Association Connect

Take a Page From YGS’s Ebook

By Ashley Reid | April 25, 2023

Top-notch content offerings are among the most valued member benefits your association provides, and content creation comes at some expense—time, resources, or capital. However, that content you’ve put so much into producing is not being utilized to its full potential if it’s buried several pages deep within your website or magazine archive. Some of it may even have disappeared entirely with enewsletters that have long since been deleted. Even if you’re diligent with tagging and storing every piece of content, chances are good that some valuable pieces will get lost in the shuffle. That’s where ebooks come in; they’re an excellent vehicle to showcase all your great content in one convenient location.

Why an Ebook?

  • Excellent format for a curated content experience. You’ve produced content on myriad topics that your members care about. Ebooks provide a great opportunity to cherry-pick the content that pertains to a chosen topic and serve it up directly to members who will no longer need to go searching around for it.
  • Accessible everywhere. Ebooks can be accessed on just about any mobile or desktop device.
  • Easily updatable, shareable content. It’s a cinch to update your ebook if articles need to be amended or updated due to changing landscapes or legislation, for example. Sharing electronic content with other colleagues or members is also exceedingly convenient.
  • Easy on the eyes. Readers can adjust the brightness, font, and text size to fit their needs.
  • Revenue generation. Ebooks can be sold on Amazon or other digital storefronts to serve as a source of non-dues revenue. This is a way to reenergize and monetize archived material.
  • Membership growth. Since your ebook can be featured in prominent places other than your association website (as described in the previous bullet), there is major potential to get your association’s name in front of a wider audience and grow your membership. Themed books, such as the early career example below, can be produced as part of a series that may have serious appeal outside of current membership.

Ebook in Action

For one national association focused on delivering breakthrough member communications, YGS Association Solutions developed a themed ebook consisting of both existing and brand-new content that is geared toward early career professionals. While this first ebook was a free download for both members and nonmembers, there are several more on the horizon, which may be sold for a nominal fee to increase association revenue. To promote the new offering, separate eblasts were sent to members and nonmembers respectively. The ebook was also promoted in the association’s printed flagship publication and via several social media posts that were shared on multiple channels. We are pleased to report that this ebook, launched only last month at the time of this writing, already has better than expected uptake and all anecdotal feedback has been positive.

If you’re ready to turn the page and start your ebook journey, YGS Association Solutions is ready to help.

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