Hooked by Books: How to Capture Quality Leads with Free eBooks

As a marketing agency that exclusively specializes in book marketing and non-profit marketing, we do a lot of lead generation campaigns using Meta Ads (over 500k leads captured in the last 6 years). In our experience, this is one of the best ways to capture quality leads for both publishers and nonprofits.

Since we’re often asked to share best practices and answer questions about this strategy, we decided to record our recommendations and in sights in this article. I hope you find it useful!

What to Expect

  • Depending on the breadth of the eBook’s appeal, leads in the US can be captured for as little as $0.50 each and $0.10 each internationally (English-speaking countries only).

  • For eBooks that have a more limited appeal, leads can cost as much as $1.50-$5.00 each in the US and $0.75-$2.50 internationally.

What to Avoid

Avoid using eBooks that don’t have enough perceived value

  • Excerpts: The perceived value isn’t high enough for most people to feel it’s worth exchanging for their email address.

  • Low price point books: Anything under a $7.99 digital list price will not convince as many people to sign up.

Avoid ad campaigns that are too small to get through the learning phase

  • Ads should have at least a $1,000/month budget.

Avoid launching a lead gen strategy until you…

  • Have a pixel/dataset or CAPI integration that accurately communicates the number of leads captured back to Meta.

  • Have enough data about your current audience for Facebook to build an informed Lookalike or Advantage+ audience.

  • Have a compelling, automated email drip campaign in place.

Best Practices to Follow

Choose the right book

  • The first volume in a series (so the remaining volumes can be offered at an exclusive discount further in the email funnel)

  • Books by authors who have published multiple times with you (so those other books can be offered further in the email funnel)

  • Books on a topic about which you have at least 3 other types of content (so those books can be offered further in the email funnel)

Target a relevant audience

  • Meta recommends building an audience of over 2M for campaigns such as this.

  • Create lookalikes or Advantage+ audiences out of your most engaged audiences:

    • Social media followers

    • Email subscribers

    • Those who played through over 50% of your strongest videos

    • The top 10% of people who have visited your site or pages on your site, based on time spent on page.

Invest enough to make it successful

  • Recommended ad budget of $1,000-$5,000/month

Routinely refresh the ads

  • Results will vary but results typically start to decline after about 6-8 weeks.

Write optimized ad copy

  • Proven headline variations (You can choose up to 5 per ad):

    • Free eBook ($14.99 Value)

    • FREE eBook ($14.99 Value)

    • Free eBook from [Company Name]: A $14.99 Value

    • Free eBook by [Author Name]: A $14.99 Value

  • Proven description variations (Only one option per ad):

    • Available for a limited time

    • Hurry, offer ends soon

  • Proven primary text best practices (You can choose up to 5 options per ad):

    • Lead with a compelling endorsement, a bestseller claim, or a milestone of units sold of that book. Then, transition to the description.

    • Reformat the book’s description to be snackable (bullets, short sentences).

Integrate ad creative best practices

  • Simple, flat background with a 3D rendering of the book centered in the frame.

  • A photo from a photoshoot with props or in a staged environment, but where the book is most prominent and centered in the frame.

  • Use 3 ratios of each design: square (1080x1080px), vertical (1080x1920px), and horizontal (800x418px).

  • If testing different creative options, make each one unique, and, depending on your budget, limit the options to 2-4.

Optimize and test the campaign landing page

  • Keep the form fields to a minimum: first name, last name, and email address. Use follow-up strategies

  • Include the cover design, a compelling endorsement, a snackable book description, video  trailer, and a legal disclaimer.

  • Confirm that the Meta Pixel/Dataset/CAPI is communicating accurately back to Meta when a lead is captured.

Schedule a 5-email drip campaign that offers more free content

  • 1st email - Transactional email:

    • Timing: Immediate

    • Content: Short, clear, and direct.

    • Purpose: Simply give them what you promised.

  • 2nd email:

    • Timing: 1-3 days after the lead is captured

    • Content: Thank them again, tell them you hope they’re enjoying the book, invite them to share a link with others who might enjoy the book, and offer 3 free related resources on the same subject or by the same author (i.e., a blog post, video, podcast episode link, etc. – but not another free eBook).

    • Purpose: Encourage them to look forward to opening your emails.

  • 3rd email:

    • Timing: 1 week after the lead is captured.

    • Content: Share links to your other free eBooks. Comment that since they enjoy free eBooks, let them know what others are available. Encourage them to think of others who might benefit from those free eBooks as well.

    • Purpose: Reinforce that your emails aren’t pushy, but offer value, so that they will become accustomed to opening them.

  • 4th email:

    • Timing: 10-14 days after the lead is captured.

    • Content: Don’t miss out on other free resources. Stay informed by signing up for other newsletters, subscribing to your YouTube channel or podcast, following you on social media, etc.

    • Purpose: Establish other touchpoints with your subscribers.

  • 5th email:

    • Timing: One month after the lead is captured.

    • Content: Announce the next month’s new free eBook. Offer a 2nd related eBook for $0.99.

    • Purpose: Getting their credit card and a complete profile will make it easier for them to make purchases on an impulse in the future. They have less to complete, and they already have some trust with you for handling the $0.99 transaction without issue.

Other tips

  • Every month or two, add the emails that were captured back into Facebook for Lookalike or Advantage+ Audience building.

  • Invite the authors to share the news with their followers – give them social media creative assets to share, and a tagged URL (or vanity URL).

How to Deliver eBook Files

  • Options for delivery:

    • Make the file immediately available on the page that loads after the lead is captured.

    • Deliver links via email immediately after the form is completed (if it takes hours or a day or more, people will question whether they did it correctly). Offer both a pdf and ePub file type.

  • If possible, add a last page to the eBook file that has hyperlinks to other books and related content.

Email marketing is a powerful tool for selling books and acquiring donors, so we hope these tips and best practices help you expand your list of qualified leads. If you have any questions or are interested in partnering with Amplify, we’d love to hear from you.

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