Are eBook Devices Changing the Digital Publishing Industry, or is it eBooks?

One of the key reasons eBooks are popular today is eReaders or eBook devices, that are specifically developed for reading and storing eBooks. Simply put, an eReader is a handheld device for reading eBooks.

Today, the publishing industry is witnessing a new trend where an increasing number of people are reading books online, and the demand for printed books is constantly declining. This is mainly because the advantages of this trend outweigh its drawbacks.

For instance, the space required for storing eBooks is significantly less (CDs or pen drives) than the space needed for storing printed books. Another advantage is the eco-friendliness and hassle-free process of buying and downloading eBooks online. Some of the most popular eReader devices available today include Amazon’s Kindle, Barne & Noble’s Nook, and Rauketen’s Kobo.

This leads us to an important question of whether eBook devices are changing the publishing industry or is it eBooks? Let’s explore all about this in this blog.

Digital publishing, also known as electronic or online publishing, is the process of distribution of an ever-growing number of publications, such as eBooks, catalogs, and journals. The process makes use of technology to digitize otherwise printable documents. It then converts these documents into a format that is not only easy to access through various devices but can also be distributed easily to eBook devices/readers.

From the publisher’s point of view, there are several benefits of digital publishing compared to traditional publication methods. As discussed in the next section, it provides an entirely new dimension for promoting the business for publishers with multiple perks.

Typically, the design process for a printed textbook can be anywhere between 1- 2 years involving multiple stakeholders such as agents, editors, and publishers. On the contrary, for a digital publishing platform or for eBooks, publishers can get their work to reach readers in a couple of weeks without wasting any time. 

Reduced costs are another obvious advantage. Digital publishing eliminates multiple cost heads, including paper costs, printing costs, and shipping costs. eBooks can reduce the overall expense of publishing significantly.

Another advantage of eBooks or digital publishing is the number of people you can reach. With print publications, the circulation is quite limited as production and shipping costs largely determine how many people publishers can reach. With digital, however, the audience reach is virtually unlimited.

With print publications, publishers tend to limit the type of content (text and photos) they can provide. With eBooks or digital publications, publishers can integrate various creative and interactive elements. Whether it is interactive polls, videos, games, or anything else, the possibilities are limitless.

In the next section, we will list some of the other reasons which make it essential for traditional publishers to switch to digital eBooks.

Also Read: Why experts feel eBooks are better than traditional books?

Although digital publishing is gaining a lot of momentum today, not every publisher is convinced about why they should pick it over the traditional print version. This section helps you understand the numerous advantages of digital publishing.

By choosing an eBook or digital publishing platform, publishers can offer their readers much more than just a regular printed book. While there may be plenty of reasons to go digital for publishers, some of the most pressing ones are listed below- 

One of the benefits of switching to digital publishing is that it allows you to leverage the benefits of multimedia. Several multimedia elements such as animation, audio, video clips, graphics, music, or expandable photos can help elevate the quality of the digital publication, illustrate the textual content more effectively, and enhance the overall reading experience.

With digital publishing, publishers get the opportunity to negotiate various aspects such as royalties, electronic publishing and print rights, advertising, contract duration, design input, and more to benefit both parties. Further, publishers can also involve the authors in creating their eBooks and ensure that the final digital product meets their expectations. 

Another reason for publishers to go digital is that digital publishing enables to find them the patterns of distribution. It allows them to see how many users have accessed and downloaded the eBook. It’s a great way to track the numbers and get correct data on distribution and consumption.

Unlike the traditional publishing method that includes the time-consuming process of keying manuscripts and preparing them for printing, creating an eBook allows publishers to create content directly on a digital platform. Further, they also get the freedom to design cover page illustrations, add HTML, interactivities, drag and drop elements, and much more quickly through a digital publishing platform.

Also Read: 8 Best eBook Creation Software

Publishing is an ever-evolving landscape that can sometimes be quite unpredictable to gauge. However, the shift from traditional book publishing to eBook or digital publishing has followed the recent digitization trend. It is especially beneficial for readers as they don’t have to search through several pages to find what they need.

With various search functions in eBook devices, they can easily find what they need. Further, eBook readers allow authors to edit their manuscripts through the search function easily. The eBook reader can also store multiple eBooks and other similar e-publications for easy portability; you can easily access them using your eBook device anywhere.

As technology advances and new norms come into existence, how readers find and interact with digital content will also evolve. It’s an inevitable part of any digital publishing strategy. The ideal way to embrace these changes is to stay flexible, ensure that you are keeping up with the recent publishing trends, and integrate a consistently competitive digital strategy.