You may be considering self-publishing your content as an ebook and you are trying to weigh the pros and cons to determine if this is the right decision. Below I have outlined the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of ebook publishing. I’m sure these points can help you make the right decision.
PROS OF EBOOK SELF-PUBLISHING
- Ebooks are more portable because with ebooks your customers are easily able to carry your books around via their devices for easier access. They can carry several books at once without the weight of paperbacks and hardcopies.
- The Reflowable functionality of ebooks allows users to change the layout, font size and other attributes based on their own reading preferences to improve their reading experience. This is especially more useful for older readers.
- Ebooks offer a more personalized experience. Your customers are constantly switching through various devices and ebooks allow them to access your content intuitively from their mobile phones and tablets with a responsive design experience.
- Social features on ebooks allow your customers to like and share your content with many people at once.
- Readers can easily annotate or read aloud to improve the overall experience.
- Ebooks allow for easier navigation because readers can easily click on which ever chapter they want and skip to it from the table of contents instead of having to turn several pages to find something on a printed book.
- Ebooks allow you to eliminate shipping and fulfillment costs which can make the shopping experience less convenient for your customer if he/she has to pay for shipping and wait for days to receive their orders. With ebooks they can order and receive it immediately.
- Ebooks are more accessible to readers with disabilities that use screenreaders and other assistive technology to access your content.
- Ebooks are also more sustainable for the environment. Considering the problem of excessive consumption that is associated with paper printing in bulk. This leads to deforestation and environmental concerns.
Cons of Ebook Self-Publishing
- Ebooks are not as popular compared to printed books which are more conventional and commonly used.
- The devices used to read ebooks might be seen as too expensive compared to printed books.
- Ebooks sold through your website might not have DRM(Digital Rights Management) so people might be able to easily distribute your content for free. This makes it harder to protect your intellectual property.
- Ebooks can also be more basic in formatting and design compared to print books because the reflowable layout does not allow the designer to do much customization.
In conclusion, If you want your readers to have a more personalized and intuitive reading experience then ebook self-publishing is definitely a great choice for you. If you found this article helpful then you may enjoy my previous one on 10 ways to sell more books.
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