With the raise of digital technology, the whole perception of living has changed; we are going electronic in almost everything because people love to do everything virtually, sitting at different locations.

Be it eBanking, eGifting, eTicketing, or more; we want to bring everything to the electronic medium. And with the introduction to eBook or ePublishing, the educational sector has also leaped to success in both technological and monetary sense.

what is an eBook and how does it work

Digital textbooks, like any other electronic platform, provide easy reading and are an interactive source for learners. Unlike traditional books with only pictures, eBooks allow exploring motion pictures, educational audio and video clips, and backlinks to pour more information.

With the help of eBooks, learners can unlock a new world of learning, which looks promising and futuristic in our modern world.

This article has covered every bit of eBook, its definition, overview and more, so keep scrolling if you find this topic interesting and want to explore more!

What is an eBook?

eBook or electronic book is a digital version of the traditional hardbound reading material that people used to carry in bags before the introduction of technology in publishing.

An eBook is a digital file that contains all the topic-related information in the form of text and images, just like a hard-cover physical book in your hand.

These are published using electronic mediums to make the content suitable for distribution on various online platforms and eReading sections. eBooks are displayed on a screen very similar to a printed book.

An eBook is an electronic version of a traditional hardbound print book that is created using eBook software that makes this content readable on various electronic devices like phones, laptops, personal computers and others with the help of an eBook reader.

Now that we have a fair idea about this technology and how it is created, it is time to get the idea of various formats using which these eBooks are published and provided for reading purposes.

A List of Various eBook Formats

Talking about eBooks, specific formats are used to convert the books to make them compatible with the electronic medium. Here is the list of most popular eBook conversion formats-

  • EPUB (.epub)- The most popular format today, compatible with all devices

    EPUB is the most widely accepted eBook file format among digital publishers as this comes with a whole package of modern-day publishing and reading needs.

    With other benefits like providing rich and entertaining content for digital learning, EPUB is also free to use; these are some of the significant reasons why it has grown to become the most used eBook format for eBook formatting.

    Apart from easing the digital conversion, this format also supports various other elements that enhance the reading experience, like the addition of colored images, use of SVG graphics, and interactive elements, as well as full videos to make the learning more memorable.

  • TXT (.txt)- The simple format that is used only for text-based publishing

    .txt file format is considered the most straightforward text file format that only supports text; images and graphics are not supported under this format. This is why it is mainly used to support primary information storage with little or no formatting; when we say few, it is related to the basic fonts and font styles.

    Being straightforward, this format is used for eBooks that are text heavy and doesn’t have any fixed layout or any DRM protection.

  • PDF- Available for computers, Apple’s OS & Kobo Ereaders

    PDF or portable document format is one of the most familiar formats, but it is not an eBook as it is not reflowable like others, but due to its familiarity, it is used as one.

    PDF is the brainchild of Adobe, created to ease the use of documents that are typical to read on an online platform otherwise. This format can maintain not only the text but also the high-end designs, images and graphs.

    Many believe that the PDFs are very similar to the fixed layout of EPUB file format but still have its difference as they only have essential copy protection, making them easy to download and share.

  • MOBI (.mobi)- A file format which was used for Amazon Kindle

    This file format is also known by the name Mobipocket eBook file format, and it has its history as Amazon first used it to launch the Kindle, and this was the file format used in it.

    Despite being used for a large electronic medium, it was discontinued in 2011 due to malfunctions and this format is rep-laced by AZW file format.

    Though it has no existence in the market, it was still used in Amazon’s Kindle, an eReader, for some time until AZW was not introduced.

  • AZW (.azw) & AZW3 (.azw3)

    AZW file format is known for being used by Amazon for Kindle readers as it has replaced the MOBI format. However, this is a significantly lesser-known fact that AZW still uses the MOBI format, but it contains proper DRM protection. This protection makes reading on Kindle itself and devices that support Kindle apps easy.

    The AZW files can store complex reading content and other elements like bookmarks, highlights, annotations and more.

How to Choose the Right Format?

Now that you have the information on all the most common formats used for eBook conversion, it’s time to understand some points that will help you in choosing best eBook format as per your requirement.

  1. Know your target audience

    It is always essential to understand the pool of audience you will target, and according to that research, you must choose the type of format that will suit all the purposes and meet all the requirements.

  2. Build authority in the target market

    It is an essential step before you choose a file format for your eBook conversion because this is the step that will guide you in extracting what people demand, and accordingly, you need to set your skills and show what you are best at; basically, you need to put yourself in your customers’ shoes. This will ultimately help you build authority in the market you will target your source of information or your eBook.

  3. Create the eBook content that is ready to consume

    Once you have the authority and know what will best suit your target audience, it is time to create easily consumable content. This means that an eBook is not always about your brand or the products or services you offer, but it can also be more interactive by involving some related topics customers want to read.

    So, as the first step, you should choose a relevant topic to address by analyzing the market, your audience and the relevant topics affecting the market.

  4. Design an attractive eBook template and cover

    No matter how informative and interactive your content is, if it is not presented suitably, it may result in a lack of interest. Hence it is essential to have an attractive eBook cover and template that will increase the urge to read and help increase the reach.

  5. Develop a landing page for marketing activities and lead generation

    When you are into eBook marketing, it is vital to have some landing pages that can be fruitful for you in the longer run. Always lead your audience to a page where you can store their information or can offer them some good services by adding their names to your marketing campaigns.

  6. EBook promotion

    Once you are done with all the above steps and your eBook is ready with the content, too, it is time to push your promotional activities and acquire more and more customer information for lead generation and nurturing.

  7. Track and measure results

    It is wise to track all your marketing activities and draw down the results of your efforts; this helps you get a fair idea of whether you worked in the right direction or if some A/B testing is required.

This is done to get a fair idea about the audience response to your eBook content and the type of marketing activities you are planning.

What are the Benefits of eBooks?

A Comparison between eBook vs Paperback

  1. Saves Space- Very few people have a whole library to themselves where they can place all the books they have ever read. But it is impossible for all sorts of people from different walks of life. Hence, an eBook is an excellent option for them as it is compiled and stored in one device and saves space.
  2. A Money Saving Option- This is a cost-saving option as it is easy to download with minimal and sometimes with no transactions. Unlike paper books with manufacturing and shipping costs, eBooks are just downloaded from the source.
  3. An Environment-Friendly Option- Being on the digital platform, this form of learning is easy to conserve. It is also an environmentally friendly option because it saves lots and lots of trees that are cut to make paper.
  4. Portable & Convenient- Unlike hard-bound books, eBooks are easy to carry and can be read anywhere in any situation without worrying about getting proper lighting.

10 Best eBook Software (2023 Updated)

Here is the most updated list of eBook tools in the year 2023.

  1. Microsoft Word
  2. Adobe InDesign
  3. Google Docs
  4. Pages
  5. Ulysses
  6. Draft2Digital
  7. Vellum
  8. Kindle Create
  9. Atticus
  10. Calibre

To conclude

eBook conversion is not an easy task; for that, one should take the help of some expert hands; by expert hands, we mean professional eBook conversion services.

WinBizSolutionsIndia is a reputed digital conversion company with expertise in eBook conversion services, including manuscript conversion, graphics conversion, proofreading and more.

We have a strong team of subject matter experts who understand the depth of the conversion and provide the uber class results that are inspiring and leave a lasting impression on clients and their audiences.

Want to skyrocket your eBook with our conversion services? You can find us here!