Do you have an ebook that you’re looking to sell through eCommerce?
Shopify is one of the most powerful selling platforms out there, allowing creators like you to build their literary legacy online.
A great way to jumpstart your ebook sales process is to first publish the book on Kickstarter to attract a crowd of dedicated backers — which we explain in-depth in this article.
For now, let’s unpack everything you need to know about selling your ebook through your very own Shopify store.
Online bestseller’s list… Here we come!
Step 1: Set Up Your Shopify Store
One of the biggest perks with Shopify is that you can set up your ebook store without any coding or design skills. You can, of course, hire someone to do this for you, but with over 70 responsive themes to choose from, much of the “look” of the store comes built-in; all you have to do is add your branding elements and color schemes.
To upload your book for sale, we recommend using Shopify’s Digital Downloads app. This will allow you to upload the book for immediate download by the consumer, making an easy purchase process that leads to increased conversions.
Shopify offers three plans:
- Basic Shopify: $29
- Shopify: $79
- Advanced Shopify: $299
For your ebook business, Basic Shopify will likely have all the functionality you need to be successful. This affordability is part of what makes Shopify so attractive for entrepreneurs and authors — you’ll only have to sell a couple of books per month to recoup what you’re paying for the platform!
Step 2: Reach Your Target Audience
While it would be awesome to list your ebook for sale on Shopify and watch the orders roll in — it’s not realistic. Like any other product, you need to get your book in front of the people interested in reading it!
And this is done through marketing. If you’re on a low budget, let’s start with some organic outreach methods that you can utilize:
Blog Posts
Blogs and articles are a powerful content marketing tool for any business, and it’s especially great for ebook creators, as it gives readers a feel for your voice.
Discuss topics related to your niche, and if you can, try to hit keywords that people are searching for. You can identify these keywords for free using a tool like Keywordtool.io.
Shopify also has some built-in SEO tools that you can utilize.
Make your content engaging, fun to read, and shareable. Keep in mind that it could take some time to build up your SEO presence and a strong domain, so don’t get too discouraged if people aren’t discovering your articles right away.
Above all: make sure to include a Call to Action (CTA) at the end of each post.
What do you want your readers to do? Buy your ebook, of course!
Link to a purchase page directly, and give some supporting information in the blog post about why they should buy.
Social Media
When it comes to selling your ebook, your current following is a great place to start. These are the people that know you and what you’re about; you need to be tapping into them!
Shopify allows you to integrate with platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to easily share your content.
But remember: don’t just tweet out a link to your ebook. You need to create engaging content that stops the scroll.
Share your blog posts, videos of yourself, and use supporting copy to induce a click. The more you can vary your content to keep people intrigued, the better!
Cross-Promotion / Media Outreach
Another great way to market your ebook for sale on Shopify is through cross-promotion and media outreach.
For this strategy, it’s all about targeting people of influence in your niche and convincing them that your ebook is something that they should care about. Ultimately, the goal is that they will share it with their own following.
Social media influencers, bloggers in your niche, and local publications are all on the table. Some people might try to charge you for promotion — you will have to work to identify if the costs are worth it.
You could also offer a bartering agreement: you promote my ebook, I promote yours.
Obviously, this will be more attractive to the other party if you have a significant following yourself. But if you don’t, get creative in ways that you can bring value to their ventures!
Paid promotion
To drive traffic to your website and get more eyeballs on your ebook, you can also implement a paid promotion strategy.
Usually, this will mean running ads through Facebook Business Manager. If you choose to go the paid promotion route, start slow; test out different variations of copy and creatives to see which ad performs most effectively, then scale up your spending.
You can link potential customers directly to a purchase page for your ebook, or you can create a lead through the building of an email opt-in. An email list remains the most powerful marketing tool out there in terms of conversions, and having emails means an opportunity for pushing more products/projects down the road.
Step 3: Look at the Analytics
When it comes to tracking the performance of your ebook, it’s important to look at some Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):
- How much are you spending on ads? You should shoot for less than $2 per lead, and less than $5 per conversion (pending the price of your ebook).
- Use google analytics to track sales, website visits, and referrals (backlinks from other websites) to track for success.
- Are people engaging with the book on social media? Do people care? If not, how can you readjust your messaging?
Here’s the deal — there is a lot of competition out there for selling ebooks. But if you tap into the right niche and apply a dedicated marketing strategy, you’ll have a chance for success.
Keep in mind that offering an audio version of your book could help to increase sales. If you’re struggling to sell your book but you’re seeing good interaction, consider producing an audio version to attract “non-readers.”
Key Takeaways and Additional Resources
We hope that this article was helpful for you! Congrats on the writing of your ebook, now it’s time to sell it on Shopify!
Here at Crowdcrux, we’re all about providing you with the resources you need to succeed as an entrepreneur in the modern age, whether through crowdfunding or eCommerce.
Check out some of them here:
- Subscribe to the CrowdCrux email newsletter for weekly insights directly to your inbox.
- Visit our Youtube Channel for all the best insider tips, tricks, and secrets.
- Check out the Crowdfunding Demystified Podcast for interviews with wildly successful digital entrepreneurs.
Want more personalized support?
Our expert team is ready to go to work in selling your ebook. Book a coaching call with the founder of CrowdCrux Salvador Briggman today, and let’s work together to get this book in front of your audience!
Good luck with your Shopify eCommerce journey. We’re here to help if you need us!
