Ample data from various studies reveal that content marketing is six times more powerful than our good-old traditional marketing methods.
Not to forget, content marketing significantly surpasses paid search; experts have shown that content marketing efforts generate about three times more leads for every dollar spent.
So, you certainly need to have a robust content marketing strategy in place to be able to thrive in this dynamic and highly competitive online landscape.
If you have delved into content, then you may have seen that there are so many different types of it that you can create to support your online marketing efforts. There are videos, blogs and articles, whitepapers, and so many other formats out there. Leveraging them in the right proportion is crucial, but what’s more important is to fold in another type of content – eBooks.
As a part of your arsenal of online marketing tools, an eBook proves its worth as an incredible marketing tool. The number of users in the eBooks domain is expected to reach 1,112.4m by 2023. That’s a huge number, isn’t it?
Let’s take you through some of the major reasons why eBooks are a must-have for your content marketing strategy:
1. The high perceived value of eBooks
Keyword-optimised articles and blog posts are great in the place as content marketing methods, but there’s something that gives e-books an edge over these content formats, and that’s perceived value. Articles and blog posts store a wealth of valuable information for your website visitors, but people are craving for more.
In exchange for the information, an e-book encourages your readers to give you something. It can boost your product demo sign-ups and email subscribers, or just take you closer to any marketing objective you have. E-books strike a fair deal with your readers, filling them with instant gratification as you give them an offer that’s downloadable at the click of a mouse.
2. eBooks showcase your expertise
About 84% of buyers frequently or occasionally read business-related content on their smartphone. It can be in the form of blogs, articles, webinars, annual reports, case studies and infographics. Almost 50% marketers, according to a survey, feature at least one e-book on their company’s website, thereby clearly proving that e-books are the centrepiece for capturing leads.
The primary benefit of including eBooks in your content marketing strategy is that it boosts your online reputation. These type of content can position you as an industry leader and build the trust of your readers who resort to your website to solve their problems. When an eBook is a part of your offerings to your readers, they find that your eBook is aptly on the problem they are facing—something that will help solidify your status as a trustworthy industry expert.
3. You can save an unbelievable amount of time
Creating eBooks doesn’t mean you have to dedicate whopping man-hours – you can use an eBook template. The real challenge is finding topics for a few topics to cover, after which your eBook content will be ready for distribution in a matter of weeks, unlike traditionally printed materials that take many months.
But ideating the content for eBooks shouldn’t be a daunting task if you have a series of articles, blog posts and infographics on the subject ready. Your job will be to tweak the information to fit in the format of a book. You can even compile whitepapers and convert them into eBooks. So, just get a writer on-board and start crafting some interesting eBooks to strike a chord with your readers.
4. eBooks are very interactive
Readers look for connections, something that makes them feel valued. Your eBooks should do the same. Irrespective of your niche and subject matter, eBooks can “talk” to your readers, as if a real human is speaking to them. The problems listed in your eBooks are relatable to your readers, giving them a greater sense of value after spending time reading your content.
One reason why eBooks are beneficial to today’s businesses is their ability to provide clickable links. With an eBook, you can build better relations with your readers and request them to provide their feedback or simply comment on your post. It enhances your user’s experience while increasing the reach of your content.
So, it becomes clear that eBooks are an invaluable marketing tool that lets you cater to a huge fraternity of people who could be converted to actual customers. You must certainly get an expert helping you with the creation process and get the best results by marketing them.
Feature Image Credits: Pexels
Author Bio:
Aashish Sarma is a content strategist specializing social media and content marketing. Writing, travel, music, and socializing are hobbies that he pursues whole-heartedly.