How to add a downloadable ebook to a site?

12 replies
Hi all,

I've recently finished my blog (the one in my sig). I've read that putting a free ebook/giveaway on your site can help attract visitors?

So I would like to add an ebook where visitors can download the ebook for free. I do not have a list yet and am wondering if the forms that say "add email and name"- is that one way to start to build a list?


And can anyone suggest/explain to me how to get that type of form? Is there a WP widget that will do that? I'd like to add the form in the sidebar.And then how and where do you put the ebook so they can download?

And while I'm on the subject of "building a list", If you have websites with say several different niches-do you start building a list from each niche?

Can someone clue me in here?:confused:

TIA,
Deanna
#add #downloadable #ebook #site
  • Profile picture of the author SeanSupplee
    Yup that would be the way to go are the forms with email and name. I use aweber.com to build my list I love them. While it comes with a bit of a cost it pays for itself when I know my contacts on my list are getting my emails and opening them. Great functions. You can then easly set up your account and get a form for your blog. 30 day free trail with aweber as well
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  • Profile picture of the author petevamp
    Originally Posted by taberdude2 View Post

    Hi all,

    I've recently finished my blog (the one in my sig). I've read that putting a free ebook/giveaway on your site can help attract visitors?

    So I would like to add an ebook where visitors can download the ebook for free. I do not have a list yet and am wondering if the forms that say "add email and name"- is that one way to start to build a list?


    And can anyone suggest/explain to me how to get that type of form? Is there a WP widget that will do that? I'd like to add the form in the sidebar.And then how and where do you put the ebook so they can download?

    And while I'm on the subject of "building a list", If you have websites with say several different niches-do you start building a list from each niche?

    Can someone clue me in here?:confused:

    TIA,
    Deanna
    Yes there is a plugin that will allow you to integrate an aweber autoresponder to your blog. I just added it to my blog as well. To get this just go to your blog admin panel. Go to plugins and do a search for quick installs using keyword aweber your all set as long as you have an weber account already.

    Best of luck to you
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    • Profile picture of the author taberdude2
      Thanks guys,

      I will check out aweber and the plugin will be a great help!

      Deanna
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      Failure is the path of least persistence. - George M. Van Valkenburg, Jr


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      • Profile picture of the author petevamp
        Originally Posted by taberdude2 View Post

        Thanks guys,

        I will check out aweber and the plugin will be a great help!

        Deanna
        Your welcome Also for the ebook part make sure you do not give them the ebook until they have subscribed. You can then build a simple page on your website and point a link to to the file on your server for them to download the book. It is best to have it in pdf format however I have been having problems with my ebooks in pdf format these days since I upgraded my adobe. It tells me there that it is missing a font string of code so the first quarter of the book is simply dots. So I have halted my book giveaways at this point.
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        • Profile picture of the author taberdude2
          Okay,
          I understand the subscribe first issue but I guess I'm not understanding a couple of things.

          I use hostgator as my host-do I upload the file (ebook) via cpanel? And then I have 17 other domains I'm hosting. In plain newbie English-where would I upload the ebook? Would it be public/babygear?

          Then in Wordpress admin-would I create the simple page (maybe thanking the visitor) for downloading the ebook and then providing the link?

          And once the visitor fills out the form in the side panel of my blog- does aweber send the visitor to the page where I have uploaded the ebook (providing there is a place where I tell aweber where the download link is)?

          Could someone please clarify-I really am a complete newbie.

          Deanna
          Signature

          Failure is the path of least persistence. - George M. Van Valkenburg, Jr


          Local Citations & Listings Made EZ!

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  • Profile picture of the author Gunter Eibl
    Deanna

    If you have a few bucks to spend each month for a good service then use aweber.

    If you are short on money then you can get some free autoresponder scripts that you can install on your web hosting account. Just Google search for free autoresponder scripts.

    It works like this: install the script, add a simple form to web page which says "To download my ebook please enter your email here". People enter their email and the script then automatically sends them an email with the download link.

    Gunter
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    • Profile picture of the author James Reilly
      When you upload your ebook, its always a good idea to upload it to the relevant site, e.g babybook on babydomain using hostgator you would up load it to

      public_html/ its up to you where you upload it to, you can use ftp or cpanel, myself i prefer ftp program.

      I always like to hide my freebies

      public_html/baby/r4t5y6y/file.zip and in that folder there i keep an index.html file that redirects to my main domain, the link to the file would be

      www.mydomain.com/r4t5y6y/file.zip then i take that url and cloak it, something simple like tinyurl.com

      Personal choice on autoresponders, if your just doing a few ebooks here and there then hosting it yourself is good until you start to build up a list if you can go for aweber then do that right from the start, get yourself into good habits.

      James
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  • Profile picture of the author taberdude2
    Okay, These steps make a lot more sense.Sometimes its soooo easy to over think things!

    Thanks everyone!

    Deanna
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    Failure is the path of least persistence. - George M. Van Valkenburg, Jr


    Local Citations & Listings Made EZ!

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  • Profile picture of the author jjpmarketing
    You want to make certain you get a download protector. Something like DLGuard would be ideal for this especially if you build your list with GetResponse. You would upload the files to the protected directory that is created with whatever download protector script you use.

    Or you could go the cheap route, get the auto responder service of your choice and just send out a cloaked link in the autoresponder message. I would recommend using Aweber if you plan on doing this.

    I still recommend using DLGuard or something similar as you can create time limited download links. You can also limit the number of times a file is downloaded from a link.

    Combine DLGuard + GetResponse + WordPress and you can't go wrong. You may also want to check out FasterIMOptIn as it will make it easier for you to put your opt in forms on your blogs.

    Dennis
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  • Profile picture of the author hawkG102
    I'll second the protecting the download link idea as someone might just hotlink it and then people will be able to get it without subscribing. However, that could still happen anyway as someone could just e-mail it to their friends for instance, but at least that will take more effort so they probably won't do it whereas if you don't protect the link it's a lot easier for them to spread it.
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    • Profile picture of the author taberdude2
      Okay-Lol was wondering what DL Guard was for-I've seen it mentioned on the forums.Will take a peek at Dl Guard too.

      Thanks a bunch!

      Deanna
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      Failure is the path of least persistence. - George M. Van Valkenburg, Jr


      Local Citations & Listings Made EZ!

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  • Profile picture of the author nasstar
    Heyguys this is very interesting to me as i am just starting out with my site, am still trying to find a way to go about setup my website i dont know much about file transfer
    and autoresonder set, thats the challeng am having now.I have some ebooks i want to add to my site but its taking me like forever to do as i am learning by myself.
    Perherps a guide that can help me set this up will really be appreciated.
    Also i would like to know how to add like paypal payment to my website too.
    Thanks.
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