The days of traditional publishing are long gone. Digital formats have taken over. But this does not mean we can’t learn from the old approach’s best practices. The success of flip books in content marketing is the most visible example.
The Beauty of Flip Books
There are still a lot of people who appreciate the act of flipping from one page to another. That’s the sensation you get to enjoy through flip books (minus the smell of paper).
Flip books can be described as interactive books or magazines. You basically flip from one slide to another the same way you would flip through the pages of a book.
What makes flip books a great format for content marketers?
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Easily accessible
There are so many ways to deliver content to your audiences. Some of them, however, may not be ideal for people on the go.
For flip books to work, there’s no need to install a new tool. There isn’t any need to follow elaborate steps. The moment the page opens, the content it carries can automatically be consumed. From there, users can go from one page to another in a perfectly normal – and digital – manner. This means they can have access to the content they need no matter where they are or what they’re doing.
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Cost-effective
Although the smell of paper is soothing, it still is a more costly option. Flip books are cheap to produce and can cater to a multitude of audiences in one go. You even have the option of updating the content as needed. You won’t have to go through a whole new process to do that. Instead, a few tweaks should do it.
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Flexible
Another beauty about flip books is the fact that you can do anything with it. Do you want the pages to look like real books or magazines? Do you want it to look like a regular slideshow? How do you want the pages to be laid out? Do you want to hear music while the pages are turning? That’s how flexible flip books are. You can imagine a number of ways to make your flip book look like and actually have it done. You can even jump from one approach to another without using up a lot of resources.
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Interactive
This time, let’s do a comparison between flip books and regular written content. When you look at regular content, all you have to do is look at it from left to right, top to bottom. That’s it. Whether the audiences will follow your call to action would depend on how amazing your content is. But let’s face it – sometimes, you have to trigger that engagement yourself.
This is where interaction becomes important. It’s the same reason why people love games, whether through a gaming console or through a mobile app. Every person has a specific set of interests. Pique that interest and turn it into a format they can interact with, and you have them hooked. This interaction is something flip books offer. They’re already invested in the industry or field your content tackles. Might as well have them invested in another way to keep the deal sealed.
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Better readability
Are you trying to deliver a ton of information in one go? People may find it tiring to go through everything. Can you imagine having to dig through so much data from top to bottom? This is why it is often encouraged for content to be delivered in short paragraphs and statements. Stick to the main message and avoid the extras.
But what if there is a real need to deliver that much information?
That’s a dilemma that flip books can solve. Flip books allow you to cut chunks information and group them accordingly. You can have a limited number of data on each page so that it won’t be overwhelming for users. Once they’ve processed the data on one page, they can easily jump to the next. It removes the visual trauma of having to go through a loooooooong page.
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Can easily be shared
Let’s say you found the content of a certain flip book extremely helpful. You decide to share it to your peers because you feel they’ll feel the same way. The good news is, flip books work the same way as a lot of other digital content. Sharing it to everybody else is as easy as a tap or two.
There’s no other way around it. Flip books have definitely made it to the list of digital formats that content marketers should use.
If this is your first time to consider flip books, that’s okay. The important thing is that you’re now willing to make the most out of it.
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Use visual elements.
Pictures aren’t just for kids. Humans have always been, and will always be visual creatures. The use of images on your flip book definitely makes a lot of sense. These images are just the thing that could hook your audience right in.
Images can also reinforce your message. Remember that these images may not be mere pictures. They come in different forms as well. Charts and graphs, for example, would be a great way to present data. You may choose to insert a few infographics here and there, too. You also have the option of making these images pop out of the page when clicked on. This would allow readers to get a better view of every single detail.
Videos are even better. Just because the flip book is already interactive doesn’t mean a great video wouldn’t help. If anything, the combination of images, videos and an awesome flip book format would put all odds in your favor.
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Use the right tool.
You don’t need fancy programming skills to add a flip book to your content. The right tool can actually help you create great flip books without worry.
The FlipHTML5 Flipbook creator is one such great tool. It is a professional HTML5 Flipbook maker that allows you to create digital interactive flash Flipbooks, e-catalogues, e-brochures, e-magazines & more with page-turning effects. You can easily convert your dull-looking PDFs into an attractive Flipbooks with batch editing feature.
It’s extremely user-friendly. You can add your favorite music, GIF, Youtube videos or local videos. Insert text, images, integrate your Flipbooks with social media platforms. Upload your Flipbooks to your own website, save it on cloud storage and also secure your data with Amazon S3 service.
Check out for more features of FlipHTML5 Flipbook creator!
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Make your content relevant.
Flip books are not magic. Just because you use this format does not mean that your audience will automatically become attracted to your brand. Bad content is still bad content, even when delivered in the form of a fancy flip book.
Make sure you do thorough research. Is this the kind of information your target audience needs? Is the content poorly delivered in terms of grammar and formatting? Did you double check each and every piece of information? Are you sure of their accuracy?
The effect flip books have on your content is already impressive. This effect can be wasted if you don’t take the time out to make sure your content is impeccable.
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Link to other content.
Don’t limit your information to what you have to say. Give your audiences a wider perspective about your topic by linking to other sources as well. This will make your audience appreciate the amount of info you’re giving them. This will also be a way for you to catch the attention of influencers who may end up helping you in the long run. By linking to their pages, they may repay you in terms of links and exposure.
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Share your flip books everywhere.
You’ve got great content. You have an attractive flip book. What’s the next step? You have to make sure you maximize its reach. That’s why you need to start sharing that flip book in all the right places.
You may choose to put it on your own website, then share Flipbooks on your social media pages. You could also create a guest post on an influencer’s blog. Take every possible route to spread the word around. Of course, the most important part here is to find out where your target audience is. Make sure the channels you use are accessible to them.
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Know who your audience is.
This may sound like a cliché to content marketers. But the truth is, this is the foundation of every successful content strategy. Relying on your own needs and wants will not give you maximum results. But the moment you start considering who your audience is, that’s when the numbers start rolling in.
What are their usual pain points? What channels do they prefer? What social media platforms do they use? What hours of the day are they most likely to go online?
Information like this can help you figure out how to form your content. What design would your audience most likely appreciate? What’s the best tone for you to use? These are problems you can easily sort out when you know who you’re talking to.
Start exploring how amazing flip books can be. Your content may already be good, but flip books can pull them up and make them great.
Tips to Creating Engaging Flip Books
Flip books can give you amazing results. But you can only enjoy these results if you do it right.
Here are a few tips you have to take note of to make sure your venture into flip books is worth it:
The post Why You Should Start Using Flip Books with Your Content Marketing appeared first on Smashing Buzz.