Blog-To-Book Strategy is a self-publishing course by George Kao that focuses on repurposing existing blog content to publish a book on Amazon. The course teaches a system of picking the topic, title, publication, book promotion, and book reviews in 5 weeks. The content and format taught in the course are audiobooks, e-books, and paperback. George entices authors to start book blogging and self-publish their own book as soon as possible. As it increases credibility, clients, students, and resources.
Self-publishing has a lot of potential even today. WordsRated data says that 1.4 million of United States self-published books released on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) yearly. Amazon publishes 1,000 books yearly through imprints, which makes Amazon one of the biggest publishers of books in the world. Over 300 million books are self-published and sold each year. Data suggests that the average income of self-publishers costs $500 a year and 20% of authors say they are not earning from self-publishing. It is possible to earn a lot of money by self-publishing, but you have to sell a huge volume to make a decent income.
In this Blog To Book Strategy Review, I tackle information about the course’s pros and cons, who it is perfect for, what you’ll get and how the course will help you make money. I tackle information about blog to book; why and how to turn your blogs, such as Tumblr and affiliate marketing blogs, into a book. I go through if self-publishing is worth it, and question if there is a better way to earn passive money than self-publishing.George Kao’s Blog-To-Book Strategy Review: Pros and Cons
Pros
You’ll get knowledge about e-book self-publishing
Cheap course price.
No negative course reviews.
Easy to understand and well-written course
Cons
You’ll only have 2 groups calls with George Kao.
You can’t see any course reviews despite being created for over a year.
No refund policy stated on the website.
No course modules found on the website
Price:
Blog-To-Book Strategy cost $150.
Refund:
Blog-To-Book Strategy has no refund policy shown on the website.
Origin
2022
Group
Intermediate Blog-To-Book Strategy has a private Facebook group. George Kao will add you to the group once enrolled.
Reputation
George Kao has a good reputation. He has 9.6K followers on Facebook, 18.8K on YouTube and 8,651 on Instagram.
Who is Blog-To-Book Strategy For?
Blog-To-Book Strategy is for people who already have an existing blog and are producing content. The website mentions the course is perfect for people who:
George mentions those who will not publish in 5 weeks can still join the program. He says that the course is a great way to learn the process of self-publishing.
Why Should You Turn Your Blog Into A Book?
How Does Blog-To-Book Strategy Help You Make Money?
Blog-To-Book Strategy helps you make money by teaching you how to repurpose your existing blogs to books with different formats. Although the course does not focus on helping you make money. The course focuses on self-publishing to increase your credibility, clients, and resources. If you read the website, you’ll notice how the course talks about self-publishing your existing writings on Kindle and Paperback for 5 weeks.
At the bottom of the page, you’ll see:
That means that even though the course focuses on increasing your credibility and resources. Blog-To-Book Strategy still tackles a marketing plan to earn sales.
How To Turn Your Blog Into A Book?
1. Evaluate Your Existing Blog Content
Since you’re repurposing content from your blogs. This is the time to check your content and pick which content you want published in a book. You can’t use your old blogs in a book. Use this chance to compile topics related to each other.
2. Outline Your Book Theme Or Topics
After compiling the topics and related post to each other. This is the time to decide the theme and topic for your book. Are your compiled blogs turned into different chapters? Is it your most viewed blog?
3. Rough Draft Your Book
Include structure to your book. Decide which parts would go first and so on. Add more topics that would make your book interesting.
4. Organize Content
After drafting your book, you’ll see gaps in your content. Fill in the gaps with related information. Don’t focus on your blog alone. This book should be well written even if you’re repurposing it on your blogs.
5. Update Previous Blogs
Write and rewrite again. Your potential reader would not want to see the same content they already read on your blogs.
6. Create New Content
You also have to put new content to complete the book. A good mixture of new content and your previous content would make the book more enticing to your old and potential readers.
7. Edit Your Content To Look Like A Book
Remember that creating a book is not the same as writing a blog. The difference lies between the intricacies found in your book. Write your book with a lot of attention and care.
8. Publish Your Content And Sell To Your Audience
You can consult an editor to better improve your book. After that you can now publish your book. Be ready to promote. Your blog readers may be the first people who would buy your book.
Blog To Book Services
Into Real Pages
Into Real Pages also known as Booklrs, can turn your Tumblr blogs into a book blog even with different content types: videos, images, and music. It can access both private and public Tumblr content. Aside from that, it can also turn other people’s Tumblr blog into a book and use it as a gift. This service can cost $34.50 to $9.
Blog2Print
Blog2Print can make book blogs from platforms like WordPress blog, Tumblr, TypePad, Instagram, and Blogger. It has different features, such as labels, date ranges, and occasions gathered together. The starting cost is $9.95 to $41.95.
BlookUp
BlookUp offers options to edit and customize your blog book, including image size, fonts, book cover, and by dates. It caters to platforms like Tumblr, Blogger, Canalblog, BlogSpirit, Haut et Fort, Overblog, and WordPress. You can also turn your PDFs, tweets, Instagram photos, and Face-book posts and pages into a book. It costs $29 to $67.80.
PixxiBook
PixxiBook has a unique feature that you can take advantage of. You can copy the link of your Tumblr blog and you’ll have a preview of what your blog book would look like. Aside from Tumblr, Pixi Book also caters to other platforms like Wix, WordPress, Squarespace, and Blogger. Price ranges at $39 to $144.
How To Make A Book From Tumblr Blogs
Open your Tumblr blog content.
Choose a Tumblr blog to print service.
Customize the content you want to include in your book.
Publish your book.
How To Turn An Affiliate Blog Into A Book?
Open your blog and access your content.
Create an outline of your desired book based on topic or theme.
Ask for approval for affiliate brands or affiliate links that are included in the book.
Write and rewrite your blog content to create a flow.
Recheck your content and publish.
What Do You Get With A Blog-To-Book Strategy?
Templates
You’ll have access to templates that you can use for book launch and tools. George also includes examples you can follow.
Walkthrough Videos
Aside from the templates and examples, George also created videos to help you better understand the templates. He also teaches how to get your first book review.
Access to the Student Directory
A directory of students that you can take advantage of to trade books and get feedback. You can also use the directory to co-promote your books when published.
Private Facebook Group
You’ll have access to fellow students to gain feedback on your book. This includes the book's organization, title, and more.
2 Group Q&A Calls
This is a chance to ask George anything you want to ask about your book. You’ll also get a copy of the session.
Are Students Of Blog-To-Book Strategy Getting Results?
Yes, the students of Blog-To-Book Strategy are getting results. On the website, you’ll see 3 student testimonials. You can’t see reviews on other platforms. Despite the course being created for more than a year, the Blog-To-Book strategy should have more student reviews.
Let’s go through the 3 testimonials found on the website.
Ginny Branden’s review is generic. She says that Blog-To-Book Strategy is creainto simple steps that you can follow. It also mentions George’s support and organization will be helpful in writing your book. Another testimonial found on the website is from Joselito Laudencia. He mentions that George not only gave him the tools, but also the confidence to publish his first book.
Coleen Chandler backs up the other 2 testimonials by saying all questions you have about publishing are answered in this course. She also mentions how excited she is to be publishing her books since the steps she needed to take are clear. The testimonials found the website may be honest reviews and may grow if more students would enroll in the course.
Is Blog-To-Book Strategy Worth Taking?
Yes, Blog-To-Book Strategy is worth taking, especially for blog writers who want to learn how to self-publish their blog contents to books, e-books, audiobooks and paperbacks. The course will show you a systematic approach since George documented his own blog to print journey. You will also have access to a great community of authors that could help with encouragement and comments.
George Kao’s Other Offers
Who Is George Kao?
George Kao is a business coach. According to his LinkedIn profile, he enjoys teaching self-employed professional to do “authentic marketing.” He attended University of California Berkeley, but he earned his diploma at Presidio Graduate School in 2005. George is currently based in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico.
George has been a full-time coach since 2009. He shared that during his first year; he made more than $10,000 by applying the strategies he is teaching through his courses. In 2013, George became a Group Coaching & Mastermind Facilitator. With his 10 year experience being a marketing advisor. Coached over 100 clients. He now calls himself as the “Authentic Business Coach.”
Although he often mentions that he published 4 books, it’s actually 5 books.
Over the past years, George has created over 21 courses that you can find on his website. His mission is to raise book marketing effectiveness for those who focus on integrity in their business. He has an active YouTube channel and has a podcast called Business Tao with George Kao.
What Are George Kao’s Claims?
George Kao claims that you’ll be able to repurpose your existing blogs to self-publish within 5 weeks. He claims that the course has all information that could help you publish the best book within the timeframe.
3 Reason Why George Kao's Claims Are Not Possible
1. Book publishing takes 10 business days for it to be live on Amazon.
According to Amazon’s book status page, it would take 3 to 10 days for Amazon to approve your book after submitting for publication. If you take that into consideration, that’s already more than a week crossed out of the promised 5 weeks.
2. Book covers cost more than $100.
The average rate for book covers from professional graphics designers cost $100 to $500 per design. According to Get Covers you can find freelancers who can do it for as low as $30, but it’s unlikely. The best way to make George’s claim to be true is if you create your own book cover, but that is not what Blog-To-Book Strategy suggests.
3. The entire process of repurposing content and publishing takes over 5 weeks.
Even if you’re an experienced blog writer, repurposing content would still take a lot of time. Take your time filling in the needed gaps article by article. Besides that you also have to make the flow of your book enticing for your viewers to read. The time needed to repurpose your content depends on you; your creativity and perseverance. But George’s claim says 5 weeks is all you need from repurposing until the publishing.
You need to consider that aside from repurposing, your content requires the time needed to:
Analyze your content and divide them according to topic or themes.
Choosing among your written blogs is included.
Choosing the title that will strike attention for your viewers
Finish the manuscript
Think of how many pages your book should have.
Look for a person to design your book cover and book layout.
Publish the book.
Get people to buy your book.
If you take all into consideration, plus the ample time needed for Amazon’s approval for publication. It would take over 5 weeks for the entire process to finish.
Is Self-Publishing Your Blog To A Book Worth Doing in 2024?
Yes, self-publishing is worth doing in 2024, especially for those who are already publishing content and have an established community. A 2021 survey from Pew Research Center says that 75% of adults in the United States read a book while 30% read e-books. It would give you a boost if you already have a community that you can tap to promote your upcoming books. It is also beneficial to have support from a community who already believes in your writing and is excited about your new venture of self-publishing.
For those interested in being a book blogger and who still have not started their own blog, it’s okay. Data from Gitnux suggests that the market for self-publishing books is expected to increase by 9.2% by 2021 and 2028. This means that it’s not too late to start your own blog and release your own book.
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What Is Better Way To Earn Passive Income Than Self-Publishing In 2024?
Local lead generation is a better way to earn passive income than self-publishing in 2024 because it requires little to no attention once your website is created. You’ll be able to make more passive income with local lead generation rather than relying on your community to buy your self-published books. The local lead generation business model works by creating an optimized website targeting keywords for it to rank on search engines. The created website should include a phone number that people can call into. You will redirect those calls to a local business owner and they get the prospect leads for a cost. The cost may vary depending on what you want and how much you ask for it.
Although there are similarities between the 2 business models, like the attention needed before publishing (website and book), and the start-up cost needed. Local lead generation reigns superior. Self-publishing competes on a world scale, while local lead generation competes locally. WordsRated data of having over 49,410 writers in the United States in 2021, excluding self-employed workers. And that was 2 years ago.
With local lead generation you have the advantage of predicting how much you’ll make monthly, which isn’t the case with self-publishing. Self-publishing books have no guarantee that your blog viewers will buy the book you published. But in local lead generation, since you are targeting a local business or local niche that you know people are looking for. There is always organic traffic. It gives you security and stability with creating 1 website.
I have this local tree website that I did years ago. My start up cost was $500. Until now, I am earning $2,000 per month with that website I optimized and created. Imagine what my passive income would be if I created more websites like that. Since I wanted to share my local lead generation knowledge with all. I created my local lead generation coaching program to teach dream seekers like you to earn like me. This is the business model I live by.