Creating and Marketing

Your Ebook

Rachel Gregory, Ebook Programme Manager, Matador

Rosie Grindrod, Marketing Assistant, Matador

#SPConf14@matadorbooks

• It’s estimated that half of Americans bought an ebook by the end of last year. (Bookboon)

• According to the Digital Reader, ebook sales rose by 20% in 2013. That's £80 million worth of sales. One in five of those were self-published titles.

• How can you harness the ebook hype and maximise your sales by tapping into this expanding market?

#SPConf14@matadorbooks

Creating and Marketing Your Ebook

Creating and Marketing Your Ebook

#SPConf14@matadorbooks

• Make sure you’re producing a high quality ebook.

• Know your strengths and limitations, and identify the areas where people can help you.

• Familiarise yourself with suppliers’ requirements and the ebook format in general.

• ISBNs and metadata

• Maximise distribution links

• Decide about DRM

• Discoverability and maximising sales

Recognising and avoiding

potential pitfalls

Creating and Marketing Your Ebook

#SPConf14@matadorbooks

• Word file or PDF

• Image resolution and text formatting

• Cover design

• Conversion

• Distribution

• Sales!!

The production process

Sounds simple… right??

Creating and Marketing Your Ebook

#SPConf14@matadorbooks

‘By following a few simple steps, an author will be able

to make an informed choice in naming [/his] her price,

and not feel like a losing contestant on The Price is

Right.’

(Publishers Weekly article, March 2014)

Creating and Marketing Your Ebook

#SPConf14@matadorbooks

What’s so great about ebooks?

• Ebook sales look set to overtake hardback and paperbacks

• Technology has helped more people to read more

But why market one..?

Creating and Marketing Your Ebook

#SPConf14@matadorbooks

It’s all in the ‘e’

• KNOW THE DIFFERENCE!

• Think about where people are looking.

• Does an ebook work for you?

• Know the benefits.

• A note on pricing.

Plan, plan, plan!

Creating and Marketing Your Ebook

#SPConf14@matadorbooks

• Start planning as early as possible!

• Go stationary shopping.

• Create yourself a ‘Media Kit’.

• Work on your BRAND.

Creating and Marketing Your Ebook

#SPConf14@matadorbooks

Creating and Marketing Your Ebook

#SPConf14@matadorbooks

Be a social butterfly

• Social media is 100% free!

• Don’t spread yourself too thin.

• Facebook – visual, informative, product specific.

• Twitter – concise, immediate, comment.

• Get connected.

• Plan a schedule – hootsuite.com

Think you’re hopeless at technology? Recruit a helper!

Creating and Marketing Your Ebook

#SPConf14@matadorbooks

Getting your ebook reviewed

• What is NetGalley?

• Free to join as a reviewer – have to pay as a publisher.

• NetGalley has a worldwide reach.

• Ebooks are DRM protected.

• Saves on postage!

Creating and Marketing Your Ebook

#SPConf14@matadorbooks

Join the reading & writing community

• Connect with your potential fan base.

• Goodreads – readers and book recommendations.

• Join the Goodreads Author Program.

• Wattpad – where writers are the stars.

• Link up your Facebook & Twitter accounts.

Creating and Marketing Your Ebook

#SPConf14@matadorbooks

• Make sure you know what an ebook is and why you are publishing one.

• Consider your target audience and which sites will suit your ebook.

• Plan, plan, plan your author brand!

• Master your social media.

• Be an interesting part of the community.