How to Launch an eBook or White Paper - Authority Rules

Copyblogger's Brian Clark just released a fantastic free report entitled Authority Rules.  I'm just digging into this now, and urge you to really think about what Brian is teaching regarding the importance of your reputation in online marketing.

But that's not the reason for this post. Just as important as Brian's content, is how he produced this report. Brian's launch model is something you, as a small business or brand, need to duplicate.  Here's why:

1. No forms, gates, or information required to access the content.  Just a few simple requests to spread the message.
2. Multiple formats. Brian compiles the information in a handy, downloadable PDF. You can also view the content through continuous html pages, or you can go to the exact web page through the table of contents.  Different strokes for different folks.  Covered.
3. Search optimized. By separating the content into multiple pages and topics, Brian will get search traffic as well. Brilliant!
4. Ready to share. Brian makes sharing easy through Facebook, Twitter, Delicious and StumbleUpon. Brian asks you to share the content, and sets it up so it's a no brainer to do so.
5. Content Linking. The report isn't just an individual report. It's a collection of thoughts with links to other valuable Copyblogger posts. Anyone reading this report will most certainly be engaging in Brian's website as well.
6. Brian will get names after all. By not requiring registration, more people will spread Brian's message...but at the end (and subtlely throughout the document) Brian gives people reasons on why they should sign up at Copyblogger or follow him on Twitter.
7. He prepared the way. Brian send out a few notes before the release that it was coming. It was anticipated and, thus, welcomed.

And if I know Brian, this report is just the start.  Most microsites, eBooks and white papers are created, spread around and slowly die. The new white paper or eBook needs to live and evolve. I have a feeling that's the case here.

So if you are thinking about that next white paper or eBook, think twice about how you are going to distribute it and copy the Copyblogger.

Comments

[James B]

Brian Clark really does practice what he preaches:

* give great content
* ask to share
* make it as easy as possible to share
* reap the rewards

I find his tactic of creating a stand-alone site interesting - I suppose it's concentrating the message by eliminating all the distraction of 'other' content.

(He seems to be pushing the 'Thesis' theme quite hard too. I can't imagine that's the pay-off though.)

[Brian Clark]

Thanks Joe! Looks like I didn't sneak anything past you. ;-)

[Mark Joyella]

Joe,

Thanks for writing this post. I've been thinking along just these lines as I try to grow my own business and stake out my claim as an authority in my field, and this breakdown on Brian's paths to spreading content and attracting an audience is extremely helpful.

Thanks again,

Mark
www.localnewser.com
www.vinitrek.com

[Sky]

So here's my question as a bit of a newb -- what's Brian's goal here? More readership for CopyBlogger? More social media followers? More authority?

Do all of those things lead to more ad revenue and/or larger audience to purchase things from him in the future?

Why go the route of a separate website and not just publish on CopyBlogger?

[Corbett Barr]

Great analysis, Joe. I was immediately struck by the power and simplicity in the way Brian (and Chris Pearson) published the report. I hope this becomes a model for others in the future. It's much easier to share the report because of the lack of roadblocks, sign-up requirements, etc.

[Brian Clark]

Sky, once we decided to turn the report free without an opt-in, we decided to give it it's own site as an alternative to reading via PDF.

But it's also a demonstration of how to launch a brand new site. Copyblogger is well established as an authority site, so we showed one interesting way to launch a new site that attracts links and prompts social media sharing.

So.. as a newbie, has this given you any ideas on how to launch an authority site of your own? ;-)

From a practical standpoint though, Authority Rules was designed to tie together several years of Copyblogger content in a way that hopefully makes Copyblogger more useful to our subscribers. So there is still a lot of direct benefit by gaining more and better educated subscribers for a great software tool we have in development (coming this fall).

Hope this helps.

[Joe Pulizzi]

Sky, great question. Brian, thanks for the detail. Really appreciate it.

[mary farmer]

Copyblogger is sure a great site, been reading it for a long time. I like how you broke down "how" he went about making HIS content successful. So much of information is in the way it is presented, not just the information itself.