In many ways, marketing a new ebook is like marketing anything: Doing it well requires an understanding of your target audience, market demand, and the competitive landscape. But of the many forms of content marketing, ebooks can be a useful format for small businesses. A 2024 Netline report on content consumption found that ebooks accounted for nearly 40% of demand generation.

Read on to learn the benefits of the ebook format, alongside insights. Plus, get advice on ebook marketing strategy from Julie Broad, the author of Self-Promote & Succeed: The No Boring Books Way to Build Your Brand, Attract Your Audience, and Market Your Non-Fiction Book. 

What are the benefits of selling an ebook?

Ebooks, or “electronic books,” are long-format digital files that a reader can download directly to their tablet, smartphone, or e-reader, like a Kindle or Nook. Although ebooks cover the gamut of genres, non-fiction business topics, guides, and tips are popular for business owners looking to market their expertise through a high-value content piece. Ebooks can offer benefits to your business, such as:

• Lead generation. Offering ebooks to your audience as a small business owner can help you generate leads and gather useful customer data for marketing. You can require email addresses, contact information, and any other information upon download—especially if you choose to offer your ebook for free.

• Credibility. A well-written ebook can add to your credibility as an expert or thought leader in your industry.

• Drive top-of-funnel traffic. If you promote your ebook for free (or competitively discounted), it can drive traffic to the top of your marketing funnel.

Whether you have a trademarked methodology you want to get out into the world quickly, an innovative solution to an industry challenge, or you just want to showcase your in-depth expertise and industry knowledge, an ebook can be an effective way to increase your organic reach.

The fundamentals of ebook marketing

• Pricing and promotions
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Compelling visuals and praise

Once you’ve written your ebook, formatted it, and ironed out your ebook distribution, it’s time to get the word out through marketing. Depending on the habits of your readers and the competitive landscape, your ebook promotion should include a combination of content marketing strategies, like social media marketing, paid advertising, and targeted, strategic email campaigns, as well as partnerships and speaking engagements with other brands and businesses.

A few classic ebook marketing techniques include:

Pricing and promotions

How you experiment with pricing depends on your ebook marketing goal. If you’re selling your ebook as a key product rather than as a door to generate leads (like How to Cake It’s full-length holiday cookbook, for example), you may find that premium pricing makes more sense.

If your primary goal is to reach as many new customers as possible, a lower price might get more people in the door.

“For example, you can easily run limited-time discounts—like a 99¢ sale—to boost visibility and attract new readers,” Julie says. “Platforms like BookBub or Bargain Booksy are specifically designed to promote ebook deals, and they can drive significant traffic to your listing.”

Either way, spend time researching competitor pricing to see what customers are most likely to pay.

Search engine optimization (SEO)

Search engine optimization (SEO) marketing uses specific, relevant keywords and phrases to help your website rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs)—ideally on the first page. This leads more of your target audience to your site through organic search. There are many approaches to SEO. Best practices include a combination of keyword optimization, quality content, link building strategies, and using technical SEO to improve your website performance.

Compelling visuals and praise

Publishing an ebook may be an easier route than publishing a physical book, but making yours a success still requires many of the same promotional considerations.

“The digital format means you’re competing in a crowded marketplace, so your cover design, description, and reviews need to be top-notch to stand out,” Julie says.

A well-designed, eye-catching cover makes all the difference in snagging your reader’s attention on your website or social media channels. Praise or testimonials from peers, clients, or industry experts will boost your legitimacy and highlight the importance and effectiveness of the information within. If design isn’t your forte, consider hiring a freelance designer to help create a bold cover.

Pre-launch ebook marketing strategies

• Think about marketing during the writing process
• Find your target audience early on
• Join your target communities
• reate a simple lead magnet

You don’t have to wait until publication to start promoting your ebook. Here are a few ways to bolster your ebook marketing efforts before launch:

Think about marketing during the writing process

Writing with marketing in mind might play out in a few different ways. One example is in the structure of the book, like whether you add in various calls-to-action.

“For instance, you might include prompts or QR codes at the ends of certain sections to visit your web page for a downloadable resource, like a checklist or a bonus video,” Julie says. “This not only adds value for your reader but also helps you collect email addresses to stay in touch long after they’ve finished the book.”

Another pre-launch marketing opportunity involves your chapter titles and subtitles. Julie suggests imagining them as potential talk titles. Consider compelling statements that drive intrigue but also feature keywords or phrases to improve discoverability. 

Find your target audience early on

Finding your target audience early enough to understand what they’re looking for ensures that you solve their pain points in your writing.

Social media marketing, private communities on platforms like Slack and Discord, and email newsletters are all popular ways to reach your target audience.

“Building your audience early—ideally before your book is even finished—is one of the smartest moves you can make. Email newsletters are personal, direct, and incredibly effective,” she says. “Ten thousand email newsletter subscribers are way more valuable than 10,000 social media followers.”

Join your target communities 

Immersing yourself in the spaces where your ideal customers are already talking about their challenges, needs, and desires is one of the best ways to ensure your ebook provides value.

“Online forums, Facebook and LinkedIn groups, Goodreads reviews, and even platforms like Reddit and Quora are goldmines for understanding what your audience values and what they feel is missing in existing books,” Julie says.

For example, while working with a client writing about cancer treatments, Julie and her team discovered by reading Goodreads reviews that readers craved more emotional support alongside practical advice. These kinds of key takeaways shaped the book’s market positioning and content and helped it stand out in a crowded market.

“If your topic is business-related, industry conferences or networking events can be invaluable for gauging interest and building connections,” says Julie. “Don’t underestimate the power of direct conversations, whether through surveys, email lists, or casual chats at events.”

Create a simple lead magnet 

One of the best ways to build your audience is through pre-launch campaigns, like developing a lead magnet. This could be a giveaway, free tool, or technique that brings people into your community and onto your subscriber list.

When Julie worked in real estate, she offered a free cash flow calculator.

“Make it valuable so someone would otherwise pay for it, but it can be simple, like a checklist, a quick guide, or a resource your audience can’t resist,” she says. “It gives people immediate value and builds trust, which is exactly what you want to do with your audience.”

These days, she gives away the audiobook version of Self-Promote and Succeed.

Once you’ve created your lead magnet, set up an ebook landing page or a basic author website where people can sign up for your email list or access your lead magnet. Even if your book isn’t finished, you can share behind-the-scenes updates and insights from your research with your subscribers as you write. This keeps your audience engaged and helps build excitement for your book’s release.

Published ebook marketing strategies

• Organic SEO
• Interactive features
• Media appearances
• Speaking engagements
• Networking

Once your ebook is published, your ebook marketing campaigns can take a different angle. Now is the time to dive into the solutions or insights you present in your book—the natural follow-up to learning your customers’ pain points. Your pre-launch strategies should have laid a solid groundwork for post-launch talking points and a clear understanding of where to focus your SEO efforts. 

Here are a few ideas to consider once your ebook is available for purchase: 

Organic SEO

The first concern of your ebook marketing strategy is discoverability through organic SEO. Many readers may already be looking for a resource exactly like yours, but if no one can find your ebook, they’ll never connect the dots. When it comes to developing your ebook landing page copy and social media posts, Julie says, “The richer your description and keywords [are], the more likely your book will be discovered.”

Think about the phrases your ideal reader might search to find your book, whether in ChatGPT or Google. Then, find ways to incorporate them in your ebook landing page, online store, and in the ebook marketing materials (like the product description and author bio) for your ebook’s product page on other websites.

Interactive features

Consider including interactive elements, like in-chapter exercises, group prompts, or even QR codes that link to exclusive content, like a free workbook. These extras make your ebook more engaging and actionable, increasing the likelihood that readers will recommend it to others.

“For instance, you could include a link to a free workbook or a private online community tied to your book’s topic,” Julie says. “This can deepen engagement and create a stronger connection with your readers.”

Media appearances

Media opportunities are an excellent way to help potential readers understand the context and benefits of your ebook. This might include podcast interviews, written interviews and reviews on industry publications or websites, and appearances on local or national television.

Julie and her team recently created the Author Launch Kit, which is specifically designed to help authors find podcasts, media outlets, influencers, and bookstores they can approach to help market their book.

Speaking engagements

Speaking engagements are a way to bring your ebook to life through long-form talks or live interviews at conferences. It’s a great way to deliver your ebook into the hands of a large, invested group of people, either as part of a speaker fee, or as a discounted promotional offer for attendees. Julie emphasizes the importance of thinking beyond fees when you’re just starting out. The promotional value of speaking is the key piece of any appearance you secure. Even free gigs get your book into more hands.

Reach out to relevant conferences on both the local and national levels with a clear pitch. This might be built upon a chapter or section of your ebook, giving audiences an engaging preview of what they’ll find in the full version.

Networking

As with any new venture, your existing network can be an excellent way to spread the word. If you’re not sure where to start with the vastness of the world stage, start with the community in front of you. 

“Small events with people you have a connection to can be the most powerful promotions you do,” says Julie. “Speaking within your local circles can lead to a lot of other opportunities.”

For example, you might offer to write guest posts for fellow small business blogs, or partner up with your peers for a social media series or giveaway.