10 Tips to Prepare an Ebook to Offer Your Blog Readers | Loving Christ

10 Tips to Prepare an Ebook to Offer Your Blog Readers

 

Having an email incentive opt-in helps grow your email list. We all want that, right? While a blogger has many options to offer, a well-planned and well-written ebook provides great value. As a faith blogger, you can write ebooks on daily life with Christ, sharing your testimony, devotionals, grace, forgiveness, bible study, Sunday school lessons, crafts, etc. You might think of a million other ideas to write about as well.

You may also eventually want to offer your ebooks for sale, and I’ll write more about that in a later post. For now, let’s get started getting your words ready to offer your readers and grow your list.

 

To prepare an ebook opt-in incentive and ensure it offers the absolute best information for your readers PLUS keeps them wanting more, cover each of these ten tasks:

1. Research the market. Is there a need for what you’re offering?

Check out blogging groups, create a free survey in Google Forms, and see what readers are asking for.

2. Narrow your focus.

While it’s tempting to write out everything you know about every aspect of your topic, most readers want specific, actionable information they can use.

3. Create an attractive, compelling cover.

While we shouldn’t judge people by their exterior, the truth is we DO judge a book by its cover. Make sure yours looks professional, crisp, and inviting.

4. Format with 12-14 font, use short paragraphs, and leave lots of white space.

If a reader feels overwhelmed by the thought of reading your words, they aren’t going to come back for more. The content may be the best info. our there, but if it’s too difficult to read it won’t matter.

5. Edit carefully for all grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors.

Nothing says amateur like a poorly written ebook. You should edit and have AT LEAST one other person edit…and not always your best friend or your spouse or your mom. Their critical eye might be blinded by their love for you.

6. Revise content for cohesiveness. Does it all make sense?

Just because we know in our heads what we meant to say doesn’t mean the reader will know. Be sure information is clear and easy to follow.

7. Create images in PicMonkey (or any online image editor) for promotion.

Well designed images attract readers. PicMonkey and Canva provide multiple free tools to use to create ads.

8. Save it as a PDF.

PDF files allow people to open and read them even if they don’t have the original program you wrote the ebook in. For example, I write mine in Microsoft Word, but not everyone has Word. If I offered a Word document, many of my readers would be left out.

9. Write a blog post featuring your ebook opt-in.

It’s not enough to simply stick a widget on your sidebar. Write a post sharing information about the ebook and why it will provide value to your reader.

10. Promote the post on all social media channels.

Promote, promote, promote. Enough said on that!

As a reader, I always appreciate when a blogger goes above and beyond with their opt-ins. Give me more, tell me more, show me more. Ebooks, when they’re written and presented well, provide such value. 

Building a solid email list with readers who crave more from you will be the heart of your blog. Offer quality content and meet their needs, and you’ll find fans for life!

Grab this download of the checklist to keep by your side while you prepare your ebook to be the best opt-in ever! Let me know how it goes!

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