1.    You help your online visitor:

Ebooks offer information about specific topics. It could be a guide to managing finances, or tips on becoming an independent contractor. Whatever it is, your online visitor found your website because he/ she is interested in your topic. To offer a downloadable ebook is a plus for them. It is a great way of reaching out to your audience.

2.    You can use your ebook download to generate leads:

The ideal way of making your ebook available to your online audience for free is by making them signup for your newsletter first. You can make your ebook the reward for signing up. Anyone who does signup is then likely interested in what you have to say. You can follow up with other offers through email. Use your ebook as an incentive. But, of course, you have to follow through with an engaging and non-spammy email correspondence with your mailing list. Otherwise, you can expect them to opt out after a few emails.

3.    You build yourself up as an authority on your selected topic:

In this case, we’ll have to admit that having a book somehow adds to our intellectual clout, whether we deserve it or not. Ebooks or books are deemed different from the usual website or blog, which arguably anyone can put up and write. An ebook implies that time, thought and analyses were invested into the project. You (or your assistant) took pains to put down these analyses into writing. People tend to regard that more highly.

4.    In becoming an authority on the topic, you open yourself up to new opportunities:

There are opportunities that come with coming out with an ebook and becoming an authority. If you do it right and if you are really helpful with the information you put forward, you may be invited as motivation speaker or expert guide. This can lead to other ventures, and – yes – increased sales.

5.    You can sell your ebook:

If your book is definitive enough and is really packed with in-demand information, you can venture into selling this in online venues, such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Admittedly, there’s a bit more effort necessary to put out an ebook. It’s not like a blog, which you can draft in a couple of hours. With an ebook, you have to choose a specific topic – one that discusses an issue and proposes answers. Then, you need to outline and organize your thoughts and analyses. You may need to invest in an editor and a layout artist too.

Look at your goals and see how an ebook can fit into your marketing plan. An ebook can make a difference for many online marketers. It’s just a matter of investing time and some funds.