Steps To Make An eBook

Want to generate more followers?

One of the most effective ways to generate more followers is to provide them a handful of information that’s useful (of value) to fix or improve a particular aspect of their lives.

Someone who always puts the interest of their readers (aka customers) on top of the priority list, serve them what they need… and an eBook might be exactly what your reader needs.

However, not everyone is blessed with the skill to put their thoughts coherently into pages of creatively written words!

No need to worry, this blog post is going to walk you through the steps to make an eBook.

But first…

What is an eBook?

An eBook refers to a set of images and long texts formatted in book form which you can access digitally through the use of electronic devices such as computers, mobile phones, and tablets.

It basically follows the structure of a hardbound book you’d find at your favorite bookstore. They are made up of chapters which you can further breakdown into sections depending on how you want to present the topic.

Ebooks can be saved in several file formats such as PDF, EPUB, AZW, and ODF making them shareable from one user to another.

It is a marketing strategy used by bloggers, content creators and business owners to deliver tons of value packed information in one form to their potential customers.

You can choose from a wide array of topics, but your eBook should be aligned with what your blog/business is all about AND what your audience values or needs to know.

For example, do you sell fashion? Perhaps, you want an eBook about fashion focusing on the right type of clothes for a particular body shape, how to complement an Outfit of the Day (OOTD!) with the right accessory, how to style quickly from day to evening wear, and providing examples of OOTD combinations using your favorite clothing line.

But regardless of the subject you write about, it’s important to incorporate your personal experiences as relevant pieces of advice or good-to-know information for your customers.

Steps To Make An Ebook?

Here are the nine steps you need in order to arrive at a well-written “masterpiece” ready to promote and sell to your audience:

1. Choose a Topic

Your eBook topic can be about anything under the sun, but you should know that not all topics can make your eBook an effective lead tool to generate more followers.

A good topic should match the needs of your customers. Why else would they buy and download your book? Think about it.

Choosing a topic is a crucial first step simply because this would serve as the center of the entire book and its contents.

Choose a topic wisely.

BFF Tip: Your eBook should serve as a comprehensive extension of your existing blog content/subject matter.

For example, if your fashion posts are for women, there is no reason for you to include men’s fashion. It would just make your eBook too broad and vague without targeting your actual customers.

An eBook is your chance to provide in-depth details of the topic(s) you have lightly covered previously in your blog.

If you are struggling with what eBook titles to use, you might want to consider the following title templates:

– X Things You Need To Know About [Topic/Industry]

– A Beginner’s Guide To [Topic/Industry]

– How To [Topic/Industry]: A Comprehensive Guide

– Compilation of Best Practices For [Topic/Industry]

– X Best Tips On [Insert/Industry]

2. Create an Outline

Your outline serves as your eBook’s blueprint. It provides direction on how you are going to present and what you are going to write about.

A well-organized outline starts with an enticing introduction that sets the stage for the contents of your book and ends with a persuading conclusion that will draw your customers closer to you/your website – making you their go-to expert on the subject matter.

Present your outline as if there is some sort of character development per chapter.

Referring back to the fashion blog, here is an example of an eBook outline:

• Chapter 1: Assess Yourself: Know Your Body Type Chapter
• Chapter 2: Matching the Right Clothes
• Chapter 3: Time to Accessorize!
• Chapter 4: Styling: Transition From Day to Night
• Chapter 5: Actual Clothing Examples

Did you notice how the eBook started by focusing on the reader first? Out of the gate, you want your ideal reader to realize that this is for them, then you gradually discuss other supporting details until you finally shift the focus to your business in the last chapter.

The middle chapters should be useful, informative, complete yet concise by including only subjects that are relevant to the topic.

3. Break Down Each Chapter

The key is to just start writing.

Quality over quantity.

Your eBook doesn’t need to be lengthy as long as it includes all pertinent information you want to convey to your readers. Write only what’s relevant and of value!

Since an eBook is like a compilation of your blog, write each chapter as if you are writing one long blog post. Each chapter could also be broken down into smaller sections or bullet points that are direct, to-the-point, easily digested and understood.

Here are some tips you could apply as you write your eBook:

– Consistency is the key. Keep your formats consistent across your chapters. Write proper transitions from one chapter to another.

– Maximize formatting options such as bullet points, numbering, bold, underline, italic, and font size changes. Use formatting to emphasize important points you don’t want your readers to forget.

– Use of keywords in the title and headers. Also using positive adjectives; namely “ultimate,” “awesome,” or “best” could draw the attention of the readers.

Want some more writing tips? Read my 7 Steps to Quickly and Easily Write an eBook.

4. Design + Format

Congratulations! You have an eBook, well – the writing portion at least! Now it’s time to finalize the design + format the book.

What, you’re not a graphic designer??? No problem, I’ve compiled a few of my favorite eBook templates to give that professional design touch to your eBook – without the high cost! I’ve pulled several designs that use a variety of free and/or paid design software tools such as Canva, Powerpoint or Keynote, Adobe Indesign or Photoshop. You’ll find my favorite eBook templates HERE.

Some BFF advice on the design of your eBook:

– Limit varying fonts to a maximum of three. One for the title and headings, one for the subheading, and one for the body of text.

– Choose a readable font. Avoid using cursive, curly, or cartoon-like fonts.

– Don’t use font sizes that are too small to read or too large that eat up space. You may choose 16 for the heading; 14 for the subheading; and 12 for the body.

5. Use the Right Colors

Choose the colors that match your brand. Personalize your eBook as if it’s a published version of your brand and website.

6. Add Some Visuals

Along with your copy, it’s important to include some images and graphics that serve as visual representation of the text.

For example, if you are discussing various body shapes, it might be a good idea to paste sketches of each body shape so the reader can grasp a better understanding of which body type she belongs to. Also, make sure that these images are not of poor quality.

7. Convert it into a PDF

As mentioned earlier, eBooks can be converted into PDF files for easy share ability. Note: This is my favorite + preferred format.

To convert your eBook using a word document application, click File, then Save As. Under File Format, choose PDF. Once converted, PDF files are not editable anymore. So make sure that before converting your file, everything is correct – no errors, formatting or image issues.

8. Create a Landing Page

A landing page is a single page with one goal in mind – to promote your eBook and entice the reader to buy it!

Whether your eBook is free or not, it’s best to only make your eBook available for download once the visitors have registered their email addresses. Once placed in your email list, they will be able to receive exclusive promotions or announcements of your products/services in the future.

9. Promote And Track its Success

Now it’s time to promote your eBook across all your marketing channels. Here are five ways you can do this:

• Advertise your new eBook on your website through Call-To-Action buttons or a link to your eBook’s landing page.
• Promote your eBook through your blog. You might want to publish an excerpt as a blog post or write an article related to the topic with an inserted link to the eBook landing page.
• Send an email to your email list informing them of your new eBook.
• Spend some money to advertise your eBook (like Facebook ads) to a cold, yet targeted audience.
• Post your eBook link to your social media platforms for a wider audience reach.

After launching, regularly monitor your Google Analytics to evaluate how successful your eBook is in generating leads and increasing conversion rates.

Hopefully, these 9 steps to make an eBook have been helpful and motivated you to start writing one! Happy eBook writing.