How to Turn Old Content Into Lead-Generating Ebooks: A Case Study of Dijitol’s Newsletter
Ebooks are effective tools for lead generation and marketing, which is probably why most businesses are utilizing this fantastic tool for profitability. However, that isn’t all it is to ebooks distribution. Content marketing is a big deal for every business, and understanding the best channels for distribution is a concern for many. This indicates the need to navigate the method of ebook creation for your business. Interestingly, ebooks marketing has increased and over the years proved to be one of the best ways to generate amazing leads that would eventually pay the check.
While ebook marketing is profitable, they also require time and resources to work. From research, and copywriting to design and distribution, it takes time and energy. But, what if you could repurpose old content? The truth is every business has an archive full of ideas, and valuable content in different forms: blogs, Facebook posts, Twitter threads, and podcasts. Interestingly, all of these could serve your target audience long term, doing more work than you can imagine. Moreover, repurposing gives you the ability to reach more target audiences.
Becoming the COO at Dijitol has helped me navigate ebook marketing and distribution. I had to consider the various ways to distribute our content, channels to explore, and most importantly, the kind of content to attract our ideal customers. However, we had limited time to produce and distribute our content, hence we decided to repurpose existing content. One of the biggest advantages of repurposing is the ability to convert previous content into ebooks. Interestingly, ebooks are more appealing to read instead of long-form articles and white papers. All you need to do is to design an amazing cover and group your content into paragraphs, chapters, and case studies.
If you are a business owner, copywriter, or freelancer, this article will show you the types of content you could repurpose into marketing e-books.
So, where should you start?
- Blog Posts and Articles
In my opinion, this is the simplest method. This is because you probably have a blog full of different and similar articles. All of these can be simply packaged into a guide, ebook, or worksheet that can be of real value to your audience.
Example: Our first newsletter was written by Damilola Jonathan, our founder, a few years ago. The team reviewed the content, tweaked the ideas, ensured that it was updated with recent trends, and published it. Download the newsletter here
2. Motion Graphics or Brand Videos
Working as a content developer means I have to find the ideal way to generate leads and establish healthy relationships. Motion graphics and videos have always been a great way to convey an idea, however, it has its limitations. Sometimes, people need more information on the subject, other times, people do not have the luxury of time to watch every part of the video to get value. Have you ever tried watching a tutorial on YouTube, but you couldn’t watch it till the end? If you were someone like me, you would most likely go through the comment sections to get a specific duration for certain information. Moreover, not everyone prefers videos, hence converting your videos into ebooks and additional information will be helpful.
Example: Alex Cattoni is my favorite copywriting tutor, she often converts her Youtube videos into PDF and blog articles for people. This way, she reaches thousands of people using more than one channel.
3. Social media content
I enrolled in a 21-day ideation program in 2019 and students had to create daily content consecutively for 21 days. The idea behind the course was to help young writers create their first content, which could later be converted into e-books. Today, many entrepreneurs are known for rebranding their social media content. Damilola Jonathan and Emmanuel Ega amongst many others have often shared some of their social media content in their books.
4. Workshops and webinars
Since the pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of webinars and virtual meetings, especially for thought leaders and coaches. While organizing virtual meetings has been amazingly helpful for people, having access to the conversations months after the meeting is important. I belong to a book community, LEAD, where we read one book every month and review it. After every review, the meeting is transcribed into words, so everyone can read it. Brands can also transcribe their webinars into ebooks.
Example: Itanile compiles every workshop into a downloaded PDF for attendees. The ebook is also sold to non-attendees for a token. Download The Convergence, Itanile’s Workshop, Issue 3 here
Undoubtedly, creating an ebook is so much work, which is why you should hire a content development agency. However, if you are willing to do it your own way, there are certain principles you can follow to create a unique ebook that will generate leads. First, get your content ready, this could be blog articles, podcasts, or interviews. Afterwards, break the content into chapters.
“Some people say, ‘Do not judge the book by its cover!’ Well, I say not to judge at all. People can say anything they want to say, but for me, the cover does matter.” Toba Beta.
Create a visually appealing book. Hire a cover book designer if you can, or use free tools like Canva to design your cover page. Canva is easy to use, with several templates on the free version. Represent data with charts, infographics, and tables. Include pictures that depict the subjects. Also, use quote shapes to emphasize the most important text.
Furthermore, B2B ebooks should be informative, engaging, and not overwhelming. One of the disadvantages of online content is the limited attention span of readers. Readers do not have the time, hence your content has to be filled with gems.
Finally, ebooks should be easy-to-read.
- Readable and consistent fonts make reading easy
- Using bullets, breaks, subheadings, and white spaces give the reader’s eyes to breathe
- The table of contents makes reading effortless
Ebooks are the perfect opportunity to demonstrate your expertise, sell your business and cover in-depth topics on your services. Now, you can incorporate these tips to improve your content marketing strategy.
