Build an online audience or platform through your blog or social networking sites before publishing your novel. Use your audience to develop the focus of your ebook. For example, if you run a blog about online marketing, your audience might be interested in an ebook on a similar subject such as marketing through social networking sites.
As you are doing research and writing your manuscript, continue to study your competitors. Read their books. Study what else is popular on your topic -- and why. Study covers of the most successful ebooks and print books. Note details of elements that could make your book successful.
Design your cover to reflect its focus. After looking at successful book covers, decide whether to use a photograph, artwork or a strong typographic approach. Your cover must be simple and bold. Your cover will shrink to a thumbnail when featured online. Hire a freelance artist who is experienced in publication design. Remember, even though an individual cannot physically hold your ebook, your cover is the first thing she will see. Make sure the cover reflects what the book's about.
Hire a professional editor to polish your work. An editor reviews line by line and focuses on fact-checking, transition, style and filling in holes. Note that an editor will cost anywhere from $0.03 to $0.05 per word on average, at time of publication. Expect to pay around $1,000 or more for a professional editing service. Keep in mind that if you cannot afford such services, you can join writing communities and trade projects with other writers. Another set of eyes is critical.
Your editor should be experienced in the various formats required by ereader publishers. He should create the copyright page, credits, author's note, chapter pages, page headers and footers, and index if applicable. Be sure to include a contact page with your website and email. He should also coordinate photos and artwork you may use. Do not use copyrighted photos or artwork. You are not limited by space or pages, so consider supplemental information you can provide, particularly if your book is about business, self-help, education or how-to.
Add a title page and table of contents at the front of your novel for easier browsing. Include acknowledgment and an "About the Author" page in the back.