Aptara logoThe content production and digital media company Aptara recently released its 4th Annual Ebook Survey of Publishers, which proposes to offer “unprecedented insight into eBook publishers’ business and production practices.” I haven’t yet had a chance to read the entire report—it’s a 41-page long PDF—but you can download the PDF yourself by clicking here.

From the report, here are a few sample results:

• 31% of eBook publishers produce enhanced eBooks, though only 12% correlate the enhancements with a positive impact on sales

• Amazon.com is the most popular sales channel, used by 68% of eBook publishers. Apple’s iBookstore comes in second at 58%.

• Amazon is also the most lucrative eBook sales channel. Publishers’ own websites come in a distant second place for generating the most eBook sales.

• 4 out of 5 publishers now produce eBooks, a 30% increase in three years.

• 36% of eBook publishers are realizing double-digit annual eBook revenues—that’s a 100% increase (in publishers) since last year.

• 60% of eBook publishers still employ print-based editorial and production workflows that add time and cost to each eBook.

• More than half of publishers’ content is going to “digital waste”: 65% of eBook publishers have converted less than half of their legacy titles (backlist) into eBooks.

The Aptara survey, which represents the trade, education, professional and corporate publishing sectors, was first produced in 2009, when the e-book industry was still very much in an experimental phase.

But as Aptara president and CEO Dev Ganesan says a release, “As mobile device adoption rises and consumer reading habits change, so does publishing’s competitive landscape.” Ganesan adds that “this year’s survey data reveals that while publishers continue to ramp-up production to meet the eBook market demand, they are finally starting to make money in the process.”

Aptara also joined forces with Publishers Weekly to produce an infographic (below) based on some of the report’s results.

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