Tag: Self Publishing

Lessons from My eBooks Sales

Someone asked me whether downloadable guides are a good lead generator for your business.

I never expected my eBooks to reach thousands of readers, let alone generate meaningful engagement. But looking at the numbers on my Payhip dashboard, I realise that writing and sharing knowledge can have a far-reaching impact.

The Journey of Sharing Knowledge

When I started publishing eBooks, my goal was simple: to document my experiences in IoT, entrepreneurship, and emerging technologies. I wanted to provide insights, guides, and frameworks that others could use, whether beginners or seasoned professionals.

Some books were offered for free to encourage accessibility, while others were priced modestly to reflect the value they provided. The result? A mix of high engagement and steady sales across different topics.

What the Numbers Reveal

Here’s a quick breakdown of how my eBooks have performed:

  • Most Popular Titles:

These two books clearly stand out. They focus on IoT, a topic I’ve been deeply involved with for years. It confirms that readers are eager to learn about IoT from a practical perspective. (Note: Initially, I sold these eBooks but now have made it for free)

These free resources were downloaded hundreds of times, proving that people appreciate concise and visual learning materials. Even though they didn’t generate direct revenue, they helped establish credibility and expand my reach.

These books didn’t attract huge numbers, but those who did purchase them found value in the content. It shows that niche topics may have a smaller audience but can still be monetised effectively. However, I have significantly reduced the prices of these eBooks.

Lessons from This Experience

  1. Free Resources Create Awareness
    Many downloads came from free materials, proving that giving knowledge away can be a powerful strategy. It builds trust and increases the likelihood of people exploring paid content later.
  2. IoT is a Strong Niche
    Books related to IoT consistently performed well. This reinforces that IoT remains a hot topic, and people actively seek structured knowledge.
  3. Engagement Doesn’t Always Mean Revenue
    Some books had high views but few orders, while others had lower views but better conversion rates. Pricing, perceived value, and the topic’s urgency significantly influence an eBook’s performance.
  4. Presentation Matters
    The success of IoT Notes and Your IoT Journey suggests that readers appreciate structured, well-organised content with clear takeaways.

What’s Next?

Seeing these numbers has given me new ideas. I plan to refine my offerings, update content, and possibly bundle resources to increase value. I’m also considering interactive formats like video courses based on my books.

Publishing these eBooks has been a rewarding experience—not just in sales but in the connections and conversations they have sparked. If you’re thinking of writing your own eBook, go for it. You never know who might find value in your words.

Check out my eBooks here: Payhip Store.

What do you think makes an eBook successful? Let’s discuss it!

Medium vs. Affiliate Marketing – Which is Better?

A Comparative Analysis of Earnings

Which Platform gives better income?

Medium vs Affiliate Earnings – Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash

I began my digital writing journey full of optimism, aiming to leverage affiliate marketing through book review articles.

My goal was clear — establish a passive income stream.

However, the outcome of this venture led me to a surprising discovery.

Despite my strategic efforts in affiliate marketing, my engagement with Medium proved more financially fruitful.

This revelation surprised me and prompted a thorough reassessment of my online monetization strategies, shedding light on the varied dynamics of digital content earnings.

Passive Income through Affiliate Marketing

My initial dive into affiliate marketing was motivated by its potential for passive income generation.

The premise was enticing — create engaging content, embed affiliate links, draw in readers, and earn commissions.

Yet, the reality was more complex and nuanced.

Despite my meticulous approach to crafting and placing affiliate links within my book reviews, the resulting earnings were disappointing — a mere $2.23, accounting for only 39% of my total income from these efforts.

More Lucrative Path on Medium

In contrast to my affiliate marketing outcomes, my endeavors on Medium revealed a more promising avenue for revenue.

The platform’s vast readership and supportive environment translated into $3.52 earnings from the same 14 articles, representing about 61% of my total income.

Though seemingly modest, these figures highlighted Medium’s key advantage—its potential to offer a more reliable and direct income source compared to the indirect and fluctuating nature of affiliate marketing.

Analyzing Platform Dynamics and Earnings Potential

Diving deeper into Medium and affiliate marketing details, I noted significant differences in their revenue models.

Medium rewards writers based on reader engagement and time spent on articles, establishing a link between content quality and earnings.

This contrasts with the uncertain and sporadic income from affiliate marketing, which relies heavily on consumer purchasing decisions.

Over two months, I observed that my Medium articles earned variably yet demonstrated the platform’s capacity to reward well-received content consistently.

Reflecting on Lessons Learned and Looking Ahead

Reflecting on this comparative analysis, I recognize that while I was initially drawn to affiliate marketing’s passive income promise, my experiences underline Medium’s superior stability and reliability as an income source for digital content creators.

Although affiliate marketing remains a potential income avenue, its success is less predictable and more influenced by external factors.

In contrast, Medium’s transparent and engagement-based revenue model offers a more stable and predictable earning path.

Photo by Myriam Jessier on Unsplash

This experience with Medium and affiliate marketing has been eye-opening, emphasizing the importance of platform choice in content monetization.

Medium’s model, predicated on direct engagement, offers more transparent and sustainable financial returns.

The insights gained from this experience will be instrumental in guiding my future strategies, reinforcing platform selection’s critical role in achieving success in online writing.

My Top Book Reviews:
1 — Get Backed — Book Review
2 — Starting a Tech Business — Book Review
3 — The Samsung Way — A Book Review

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