Content marketing is becoming a key component of corporate marketing. E-book campaigns which cover marketing and brand development have become popular business content marketing tools. Hayim Oshky provides four reasons why e-book content marketing will flourish further in 2016.

Position the brand

Consumers trust brands; therefore the value of a business’ brand to its bottom line is worth its weight in gold. One reason e-book content marketing campaigns are growing in popularity is because they provide companies with the opportunity to position their brand how they see fit.

Commonplace content marketing strategies e.g. blog posts, allow companies to communicate their ideology. These mediums are limited, so e-book campaigns give businesses the ability to express their brand values, as well as their industry expertise, to consumers via a more extensive platform. As companies become aware of the branding opportunities provided by e-books, they are sure to utilise these publications further to present a positive image to consumers.

Build consumer trust

According to the 2015 Edelman Trust Barometer, trust is a key factor in consumer purchasing decisions. More than four fifths (80%) of respondents in the study said they have decided to purchase a business’ products or services because they trust the company in question. Consequently, a vital aim of any effective content marketing strategy is to build consumer trust.

E-book campaigns can provide companies with a valuable platform to foster consumer trust in their brand. By tackling key sector issues, companies can utilise these publications to present themselves as a credible industry authority consumers can trust. This allows e-books to serve as a valuable consumer retention tool; another reason these online publications will continue becoming a vital component of content marketing.

Develop the mailing list

Mailing lists are another essential marketing trend of 2016. Wired Magazine argues that mailing lists are more important than social media. The magazine suggests that an “initial fan base” is needed before the sheer marketing power of social media can be utilised. If companies develop a robust mailing list they have an automatic audience for marketing promotions, increasing chances of success.

How can companies persuade their target consumers to sign up to their mailing lists? E-books can work well here. A customer has to voluntarily opt into downloading an e-book. They will take this action because the publication covers a topic they are concerned with and then may be persuaded to sign up to the mailing list. Therefore, as companies realise that e-books can be beneficial for mailing lists, they will increasingly utilise these publications to build robust content marketing strategies.

Streamline the budget

Ultimately, a business has to ensure that it maintains a steady cash-flow. Businesses of all shapes and sizes, from start-up to corporate, use online marketing tools like social media which allow them to yield high results for a low-budget investment. As content marketing becomes popular, companies are looking for the most cost-effective ways of utilising this brand communication strategy.

E-books are relatively easy to produce, but allow companies to reap significant dividends. These publications create an excessive amount of content. This can fuel long-term marketing strategies; in particular it could potentially feed a company’s blog for roughly a year. E-books can also allow firms’ a platform to promote their monetised content online, suggesting these publications can earn revenue. The sheer benefits of e-books alone, suggest that companies will increasingly view them as cost-effective marketing tools.

Achieving marketing aims

E-books allow businesses to achieve core marketing aims. These publications provide companies with a cost-effective way to position their brand, build consumer trust and develop other areas of their overall marketing strategy e.g. mailing lists. As companies come to further understand the benefits of e-books, they will increasingly utilise these publications for marketing purposes throughout this year.

Thanks for reading… Hayim Oshky.