The eBook concept has been around for long enough for most of us to know what they are and how to use them. But, if you are looking to write an eBook to make money, then there are a few critical things that you need to know.
The Demographics Of Digital Readers
The first thing you need to do to be able to sell a profitable eBook is to figure out who your target audience is. Nowadays, there is no single answer to this question as it depends on several factors such as your genre, how much money you are willing to spend on content development, and the level of technology that your envisioned readers use.
In general, for a technical book aimed at developers, you need to have a decent understanding of what types of technologies they are using and how they are using them. In this case, you will probably end up with a more conventional demographic of mostly men in their 20s to 30s who are either starting their own web development companies or working for one.
Decide On A Niche
Even if you can write the best eBook ever, it won’t mean much if no one is buying them. As a general rule, the more obscure your niche, the more potential buyers you will have. This is because, often, people are not aware of your product or service and do not know how else they can find it if they are interested in your niche. In case your niche is not well-established, you can use niche marketing to gain some momentum before you launch your eBook. When choosing your niche, make sure that there is enough demand for your product in your chosen niche. Otherwise, you are just throwing your money away. For example, if you are writing a travel guide and your chosen niche is museums, you might want to consider focusing on a specific city or country to give your eBook some local flavor.
Build An Established Brand
One of the best ways to make money from an eBook is to build an established brand. People who bought a certain brand of car, tablet, or phone usually also buy other products and services related to the same brand. This is why it is important to have a recognizable brand name even if you do not have any physical products to market. If you can build a brand for your eBook, you can be sure that people will be looking for your products even if they are not specifically related to your niche. Think of well-known brands like Apple or IBM and you will have an idea of what we mean by an established brand. When choosing your brand name, make sure that it is relatively easy to pronounce and has a memorable and attractive logo.
Know Your Audience
The success of any product, eBook included, relies on you knowing your audience. More specifically, you need to know what they want and need so that you can provide it to them. This is especially important if you are trying to write an eBook for profit rather than just as a creative outlet. Your audience should be able to find what they want easily. If they cannot find it easily, then you are doing your job wrong. Having a clearly defined target audience will also help you gauge the potential sales of your eBook. Knowing exactly who your audience is and what they want will help you choose the right marketing channel and approach to grow your business.
Create A Good Narrative
An eBook’s narrative is its story. This is what draws the reader in and keeps them interested. A good narrative can take several forms but is usually a combination of the following:
- A compelling character or characters – Who are these people you are writing about? What do they want? Why do they matter to you and your readers?
- An emotional connection – Readers can connect with the characters easily if they feel some commonality or shared experience with them. If you can establish an emotional connection between your characters, then you can engage your readers better and make them care more about what happens to your characters. This in turn will make them more interested in your work and what you have to say. Show, don’t tell. For instance, if you are writing about web design, don’t just talk about web design, show how web design can improve a person’s life or how it has changed over the years from what it was like in the good old days.
- A setting that is vivid and believable – The setting of your story is as important as the people in it. If you can give your reader a vivid and believable environment, then they will be able to picture themselves there. This will make the narrative more real to them and increase the chances of them being interested in the story you are telling.
- A tension or conflict – People love a good conflict. It is usually a battle of wills between two or more characters which ultimately proves to be the driving force behind the story. You can use several methods to create a conflict such as making one of the characters self-serving or having them want something that the other character objects to. You should strive to make the conflict credible and gripping. If you can maintain a steady tension throughout the story, your reader will be able to follow your narrative and stay hooked to the end.
- An ending that justifies the story – Every story needs an ending, it is just a question of when to give it. The ending to your story should tie up all the loose ends and leave your reader feeling satisfied and enlightened. Even if your reader does not necessarily agree with what you believe to be true, they should be able to see how your ending makes sense in light of everything that has happened. This sense of completion is important so that your reader does not feel cheated or misled by the information you have presented to them. In conclusion, an eBook’s narrative should show the audience who your characters are, what they want, and how you intend to get it.
As you can see, there are several different aspects that you need to look at when trying to write an eBook that will sell. But if you truly want to write an eBook that will make money, then these are the things that you need to focus on. More than anything else, you need to know your target audience so that you can choose the right marketing channel and approach for growth. With your target audience in mind, you can craft an effective narrative that will engage your readers and make them want more. Good luck!