that business suddenly becomes an authoritative thought leader in the industry.
Local business owners shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking “extensive” means super long. The focus should be to simply get the point across. There are very successful 5-page eBooks out there, and there are very successful 150-page eBooks. Business owners should find what works for them.
Allows for Use of Content Gateways
Most people have seen a content gateway before. It’s what pops up and says, “Please enter your email address to view this content.” This typically just makes people mad – especially if similar content is readily available online with no conditions.
The work that goes into an eBook, however, makes using a content gateway acceptable. People are more willing to hand over their email address when they feel they’re receiving more value.
The benefits of eBooks for businesses are numerous, but a company must first figure out which direction they want to go. After researching what information their customers are looking for, an eBook can do great things for an entrepreneur.