Creating new marketing materials can take a lot of effort – from brainstorming great ideas to researching topics to writing and finally promoting the content. Repurposing content is one way to get more bang for your buck, and there are many ways to do it. You could create several different forms of content, such as a blog post, an infographic, a video and a podcast all on one topic, or you could take several blog posts and turn them into an ebook.
When it comes to writing ebooks, you don't have to start from scratch. Let’s take a step-by-step look at how to turn blog posts into an ebook.
Step 1: Choose a top-performing sales blog post topic
In order to turn blog posts into a high-value piece of content that can be offered in exchange for the reader’s information, you’ll want to choose a topic that has performed well in the past. It would be a waste of time and effort to create an ebook on a topic that nobody is interested in.
If the idea you have for an ebook is something you’ve never written about before, test the waters by writing a blog post about the topic first, and use your analytics to make sure an ebook is worth investing in.
Step 2: Gather everything you’ve ever written about your sales blog topic
The whole point of repurposing content is to use what you’ve already got – to take what has worked in the past, give it a new form or a fresh spin and get more from the work that has already gone into creating the original content.
Step 3: Consider the previously written sales blog posts as you create chapters for the ebook
Look at the different angles, data and sources you have used to address the topic. Can multiple blog posts be used to make chapters for the book? Can one blog post’s individual sections be turned into chapters by adding more content to each section?
Step 4: Make sure the content is up-to-date
Your old blog posts are bound to have some information that is a little bit outdated – things move fast in this information age. It’s imperative to make sure that old information isn’t used in your new offering. How have things changed since you first posted about the topic? Your readers will want the most relevant content.
Step 5: Add value
Your ebook should offer something of value beyond what the reader can find in your blog posts. That value could be as simple as not having to comb through all of your blog posts to find the information they are seeking. However, an even better value would be an ebook that provides more analysis or more data.
Could you add value by providing how-to information or a checklist? How about a short quiz that helps the reader make a decision about their next steps? If your blog posts didn’t have a lot of graphics, maybe now is the time to add them. This step is where a little bit of creativity will go a long way.
Step 6: Write the opening and final thoughts
With the meat of your new ebook complete, it’s time to go back to the beginning – and the end. Your introduction should let the reader know what they will be getting from reading your ebook, and your conclusion should have a call-to-action, such as a link to another place on your website to find additional information or a way to contact you.
Step 7: Design
When designing your ebook, focus on the user experience. Keep in mind that when it comes to design, simple is usually best. Is the content more readable because of the design, or is the design too distracting?
Here are 3 basic rules for designing your ebook:
- Use white space to break up heavy blocks of text.
- Maintain style consistency to avoid distracting your reader.
- Use simple graphics to highlight important points.
Step 8: Copyedit and Proofread
A good design isn’t the only thing that will make your ebook look professional. Be sure to have the work copyedited and proofread. Spelling and grammatical errors are a quick way to lose your reader’s trust, and losing trust shouldn't be a part of anyone's blog strategy.
Now that you’ve created your ebook, it’s time to promote it. Get it out there for prospects to download with these ebook marketing tips from HubSpot.
Still don’t seem to have enough time to produce your own content, and you're wondering if content outsourcing is for you? Get a free copy of our ebook, Outsourcing Content Creation: 6 Essential Questions for Choosing the Right Partner.
About Virtucom Group
Consistent business blogging yields results – more clicks, more subscribers and – ultimately – more conversions. Whether you’re writing an automotive blog, an accounting blog, a healthcare blog or a home renovation blog, blogging for business and content development are useful for any industry. Follow the content writers at the Virtucom Group blog as they share digital marketing tips and discuss website content writing services that can optimize your business blog.
