E-books give you the opportunity to establish yourself as a thought leader while providing your audience with content they want to engage with. If you don’t have a couple of publications in a virtual library, you’re missing out.
But know that e-book readers are just as selective as traditional consumers, and they won’t settle for below-average reading material. Follow these 10 tips for e-book design to properly inform and engage your audience.
1) Create an eye-catching cover
Even if it’s on the Web, readers will still judge your book by its cover. Don’t be afraid to get creative. It’s your reader’s first impression, so blow them away.
2) Maintain content hierarchy
Your content should be easy to navigate. You can bold or enlarge keywords to call out important information, but ensure that it is still easy to follow.
3) Keep consistent design and branding
An e-book is a great opportunity to establish your brand identity. Consistent branding throughout your book will make it easier for readers to identify your work later on.
4) Opt for custom graphics
Visuals are key in e-books. While images are great, custom graphics are the greatest. If you’re not a designer and outsourcing isn’t in the budget, there are a lot of great platforms that can assist you with that (*cough cough* Visage).
5) Use external links
A major perk of creating an e-book instead of a printed book is the ability to hyperlink. Give readers instant access to your blog, helpful resources, or inspiring work.
6) Preserve whitespace
White space is your friend. E-books aren’t limited by length, so don’t feel the need to cram a bunch of information on a page. Space it out; your readers will thank you. http://mirziamov.ru/mfo-online/zaim-payps.html
7) Use color wisely
If you want to paint your house every color of the rainbow, that’s totally up to you (though your neighbors may hate you). But when it comes to e-books, limit your palette. Try variations of a single color or a select few complementary colors. This will provide enough contrast without overwhelming your reader and distracting from the content.
8) Make it shareable
E-books are created to be shared, but not everyone wants to share a 20-page PDF. Allow them to share snippets of your book on social media, such as click-to-tweet options or portions to post on LinkedIn.
9) Provide downloadable resources
People love free stuff. Instead of describing an awesome spreadsheet to your readers, give them the option to download it.
10) Make it unique
Your e-book is an extension of your brand, and your brand isn’t boring! So use design—fonts, layouts, and custom visuals—to make your e-book as unique as you are.
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