It’s raining marketing eBooks. Well, not really, but there are a LOT of them out there. And if you are trying to decipher which ones are the best, we’re here to help. As your resident content marketing experts (wink, wink), we’ve compiled a short list of our favorite eBooks for you to use as inspiration.
Read on to see what we’ve selected as the must-reads of 2023:
#1. Bottom of the funnel magic from Ally.io
The buyer’s journey is a very important part of content marketing, and Ally.io does a great job of meeting a prospect in the final stages of the journey with their ebook, How to get buy-in on OKRS. In this stage, the prospect knows they want to purchase, but they just need buy-in from others in the organization. The eBook directly addresses this in multiple sections so the reader knows it is content to help them, not educate them (again) on the product. It also does good on its promise and walks through the benefits for each level of the organization, essentially giving the buyer a playbook to persuade other team members on making the right choice.
#2. Top of the funnel enticement from Zemax
Keeping along the buyer’s journey theme, the first stage in the journey can be one of the hardest – how do you generate initial interest in your product? Here is your opportunity to call out a problem they didn’t realize they had and begin to offer a solution, and this Zemax eBook is a good example of how to do just that. In this eBook, Zemax calls out a possible unknown issue for many working with CAD software: done incorrectly it can cost your organization more than you realize. Yikes! One of the reader’s first thoughts is going to be “Are we using it wrong?” Fortunately, the eBook states it will “explore common roadblocks to CAD design efficiency and how OpticsBuilder can help you bypass them.”
#3. Evergreen content with staying power
In today’s marketing landscape, your materials need to be consistent, useful and on-brand. For eBooks, you can’t skip your research. You need a topic that can speak to your audience and where they are in their buyer’s journey. You also need quality copywriting to match your brand’s voice and tone, engaging graphics that reflect your company’s aesthetic and don’t forget the strategy to maximize the impact of your efforts!
Yes, many fads come and go, and the internet has improved from dancing hamsters and primitive websites. But eBooks have evolved from simple PDFs to interactive staples in any marketing campaign, and they still boost credibility while receiving high engagement. With the right combination of strategic planning, writing, design and distribution, you can leverage this DARE WE SAY always on-trend content to grab the attention of your audience and turn prospects into happy customers.
#4. Standing out with interactive content
If you’re looking for something a little different, check out this interactive eBook by ADP, 5 steps to rid your small business of payroll stress. Not only is the title itself relatable — I mean which business owner doesn’t feel the pain at times — but the content itself is filled with helpful how-to’s and even a case study to support ADP’s message. And, the execution of the piece is even more gossipworthy. FlippingBook technology allows the reader to turn pages (with that page-turning sound, even!) and toggle through it as they would an actual book or magazine.
#5. Minimalism at its best
Sometimes it’s all about the content, and that’s where The Gobbledygook Manifesto eBook shines. Yes, this eBook may be up there in years, but as our CEO says, “The content is awesome.” This is a good example of educational content that doesn’t need a ton of design. Take a read through yourself and you’ll see that the eBook basically speaks for itself. I mean, who doesn’t want that?
#6. Using design to help tell the story.
When we created our 5 Fresh Content Ideas for B2B SaaS Companies, we didn’t want our fellow marketers to miss out on these great ideas. We also wanted to show more than tell and used design elements to really make the content memorable. To spread the word, we promoted our piece with the use of a blog post that includes an interview with our founder, and some pretty snazzy emails. We also had a popup on our website while promoting the piece.
#7. Taking the lead from webinar content
Every star needs a sidekick, and TINYpulse by Limeade’s How to make employees feel valued and heard ebook was perfect for their webinar of the same name. This eBook is part of a bigger marketing promotion for a webinar with the same title. The strategy included the use of this eBook, an infographic, a 1-pager and various LinkedIn ads. Talk about turkey dinners! Repurposing the webinar content to create multiple other pieces of content all to drive interest — skip the tea, that’s some gravy we want on our mashed potatoes.
Which one is your favorite?
Now we want to hear from you. Which of these seven is your favorite? Or do you have another shining star we should add to the list? If you can’t tell, eBooks are one of our not-so-secret passions, and we are always looking for new and exciting ones to read.
Want to make your next eBook list-worthy? You’ve come to the right place. Reach out to us today for a consultation or to learn more about how we can help you.