At the turn of the millennium, when eBook readers were first launched, they were called the future of publishing. They could be carried anywhere easily, they offered immense customization and a more hands-on experience, and were cheaper than print. However, as any antediluvian technophobe will tell you, they didn’t quite deliver on that massive promise. Articles came out on the internet, explaining why they were bound to be a failure. In 2018, publisher Arnaud Nourry of Hachette even went so far as to call them a stupid product that lacked creativity!
All this changed with the release of ePUB3. The e-publishing industry received a miraculous shot in the arm, especially when it comes to the corporate environment. The advent of ePUB3 has truly revolutionized the way businesses create, track the progress of, and distribute their content. The latest version of the publishing format is fortified with the revolutionary HTML5 and CSS3 (more on that later), making content much more accessible and navigable for users in the corporate environment.
EPUB3 also offers increased reader engagement, thanks to multimedia overlays, such as video and audio clips and in-built semantics. Tools like SmartPage offer easy, automated conversion of almost any content format, from MS Word to PDF and InDesign. But, why should businesses bother with converting their content to ePUB3 in the first place? Here’s why.
Benefits of ePUB3 Conversion and Automation for Business
Some businesses might still feel that older formats, such as PDF and Word, are simpler and more reliable for content creation. The concern around the expected return on investment is also understandable. But the fact is that there are quite a lot of reasons to switch to an automated ePUB3 conversion platform.
1. Better analytics for expansion and targeted growth
Traceability and analytics is one of the most important criteria for business strategizing. A study quoted by Harvard Business School states that in the coming few years, over 70% of global businesses will amp up their analytics investment. Being compliant with HTML5, ePUB3 offers easy integration of analytics and better understanding of the areas requiring content upgradation. Whitepapers, training materials and other legacy documents, whose performance was earlier much harder to track, can be converted to ePUB3 with just one click, thanks to tools like SmartPage, which are part of a larger digital platform for corporates, MagicBox™. Publishers can even improve interactivity with surveys or assessments within the document.
2. Better metadata and searchability translate into increased reader engagement
Unlike documents published through other formats, ePUB3 content offers better search engine optimization capabilities, thanks to the HTML5 support. The fact that multimedia elements, such as videos and quizzes, can be easily incorporated also means improved user engagement, according to a Forbes article.
3. Improved security and piracy prevention with DRM
Losses in publishing due to piracy have consistently breached the $300 million mark for the past few years. ePUB3 complies with DRM requirements and allows only authorized users to access your content. Deploying an ePUB3 conversion platform that provides robust digital rights management could help save a lot of trouble and money, while protecting your precious data. Through its proprietary DRM tools, MagicBox™ provides features such as limited device access and protection against copying through screen-grabbing, copying or printing.
4. Lower costs
Businesses often need to publish their content across different digital formats. Creating different eBooks for their authoring workflows proves to be expensive. ePUB3 comes to the rescue by allowing companies a digital-first outlook, where authors can create digital content using open web standards. Images and widgets can be integrated easily, thanks to the format’s intuitive functions. Several users can access and work on the same file simultaneously, which translates into time and cost savings.
Greater Overall Control with ePUB3
As a format, ePUB3 promises a host of benefits for businesses, solely by virtue of being based on HTML5, which enjoys support across all modern browsers. HTML5 has also almost replaced options like Flash, XAML and PDF. ePUB3, therefore, is equipped to handle rich media and interactivity (through JavaScript), ensuring a smooth experience, even with changing browser technologies. Opting for ePUB3 automation and conversion instantly affords businesses the advantages of anticipated advancements in browser technology. What it effectively means is greater control over your own content and less dependence on publishers to create, update and distribute it.
The power of ePUB3 is being leveraged not just by publishers, leading technology enterprises are also harnessing its capabilities in the form of consistent and well-documented files. The standard has received backing from not just tech giants, but publishers as well. HarperCollins announced the completion of its transition to ePUB3 as its standard eBook format, way back in 2015. Embracing ePUB3, Dutch publishing giant Elsevier called it a giant leap ahead of its predecessor, ePUB2.
An all-round, one-click eBook converter platform, MagicBox™ offers custom branding via its white-label store and features such as content switching, navigation, semantic inflection and improved accessibility for readers. It also provides robust analytics, assisting businesses in taking informed decisions on content strategy, and helps deploy better security with robust DRM tools. Contact us to know more.
