Author: ayinde

  • Here's what's in Ted Cruz's ebook on Critical Race Theory – Business Insider

    Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is on a mission to “defeat” Critical Race Theory, the study of racial bias in US laws that he says is “taking our schools by storm.”
    Though educators say CRT isn’t taught in K-12 schools, Cruz argues the concepts have “infiltrated our education system” in a free, downloadable 10-page e-book exploring the origins of the college-level course, and alleging that it’s tied to Marxism.
    “Together, I think we can defeat Critical Race Theory in our schools and make sure that students learn the true history of America—the story of American greatness,” Cruz says in the e-book.
    The e-book, based on Cruz’s August 9 lecture at the conservative Leadership Institute’s School Board Campaign Training, echoes complaints and talking points that other conservatives have used to fuel controversy over the topic. For example, Christopher Rufo, the Manhattan Institute fellow who started the political discussion about CRT in 2020 on Fox News, encouraged conservatives to use the term “race-based Marxism” in a CRT briefing book section on messaging called “winning the language war.”
    Anyone trying to download the book must provide their email and will be met with a request for donations. “Please give today to help train more conservatives to stop Critical Race Theory in its tracks,” the request says.
    Cruz’s e-book teaches conservatives how to “spot CRT concepts” in K-12 curricula by looking for “buzzwords” like “white privilege,” ” systemic racism” and “equity.”  
    He focuses on “equity,” a word Merriam-Webster dictionary defines as “fairness or justice in the way people are treated.” Cruz argues that CRT rejects equality and instead demands “equity.”
    “You see, to Critical Race theorists, in order to achieve equity, local and federal government policies must dis-
    criminate so that the same results are achieved by all races,” Cruz writes. “If policies don’t meet that standard, CRT considers them racist policies.”
    The e-book, promoted through a sponsored tweet Wednesday by the Washington Times, was part of an 11-hour program the Leadership Institute sponsored in August to prepare conservatives to run for local school board seats “against the entrenched left,” according to a message that appears when you sign up to download the book. 
    He participated in the program as school board races across the country were heating up over culture war issues in education, including the teaching of race. A study by Ballotpedia identified 272 school districts in 25 states where candidates took a stance on critical race theory, the role of race in curricula or specific equity and diversity plans, Covid-19 responses, and sex education or the use of gender-specific facilities. 
    The most commonly cited issue was “race in education/critical race theory,” mentioned in 248 races, according to the study. Meanwhile, bills and laws to restrict discussion about race and gender in classrooms have cropped up in Republican-led states.
    Cruz, a Harvard-trained lawyer and former solicitor general of Texas, argues that CRT is based on a Marxist view of society as a conflict between oppressors and the oppressed. He adds that “critiques of capitalism and property have been threads in the CRT quilt since the very beginning.”
    He links CRT to the New York Times Magazine’s “1619 Project,” an accounting of US history with slavery’s consequences and Black Americans’ contributions to America at the center. Several school districts are teaching the 1619 project using curriculum guides from the Pulitzer Center. 
    Cruz also quotes from a document by the National Education Association, the nation’s largest union representing both teachers and college faculty, that says they “oppose attempts to ban critical race theory and/or The 1619 Project,” they support an “honest teaching of social studies,” and that it’s “appropriate for curriculum to be informed by academic frameworks” that include CRT. NEA had no immediate comment.
    Cruz urged conservatives to stand up and fight, citing a case in Southlake, Texas, where he said conservative parents “rallied together to defeat a ridiculous
    Critical Race Theory initiative that the local school district’s diversity committee” had put forth.
    “The conservative parents were able to band together to fight this, and they got three times as many people to show up and vote in the school board elections than usually vote. And guess what—they won the school board elections
    about 70 to 30—a huge margin,” Cruz wrote. “That’s what happens when we have grassroots leaders like you pushing back against Critical Race Theory.”
    Fordham University School of Law professor, Tanya Katerí Hernández, who has taught CRT for 25 years, described the topic to Insider as an analysis of legal jurisprudence that examines how advances in civil rights laws were undermined and have in many ways led to disenchantment with a colorblind approach to dealing with racism. People think “it’s part of an anti-whiteness mode of analysis or a racial hate platform,” she said, adding that that’s “completely untrue.”
    But Morton Blackwell, Leadership Institute president, says in an email that accompanies the e-book that Cruz “helps conservatives understand the ugly truth” about CRT.
    “Please share this e-book with other members of your family and community so they too can learn to spot Critical Race Theory concepts,” he writes. “As Senator Cruz makes clear, when conservatives stand up and act, we can defeat leftist indoctrination.”
    Keep reading

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  • ePUB vs MOBI [Different eBook Formats Explained] – Cloudwards

    ePUB vs MOBI [Different eBook Formats Explained] – Cloudwards

    Loading books onto your Kindle from third-party sources can be a cumbersome process, especially when it comes to file formats. This guide will teach you the difference between EPUB vs MOBI and everything else you need to know about different e-book formats.
    Amazon is by far the largest e-book retailer in the world, so it’s not surprising that it would have a proprietary Kindle format for e-books sold through its store and read on its e-book readers. If you’re buying books for your Kindle from any other e-book retailers, you’ll need to know the differences between EPUB vs MOBI files and how to convert them.
    We’ll start with a quick rundown of file formats and the pros and cons of both EPUB and MOBI, but if you just want to learn how to convert them you can skip to the end. If you’re looking to convert an AZW3 file, you can check out our AZW3 to PDF format guide instead, though the steps detailed below will work for most popular document formats, including PDF books.
    MOBI files are so much larger than other e-book files because of the way the format is designed for compatibility with all of Amazon’s Kindle devices. A MOBI file will contain the book itself, which is usually just an EPUB file and several converted files that are compatible with every version of the MOBI (or AZW3) format.
    Kindles primarily use two file formats: MOBI and AZW3. For non-e-book files, Kindles can also read DOC and DOCX, PDF, TXT as well as HTML and HTM. They can also open certain image file types like JPG, PNG, BMP and GIF.
    No, Kindle devices can’t read EPUB files. If the book was purchased through Amazon, it’ll be automatically converted to MOBI or AZW3, but if it’s from another source you’ll need to convert it before your Kindle can open the file.
    A file format is essentially a standardized way to encode information so that it can be understood across devices and programs. If you’ve used any kind of computer, chances are you’ve heard of formats like JPG, PDF or MP3.
    Generally, file formats are designed to carry one specific type of information, such as an image, audio, video or — as we’re about to discuss here — e-books. There are a few different ways of encoding e-books, but by far the most common e-book formats are EPUB, MOBI and MOBI’s descendant, AZW3.
    Developed by the International Digital Publishing Forum, EPUB is the most widely accepted e-book format. The format is open source, features extensive typesetting and layout options, and supports highlighting, bookmarks and even multimedia files like images and videos.
    EPUB files also tend to be much smaller than MOBI and PDF files and are directly compatible with services like Google Docs. Graphically intensive e-books especially benefit from the EPUB format, as these types of books can quickly balloon in size when using MOBI or AZW3 and become completely unusable as a PDF.
    MOBI is mostly a legacy format at this point. Although you might still come across it on third-party download sites, it’s been replaced as Amazon’s official e-book format by AZW3. This file format is developed internally by Amazon and is essentially an upgraded MOBI with additional DRM capabilities as well as updated layouts and typesetting.
    Because MOBI’s main intent is compatibility with all of Amazon’s devices, the files are usually much larger than EPUBs. As Amazon has been continuously releasing new Kindle devices, it has also been updating its proprietary file format to go along with the new hardware.
    That means that in order for a MOBI file to be backwards-compatible with every Kindle device, it needs to contain multiple copies of the book that conform to each version of the MOBI or AZW3 formats.
    If you’re using anything other than a Kindle or the Kindle app, then EPUB is the better format. The only real reason to use MOBI is for compatibility with Amazon’s e-reader and app, but otherwise it has no advantages over EPUB, which is a widely accepted format that is much easier to work with.
    That said, if the book you want to read comes as a MOBI file already, there’s no reason to convert it to EPUB unless your device is incompatible with MOBI files. That might be the case though, since most third-party e-readers and reading apps such as Adobe Digital Editions aren’t compatible with Amazon’s in-house format.
    Converting books between the EPUB and MOBI formats is incredibly easy. A simple Google search will show that there are dozens of free converter websites out there, and all you need to do is go to one of the top ones, upload your EPUB or MOBI file and click “convert.”
    This kind of quick and simple browser-based solution will work for the vast majority of books. That said, if you’re trying to convert an especially large file, perhaps a 1,000-page epic or image-laden work, then you’ll probably run into the file size limits on these sites. If that’s the case, you can download Calibre, a free e-book management program.
    The best way to convert large MOBI or EPUB files as well as manage your e-books in general is with Calibre. The software is a free download, and lets you convert all sorts of document and e-book files.
    Go to the Calibre website and click on “download Calibre.” Run the file that downloads and follow the instructions to install the software.
    Once Calibre is open, click on the button in the top-left corner that says “add books.” Select “add books from a single folder” and find the file you want to convert in the file selection window that opens.
    Now that you can see the book in your library, select it and click on the button at the top of the window that says “convert books.”
    This will open up the conversion settings, where you can adjust the metadata (such as the title, author, publisher and series), change the cover image and set the output format. There are a lot of advanced options located in the menu on the left, but for now all you need to do is set the output format in the top-right corner to what you want it to be and click “OK” in the bottom-right corner.
    Besides EPUB, MOBI and AZW3, e-books will occasionally come as PDF files. This isn’t a great way to format an e-book as PDFs are inefficient, don’t handle larger documents well and don’t display well on mobile devices. AZW3 is also sometimes referred to as KF8, KPF or KFX, but these names simply reflect updates to the AZW3 format.
    That’s it for our guide to MOBI and EPUB files as well as e-book file formats in general. Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what these terms mean, and what kind of file types you want to be using with your e-reader or reading app.
    What did you think of the guide? Did we miss anything you think we should have covered? Is there a better e-book conversion program you would recommend? Let us know in the comments below. Thank you for reading.

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    Because the Cloudwards.net team is committed to delivering accurate content, we implemented an additional fact-checking step to our editorial process. Each article that we fact check is analyzed for inaccuracies so that the published content is as accurate as possible.
    You can tell that an article is fact checked with the Facts checked by symbol, and you can also see which Cloudwards.net team member personally verified the facts within the article. However, providers frequently change aspects of their services, so if you see an inaccuracy in a fact-checked article, please email us at feedback[at]cloudwards[dot]net. We strive to eventually have every article on the site fact checked. Thank you.

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  • 29 Places to Publish Your Business eBook – Small Business Trends

    29 Places to Publish Your Business eBook – Small Business Trends

    If you buy something through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. Learn more.

    eBook publishing has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for independent authors. Gone are the days where you need to have an agent and a connection to a major publishing house to create, distribute and market your book. Instead, you can publish your very own business ebook and sell your eBooks online.


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    Sell Your eBooks Online

    With today’s digital technology, you can easily sell your written work online using several different online platforms.

    These platforms have been developed to remove the complexities of traditional publishing with a wide range of tools and options for publishing your business ebook. Depending on the service provider, you can access everything from publishing and design to marketing and sales, as well as insights and tutorials on how to publish an eBook. And you can make this happen without a huge investment.

    Places to Publish Your Business eBook

    So for all of you great business minds who want to share your knowledge with the world, check out these platforms to publish your business eBook on.

    Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing

    As one of the largest online sources for eBooks, Amazon has a large self-publishing arm with Kindle Direct Publishing. The platform allows you to publish your business eBook on the Amazon Kindle Store, which makes them available on Kindle devices and Kindle apps for iOS, Android and more. Self-publishing is free and you can earn up to 70 percent royalties on sales.

    NOOK Press

    Barnes and Noble also offers no-cost self-publishing to its NOOK e-readers and BarnesAndNoble.com with NOOK Press. The platform allows you to control the price of your book, which impacts your royalty rate.



    iBooks Author

    If you have a Mac computer you can download the free iBooks Author app and create your book using Apple’s library of templates and other design tools. You can then publish your business eBook and offer it for purchase or free download in the iBooks store.

    Google Play

    To make your titles available on Android devices and Google Books, there’s the Google Play Books Partner Center. The platform allows you to upload your content, set your own prices and sell to customers around the world.

    Lulu

    Lulu is a platform that lets you create and publish eBooks for a variety of different platforms and stores. You can create and format your own eBook for free, or hire Lulu to edit, proofread and design. You can then publish the book on Lulu’s site, but also convert it into a file that you can make available on all ereaders and tablets.

    Blurb

    Blurb allows you to upload your eBook from Bookwright or Adobe InDesign and it will convert it to a fixed-layout eBook for $9.99. You can also convert your manuscript to a reflowable eBook from a text document. That service is free while in beta. You can then make them available on popular platforms like Apple and Amazon.


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    Smashwords

    Smashwords allows you to publish your eBook to a variety of sources, including the Smashwords store, iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and Scribd. You can earn 85 percent on sales at Smashwords.com and 60 percent of list price on sales from the rest.

    Kobo Writing Life

    Kobo Writing Life prides itself on being easy to use. You start by adding details and uploading your manuscript, which it will automatically convert to an ePub file. Then you set your price and track sales directly on the website. Your title will then be available on the Kobo Ebookstore, which is a worldwide provider of eBooks.

    Myebook

    With a publishing platform and plans that work for single book authors and multi-publication distributors, Myebook can help you create and distribute your eBook to multiple popular platforms. You can self-publish or use one of Myebook’s paid full-service offerings.

    BookBaby

    BookBaby is unique among self-publishing services in that it doesn’t take any percentage of your sales. It does offer a number of paid services including design, formatting and distribution. And you can use the platform to reach a number of popular stores like iBooks and Amazon.


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    Shopify

    The popular eCommerce solution allows you to easily sell and manage orders for your eBooks. Some of the Shopify features include professionally designed store templates, order processing and analytics. Pricing starts at $29 per month, and goes up depending on features.

    Payhip

    Payhip’s offers a simple platform for hosting your eBook and allowing your customers to buy it directly from you. Payhip processes payments using Paypal and Stripe, and delivers your eBook to customers directly, taking 5 percent of each transaction.

    eBookIt

    eBookIt is intended specifically for independent authors and small press outlets. The site offers eBook conversion, distribution and promotion starting at a $199 one-time fee. And the company works with distribution partners like Amazon, Google and Barnes & Noble.

    Scribd

    Scribd is a membership program that offers unlimited books to its members for a flat monthly fee. The company pulls titles from a handful of publishing service providers, so you need to sign up with one to get your eBook available to subscribers.


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    Wasteland Press

    Wasteland Press is a self-publishing company that can help you get your eBook formatted and available on the most popular eBook devices, including Kindle, Nook and Apple products. There are a few different plans for the various marketplaces. But to get your eBook listed on all of them, Wasteland Press charges a fee of up to $500.

    E-junkie

    E-junkie charges a monthly subscription fee to sell your eBooks online, instead of taking a percentage of sales or charging fees up front. Cost depends on the number of titles you have and the amount of storage needed. The company also offers PDF stamping for security.

    Selz

    Selz has a free account which lets you access analytics tool, widgets, and fraud protection along with up to five listings. You can upload your ebook onto the Selz platform and create a store to sell them there. If you want to move up to the paid membership, it starts at $12.99 with unlimited listing and customization options for your page.

    Gumroad

    If you want flexibility on how you can set up your online shop, Gumroad has multiple options. With a monthly membership of $10 and a 3.5% on each sale, you can fully customize your page to sell your eBooks. This includes creating memberships, subscriptions, discount promotions and direct sales.


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    Tradebit

    Tradebit allows you to quickly upload your eBook or other digital download to make available on your homepage or storefront. For sales made on your own site, Tradebit takes 25-30 percent, and more for sales in its own marketplace.

    Infinity Publishing

    This platform’s Author Store offers a variety of different products and services for authors ranging from full book printing to eBook conversion. Infinity Publishing also works with distribution channels like Amazon and Barnes & Noble to get your eBook in front of buyers.

    PayLoadz

    This digital delivery system works for eBooks and a variety of other digital products. PayLoadz allows you to upload your file, set your own price, and add the button or link for your product to your website or other online accounts.

    Slicebooks

    Not your typical eBook marketplace, Slicebooks offers a platform for you to essentially sell sections of your eBooks or other content. So if your business books have some helpful chapters or snippets, you can use this platform to repurpose and sell just those parts for people who may not be interested in an entire eBook. Pricing starts at $9 per month.


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    Click2Sell

    Click2Sell is an affiliate marketing network that offers secure servers for storing your eBooks and a checkout options to help your buyers complete their purchases. You can offer your eBook on the Click2Sell marketplace and even recruit affiliates to promote your titles online.

    LifeRich Publishing

    From Reader’s Digest, LifeRich Publishing is more of a full-service book publishing solution. But they also offer electronic formats, with pricing based on the various services you require.

    iUniverse

    iUniverse offers a range of services to help you create and sell your books in physical, electronic and audio formats. The company offers everything from design help and editing to marketing your book. So prices vary based on the services you select.

    InstantPublisher.com

    While this site mainly focuses on publishing hard copy books, it also has options for eBook publishing. InstantPublisher charges a base price of $159.99 for converting your eBook and assigning it an ISBN. Then it offers a $50 yearly fee or 10 percent of your royalties to list your eBook on Amazon and iTunes.


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    eBookPartnership

    eBookPartnership is an online service that helps authors convert their books into ebook files and distribute them widely on a global scale. The company also works with independent publishers in need of assistance with ebook conversion.

    Pressbooks

    Pressbooks is a tool aimed at helping independent authors create professional looking editions of both print and digital books. You can then use it to connect to a variety of popular publishing platforms for distribution.

    Draft2Digital

    A publishing support platform, Draft2Digital allows you to upload your written content and easily transform it into an ebook file. They also offer help with distribution and don’t charge any fees upfront.

    eBook Photo via Shutterstock


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    Qualify for discounts, special offers and more with a Business Prime account from Amazon. You can create a FREE account to get started today.

    29 Comments ▼


    eBook publishing has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for independent authors. Gone are the days where you need to have an agent and a connection to a major publishing house to create, distribute and market your book. Instead, you can publish your very own business ebook and sell your eBooks online.


    if(typeof ez_ad_units!=’undefined’){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],’smallbiztrends_com-box-4′,’ezslot_4′,115,’0′,’0′])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position!=’undefined’){__ez_fad_position(‘div-gpt-ad-smallbiztrends_com-box-4-0’)};

    Sell Your eBooks Online

    With today’s digital technology, you can easily sell your written work online using several different online platforms.
    These platforms have been developed to remove the complexities of traditional publishing with a wide range of tools and options for publishing your business ebook. Depending on the service provider, you can access everything from publishing and design to marketing and sales, as well as insights and tutorials on how to publish an eBook. And you can make this happen without a huge investment.

    Places to Publish Your Business eBook

    So for all of you great business minds who want to share your knowledge with the world, check out these platforms to publish your business eBook on.

    Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing

    As one of the largest online sources for eBooks, Amazon has a large self-publishing arm with Kindle Direct Publishing. The platform allows you to publish your business eBook on the Amazon Kindle Store, which makes them available on Kindle devices and Kindle apps for iOS, Android and more. Self-publishing is free and you can earn up to 70 percent royalties on sales.

    NOOK Press

    Barnes and Noble also offers no-cost self-publishing to its NOOK e-readers and BarnesAndNoble.com with NOOK Press. The platform allows you to control the price of your book, which impacts your royalty rate.



    iBooks Author

    If you have a Mac computer you can download the free iBooks Author app and create your book using Apple’s library of templates and other design tools. You can then publish your business eBook and offer it for purchase or free download in the iBooks store.

    Google Play

    To make your titles available on Android devices and Google Books, there’s the Google Play Books Partner Center. The platform allows you to upload your content, set your own prices and sell to customers around the world.

    Lulu

    Lulu is a platform that lets you create and publish eBooks for a variety of different platforms and stores. You can create and format your own eBook for free, or hire Lulu to edit, proofread and design. You can then publish the book on Lulu’s site, but also convert it into a file that you can make available on all ereaders and tablets.

    Blurb

    Blurb allows you to upload your eBook from Bookwright or Adobe InDesign and it will convert it to a fixed-layout eBook for $9.99. You can also convert your manuscript to a reflowable eBook from a text document. That service is free while in beta. You can then make them available on popular platforms like Apple and Amazon.


    if(typeof ez_ad_units!=’undefined’){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],’smallbiztrends_com-medrectangle-4′,’ezslot_3′,116,’0′,’0′])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position!=’undefined’){__ez_fad_position(‘div-gpt-ad-smallbiztrends_com-medrectangle-4-0’)};


    Smashwords

    Smashwords allows you to publish your eBook to a variety of sources, including the Smashwords store, iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and Scribd. You can earn 85 percent on sales at Smashwords.com and 60 percent of list price on sales from the rest.

    Kobo Writing Life

    Kobo Writing Life prides itself on being easy to use. You start by adding details and uploading your manuscript, which it will automatically convert to an ePub file. Then you set your price and track sales directly on the website. Your title will then be available on the Kobo Ebookstore, which is a worldwide provider of eBooks.

    Myebook

    With a publishing platform and plans that work for single book authors and multi-publication distributors, Myebook can help you create and distribute your eBook to multiple popular platforms. You can self-publish or use one of Myebook’s paid full-service offerings.

    BookBaby

    BookBaby is unique among self-publishing services in that it doesn’t take any percentage of your sales. It does offer a number of paid services including design, formatting and distribution. And you can use the platform to reach a number of popular stores like iBooks and Amazon.


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    Shopify

    The popular eCommerce solution allows you to easily sell and manage orders for your eBooks. Some of the Shopify features include professionally designed store templates, order processing and analytics. Pricing starts at $29 per month, and goes up depending on features.

    Payhip

    Payhip’s offers a simple platform for hosting your eBook and allowing your customers to buy it directly from you. Payhip processes payments using Paypal and Stripe, and delivers your eBook to customers directly, taking 5 percent of each transaction.

    eBookIt

    eBookIt is intended specifically for independent authors and small press outlets. The site offers eBook conversion, distribution and promotion starting at a $199 one-time fee. And the company works with distribution partners like Amazon, Google and Barnes & Noble.

    Scribd

    Scribd is a membership program that offers unlimited books to its members for a flat monthly fee. The company pulls titles from a handful of publishing service providers, so you need to sign up with one to get your eBook available to subscribers.


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    Wasteland Press

    Wasteland Press is a self-publishing company that can help you get your eBook formatted and available on the most popular eBook devices, including Kindle, Nook and Apple products. There are a few different plans for the various marketplaces. But to get your eBook listed on all of them, Wasteland Press charges a fee of up to $500.

    E-junkie

    E-junkie charges a monthly subscription fee to sell your eBooks online, instead of taking a percentage of sales or charging fees up front. Cost depends on the number of titles you have and the amount of storage needed. The company also offers PDF stamping for security.

    Selz

    Selz has a free account which lets you access analytics tool, widgets, and fraud protection along with up to five listings. You can upload your ebook onto the Selz platform and create a store to sell them there. If you want to move up to the paid membership, it starts at $12.99 with unlimited listing and customization options for your page.

    Gumroad

    If you want flexibility on how you can set up your online shop, Gumroad has multiple options. With a monthly membership of $10 and a 3.5% on each sale, you can fully customize your page to sell your eBooks. This includes creating memberships, subscriptions, discount promotions and direct sales.


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    Tradebit

    Tradebit allows you to quickly upload your eBook or other digital download to make available on your homepage or storefront. For sales made on your own site, Tradebit takes 25-30 percent, and more for sales in its own marketplace.

    Infinity Publishing

    This platform’s Author Store offers a variety of different products and services for authors ranging from full book printing to eBook conversion. Infinity Publishing also works with distribution channels like Amazon and Barnes & Noble to get your eBook in front of buyers.

    PayLoadz

    This digital delivery system works for eBooks and a variety of other digital products. PayLoadz allows you to upload your file, set your own price, and add the button or link for your product to your website or other online accounts.

    Slicebooks

    Not your typical eBook marketplace, Slicebooks offers a platform for you to essentially sell sections of your eBooks or other content. So if your business books have some helpful chapters or snippets, you can use this platform to repurpose and sell just those parts for people who may not be interested in an entire eBook. Pricing starts at $9 per month.


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    Click2Sell

    Click2Sell is an affiliate marketing network that offers secure servers for storing your eBooks and a checkout options to help your buyers complete their purchases. You can offer your eBook on the Click2Sell marketplace and even recruit affiliates to promote your titles online.

    LifeRich Publishing

    From Reader’s Digest, LifeRich Publishing is more of a full-service book publishing solution. But they also offer electronic formats, with pricing based on the various services you require.

    iUniverse

    iUniverse offers a range of services to help you create and sell your books in physical, electronic and audio formats. The company offers everything from design help and editing to marketing your book. So prices vary based on the services you select.

    InstantPublisher.com

    While this site mainly focuses on publishing hard copy books, it also has options for eBook publishing. InstantPublisher charges a base price of $159.99 for converting your eBook and assigning it an ISBN. Then it offers a $50 yearly fee or 10 percent of your royalties to list your eBook on Amazon and iTunes.


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    eBookPartnership

    eBookPartnership is an online service that helps authors convert their books into ebook files and distribute them widely on a global scale. The company also works with independent publishers in need of assistance with ebook conversion.

    Pressbooks

    Pressbooks is a tool aimed at helping independent authors create professional looking editions of both print and digital books. You can then use it to connect to a variety of popular publishing platforms for distribution.

    Draft2Digital

    A publishing support platform, Draft2Digital allows you to upload your written content and easily transform it into an ebook file. They also offer help with distribution and don’t charge any fees upfront.
    eBook Photo via Shutterstock


    if(typeof ez_ad_units!=’undefined’){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],’smallbiztrends_com-leader-3′,’ezslot_10′,611,’0′,’0′])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position!=’undefined’){__ez_fad_position(‘div-gpt-ad-smallbiztrends_com-leader-3-0’)};


    Qualify for discounts, special offers and more with a Business Prime account from Amazon. You can create a FREE account to get started today.
    Aira Bongco
    For me, the easiest is CreateSpace. I love how it integrates with Amazon and have your book listed in no time. The other places are good for selling though.
    Linda Aragoni
    LeanPub.com another option. It allows readers to see a work in progress as well as the completed book. It’s heavily used by people in technology fields. (Disclosure: I used it for an education book I wrote.)
    Annie: Which is your favorite place for self-publishing books, both hardcover and ebook?
    Nee
    Thanks for the list. I wonder which one has more support to writers in terms of copyright protection. I came across a blog comment that her ebook on Kindle was plagiarized but Amazon will not take part in the dispute settling, although they are getting 30% of the sales.
    I guess ebooks and podcasts are getting more and more popular and in near future, will be getting bigger. These sites will play good role hence. I think writing and publishing on Amazon and Apple would be huge.
    Awogor Matthew
    Since I have been looking for an opportunity like this. Thanks for all. I will head up and give all of them a trial. Thanks
    After each book we write my wife and I always go through this process – where are we going to sell it. We have had success with our books in the KDP Select program that allows Amazon Unlimited subscribers free access to your book. The author gets paid based on pages read and total amount in the Unlimited “fund”.
    Not sure it is a great move to go with that program as you can not have your book for sale anywhere else. I think with our next book we will use a few off this list and see how it goes.
    Thanks for putting this resource together.
    Thanks for the topic. I think that now in 2019 many vendors stopped working
    Robin McGill
    I really like the list. It apoears to be very helpful. I also appreciate the conments from other writers. I look forward to finding the most suitable site for my book. The best to all in their writing and publishing endeavors!
    Can you publish a book in different places? Or do they get a kind of ownership over the book?
    mejore comentarios
    I really like this list, this is really wonderful, Thank you for this.
    Loved this and every other article here in smallbiztrends. Great website!
    Thanks for sharing nice article, Its very helpful for me.
    I really appreciate your post and you explain each and every point very well. Thanks for sharing this information.
    Ali
    Great Article Thanks for this
    Great! I loved your site. I have bookmarked it.
    Nisha
    Thanks for sharing the article its help me alot
    Good Articles Thanks for recommendations
    Ashley Cheah
    Another great option for ebooks and self-publishing is A&A Printing!
    Here’s their website: https://www.printshopcentral.com/
    Mike Ssendikwanawa
    Thanks for this wonderful List, will give them a try inorder to reach out to more readers!
    Mike Ssendikwanawa
    Thanks Annie, for this wonderful ebook publishing list.
    Hope to have a great journey with several of these platforms.
    Thanks for the list. I wonder which one has more support to writers in terms of copyright protection. I came across a blog comment that her ebook on Kindle was plagiarized but Amazon will not take part in the dispute settling, although they are getting 30% of the sales.
    PdfnBooks also publishes ebooks for free.
    very good article, I have many articles but still confused where to publish my articles, with this tutorial I can have many choices
    Jhonathan
    For me, the easiest is CreateSpace. I love how it integrates with Amazon and have your book listed in no time. The other places are good for selling though.
    Small Business Trends is an award-winning online publication for small business owners, entrepreneurs and the people who interact with them. Our mission is to bring you “Small business success, delivered daily.”
    © Copyright 2003 – 2022, Small Business Trends LLC. All rights reserved.
    “Small Business Trends” is a registered trademark.

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  • Addressing Impediments to Digital Trade | VOX, CEPR Policy Portal – voxeu.org

    Addressing Impediments to Digital Trade | VOX, CEPR Policy Portal – voxeu.org

    Research-based policy analysis and commentary from leading economists
    Create account | Login | Subscribe
    Ingo Borchert, L Alan Winters 27 April 2021
    Addressing Impediments to Digital Trade | VOX, CEPR Policy Portal - voxeu.org 1
    Digital trade and digitally enabled services hold the promise of much-needed future growth and prosperity, but also pose unique challenges for trade policymaking. This eBook presents the proceedings from a conference organised by the UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the UK Trade Policy Observatory, hosted by CEPR,  to discuss new directions for digital trade policy.
    PDF Download
    a
    A
    Ministerial preface
    The Rt Hon John Whittingdale OBE MP
    Introduction
    Ingo Borchert and L. Alan Winters
    1 Mapping policies affecting digital trade
    Simon J. Evenett and Johannes Fritz
    2 Mapping approaches to cross-border data flows
    Javier López-González, Francesca Casalini and Taku Nemoto
    3 An AI policy for the (near) future
    Bryan Mercurio and Ron Yu
    4 Source code disclosure: A primer for trade negotiators
    Cosmina Dorobantu, Florian Ostmann and Christina Hitrova
    5 The difficult past and troubled future of digital protectionism
    Susan Ariel Aaronson
    6 Governing cross-border data flows beyond trade agreements to support digital trade: Inspiration from international financial standards-setting bodies
    Patrick Leblond
    7 Rights in data, the public interest, and international trade law
    Teresa Scassa
    8 Asia-Pacific digital trade policy innovation
    Stephanie Honey
    Senior Lecturer, University of Sussex Business School
    Professor of Economics at the University of Sussex and CEPR Research Fellow

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  • Can You Read Manga On A Kindle? How To Get Your Manga Fix – Book Riot

    Can You Read Manga On A Kindle? How To Get Your Manga Fix – Book Riot

    If you’re an avid manga reader, you may have noticed that there’s a wide variety of manga titles available on Kindle Unlimited—including Attack on Titan, Battle Angel Alita, and Fairy Tail, among other series—but what does that mean for you? Can you read manga on a Kindle or is it just going to be a hassle? Fear not, manga fans, because downloading and reading your favorite Japanese comics on an ereader has never been easier to manage!
    Book nerds know the struggle of finding the perfect bag to hold their essentials—and yes, that definitely includes your current reading shortlist—but manga readers have it especially tough. Those little volumes may be small, but they’re also quick to read—so quick, in fact, that you may need three or four to get you through the wait time at your next doctor’s appointment! That may be less of a problem in Japan, where manga is so cheap that volumes can even be considered disposable, but western fans probably don’t want to discard their brand-new $10 books at the drop of a hat. That means you need to be able to transport multiple series installments everywhere you go—no easy feat when you have limited bag space.
    Enter the Kindle. If there’s one way that ebooks and ereaders have fundamentally changed book nerds’ lives, it’s by allowing us each to carry a virtual library wherever we go. Although it was originally designed with traditional texts in mind, the Kindle has turned out to be a great way to transport your manga collection for reading on the go.
    Reading manga on a Kindle device used to be a real pain in the rear, with ereader owners forced to download separate apps in order to enjoy .CBZ files—or just make their e-ink model Kindle display manga pages properly. Thanks to a few innovations in programming and manufacturing, however, reading manga on a Kindle is easier now than ever!
    Keep scrolling to find out how you can read manga on your Kindle, hassle free, and read on for some great suggestions on where to download your new favorite manga.
    The truth is that the majority of manga series available on the Kindle store are compatible with most Kindle models. This means that determining which Kindle model is right for you will come down to two basic elements: the style of manga you like to read, and where you get your digital manga volumes.
    If you’re looking to read old-school, black-and-white manga on your Kindle, you can’t go wrong with a Kindle Paperwhite or Oasis. Since 2018, these e-ink readers have come to U.S. book lovers with a specially integrated technology made just for reading manga. A few years after the Kindle Paperwhite Manga Edition landed in Japan, those same manga-friendly improvements became standard on all Paperwhites—from Generation 6 onward—Voyagers, and Oases sold in the U.S.
    Manga fans who already own a compatible Kindle device should take advantage of these features, but press pause before you buy a brand-new Kindle Paperwhite or Oasis. Many of the best features ported from the Kindle Paperwhite Manga Edition are only available when you read manga bought directly from the Kindle store.
    If you like reading colorized manga, you’ll probably want to lean toward a Kindle Fire. Reading full-color comics and graphic novels on a Fire tablet is both aesthetically pleasing and buttery smooth. Unlike the e-ink model Kindles, the Fire can read manga you’ve downloaded in .PDF format—say from Humble Bundle or another outfit—giving you hi-res pages that you can manipulate to enjoy every last detail.
    We’ve already discussed two places you can buy digital manga volumes—Humble Bundle and the Kindle store—but those aren’t the only shopping options—shoptions?—out there for manga fans with ereaders. Here are two more fantastic, Kindle-friendly apps you can use to download manga on your ereader today.
    Although comiXology is technically an Amazon company—and therefore has a lot of overlap between its collection and the Kindle store’s—it’s still worth mentioning for one reason: comiXology Unlimited (CU). For $5.99 per month, readers can access more than 25,000 comics, graphic novels, and manga series. You can also purchase individual volumes that aren’t part of the CU library from comiXology’s full collection, which has upwards of 100,000 items ready to read. What’s more, if you’re also a fan of western comics, comiXology allows you to sync up with your DC Comics and Marvel accounts, so you can read your entire library of digital comics from one convenient location.
    Compatible with Kindle Fire devices, Hoopla is a digital-lending service you may be able to access through your local library. This handy app lets you check out music albums, ebooks, eaudiobooks, and digital graphic novels—including both western comics and manga series—with your library card information.
    Unfortunately, Hoopla is not compatible with e-ink Kindle devices, so many apologies to Paperwhite and Oasis owners, but you’re out of luck here. For readers with a Kindle Fire and a library card, though, Hoopla is hard to beat. Check to see if your library card comes with Hoopla access, and use the app to download the next installment of your favorite manga series.
    There you have it, folks—You can read manga on a Kindle, and you no longer have to jump through hoops to do so! If you already have a Kindle on-hand, then you should be able to find manga volumes in the Kindle store to download and enjoy today. If you’re working with a really old Kindle, however, or you’re still shopping around for your first ereader, there’s no need to worry. There are plenty of apps you can use to download manga on your Android or iOS device! And if you prefer South Korean comics, be sure to check out these great places to read manhwa online.

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  • 7 Little-Known Perks of Your Library Membership – The Motley Fool

    7 Little-Known Perks of Your Library Membership – The Motley Fool

    If you’re on a Galaxy Fold, consider unfolding your phone or viewing it in full screen to best optimize your experience.
    Credit Cards
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    Before you apply for a personal loan, here's what you need to know.
    Get Started!
    Knowledge
    by Brittney Myers | Published on April 19, 2022
    Image source: Getty Images
    A library card is a key that can unlock a great many doors.
    Check out The Ascent's best credit cards for 2022
    To a population used to everything being digitally on-demand, a building full of paper-bound books and physical media can seem outdated. And, in fairness — it is.
    But your local library isn't the ancient repository of historical obsolescence that many people may picture these days. Library systems have done a lot to keep up with the changing times, and they offer a huge variety of digital media and online resources perfect for the modern lifestyle.
    What's more, they're entirely free. All you need is to sign up for a library card — or, in some cases, provide your phone number — and you can unlock tons of value, all without touching your bank account. Here are just a few of the perks offered by a library membership:
    While there are certainly still some of us who like the feel of a physical book in hand, there's no denying that reading on a digital device has its upsides. Library systems use a mobile app — called Libby (formerly OverDrive) — to offer digital copies of books for members to check out.
    You can check out an ebook for 7 days or longer (depending on the copy, you can even get extensions). You can either read via the app on any device. Or, if you're a Kindle user, you can connect your account with your Amazon account and send a copy of the book to your Kindle device. Yes, this includes Paperwhite devices!
    One of the best things about Libby is that you don't necessarily need to go to the library to get a library card. Depending on your location, you may be able to use your mobile phone number to get a "digital" library card.
    Another awesome aspect of the Libby app is that it’s not strictly limited to books. You can also browse and download more than 3,000 digital magazines. Alternatively, magazines can also be checked out through the app Flipster. It allows limited offline viewing and may have titles you can't get through Libby.
    For the newspaper lovers, you can go online through America's News and access both local and regional news outlets. You can view archived and current news stories from your area. You'll need a traditional library card (not a phone-number based digital card) for access.
    While we're singing Libby's praises, let's not forget about audiobooks. Many titles available as an ebook in the Libby app also come as an audiobook, making it easy to "read" while commuting, exercising, or whatever else you like.
    You'll check out audiobooks the same as you would ebooks, and listen on any device right from the app. You can even bookmark your spot, set a sleep timer, and change the playback speed.
    For many years, the library has been a great resource for catching up on your favorite shows and movies by borrowing DVDs for free. Now, you can do the same thing, digitally, through the Hoopla and Kanopy apps (access may vary by region).
    Once you create an account — you'll need a traditional library card number, you can't use your phone number — you can "borrow" and stream popular television shows, movies, and even music. It's not a massive catalog of content — you won't find the latest Marvel movie, for example — but it's all free with your library card making it an affordable streaming service alternative (or addition).
    While you're checking out the Hoopla app, be sure to browse their digital library of comic books and graphic novels. And this collection, unlike the film and TV options, does include a lot of recent and popular series.
    For instance, you can borrow and read Marvel and DC comics issued just this week. Plus you can check out more indie publications from Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, and more.
    Online classes can be a great way to learn new skills, be it for career growth or just for fun. Your library membership comes with access to thousands of online educational resources, covering everything from learning a new language to learning to repair your car.
    You can use your library card to access LinkedIn Learning, for software and technology skills, or Transparent Language to pick up a new language. The Chilton Library has car manuals going back decades. And library patron access to Creativebug includes arts and crafts classes of all types.
    Online classes are great, but what if you're already in school? The library has you covered here, too. You can access tons of educational resources to help students of any age. Your library card can unlock access to Tutor.com to get homework help for grade school or college. Ask questions, find self-study tools, or even get a one-on-one session from a live tutor.
    While this list focused on digital resources, your local library may have even more to offer. For example, most libraries have computers that members can use. Some library computers even come with useful software like Adobe Creative Cloud programs.
    Beyond computers, you can find a lot of information that simply hasn't been digitized yet, including local genealogical data or archived newspapers. Some libraries may even offer more unconventional resources like a free seed library or STEM learning kits filled with educational toys.
    You never know what you'll find at your local library — so take a look!
    If you have credit card debt, transferring it to this top balance transfer card secures you a 0% intro APR into late 2023! Plus, you’ll pay no annual fee. Those are just a few reasons why our experts rate this card as a top pick to help get control of your debt. Read The Ascent's full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.
    Brittney is a credit expert and card strategist whose advice has been featured by major publications and financial sites across the web.
    We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
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  • Hackers Exploiting Spring4Shell Vulnerability to Deploy Mirai Botnet Malware – The Hacker News

    Hackers Exploiting Spring4Shell Vulnerability to Deploy Mirai Botnet Malware – The Hacker News

    The recently disclosed critical Spring4Shell vulnerability is being actively exploited by threat actors to execute the Mirai botnet malware, particularly in the Singapore region since the start of April 2022.
    “The exploitation allows threat actors to download the Mirai sample to the ‘/tmp’ folder and execute them after permission change using ‘chmod,’” Trend Micro researchers Deep Patel, Nitesh Surana, Ashish Verma said in a report published Friday.
    Tracked as CVE-2022-22965 (CVSS score: 9.8), the vulnerability could allow malicious actors to achieve remote code execution in Spring Core applications under non-default circumstances, granting the attackers full control over the compromised devices.
    The development comes as the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) earlier this week added the Spring4Shell vulnerability to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog based on “evidence of active exploitation.”
    This is far from the first time the botnet operators have quickly moved to add newly publicized flaws to their exploit toolset. In December 2021, multiple botnets including Mirai and Kinsing were uncovered leveraging the Log4Shell vulnerability to breach susceptible servers on the internet.
    Mirai, meaning “future” in Japanese, is the name given to a Linux malware that has continued to target connected smart home devices such as IP cameras and routers and link them together into a network of infected devices known as a botnet.
    The IoT botnet, using the herd of hijacked hardware, can be then used to commit further attacks, including large-scale phishing attacks, cryptocurrency mining, click fraud, and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.
    To make matters worse, the leak of Mirai’s source code in October 2016 has given birth to numerous variants such as Okiru, Satori, Masuta, and Reaper, making it an ever-mutating threat.
    “The [Mirai] code is so influential that even some of the malware offshoots are starting to have their own code versions released and co-opted by other cybercriminals,” Intel 471 researchers said last month, pointing out the upload of the BotenaGo botnet’s source code on GitHub in January 2022.
    Earlier this January, cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike noted that malware hitting Linux systems increased by 35% in 2021 compared to 2020, with XOR DDoS, Mirai, and Mozi malware families accounting for more than 22% of Linux-targeted threats observed in the year.
    “The primary purpose of these malware families is to compromise vulnerable internet-connected devices, amass them into botnets, and use them to perform distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks,” the researchers said.
    Sign up for cybersecurity newsletter and get latest news updates delivered straight to your inbox daily.

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  • How to Better Strategize Your Marketing – Entrepreneur

    How to Better Strategize Your Marketing – Entrepreneur

    Signing out of account, Standby…
    Tips on creating an effective roadmap for this pivotal task, and how to save time in the bargain.
    As a small business owner, time is elusive, and too often marketing tends to fall to the back burner. Owners are so busy running businesses, honoring family commitments and the million other things they need to do on a daily basis that this vital effort gets short shrift. Yet the simple truth remains: if you’re not marketing a business, you’re not growing it. 
    Here are some essential steps to that end.
    Take a minute to step back and ask what you’re trying to achieve. This will help determine where to spend marketing effort. Do you want to drive more traffic to a website? Need a better conversion rate? Are you trying to create brand awareness? Knowing what you’re trying to accomplish will dictate the appropriate marketing strategy. 
    Relevance is one of, if not the most important aspect of Search Engine Optimization. People have a better chance of finding you if your content is relevant to them. So, who are you targeting, and what words are they using when they hop online and start searching for products or services? What are their interests? What are their struggles? Where do they hang out online… perhaps LinkedIn, or Instagram, or YouTube? How do they like to consume content? Would they rather listen to a podcast, watch a video or read a blog post? 
    Next, determine your unique brand message? What makes it different and why should they choose your products or services? Being able to articulate this quickly and effectively will create results. As StoryBrand CEO Donald Miller says, “If you confuse, you’ll lose”.
    To do this, you have to know who your ideal customer is, then speak to them in a way that resonates quickly and in a form they’ll likely consume. In the busy online world, people have limitless options, and are looking for connection, transparency and help with their problems.
    Related: Branding Is More Than an Accessory: It’s the Foundation of Any Business
    If you create a timeline and schedule, marketing becomes a whole lot easier. You know what’s coming up, you know what you need to do and when to do it. Set specific days and times so you can get into a routine (weekly, or even daily) until you establish consistency.
    Here is an example timeline that you could put into a Google Spreadsheet or build out in Asana: 
    These apps can help you stay organized and accountable in the process of tackling the above tasks: Asana, Trello, Todoist, Google Suite (Docs, Calendar, etc.) and Canva. 
    Luckily, we live in a world with amazing tools to quick-track marketing tasks. You can automate your social media with platforms like Buffer, Hootesuite or Sprout Social, or make it super easy and get a Canva pro account so you can create content and schedule it right in the platform. Also, schedule out emails for the month on Mailchimp, Constant Contact or Hubspot. But even as you enjoy these time savers, don’t neglect the tasks listed above; you still want to hop on daily (even if it’s just a few minutes) to engage, like, comment and share. People, as well as algorithms, will notice if you put everything on autopilot. Just set an alarm on your phone (or Todoist) once or twice a day to hop on for a few minutes. 
    Related: The Top 5 Perks of Marketing Automation
    Did you write a blog post that people loved? What about turning it into an infographic, recording it as a podcast, and/or expanding on it to create an ebook that people can download (and help can grow your email list at the same time)?  You can also repurpose other people’s or businesses’ content: Just be certain that it is something your followers can connect with and that you give proper credit by tagging the content creator or by using the #Repost app.
    Perhaps you have older blogs? You can still rotate those into social posts if they are relevant and helpful. Did you get an awesome review on Google? After sharing it on social, turn that into a custom-branded image on Canva and share again (but in a different format). Are there common questions you get asked often? Then go live on Facebook or Instagram and expand on them. The moral of the story is that using content in different forms gives it more life, and saves you time.
    Related: 4 Ways to Build a Stronger Brand-Consumer Relationship Using Social Media
    Keeping track of site data will show you what is working (and not) in your marketing strategy. You’ll start to see trends, dips and red flags, so adjust content and strategy accordingly. If you notice more engagement on certain types of posts, by all means do more of those (do your videos get more views than copy-based blogs, for example?). 
    Grab your calendar right now and schedule a 30-minute brainstorming session with yourself and/or employees. Make it fun and buy some coffee or a nice bottle of wine and spend some time working on the business, not in it! Then start applying this information into a workable strategy, starting with goals and messaging. It’s vital to schedule time into your calendar to brainstorm and review content and analytics.
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