EBooks come in a wide range of formats and types. Combining one or two of these will provide you with some additional add-on products and enhance your marketing opportunities. In this article I will discuss the various formats - from Electronic (exe) programs to PDF eBooks, and the various types of Ebooks - based primarily on content and page-sizes.

 

EBook Formats

1. Electronic eBooks

These are the compiled eBooks which often come down as a self-extracting or installing executables (exes). They require a specific reader to read them, often available freely or even installed into the eBook exe. Once downloaded, the exe will normally simply need to be run to open the program. Based on html documents originally, most exe-type eBooks run similarly to a browser, using links as page indexes.

There are various compilers around on the market, and unfortunately because of this, one eBook compiled with one is not readable by another reader device. However executable eBooks have some features which make them more usable over simple document files. Many can contain multi-media features such as sound-files or video graphics (which can increase the eBook size).

When choosing to publish an ebook in an exe runnable program format, it should be noted that there may remain some consumer reservations about information products provided in this format. The contents are often un-previewable (unlike PDF eBooks, which are often set to open into a browser on download) and therefore unknown until run. And consumers are often apprehensive about running executable programs on their computers due to the scare of installing viruses or malware also. Providing these exes eBooks through a reputable online eBook store, and with a money-back cooling off period can help alleviate some of these concerns.

From a personal viewpoint, I’ve recently purchased – in packages – several exe eBooks, only to find they a good few have not been fully or correctly configured inside – with missing images, or even some which are un-navigatible past the first page because the hyperlinks through to other pages don’t work, or the menu system is corrupted. Whether it’s because they were built on old technology, old browser conditions, or not packaged correctly or what, I don’t know. But I do know I look on exe versions of eBooks with some distrust.

2. Mobile Formats

Although the most commonplace type of eBook, the PDF (below) is normally compatible across PC types, there still remain some incompatible mobile formats. Certain eBooks call for conversion or reading through different formators. Microsoft Reader uses a format of book not compatible with Mobipocket or Palm Pilot conversions to their e-reader types, for instance.

Some eBooks are only available in certain formats to fit a reader’s mobile device. These many reader types and formats fragmented the eBook market for several years, but recently the market is starting to homogenise and develop eBook publishing standards to allow for the development of mobile reading devices such as Amazon’s Kindle. Despite these newer reading devices (e-readers) now starting to move onto the market, they remain quite expensive, and we still have competing formats out there for such devices. We lately have the news that Apple are looking at developing their itouch phone into an e-reading device also, (hopefully not in a proprietory format for the books). All of these competing standards and expensive options continue to make it a difficult time for the normal consumer on the street to be won over into the world of mobile eBooks.

 

3. PDF eBooks

Most eBooks nowadays are made available in the PDF (portable document format) format and can be read easily in free PDF readering software (the most popular and recognisable being Adobe Reader which is often made available to download from eBook sites along with the eBook itself).

The PDF eBook has been converted from another document format such as a Publisher application, a Word/Writing application or even a spreadsheet application. Such other documents strike problems if presented in their original format for you, because readers often don’t have the same programs or versions of them on their own computers. And if they can open those original documents, then they can also make edits to your content. Your hard-worked formatting in such original documents will also most probably go astray as readers will not share the same fonts and styles as you did in creating the eBook.

The PDF format allows a document to be converted to a commonly-read document and set the formatting and styling of your eBook in stone. All they can do is read the eBook as you intended (some PDF documents do allow some inputs). PDF readers are available freely, in both Mac, Personal Computer and mobile device formats.

Of the many PDF eBooks out there, many types of eBook can be recognised or categorised and each has a general structure, contents, and pricing range which I will deal with in the next section.

 

Ebook Types

1. The Digitalised Book

Fiction and Literature

This form is commonly seen in the digitalisation of fictional and literary works. There is a wide range of literature available in eBook digitalised format – often freely downloadable if their age or copyrights have taken them into the public domain. There are many digital library projects out there (examples being Project Gutenberg, and Bibliovault) which are assembling many books from both a historical and current perspective into a repository in digital format. Quite a few current-day authors also allow their published books to be digitalised for posterity also, normally after some years as a normal paper book.

Also recently, some works of fiction have been published by authors as solely electronic novels (sometimes serially published) and eBooks. There are even several blockbuster printed novels which originated in electronic formats before being picked up by physical publishers.

Various formats are being developed for new authors seeking ways to publish outside of the larger publishers and corporates. You may encounter fictional works being published as full eBooks in PDF form, as serialised publications on the web, as podcasts with a complementary PDF, as serial novelisations via social networking sites, or even over mobile phone networks.

However, it should be noted that Fiction does not do a roaring trade online and in the eBook format, in sales anyway. In fact, some online booksellers have stopped selling digital formats of books because of this.

Such digitalised books, whether literary works in the public domain, or newer authors now publishing in this format, normally can be recognised by their length (over 100 pages) and they are normally found with headed chapters and more than one idea contained.

 

Non-Fiction Info Products

The eBook doesn’t have to have a physically published novel counterpart. And it doesn’t have to be fiction either. Many eBook informational products fit this category also. The many pages of such a book will promote a multitude of related ideas and content, with chapters, sub-headings, indexes, glossaries and additional resources.

Unless your content for longer eBooks is highly informative, consider your reader’s attention. Statistics show that the typical eBook sold is never read fully through. Provided you have sold this and are happy with your money, this may not worry you as the seller. However, consider your reader’s satisfaction. If you create an Ebook which provides wanted information – all the way through, despite length, then that leads to repeat sales.

If possible, for informational products, shorten your eBooks accordingly. Some suggest to a 25-50 page product (see Manifestos or Reports below), although there are many examples of longer eBooks being best-sellers because of their content.

Personal Opinion : So Saying this, it must be noted that it’s the 25-60 page ranges of smaller eBooks which you will see being virtually given away nowadays in large eBook packages on Ebay and other online auction sites. Packages of 300 to upwards of 1000 eBooks contain these smaller eBooks, on a huge variety of topics (and unknown quality) with most of these eBooks containing reseller rights given away in the packages also. Many eBooks of this size also go the way of being offered as bonus or incentive products on sale for supposedly superior information products.

EBooks containing around 100 – 300 pages generally fall into the $27 - $29 price range, but there are quite a few examples out there of bestselling eBooks selling for $97 or $99, the same cost as some paid-for e-courses. Often you might find these higher priced eBooks on special (permanent or otherwise) at around $79 if you’re lucky.

 

2. The 100 – 200 Page Airplane Book

Typically, larger literary works and fiction-based eBooks can run the same number of pages as the physical book – sometimes over 300 pages. However, some of the best-selling eBooks with an informational topic come in under the 200 page size. I refer to the best-selling 37Signals eBook which has sold over 30,000 copies. The front splash page suggests its size, of under 200 pages, helps to make it a quick-read – “an airplane book”. Providing succinct packaged information in a format which is easily digestable on an aeroplane journey across country or continents is a successful idea.

Similarly, there are now a large range of How To guides, particularly around the productivity stream, which are an even quicker read, at around the 70 – 100 page limits, and often under this.

The Airplane Book normally follows standard formatting of larger eBooks, containing sections, chapters, a table of contents, and normally created in A4 size.

The Airplane Book and some larger eBooks can normally be found priced around the $27 - $29 range. However some of the smaller ones are currently being sold for a reasonable $14.

 

3. The Pamphlet or Brochure

The brochure is the type of eBook format which many internet marketers suggest are the best-sellers. These are the one or two page quick documents, either in bullet-point format which are produced to resolve one problem quickly for a “desperate buyer”.

The most popular formats are either lists or tips / cheat sheets or best of type documents.

The information provided is only deep enough to provide a resolution which can be downloaded instantly, and on demand. Such users would rather seek these eBooks out than waiting around to gleen the same information from purchasing a book and awaiting it’s arrival. This buyer just wants the information – quickly and in digestable and usable formats. Such pamplets provide step-by-steps and numbered bullets, graphics which enhance the learning experience, and not much filler information at all. Just the facts, Ma’am.

Personal Opinion : I like the list or tips format of a pamphlet ebook, but would, as a consumer, think twice about paying for a small document like this unless it contains totally new information – the many I do own have been given away as free promotional copies to me as a subscriber, or past subscriber, and have worked as an enticement for me to look into larger info product offerings by the same author or website.

Brochures, when sold, can normally be found in a price range of from $1.50 upwards to $10. Many are given away free as bonuses or subscription incentives.

 

4. The Manifesto or Report

The manifesto is larger than the Brochure, and can range up to about 25-30 pages, thus allowing more text than a Brochure. There are actually sites out there looking for such Manifestos for this particular market. Change This is a site which provides free-to-download manifestos. The format allows for more descriptive text, sub-headings, a mixture of bullet-points and opinions. Unlike a larger eBook , the report or manifesto normally does not have a list of contents page, nor chapters. It can contain a few sections for comprehension, with headings over these. Pull quotes and sidebars, with graphics also enhance the information contained. Like a Brochure, the Manifesto only covers one idea.

Manifestos are often called Reports, and have been made more famous in terms of their pricing – most Reports are available for $7-$9 nowadays (as are some smaller brochures).