Top 10 Common FAQs Related to Distributing eBooks Online

Amidst the growing culture of digitality and technological advancement, eBooks have become highly popular. eBooks online are changing the way content is consumed. They play a crucial role in transforming a business’s reputation.

eBooks have the ability to establish a business as an authority in the field of their work. They also help target marketing efforts and expand the customer base. 

However, not every business has harnessed this potential yet. Often, it’s due to a lack of clarity on the process of distributing eBooks. The good news is, it’s not that complicated. 

In this article, we’ll answer a few FAQs that will give you the confidence to use eBook distribution services with ease.

Here’s what’s in store for you.

Table of Contents 

• An Overview

1. What is an eBook distribution platform, and why should a business use it?
2. What kind of eBooks can be distributed online through an eBook distribution platform?
3. Do eBook online services protect content from piracy?
4. What kind of analytics do these distribution platforms provide?
5. What kind of branding opportunities do these platforms offer? 

• The Technicalities

1. What file formats are supported by eBook distribution platforms?
2. Which is the best format to use while distributing eBooks online?
3. Is an ISBN required to distribute eBooks via a platform? 
4. What else does one have to do while distributing an eBook via a platform?
5. How should one decide on the pricing of the eBook? 

• Closing Thoughts

An eBook distribution platform is an online space, designed specifically to share your eBook with as many readers as possible. While it is possible to share your eBook on your own website or platform, using a distribution platform comes with certain added advantages such as: 

• More convenient publishing and distribution
• Marketing and advertising support
• Higher reach and engagement
• Easy integration with other platforms

  Depending on the distribution platform chosen, one might have access to other value-added services like multilingual publishing and user analytics.

eBooks come in all shapes and sizes. A business could choose to share case studies, opinions, guides, industry insights and so on. Irrespective of the topic chosen, an eBook usually contains multimedia elements. 

A good eBook service will be able to distribute any kind of eBook regardless of the content within it.

Copyright laws by default protect the eBook the moment it has been created. However, a distribution platform might have additional features to help prevent piracy. These will vary from platform-to-platform.

Here are a few features you could implement yourself or look for in the platform you choose:

• The use of Digital Rights Management (DRM)
• Watermarking the eBook
• Including a copyright notice
• Adding pass codes and access permissions

Every business runs on numbers. Therefore, it is only fair that you’d want to know the numbers related to your eBook distribution efforts. These could include insights on user behavior, content engagement, traffic sources, sales figures and so on.  

eBook distribution platforms provide these insights through dashboards and reports.    You will need to find a platform that gives you information relevant to your business needs. However, if you’re not entirely sure what insights you require, choose a platform that gives you a good range of analytics.

While most platforms won’t specifically change anything to your eBook, as a brand you will usually be sharing your visual space with the chosen distributing platform. However, that is not always the case. 

A number of platforms allow you to customize the entire appearance. These white-label distributing platforms can help you establish a strong brand presence.

The most common formats supported by eBook distribution platforms are EPUB, MOBI, PDF, AZW, iBooks, and HTML.

However, it is important to note that some platforms may have specific requirements or restrictions on the formats they accept.

EPUB is generally the most widely supported format. This is because it:

• Is an open standard format that can be easily converted to other formats
• Allows for reflowable texts and scalable images
• Enhances the overall reading experience

Other eBook formats are less commonly used for distribution as they cannot always be optimized for different reading devices and platforms. However, there are also other platforms that can convert your eBook into the desired format.

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a unique number assigned to every different edition or format of a book. Currently, it is a 13-digit number.

Whether an ISBN is required to distribute your eBook will depend on the distribution platform.

Some platforms require an ISBN for eBooks, while others do not. For instance, Amazon Kindle does not require an ISBN, whereas Apple iBooks requires an ISBN.

The process of uploading your eBook to an eBook publishing platform could involve some or all of these steps:

• Create your eBook 
• Proofread and format your eBook
• Create an account with your preferred eBook distribution platform
• Upload your eBook
• Wait for approval
• Publish and promote

You can also choose which steps you would need additional help with. For example, proofreading can be out-sourced to a professional agency. 

Although eBooks can be used as an alternate revenue stream for businesses, the price point depends on your objectives. Often businesses offer eBooks for free, in order to build a mailing list and sell their primary products and services.

Some businesses also choose to offer parts of the eBook for free, encouraging interested customers to pay for the entire material.

Those who charge for the complete eBook from the start, ensure that their content is completely unique to them. In this case the customer should not have access to the content from any other source whatsoever. 

Apart from the pricing model one chooses to go with, the actual cost of the eBook will also be determined by factors such as its length, the value it adds, and of course market conditions.

Ideally by now you should be more comfortable with the thought of using online eBook distribution services to distribute an eBook for your business. All you need to do now is choose the right corporate digital publishing solution to partner with. 

We suggest a platform like KITABOO as it can help with every stage of your publishing efforts including creating, publishing and distributing your eBooks.    

To know more about how we can help through your eBook distribution process, write to us at KITABOO@hurix.com.