Elearning Opportunities for Publishers

Elearning isn’t just for educators and trainers anymore. Solutions like learning management systems and elearning software have become important tools for businesses seeking new revenue streams and fresh audiences.

Do any of these apply to your publishing company?

  • You have authors who are thought leaders, college professors, or trade professionals
  • You are always seeking new revenue streams and fresh readership
  • You would like to add more interactivity to your ebooks
  • You wish you had a more convenient way to securely host your own ebooks
  • You are on the lookout for innovative ways to stay ahead of the competition

If so, then Elearning solutions may be what you’ve been looking for and didn’t even know it.

Elearning is one of the fastest growing industries worldwide. For publishers, this is a unique opportunity to find additional revenue streams, increase readership, and breathe new life into existing, and back, titles.

Countless elearning marketplaces like Udemy, Lynda.com, Pluralsite, and Skillshare boast users in the tens of millions. Learners flock to these marketplaces to learn new skills, gain enlightenment, and engage with like-minded people.

The growth of these marketplaces is in large part due to a more tech-savvy, game-driven audience. This audience tends to seek engaging and interactive ways to consume information, as well as the ability to share their achievements with friends and potential employers.

Tapping into the elearning market can be an effective way to reach and retain that growing audience. If you have the right content, this well-kept secret can open possibilities most of your competitors haven’t even considered.

Navigating the elearning landscape can seem like you’re in alien territory at first. But don’t let industry jargon like SCORM and LMS scare you off. You don’t need to become an elearning expert to take advantage of this booming industry.

In this article, we focus on two areas in the elearning landscape that can benefit publishers the most:

  • Elearning software
  • Learning Management Systems

Elearning Software

Elearning software is filling a gap ePub has struggled to fill for years. With elearning software, you can easily embed multimedia elements, offer downloadable resources, and add engaging elements without the need for special readers.

Granted, you can embed video and other, limited, interactive features into ePub documents. But even if such elements are included in an ePUb, they can only be accessed on a few ePub readers. iBooks, for instance, does not allow embedded material from outside sources like Vimeo or YouTube.

So, why try and force ePub to do things elearning software does right out of the gate?

With elearning software, you can create an engaging, educational, and fun experience for readers. Some of the elements you can incorporate include:

  • Embedded video from Vimeo or YouTube
  • Links to resources and other materials
  • Downloadable resources
  • Activities
  • Animation
  • Games
  • Quizzes
  • Certificates

You can then package the end product to be accessed by any modern browser or mobile device. All you need is a link – no special readers required!

This type of untethered solution is ideal for publishers who want convenient portability, superior interactive capabilities, and reliable multimedia.

What Can My Company Do with Elearning Software?

Here are some ideas to help you start thinking about how to utilize elearning software:

  • Supplemental resources and multimedia for nonfiction books
  • How-to videos, activities, and knowledge checks for instructional titles
  • Curated video and resource libraries
  • Hands-on learning tools for nonfiction and children’s’ books
  • Online courses based on your books
  • Animation and motion graphics to demonstrate book topics
  • Games to enhance learning or just for fun
  • Full-length interactive or “enhanced” ebooks

Check out some examples on our demo site.

How Do I Distribute Elearning Products?

Most elearning software gives you the option to package your end product as HTML5. This means your product can be accessed using any modern browser or mobile device. Using this method, you can host the product on your website, offer it as a digital download, or burn it to a Flash drive.

This flexibility opens a host of distribution possibilities. Here are a few distribution models you can easily incorporate into your existing offerings.

Embedded Links or Codes

Embedding a link or access code into your books or ebooks provides readers a way to download supplemental elearning products. Individual links can direct readers to specific activities, videos, or other interactive elements throughout the book.

Stand-Alone or Add-On Products

Rather than a supplement to a book, you can offer the elearning product as a stand-alone, bundled with the book, or as an upsell during the checkout process. This model is ideal for breathing new life into existing titles by offering fresh content, or add-ons, bundled with the book at a special price to existing readers.

Interactive Ebooks

Using elearning software, you can flow entire books into interactive ebooks, breaking up the content with engaging elements like videos, activities, and knowledge checks. Once packaged, the interactive ebook can be accessed online or offered as a digital download.

SCORM

Elearning software also offers the option of saving your project as a SCORM package. SCORM is an industry standard file format that is readable by Learning Management Systems (LMS).

The SCORM package can be uploaded to any LMS; and reports quiz scores, survey results, completion data, and other information to the LMS. Learning Management Systems are discussed in more detail in the next section.

How Elearning Delta Can Help

Elearning Delta’s instructional designers are experts in leading elearning software solutions. We produce your end product and prepare it for whatever distribution methods you need.

We take care of the entire process, including:

  • Curriculum development
  • Writing and editing
  • Photo research and permissions
  • Instructional design
  • Voice over talent
  • Graphics and animation
  • Video and audio production
  • Translation and closed captioning
  • Project management

Learn more about Elearning Delta services here.

And check out our DeltaWidget®!

The DeltaWidget® is an untethered, hassle free, low maintenance elearning solution, designed for authors, publishers, educators, and thought leaders seeking an easier way to produce and distribute interactive learning experiences.

Learn more about the DeltaWidget® here.


Learning Management Systems

If you are ready to take full advantage of the opportunities elearning has to offer your publishing company, you would be wise to implement a quality Learning Management System (LMS) right out of the gate.

A Learning Management Systems are content management systems designed specifically to host and deliver elearning content. A quality LMS is much, much more than that.

How Can My Company Use a Learning Management System?

Using a quality LMS, you can:

  • Produce online courses and interactive ebooks
  • Build your own elearning marketplace
  • Create separate portals for each of your authors
  • Host all your supplemental elearning products
  • Deliver PDF ebooks in a secure environment
  • Sell any type of digital product
  • Provide a community for your authors and readers
  • Offer all of the above as a mobile app

Following are a few examples to help you visualize how content is added and consumed on an LMS.

Online Courses

Creating an online course in an LMS is similar to creating a web page, but with added elements. You build lessons using HTML (by formatting text and embedding images) and adding additional elements including:

  • Uploaded or embedded video
  • Knowledge checks
  • Assessments
  • Surveys and feedback forms
  • SCORM activities
  • Resources
  • Gamification
  • Certificates

You can build stand-alone courses, or create supplemental elearning modules for your existing titles.

Interactive Ebooks

An interactive ebook is essentially an online course, but with the entire book flowed into the course. This allows you to design a beautiful ebook that includes many additional elements like videos, resources, SCORM activities, and more to enhance the reader experience.

Think of it as an ebook with “extras” – lots of extras.

Secure PDF Ebook Delivery

You can utilize an LMS as a delivery platform for secure PDF ebooks. No more copying, printing, downloading, sharing, or pirating of your PDF ebooks!

You can give readers password-protected access to their ebook in a modern and mobile-friendly PDF reader. And for added security, readers can only log in from one device at a time.

The Much, Much More

As we already discovered, a quality LMS can do much more than just serve up courses. Here are some of the features you can take advantage of using the MATRIX LMS (Elearning Delta’s personal favorite):

  • Real mobile apps available in popular app marketplaces
  • Ecommerce solutions including coupons, bundles, and affiliate tracking
  • Integration with third party software and existing infrastructure
  • Custom reporting and analytics
  • Communities, forums, groups, and blogs
  • Email marketing, video conferencing, etc.

How Does a Learning Management System Differ from Elearning Software?

As discussed earlier, elearning software allows you to output your content as HTML5, or as a SCORM package. The HTML5 option is hosted on your website or offered as a download.

With an LMS, you build out courses and interactive ebooks within the LMS platform.

Use elearning software to build activities, games, motion graphics, and animation. Output them as SCORM projects and add them to your LMS. It is as perfect combination!

How Elearning Delta Can Help

Elearning Delta offers special, discounted plans for MATRIX LMS solutions. We get your LMS set up and running smoothly, including:

  • Installing your LMS and initializing settings
  • Implementing features based on your needs
  • Customizing the LMS with your branding
  • Setting up admin user accounts and permissions
  • Managing your project throughout the entire process
  • Providing documentation for reporting and maintenance

Learn more about our custom Learning Management Systems services here.


Let Us Be the Elearning Arm of Your Company

Elearning Delta’s founders are no strangers to the publishing industry. We have a combined 50 years of experience in publishing, production, development, editorial, and elearning within traditional book publishing, K-12, and higher education industries.

The Elearning Delta team offers elearning solutions that specifically cater to the needs of book publishers. We have solutions for individual authors or for your entire organization.

Contact us to chat or to schedule a demo

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