How to Maximize Your Author Website
source: http://www.millermosaicllc.com/author-website/
Written by: Phyllis Zimbler Miller
Do you have a book author website that when visitors come to the site they have no idea whether your book is currently available for sale?
Does your site have a big BUY THIS BOOK NOW or COMING SOON headline?
Your website visitors are not mind readers. And even if they were, they have better things to do than figure out what you want them to do in connection with your book.
If your book is for sale, make it easy for your website visitors to click a link and immediately buy your book. If your book is on Amazon, you can put your book’s Amazon widget “above the fold” and on every page of the site.
And even if your book isn’t out yet, it is a good idea to have a website to start attracting interest. BUT – and this is an important but – let website visitors immediately know the book is not yet out so they don’t get frustrated trying to find the BUY button and click away. And at the same time do try to capture the email addresses of the website visitors so that you can notify people when the book is available.
One good way to interest people in following the progress of your upcoming book is to include a blog on your website. Then, of course, the challenge is writing blog posts that your target market finds of value. While this is easier with nonfiction books because you can blog about your book’s subject area, writing blog posts about a novel can also be done.
Now that we’ve covered this most important book author website element, let’s briefly look at some other essential elements.
On the home page “above the fold” – let people know what your book is about. Don’t make people guess whether it is fiction or nonfiction if the title doesn’t make this clear.
Don’t use, for example, dark blue type against a light blue background. Or at least don’t use this if you want people to actually read what your book is about. Preferably use black type (of a large-enough size) on a white background for ease of reading.
Do include book discussion guidelines to encourage reading groups to consider your book.
Do make it very clear how someone can get in touch with you or learn more about you: Include your Twitter username, Facebook profile, etc. as well as email address.
And do include a photo of yourself on your website – readers like to know what the author of a book looks like.
One final recommendation: If your book is still in the planning stage, make sure that the cover of the book “reads” well reduced to the size of a book displayed on Amazon. If you have a great cover that only makes an impact full-size, re-consider that design. You want a book cover that can make an impact in a much smaller size. – P.Z.M.
Phyllis Zimbler Miller is a National Internet Business Examiner at http://www.InternetBizBlogger.com as well as a book author, and her power marketing company http://www.MillerMosaicLLC.com combines traditional marketing principles and Internet marketing strategies to put power in your hands.
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