Three Tips for Better eBook titles

It takes time and an effort to create a good title for your eBook. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes because an ebook title has a big job to do. There are three points a title must have to be successful. It must attract readers and hint at a great benefit or promise the ideal solution to a given problem or question. And the overlooked point of a title is to make it lead people to your book online.

This may seem impossible to create an interesting title with these three points. But an easy way to do this is: one step at a time.

Focus on a specific audience and tailoring your eBooks’ title around its needs. Create curiosity in the subject. Why do you know that others don’t and why is your book different that the rest?

One way to do this is to summarize your eBooks’ contents. What is your eBooks’ main purpose? What will your intended buyer are able to do after reading it? Does your ebook provide a solution to a problem? For example my Easy Backyard projects ebook show 15 projects that can easily be created for your home. They are also reasonably priced projects what most people can do. I know I have done them in my backyard or at friends.

Focus on words that summarize your eBooks’ contents effectively. A title beginning with the words “how to” is very popular. There’s no question as to what the eBooks’ contents are about and what they are intended to do. But consider variations of “how to.” For example, there’s “Five Secrets for Success and Improve your lifestyle within a Year.” Look closely and you’ll notice the word, “Secrets.” That’s a powerful word, but there are others as well, such as “Tips,” “Strategies,” “Shortcuts,” “Activities” “Tricks” and “Techniques.” Combine them with words as “great,” “easy,” “timesaving,” “quick,” “simple,” “mind-blowing” and “new” or “newest.” There are many words that stir people and make them take action.

Other words may be even more effective. After considering your eBooks’ purpose or main point, you may find that an action word as “Turn,” “Make,” “Get,” “Sell,” “Grow,” “Earn,” “Collect,” “Create,” “Use” or “Save” convey that point perfectly in a title.

And the step that is most often overlooked? Creating your title with a strong keyword. This keyword is a phrase or word that will lead reader to your title and to your website or landing page for you eBook. It’s a silent step that really starts the minute you think of creating your book. As you work on collecting and writing you eBook keep the main topic in mind and let this steer you to your title.

Keeping your intended audience and eBooks’ main purpose and attention-getting words in your title will yield the best results in the least amount of time invested. It’s Amazing, often times you have been working with the words and they just don’t seem to fall in place. Then suddenly the title just appears. This also pertains to your chapter’s titles within the eBook.

Tips for creating a successful eBook

You’ve decided you want to write an eBook to promote your business or make extra income. But where do you start?

Market research is your first step. Why create an ebook if you don’t have an audience or interest in your topic. Market research is done by finding your niche and then checking on how popular it is and what areas of sales and competition you will have. This can be done with Google keywords, which is a free program.

There are many steps involved in creating an ebook. Some are quite simple while others involve learning a program, getting help from a friend or outsourcing some of the work

This you tube has a few ideas on ebook, the work involved that you may not have thought of. I think you will find a few useful ideas here.

One idea I liked on this you tube was the use of speech and a speech recognition program. I am not the best typist so a program like this is a big help. I purchased a headset for around $15 that has excellent voice clarification and will not pick up background noise. And I found a free voice program that will turn your voice into written words.

Using voice to type is faster and great if you use an interview for any of your eBook information.

The first eBook is the hardest to create. It’s just like any other venture you take on. There is always something to learn. But there are many great sources for learning and before you know it you too will have an ebook assembled and ready for sale of for your own personal use.

Goal setting in eBook creation

Goal setting is one of the more important steps in creating an eBook. You need the technical ability to put an eBook together or to know where to go to get help. But you also have to be able to set down and create a plan and a set of goals to get you started.

I have set my date for my eBook launch and have a plan on paper but I also know I need to get myself motivated and clear my thoughts for the challenges ahead. In the next day or so I will set a complete list of goals for my project but for today a motivational video has helped to put the last few days behind me and set the stage for the next three weeks of my eBook launch.

I found this you tube relaxing, both in images, words and music.

Here are basic steps for goal setting. It is a start but as a project moves along the goals change to fit the progress you make. And of all the goals, number six is the most important.

1. Choose a goal
2. Make a plan
3. Set a time line
4. Follow a plan
5. Evaluate your progress
6. Never give up

Advertising in your E-book?

An eBook serves many purposes. And depending on its use you may have to address the question, do you include advertising in your eBook?

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photo credit: Sheldon Pax

Depending on the use of your eBook there are many forms of acceptable advertising that could be considered.  This could be advertising that you can take advantage of to create additional streams of income or to promote your own products.

Affiliate links, affected items, items related to the eBook niche and up sells are only a few forms of advertising.

One of the most common ways to add advertising to your eBook is to add an appendix of recommended resources and more. These resources are a valuable and viable advertising method.

These can be from your own products, from a matching niche or area of sale or from other select marketers. Just make sure whatever advertising or product you promote has value and is an asset to your eBook and the credibility you have built in your niche. And remember, never promote a product or program that you do not believe in

And also limit the amount of items you promote or your eBook and project will lose its perceived value.

Another strong advertising method is to add a promotion for a product right at the start.  This should be for one of your own projects. This will give a person a reason to sign up.

Mini eBooks are a good item to create as a promotion to your eBook. Many are free and give your audience a reason to want to purchase a product from you.

Everyone wants to receive a free item and most people want to give loyal customers or readers a deal but the reality of marketing is that the most important tools cost money.  So promoting a product in your eBook, whether its yours or someone else’s will help you with costs and make it possible for a few free items for your readers.

These mini eBooks are usually in support of your main ‘niche’ area, and make your product all the more valuable and attainable.

Whatever advertising or product you decide to promote should be one you’ve personally used and should match or add value to your overall theme of your niche.

Trust is an all-important goal you need in producing eBook that will attract readers and good advertising practices will add to your trust and value of your eBook if you choose wisely.

Designing your eBook Cover with color selection

The eBook cover and graphics make a statement about your eBook. If the cover is unprofessional the writing may be considered the same, before the first word is read.

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photo credit: anemoneprojectors
Overall most people would consider the cover important. But what about color selection?

Its been proven that colors can make us feel different emotions. They can even trigger a physical reaction.

Therefore, the color you use for your eBook cover will influence how the potential buyer will react to the eBook. And certain topics will lend their selves to a certain color range.

For example my Easy Backyard Oasis Projects will use earth tones. Greens and brighter colors for the spring and summer season and oranges, reds, yellows for fall.

If I had a winter gardening eBook it would be monochromatic colors and use browns, grey, black, and blues. Bright colors could be used for emphasis.

Here are a few guidelines to help you choose colors for your eBook cover. These are guidelines only. They are not hard and fast rules.

1.  The color green reminds us of prosperity and money. Green will also work well for eBooks about saving money, investment strategies or starting a new business. Green is also an environmental color so any nature, environment, landscape or gardening eBook will do well with tones of green in the cover.

2.  Blue is a confidence color. Any topic that deals with building or creating confidence will attract more interest with a blue cover. Marketing, job hunting, getting a raise, sales strategies, etc are only a few ideas. Water related topics would do well with blue accents.

3.  Red is known as an action color. How to books, eliminating debt, creating wealth and make more money titles will get noticed faster with a red cover

4.  Orange has been known to stimulate the appetite. It also represents health and vitality so cookbooks would do well with an orange cover. (But be sure to stay away from blue, and the mixture or blue and yellow, which are known to be an appetite suppressant!)

5.  Pastels are often used for crafts, young children and weddings.

There are many color combinations that create certain moods. Graphic artists and artist know many of these. You can look online or head to the local library for a book on color to assist with color choices. Another way to identify color use is to pick up a sales catalog and notice the color combinations they use.

When you eBook is so close to completion, don’t overlook the final accents that will help make your project a success.