Thinking of writing an ebook? First of all …
Because that’s awesome! Ebooks are an incredibly effective way to help you meet your content marketing goals, as you may have already learnt.
But even the most creative cookies need a healthy dose of inspiration from time to time.
That’s why we’ve put together 7 ebook examples that rocked our worlds, so they can rock yours too.
Note that you can download all the listed ebooks free online!
By the end of this article, you’ll have the inspiration and knowledge needed to become the master of all ebook creators. Sound good? Then let’s get stuck in.
1. Devsu
2. Accenture
3. Surple
4. Celerity
5. Reward
6. Dropbox
7. Intercom
1. Devsu
Why we love it: expert research combined with thoughtful, on-brand visuals solidifies Devsu as a trusted authority on an engaging subject.
With over 500 instances of engagement on Facebook (according to Buzzsumo), software company Devsu has done something right with its ebook. Or make that some things.
First, the subject (tech as a revenue driver) is extremely relevant to its target audience - software companies - and addresses a key goal for its customers. Clearly a lot of proprietary research has gone into this ebook. By surveying your own audience, you can also find topics that are highly-relevant and less generalised, making your ebook stand out.
Source: Devsu
Devsu also nails its ebook design with attractive data visuals, quote pullouts and images to support the content. While the blue-green combination matches the software company’s visual branding, boosting awareness.
2. Accenture
Why we love it: a consistent ebook design with visuals that embody the core message generate an impactful and memorable reader experience.
Accenture’s ebook on how innovation can accelerate your competitive advantage is a breeze to read. Easy navigation is ensured through a simple contents page, while the use of white space creates a reader-friendly experience.
Source: Accenture
Also note image relevance. The ebook takes its ‘acceleration’ metaphor literally by including images of athletes and other sports-related objects, strengthening its message. Even the use of a bold, green typeface echoes this sentiment - the colour green is often associated with energy (there’s a reason energy drink Monster uses green in its logo).
3. Surple
Why we love it: Surple expertly builds its authority through plenty of detail, smart visuals and consistent branding in this ebook example.
Sustainable energy management software firm, Surple, asks the user for two details - an email address and first name - to unlock its ebook, making the process effortless with autofill.
Inside the ebook, Surple uses compelling quotes, relevant images and data visuals to break up the text and support the narrative.
Source: Surple
A strong conclusion that has a clear call-to-action (get in touch) encourages readers to visit Surple’s website or contact the team, continuing the customer journey to drive enquiries. While the use of the business logo throughout reminds the reader who the expert is on energy management.
Source: Surple
4. Celerity
Why we love it: Celerity’s lead generation form encourages those all-important clicks while a clear table of contents helps the reader navigate buckets of info.
And the winner for the best ebook lead generation form goes to … Celerity! Compelling statistics? Check. Enticing bullets? Check. An easy-to-fill form? Check. If you want to nail your gated content offer, take notes.
Source: Celerity
The ebook itself is full of text but balanced with clear headings and powerful statistics that stand out on the page. Navigating the information is also painless thanks to hyperlinks and clearly-defined topics.
Source: Celerity
Celerity also includes its contact information at the bottom of each page. You might want to steal this idea to make it easier for readers to contact you.
5. Reward
Why we love it: attractive visuals paired with consistent branding and a potent call-to-action align with the goal to drive customer conversations.
Reward, a sustainable communications agency, picks a highly relevant topic its customers likely have a genuine interest in: key issues for sustainable businesses and the impact of Covid-19 on consumer behaviour. This is the result of careful customer research. Clearly, Reward has spent time understanding what trends and challenges its customers care about the most.
Visually, the ebook is consistently on topic, featuring nature in every single image, from house plants to mountains. While the colours used - a bold purple and a soothing orange - match Reward’s logo helping to build brand awareness through the ebook’s design.
Source: Reward
The writing style is simple, friendly and empathetic, mirroring Reward’s brand personality. And a strong call-to-action - ‘Grow your brand with us’ - supports the ebook’s overall content marketing goal: to drive customer conversions.
6. Dropbox
Why we love it: Dropbox makes a complex subject reader-friendly through clear chapters, fun visuals and plenty of white space.
This ebook example from Dropbox is aimed at construction companies looking to build smarter with tech. A job title, company name and company size are required to unlock the free ebook. Smart - you can build specific audience lists for highly-targeted marketing using this information.
The ebook cover is bright, fun and bold, immediately drawing you in. And the relevant cover image tells you exactly who the ebook is aimed at. Get a similar image from a tool like Canva.
Source: Dropbox
Also, note the use of chapters and subheadings. Breaking down your ebook into chapters ensures a strong and simple narrative, helping to hold the reader’s attention.
Source: Dropbox
7. Intercom
Why we love it: Intercom makes the most of its expert interviews, emphasising them through stylish visuals to draw the reader in and add that personal touch.
Conversational relationship platform, Intercom, has created a series of ebooks as part of its The Sales Handbook: a great way to deliver expertise on a mammoth topic without overwhelming the reader. It also extends how long a reader spends with the brand, extending the prospect’s journey and driving brand awareness.
This ebook example is contemporary in its design, using a stylish typeface and repeated headings to make it unique.
Source: Intercom
There are interviews galore from industry experts. Intercom includes black and white portraits of the interviewees with arty borders, continuing the stylish feel while making the content feel more personal. If you plan to feature interviews in your ebook, this example is one to bookmark for inspiration.
Source: Intercom
Lessons from our ebook examples
You CAN become an amazing ebook creator and achieve your goals. Just revisit this article when you need a boost of inspiration. You can also download each ebook free online.
Before you leave, remember these golden rules.
10 Rules for Business Ebooks:
1. Stand out with an eye-catching ebook cover related to your topic
2. Include a table of contents with navigational links
3. Pick colours aligned with your brand and its personality
4. Leverage white space for a reader-friendly experience
5. Include contact details in your footer encouraging readers to get in touch
6. Offer quick tips and key takeaways to break up your content
7. Visualise data through fun graphs and charts
8. Use chapters for an easy-to-follow narrative
9. Choose a typeface consistent with your branding
10. Create compelling headlines to keep the reader hooked
Learn more about making ebooks a part of your wider editorial strategy here.
And in case you missed it, read our guide on 8 Steps to a Professional Ebook (Free Template Included).