The online world has given us many virtual extensions that have transformed the way we deal with the world around us. One such offshoot that has altered the course of information access and distribution forever is digital content. If there is one industry that has felt the ripples of this transformation the strongest, it is the world of educational publishing. When eBooks were first introduced years ago, the process of accessing and consuming information was redefined forever. This blog talks about reasons publishers must opt for eBook Distribution Services.
These eBooks quickly evolved from a digitized version of printed books with static pages to more interactive formats that include visual representation, audio files, links and more.
As digital learning continues to establish a firm grip in the world of education, publishers catering to the industry too are reinventing their outlook towards elearning tools. These digital solutions are now being looked at as a core element of the learning process and not just a fancy addition.
This has also heralded a change in their long-established operational models and priorities to stay relevant in a digital learning environment. For this paradigm shift to be successful, publishers must steer the transition strategically, and the choice of eBook distribution services plays an important role in that journey.
What are eBook Distribution Services?
eBook distribution services are typically designed to help educational content producers and publishers to organize, distribute, manage and monetize their materials by channelizing their digitized books and other study material to all key retail platforms.
This includes direct distribution channels such as Amazon, Google Play Books, and Apple iBookstore as well as third-party aggregators such as Smashwords and BookBaby.
By collaborating with such distribution service providers, you can save a lot of effort, time and capital in managing submissions. Some digital distribution service providers also offer value-added services such as a test-and-review of the content to check for accuracy and acceptance among the target audience.
They also have the means to make your books penetrate 90 per cent of the digitized content market, which is essentially controlled by multi-national behemoths such as Amazon, Apple, Kobo and Barnes & Noble.
This helps in expanding your base to a global audience, reaching to niche markets irrespective of their geographical location, which is an aspect of immeasurable value to publishers whose educational content isn’t course or country specific.
Why Should You Consider eBook Distribution Services?
With an eBook distribution services partner, you are securing yourself access to a treasure trove of domain expertise and experience that will help you navigate the complex and ever-evolving world of digital distribution.
As a publisher, your aim is always to make your eBooks scale their full potential in terms of accessibility, which, in turn, leads to better sales figures.
To be able to do that successfully, time after time, one needs a deep understanding of the nitty-gritties of the distribution world on which targeted, optimal distribution of content rides. And that’s something only a well-versed, experienced distribution services provider can bring to the table.
Besides, outsourcing the distribution of your eBooks and education material to retail distributors allows you to tap into an exclusive pool of resources and value-added services such as:
- Prepping the content for distribution and delivery by formatting, converting and optimizing it for different platforms such as smartphones, tablets and eReaders
- Publishing the content in major international languages with the right localized adjustments
- Strict adherence to the guidelines and requirements spelt out by different eBook sellers and stores, thus, minimizing the risk of rejections
- Wide access to all major retail platforms like Amazon, Apple iBookstore, Google Play Books, Kobo, Nook, and so on
- In addition to this, eBook distribution services can also help you explore lesser-known channels of retail that may be apt for your content. This includes e-commerce stores, niche websites and subscription sites.
- They can also help you sell your books through your own website or catalogue app.
What Do You Stand to Gain from It?
The role of eBooks in the present milieu of learning can no longer be discounted. They are here to stay and will obliterate the good old-fashioned concept of printed textbooks in due course. No one understands this reality better than publishers.
Now that you know that dealing in eBooks is akin to it consolidating your business for the future, it is only logical to incorporate the best practices of content creation and distribution.
Here is how partnering with eBook distribution services can benefit you in that pursuit:
1. Cost-Effective Publishing
Navigating the world of eBook distribution, with all its complexities and channels, on your own requires a great investment of time, effort and money. If you don’t collaborate with a third-party service provider, you will need to maintain an in-house team of experts to do the job for you.
This will, in turn, reflect in the pricing of your eBooks. And in the world of digital content, cost-effectiveness is very important. So, you can cut back on expenses, and consequently, the cost of your books by simply partnering with industry experts who know the ropes of distribution.
2. Simplified Process of eBook Creation
Do you want your eBook file in .mobi (for Amazon exclusively) or .epub (for other stores)? What is the stores’ policy on ISBN? Do you need one to publish and market your eBook? Will it be provided by the store? Will it be a free or a paid service? Is an ‘Amazon exclusive’ policy more sensible, or should you go wide? Or both? Do you have the budget for it? (ePub vs PDF ? | 6 Reasons You Should Go For ePUB over PDF )
These and many other questions plague the mind of a publisher when they have a set of educational eBooks in the pipeline. If you are going for it alone all the way, finding the right answers may involve several hits and misses, and each miss translates into losses for your business.
On the other hand, a distribution services provider can offer the right answers to these questions on a use-case basis, allowing your material to get optimal exposure every time.
3. Possibility of Analyzing User Behavior and Distribution Patterns
Most eBook distribution services allow publishers to track their distribution patterns, check the number of users who have downloaded the book, and offer a tangible review on the eBooks’ performance. (9 Ways Content Analytics Can Help Publishers and Authors)
These distributors tap into the potential of analytics to track eBook performance in real-time. This generates scope for revising sales strategies and experimenting with different distribution channels if the performance is sluggish.
4. Wider Reach
Top-notch distribution services providers have pan-platform reach and penetration, which means they can make your eBooks reach a variety of retail platforms and prep them for all conceivable consumption platforms – mobiles, tablets or eReaders.
It is through these services that you can truly leverage the full potential of online content, transcending boundaries and reaching a global audience.
Guide:
How to Create a DRM Protected eBook and Distribute it Securely
5. Distribution is the Last Mile
In the world of online book publishing, the real work starts after an eBook has been put together. Distribution is the first and most crucial step of this process.
That is why the choice of eBook distribution services should be given as much importance as the choice of software to create the eBook. Here’s a compiled list of the 10 best ebook creation software. The ideal fit is a service provider who takes charge of the hassles of distribution setup for your eBook without taking away the benefit of control from you.
Related:
- Best Practices in Publishing & Distributing eBooks at Scale
- Distribute eBooks on Online Platforms | eBook Distribution Guide
- How to Create an Interactive eBook in 10 Steps
- How to Select the Best eBook Publishing Platform
- How to Convert PDF to ePUB3 while Keeping the Format Intact?
- What is DRM (Digital Rights Management) and why you need it?
DISCOVER HOW AN INTERACTIVE EBOOK PUBLISHING PLATFORM CAN HELP YOU
Kitaboo is a cloud-based content platform to create-publish-distribute interactive mobile-ready ebooks.
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Mike Harman
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