How to Sell eBooks Online
There's never been a better time to turn your writing into a profitable eBook! Whether on mobile phone, Kindle, iPad, or another type of tablet, the eBook online market is estimated to hit over 17 billion dollars in book sales in 2024, and eBook fans just keep increasing in numbers, with projections reaching $21 billion in eBook sales by 2029.
This means that your words, stories, and illustrations - whether a mystery, young adult novel, cookbook, or fantasy series - can reach a global audience, all while you're building a successful business selling eBooks online of your writing. Let's check out what eBooks are, find out about the most popular eBook genres and where you can sell them, and get you started on your journey as a self published eBook author!
What’s an eBook?
An eBook, or "electronic book," is simply a specially-formatted digital publication that can be read on various devices like smartphones, tablets, and computers. EBooks are sold online in several formats, the most common being EPUB (compatible with most e-readers), MOBI (primarily for Amazon Kindle devices), and sometimes PDF.
For readers, eBooks offer an easy, portable way to access their fave reads; eBooks are also environmentally friendly, often more affordable than traditionally printed books, and offer instant downloading so you can, for instance, start the second book in a series minutes after you're done reading the first one! For authors, eBooks provide an easier path to self publishing, which means much lower production costs plus the potential to reach a global audience, no matter what genre you're writing in.
How to Sell eBooks Online in 10 Steps
Selling eBooks online takes some thought and planning, starting with the books and stories you want to write. Once the most important part - writing your book! - is settled, following the rest of these steps will get your book into eBook online outlets, so you can self publish and start gaining readers and fans.
1. Find Your eBook Inspiration
The first step is deciding what you want to write about, so you can create an eBook. Choosing a genre or niche with strong marketing potential will, of course, work in your favor; but the most important thing is that your eBook of choice should appeal to you, so that your enthusiasm and authenticity show through in your writing. Any research you do should align with your interests and your expertise, while catering to readers' preferences as much as possible; thinking about what kinds of books you enjoy reading is a good start, as is researching genres or topics that already have an existing dedicated audience.
2. Write Your eBook
This might seem like an obvious point, but the quality of your writing is of main importance here - content is king! So when writing an eBook, invest your time in crafting engaging content that provides value to your readers, and presents a good flow from the start of your eBook all the way to the end. When your eBook's first draft is complete, ensure that it's correctly edited and formatted for a professional finish, so that your eBook can easily compete when listed online alongside others.
3. Design Your eBook's Cover
Don't underestimate the power of a great cover! First impressions definitely matter. And your eBook cover is a reader's first impression, so invest in creating a professional and eye-catching design that visually represents your content. If you have the graphic design skills, you can do this yourself. Otherwise, you can contract out with a pro designer or use a service like Fiverr to get the job done. And don't forget about your eBook title - you want it to be short, clever, and catchy, while easily transmitting to your potential readers what your book is about in just a few words.
4. Format Your eBook
As mentioned earlier, the most common eBook formats are EPUB, MOBI, and PDF. EPUB is the open standard format for eBooks, and offers broad compatibility across various devices. MOBI is specifically designed for Amazon Kindle devices as their proprietary format. PDF files are “fixed layout” documents, so can be good on their own for things like cookbooks that have linked text and images; and they can generally be read in a web browser. There are many online resources and software programs that can assist you with eBook formatting; you might also consider using conversion tools to ensure that your eBook can be accessed by a wide range of devices and readers.
5. Determine Your eBook's Price
Pricing your eBook is going to be another individual decision, as there's no one-size-fits-all approach to pricing. Research other eBooks online in your chosen genre to determine a competitive price point - but be sure to consider the time you've invested in your book, the value your content offers readers, the current popularity of your genre, and the book's affordability against similar eBooks on the platform you've chosen.
6. Select Your Publishing Platform
EBook publishing platforms provide a marketplace for authors to sell their eBooks online. You probably already know about popular options like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and Apple Books. But there are other self publishing options, too, like Fourthwall; Barnes and Noble Press; Rakuten's Kobo (fun fact: the name "Kobo" was picked as an anagram of the word "Book"); and Google Play Books. When deciding on your platform, consider factors like available features, fee structures, and platform reach, as well as copyright protection/registration options.
7. Upload Your eBook
Each different platform will have its own upload process for your eBook. Ensure that your eBook file is in the correct format, and follow the directions carefully. After your eBook is uploaded safely, it's time to write a compelling eBook synopsis and description, telling your potential new readers and fans why they'll want to read your book! Be sure to do your research and include relevant keywords in your description text to improve discoverability in online searches.
8. Market Your eBook
Once your eBook is listed and published, it's time to do your promotional "digital book tour”! Combine posts on your social media accounts; announcements on your writer's/author's website (if you have one); email marketing campaigns; and posts on any online communities that might be relevant to your writing niche to craft an extensive marketing strategy that will let all of your potential readers know that your eBook is available and where it can be found.
9. Engage with Your Readers
Building a loyal readership is crucial for the long-term success of your writing and your eBooks. There are many different ways you can interact with your readers, including through your socials or on online communities. You can also respond to reviews (both positive and negative), and actively participate in discussions related to your eBook and your book genre; scheduling some special live streams (if you also stream) or appearances on podcasts can also give you more opportunities to talk to fans about writing an eBook.
10. Use That Data!
Monitor your eBook online sales data closely. Most eBook publishing platforms can provide insights into your download numbers, reader demographics, and geographic reach. Then it's up to you to analyze this data to identify areas for improvement, to see if, for instance, specific keywords attract more potential readers, or there are better ways you can market your eBook online. Regularly evaluating your analytics data can help you fine-tune your listings to better showcase your eBook.
Best Selling eBook Genres
While basically anything goes in eBook writing, there will always be some eBook genres that will sell better than others. Reading trends, of course, fluctuate - but these are some of the most popular current eBook genres/niches on outlets like Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble.
Biographies and Autobiographies
Biographies (the story of a person written by someone else) and autobiographies (the story of a person written by themselves; also called a "memoir") are fascinating looks into the history of an individual, and continue to be top-selling eBooks across a wide range of "people types" (actors, musicians, inventors, historical figures.) You can write about another person - celebrity or otherwise - whose story you find compelling; or even write about yourself and your own experiences.
Cookbooks and Food
Food is one of those topics that's universal, so writing about food or how to prepare food (or beverages!) can be a fun way to get started in eBook writing. You could go the classic route and put together a recipe book with your favorite recipes in a particular cuisine, complete with gorgeous foodie photos; or you could use food as the center point for a series of stories, for instance revolving around food you've tried on your travels. B. Dylan Hollis' quirky and funny "Baking Yesteryear," which actually sprang from him testing out unusual old recipes on TikTok, is a great cookbook example.
Fantasy and SciFi
With mega-franchises like Star Wars, Star Trek, and the Marvel and DC universes, it's a given that SciFi and fantasy eBooks are some of the most popular reads. If you've ever wanted to invent your own planet or craft the perfect superhero, this could be the perfect genre for you to create an eBook; and unless you're writing very technical stories (ie based on real NASA missions), you can push the limits of fantasy as far as you want - since you're making everything up yourself!
Personal Development
The personal development eBook genre offers practical advice and guidance on various aspects of life, from personal finance and productivity to relationships and confidence-building. Readers are drawn to eBooks in this genre to get actionable tips and guides to improving their lives, so if you have the expertise and the ability to communicate it, your eBook could even help people. A couple of good popular examples in this genre are Patrick King's "The Art of Witty Banter" and James Clear's "Atomic Habits."
Romance
A consistent best-seller, romance eBooks are a timeless genre with a dedicated audience, featuring captivating meet-cutes, love stories, and happily ever afters. "Romantasy" is a newer offshoot of the Romance genre, where the romantic storyline takes place in a fantasy setting as a fun reading indulgence (think Erin Morgenstern's "The Night Circus" or the Stephenie Meyer Millennial classic "Twilight.")
Pro Tip: Speaking of Romantasy, don't forget about subgenres when creating an eBook! They can be a great way to narrow down to a more specific niche, which can help your eBook stand out from the crowd. You can also use subgenres to focus in on current eBook trends - for example, SciFi could include anything from dystopian novels or apocalyptic survival fiction to space force stories; while Personal Development could feature topics like spirituality, fitness, or emotional intelligence.
Pages of Profit: Sell eBooks with Fourthwall!
Building a sustainable career as an author goes beyond just writing an eBook and selling eBooks online - and that's where Fourthwall comes in! Fourthwall is the perfect ally for writers looking to both turn their writings into profit and build a dedicated readership. With Fourthwall, you can build your own custom-branded website and bookstore for your eBook, easily uploading your eBook files via your Fourthwall dashboard, setting your eBook pricing, and adding beautiful book cover images and promotional photos.
In addition to your eBooks, you can customize a huge range of complementary merchandise to sell alongside your books, from T-shirts and mugs to calendars, wall art posters (just picture a giant poster of your eBook cover!), and even aprons (perfect if you're publishing a cookbook!)
You can maximize your eBook's reach and build your reader community with Fourthwall, too. Monitor your sales performance via your Fourthwall analytics, use direct messaging to communicate with your fans, and offer memberships to the most dedicated members of your readership so they can access exclusive content. Take your first step today with Fourthwall, and turn the page on your career as an eBook author!