Where to Distribute eBooks? (2021)

It’s never been easier than it is today to publish an eBook. With many resources at your disposal to assist you with writing, ebook formatting, graphics, and conversion, there’s an excellent opportunity for you to get your self-published content out into the world. One of the most important things authors need to consider is how to get their eBook out in front of their desired audience.

Do you plan to promote it yourself through your website and social media? Have you developed a partnership with a retailer who will handle distribution for you? Or are you looking to take advantage of one of the many excellent self-publishing platforms that enable you to distribute your eBook through their channels?

Whether you employ one or a number of these distribution strategies, you need to plan what works best for you. In this post, we will introduce you to the various options available to you for distributing eBooks, so you can prepare for post-publication and ensure your work reaches your intended audience.

What do you need before you publish?

In the lead-up to your publication date, you will need to prepare several things to make sure you’re ready for your eBook release. You will need to ensure that you have a fully formatted eBook file [ideally in both Epub and Kindle (KPF) formats], as well as a professional cover design. Depending on where you plan to distribute your eBook, you will also need to decide if you need an ISBN, and purchase one if required.

Understand your options.

The first thing you need to do is to understand the different options available to you. Most authors elect to publish either through a retailer directly or by using the services of an aggregator. It’s only viable to self-promote via your website and social media sites if you have lots of followers and attract high traffic levels to your site.

What’s the difference between distributing via a retailer and an aggregator?

Publishing your eBook with a major retailer is also known as ‘going direct.’ This means taking your eBook manuscript directly to a retailer’s own publishing platform and making it available to their customers. Some of the most well-known direct publishing platforms are Kindle Direct Publishing, iTunes Producer/Books Author, Kobo Writing Life, B&N Press, and Google Play Books.

On the other hand, aggregators enable you to distribute your book to several stores simultaneously. They aggregate retailers on your behalf and ensure all of your sales reports are in one place. Popular aggregators include Bookbaby, PublishDrive, Draft2Digital, and Smashwords.

While there’s no right or wrong way to distribute your eBook, you need to understand what you’re signing up for. You will have to think about exclusivity, royalties, and ease of editing when choosing whether to distribute directly via a retailer or with the assistance of an aggregator. To help you make a considered decision, we’re going to introduce you to five of the most popular ways that eBook authors distribute their books, so you can decide for yourself which platform works best for you.

1. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing or KDP (Retailer)

If you’re serious about producing an eBook, you’ve almost certainly heard of Amazon KDP. Amazon controls 80% of the US and UK eBook market, so it’s an excellent place to begin your research. You will have to decide whether you want your eBook to be exclusive to Amazon as part of their KDP Select program or whether you want it to be available on other retailers. If you opt for the former, your eBook can be accessed by Kindle Unlimited readers, who form a considerable proportion of the market and will help your book rank, ultimately boosting your sales.

As for royalties, Amazon KDP pays 70% if your book is priced between $2.99 and $9.99 and 35% for all other titles. If you sign up for exclusivity, you’re only locked in for ninety days, so you can test whether it works for you. Opting for exclusivity through KDP is perhaps the simplest way of distributing your eBook, as you only have to manage and update one seller account. You can then take advantage of Amazon’s dominance of the global marketplace.

Why Amazon KDP?

• Extremely simple.
• Access to a vast market.
• Great extras if you sign up for exclusivity.

For more information, click here.

2. Smashwords [Aggregator]

Similar to BookBaby, uploading your eBook to Smashwords ensures your work can be distributed through several retailers at once. It’s completely free to publish on Smashwords, but they earn a commission on all retails sales of your book. They take 10% of the retail price for sales made through distribution partners such as Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Apple. For sales completed through their own store, their commission is increased to 15%. More than 135,000 authors have published via Smashwords, and it’s well renowned as a platform that ensures your e-book is distributed to a broad audience. When electing to distribute via Smashwords, you should upload your eBook in a valid epub format, to ensure that it will be listed within the Smashwords’ Premium Catalogue.

Why Smashwords?

• Excellent customer support and lots of marketing resources.
• Trusted by thousands of self-published authors.
• Low commission structure.

For more information, click here.

3. Apple iBookstore [Retailer]

If you want to reach the millions of users of Apple technology with your eBook, you might want to consider distributing it through Apple iBookstore. Apple’s platform enables you to distribute works that you create with iBooks Author, either as a standalone product or as a subscription service. This gives you greater flexibility when it comes to pricing and launching your eBook, particularly if you’re keen on producing a series of shorter publications. You can either distribute via PDF or EPUB or in the iBooks format. Be aware that if you publish and distribute via the latter, you can only distribute via the Apple bookstore.

Why Apple iBookstore?

• Ability to reach millions of Apple tech users worldwide.
• Flexibility in terms of standalone or subscription distribution.

4. Barnes & Noble [Retailer]

If you want to distribute your eBook directly with a retailer but don’t want to use Amazon, Barnes & Noble is the best alternative, and you don’t need to promise exclusivity for their service. When you publish your eBook with Barnes and Noble Press, you keep 70% of your royalties per sale. 30% is retained by Barnes & Noble to cover the cost of retail and distribution. You have the chance to reach millions of readers through the B&N Nook app, and you can easily reach your target market within the US and in certain parts of Europe, including the UK. B&N is popular with authors thanks to their easy-to-use back end, and you can access round-the-clock support and advice from their active community.

Why Barnes and Noble?

• A great retail alternative to Amazon.
• User-friendly back end.
• Exclusivity is not required.

For more information, click here.

5. BookBaby [Aggregator]

BookBaby is often seen as a one-stop shop for self-published authors. While you don’t need to take advantage of each of their services [as many of them are super expensive] their distribution offer as an aggregator is extremely appealing. One of the best things about working with BookBaby is that they don’t take a cut on your sales when they distribute your book to various stores. Once you have paid a one-time fee of $299, you’re all set. They don’t currently offer your eBook on Google Play, but they are connected with all other major eBook retailers.

Why BookBaby?

• Distribute your eBook to a variety of major retailers efficiently.
• They don’t take a cut of sales like other aggregators.

The verdict.

When it comes to distributing your eBook, you have a lot to think about. But perhaps your most significant consideration is whether to work directly with a retailer or aggregator. We’ve introduced you to five in this article, and as you can see, there is no right or wrong way to publish your eBook.

Providing you fully understand how the distribution works and how much you will have to pay your distribution partner, you can proceed with your publication knowing that your eBook will be in safe hands. You should also note that there are many more distribution options than the five introduced here. Self-published authors can also choose from the likes of Lulu, Kitaboo, and Vearsa. Each company has pros and cons and charge their customers in different ways. You must do your research and find a platform that works for you.

In summary, there are so many ways to distribute your eBook, and it’s a fantastic time to get your words out there in the world. Once you’ve completed your manuscript, spend a little bit of time conducting some research, and choose the most appropriate retailer or aggregator that meets your requirements.