7 Must-Have eBook Features for Every Publisher
A recent study reports that the eBook market amounts to $15,740 million and is expected to show an annual growth rate of 4.2% (CAGR 2020-2024), resulting in a market volume of $18,533 million by 2024.
This exponential growth is a result of all the various interactive eBook features that are on offer and the engagement they create. Traditional print media can never compete with them.
Therefore, publishers should leverage technology and new eBook specifications that will help them deliver a gratifying experience to the readers.
Through this blog, let us see the various eBook features that make a good eBook, the best –
Top 7 eBook Features to Make the Best eBook -
1. A Captivating Cover & Notable Title
People will always judge your eBook by its cover. Studies show that it takes a user mere 50 milliseconds to subconsciously form an opinion about your eBook based on the visual appeal. As a publisher, you should take less than 50ms to understand the importance of a visually attractive cover page that resonates with your content.
Remember, the first impression lasts!
The eBook title is your identity, make sure it’s noteworthy. Readers are more skewed towards action-based titles that convey the value of your content. Numbers work wonders as well.
Which title intrigues you more – ‘How to build cost-effective blended learning solutions’ OR ‘5 pro-tips to build cost-effective blended learning solutions’?
Related Read: How to Deliver Blended Learning Courses Effectively
2. Content – Relevant, Reliable, Reflowable, Interactive
“Content builds relationships. Relationships are built on trust. Trust drives revenue.” – Andrew Davis
Curating content that justifies your audience’s time keeps the readers intrigued. Like all successful relationships, trust should prevail amongst your readers too. Reliable content calls for extensive research. The provision of statistics and data can help.
Your readers possess complete freedom to choose any device to read on and thus reflowable content comes in handy. You surely don’t want your content to be cursed with readability problems just because it can’t adjust itself efficiently to the changing screens and devices.
Also Read: Reflowable Vs Fixed Layout
Interactive elements add another dimension to the content that encourages the active participation of the readers. It is by far the best way to deliver engaging, educational, differentiated content experiences. A picture is worth a thousand words; a video, a million! An eBook rich with graphical and interactive content makes a permanent home in the reader’s mind.
It’s not a question of whether you should use interactive content but rather how soon you should start.
3. Keyword-rich eBook Description
The eBook description is your pitch to the readers about why it is worth their time and money. An apt description will interest the reader and thus, eventually contribute to sales. A compelling description highlights the boldest claims and ideas in the eBook. Simply articulate the situation your readers are in and how the eBook will help them emerge with a solution. Be clear about the benefits of the eBook.
4. DRM Protection
Digital Rights Management (DRM) adds an extra layer of protection to the eBooks. Every time an eBook is shared, the publisher loses revenue because people choose to share over buying the eBook. A DRM protected eBook doesn’t succumb to this piracy and thus helps you prevent revenue loss. With DRM protected eBooks you can significantly increase your ROI by ensuring you get paid for your intellectual property rather than losing it.
Know More About: eBook DRM and why do publishers need it.
5. Embedded Links
Embedded links are the best way to extend readership with your readers beyond the eBook. Providing links to other content will keep your readers engaged. You can make more comprehensive material available at their fingertips without cluttering up the eBook. This is also a smooth way to further inform the reader about your company’s products and services.
External links show that your content is reliable and curated through extensive research. Link building strategy is the easiest way to get indexed in the search results quickly as you also receive traffic from other websites linked to you.
Suggested Read: 7 Effective Ways to Combat eBook Piracy in Publishing
6. ePUB Format Support
ePUB format has been developed and is maintained by International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) and is supported by the Book Industry Study. The latest version is ePUB3. It is a dynamic format and is supported by technologies such as HTML5 and CSS3, which make it possible to hyperlink content with internal and external references. eBook features like gamification and simulation are used to liven up the content. All this is not possible with the content in PDF format. This calls for the conversion of your content from PDF to ePUB.
Check Our New Tool – Convert your Fixed PDF / InDesign to Dynamic Content – Instantly!
7. Content Skeleton
All your eBook features should aim to make the reader’s life easy. Providing a detailed structure of the eBook content helps them decide which part they wish to skim through, and in which order. It saves time and provides flexible navigation through the content. If readers have to scroll through the entire eBook to find what they are looking for, they are bound to get frustrated and a frustrated reader will never lead to sales.
Guide:
How to Automate PDF to ePub3 Conversion
Other Discreet But Important eBook Features
It’s the attention to detail that separates the good from the best. Some eBook features are discreet, yet prove to be the vital cog in aiding reader experience.
- Universal Search: Users will be able to search any portion of the content through keywords.
- Recently Viewed: Helps readers keep track of their movements and revisit the content.
- Bookmark/Favorite: Users can mark their favorite content portions in the eBook.
- Notes: Users can create and save annotations about the content.
Conclusion
You can easily turn your eBook into a revenue-generating machine. The key being – effective use of the eBook features to stand out in the digital world. An eBook that adds value to the reader’s time is most likely to increase sales and generate revenues. Remember, an eBook is your way of reaching your readers in a digital world. Make it as entertaining and captivating as possible.
Contact our expert team now and get started!
To know more, please write to us at kitaboo@hurix.com
Suggested Reads:
- How to Identify the Best eBook Conversion Services
- 9 Best Cross-Platform eBook Readers
- How to Distribute ebooks on Online Platforms
- Best Practices in Publishing & Distributing eBooks at Scale
- Best eBook Publishing Strategies Every Publisher Must Know!
- How to Select the Best Digital Publishing Platform
- Free Publishing Sites for Independent Publishing
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