Ebooks are a great way to create shareable content that can entice others, which is why they are a great addition to any concrete marketing strategy. But why does this tactic work? Because creating great content really is the best way to generate leads. So it’s definitely something that you can use to your advantage. Now stepping aside from ebooks for just a second, content can come in a variety of forms. Like blog posts, YouTube videos or informative e-letter campaigns.
Surely most of you are familiar with those types of content. So why choose an eBook? What makes them better than blog posts or videos? Ebooks are definitely worth looking into. Besides creating more content=more awareness. The bonus of eBooks is that they are downloadable. So instead of feeling like another blog post in the sea of blog posts, an eBook can feel even more valuable to your prospects.
But what does that mean for brands? Whenever you use eBooks as a lead generation tool, you can offer users a chance to get something of value in exchange for their contact information. Plus, writing an eBook also gives you the perfect chance to show others that you are an authority on a particular subject. This is something that comes off a little stronger than with a blog post.
Ebooks have become pretty popular and the perceived value of eBooks have made them a top favorite amongst online marketers. And for the immediate future, it’s safe to say that eBooks should really be a part of your content marketing strategy. Below are three ways in which you can use eBooks to generate more leads, drive revenue for your brand, and earn more traffic. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Nowadays you need to truly focus on creating a brand with trust and authority. This is an integral building block of any strategy because a recent study suggests that 63% of customers would only buy from a brand they viewed as being authentic. 63% is a pretty big statistic to ignore, so showing them that you ARE an authority in an absolute must.
One of the best ways to do this is to create an eBook on a subject that your users/prospects actually care about. You also need to make sure that your content answers their questions and concerns in a creative and engaging way. Honestly, that might seem a little difficult but there are things you can take into consideration…
And if you’re really stuck and can’t think of a single subject for your eBook, take some time to search for topics on Buzzsumo. The goal is to find topics that your competitors haven’t written about yet. Think of this step as a reconnaissance mission. One that will help steer you in a direction that will garner actual results that you can work with.
When it comes to writing an eBook, there are two areas you need to focus on:
Now that we’ve discussed the two areas you need to focus on, let’s talk a little bit more about the different types of CTA’s.
The language you can use a way for someone to take action, read more, see why, check out, explore and discover. Below you’ll find several different ways to encourage your followers to learn more, share your content, share what they think and take action.
Action #1 – Learn More and when to use it:
Specific Language: Read more, See why, Check out, Explore and Discover.
Action #2 – Share Content and when to use it:
Specific Language: Retweet/share, Tell your friends and Spread the word
Action #3 – Share What They Think and when to use it:
Specific Language: Tweet your thoughts with hashtag #, tell us what you think in the comments below, share your story, we want to know what/why, tell us and we’ll retweet.
Now that Google uses mobile-first indexing there’s A LOT of value in short and medium length blog posts. However, users tend to like more complex topics to be longer, than shorter. In fact, Neil Patel states that 1500 to 3000+ word blog posts drive more traffic. And, as a result, more conversions. So the proof is in the pudding – users want their content to be more detailed and jam-packed with value.
Creating an eBook that’s properly built around the theme of your marketing campaign is the perfect chance to have a resource that you can use over time to repurpose content. Seriously you can take the most relevant chapters from your eBook and use them to create a variety of content. Like blog posts, e-letters, videos, infographics, even podcasts. It’s the ultimate way to drive engagement, generate leads, and produce conversions without the extra effort.
Obviously, when you use your eBook as fodder for other types of content you’ll want to tweak it. But this takes a lot less time than starting from scratch. And another bonus is that you can cross promote that eBook while promoting your other content!
Since you’re asking users to share their email addresses in exchange for your eBook, you can really beef up your email list. P.S. Social media is another great way to grow your email list. But a highly targeted email list can help you effectively communicate with your audience. And even though it can be hard to build your list of contacts from scratch, an eBook makes it easier for users to hand over their details.
A recent study shows that email marketing produces the best ROI of any marketing channel. And building a healthy list will lead to more conversions.
Promoting your eBook on social media is another surefire way to encourage your audience to opt-in. Why? Because 92% of consumers trust the recommendations of their peers over regular online ads. When you promote your eBook on social media it builds social proof that creates trust and inspires people to get your content.
When it comes to improving your content marketing, you should focus on the bones of your brand. You need to build brand awareness in order to drive more conversions and creating an eBook will do just that! They can really be the most integral part of your content marketing campaign and for good reason. Not only does it build authority, but it creates a resource that you can use many times over.
And when you add in social media and other types of content, your eBook can grow into a powerful lead generation tool.
