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The basics of ebook marketing

It goes without say that the eBook is a fast growing phenomenon in the publishing world, yet one that has long been frowned upon by traditional publishing houses. The idea that a book can be published entirely online has become more widely accepted in commercial terms since the arrival of the Amazon Kindle book-reader and its many imitators – as well as the Apple iPad – and more people than ever before are turning to books read through these mediums. However, there are still mistakes made in eBook marketing, many of them basic and easy to overcome, so let’s have a look at the basics of eBook marketing.

It’s easier to publish an eBook than you think

Many people have great ideas and yet remain afraid of the perils of the digital age. They see the process of publishing an eBook as complex. Our advice is that it’s better to dip your toe into this area rather than get scared by trying to convert all your titles at once.

If you have a hunch that a certain range of titles will sell well in eBook format then this may be all you need to get started. eBook conversion can cost as little as £100 a title for a well done conversion.

Use Digital Marketing

One mistake publishers can make is to publish and then sit back and wait for sales. In traditional publishing you rely on your bookseller and distributor to do the hard work in terms of getting the product visible, of course alongside traditional methods such as book launches, press etc. However with eBooks it doesn’t work like that, and like all products an element of marketing is involved.  Thanks to the rise of social networking you can market your book through your friends on Facebook, followers on Twitter, and even create a blog that talks about your publications. Remember to give readers something they are interested in reading, and you are half way to getting a foot in the door.

Don’t Listen to the Nay-Sayers

In all walks of life you are bound to find a degree of negativity when you come up with a radical idea, but the fact is publishing an eBook is no longer radical at all. In fact, compared to the growth in traditional book publishing the online world is storming ahead, with the number of eBooks published each year increasing at the moment by as much as 40%. People are enjoying the ability to sit back, switch on their digital reader and choose their reading matter, and it is one of the main tenets of eBook marketing that you remain positive and forge ahead.

Have Patience

The old saying goes that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and likewise you are unlikely to see immediate sales when your eBook is published in the stores on Amazon and Apple. However, with careful consideration and clever use of your publicity methods you may see results in a relatively short time. Remember, not all eBooks are successful, and when it comes to the best sales, the major sellers are those that offer the buyer something they want.

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Measuring Social Media Return on Investment

The growing use of the popular social media sites as business and marketing tools is something that is very much a 21st century phenomenon, and yet research has revealed that many companies do not pay attention to the art of measuring Social Media ROI. The importance of understanding how well your campaigns are performing cannot be overstated, for there is much to be said in this fast moving environment for keeping up with current trends.

The Popular Sites and their Benefits

Those who already use social media in business will be aware of the growth of Twitter as a usable and powerful tool. Indeed, some users have reported as much as  400% growth in the use of Twitter as a marketing tool – they use it for announcing new products and deals – and yet over 50% of companies who use it admitted when asked that they did not know what the Social Media ROI on sites like this amounted to.

Furthermore, some companies continue to believe that the likes of Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn offer little or no return on investment, a worrying point when considering the marketing budget!

There is no doubt that there is a real Social Media ROI associated with these sites, and while it is not as straightforward to measure as other marketing methods it is possible to get an idea of how your involvement is helping your company.

A New Outlook

Change is something that industry and commerce needs to be able to cope with, especially in the fast moving world of Social Media and internet usage, and this is why it may be easier to measure Social Media ROI by taking a fresh look at the results.

Think of it as a multi-faceted tool that can operate in many different ways. For instance, by posting comments on Twitter and announcements on Facebook you are looking to engage your potential customer in an online ‘conversation’ in order to get them interested in your product. It is simple to measure how much time is spent on this against how many leads are converted.

It is also possible to measure customer loyalty – how many of your Facebook ‘friends’ use your services regularly – and also the level of satisfaction they have with your company. All of this is viable Social Media ROI, but the bottom line is still about how much you get back for the investment.

Time and Money

The main benefit of the social media sites is that a lot of the work is already done for you. It is simple to set up a Facebook page or Twitter account and it is easy to have someone dedicate some time each day to keeping things updated. This is the crux of Social Media ROI – you need to keep your readers interested, and the same applies to corporate blogs.

The ultimate measure of Social Media ROI comes in the form of how much extra business you gain from having a presence on the social media networks, and in analysing this you can gain information that is relevant to your future performance.

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Great news from Amazon for illustrated non fiction publishers

On Friday Amazon announced that their new Kindle Fire will read the latest Kindle Format 8 files which will support HTML5. This ebook format will be rolled out across the Amazon range of new devices over the next few months.

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This is a development on the previous information we had from Amazon which said the new Kindle Fire would read the existing .mobi format when launched.

This announcement is exciting news for illustrated non fiction publishers as now it will be possible for Kindle Fire ebooks to have similar capabilities as ebooks within iBooks on the ipad. i.e. fixed layout, animation, interactivity and so on.

Publisher’s which have signed up to the Amazon agency agreement will be pleased to see this development as they have been somewhat restricted in developing enhanced content because it would not have be accessible on the old Kindles.

Now Publishers can develop high quality illustrated ebooks with enhanced features and make these available on Amazon and also on the iStore.

We are waiting to hear from Amazon on how they plan to manage the new format along side their existing customer base on the old format. Amazon have stated they will not expect publishers to upload two versions of the same file and instead they will provide anupdated version of their KindleGen software which will convert to different formats.

Find out more here.

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Case Study: Crowood Press eCommerce website development

Publishers, Crowood Press already had an eCommerce website that worked functionally, but they required it freshening and also required additional updating functionality. The aims were simple, create a new website that showcased their titles more effectively, allow them to manage and update the site easily and increase visits using Search Engine Optimisation techniques.

The old functional, Crowood Press website above with the new stylised, search engine optimised, easily updatable Crowood Press website below.

Using our eCommerce platform we were able to develop a cost effective website that ticked all their required boxes. Since go live traffic non-paid driven through the search engines has grown by 405%, the site is being updated regularly by technical and non technical staff and it now reflects a modern image.

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Case Study: Collins Ramblers Guides eBooks for Kindle and Apple Devices.

We are delighted to have finished work on the first 5 eBook conversions for the Collins Ramblers series. They are now available to purchase in both the Amazon Kindle Store and through the iTunes store.

The requirement from Collins was to produce the eBooks to have additional functionality for Apple iOS devices (iPhone / iPad) but they must also be downward compatible with the Kindle.

For iOS devices we were able to use elements of HTML5 and CSS3 to keep some design essence of the original book intact. Additionally we were able to provide mapping functionality to send the reader to relevant walks straight from location makers on the overview mapping. All whilst at the same time making the title work perfectly with the differing Kindle functionality.

ePub conversion for iBookstore

An alternative route for Collins Ramblers eBooks could have been to produce two different versions of the eBooks, one for iOS devices and a simpler version for the Kindle. Using the EPUB technology (that iOS devices read) this would have allowed;

  • even greater likeness in design to the original book
  • further features to be added to the mapping content such as GPS locator technology
  • other interactive elements to be added such as links to internet, video, sound, photo slide shows etc.

Through the feedback we’ve received from Sheena Barclay, Managing Director, Collins Geo, some of this enhanced functionality may well be coming to their eBooks soon.

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