A
website for an author is an extremely important marketing tool and most writers
have mediocre ones. Some are too simple,
cluttered, ugly, outdated or ineffective in doing what it’s supposed to do: represent your brand, serve as a lead
generator, be a point of connection, and a place of business. So how can today’s author spruce up his or
her website so that it best represents and serves one’s interests?
First,
look at your site from the eyes of those who would come to visit it. What feeling would they get? Is everything clearly navigational? Are things that one expects to find up on the
site actually there? Is everything
updated? What’s the overall reaction one gets when seeing the site? Does it touch all of your digital senses -- including sound, video, text, or graphics?
Second,
ask yourself if you started from scratch, how different would a brand new site
look in comparison to what you have?
Here
are the 16 areas you should examine more closely when looking to spruce up your
website:
1.
What
do you have running across the top of the screen that provides a quick peek at
what’s on your website? Do you have
things like ABOUT, HOME, CONTACT, APPEARANCES, BLOG, MEDIA? Are there sections for BOOKS or other
important topics? Compare your site to
what competing authors are offering and make adjustments accordingly.
2.
Under CONTACT, do you have your full name, email, phone, mailing address and social
media links?
3.
For
your ABOUT section, is your biography up-to-date, including the latest
accomplishments and an accurate count when you reference the number of years of
experience that you have? Does your
photo need a makeover? Would you like to
include a video link that introduces people to you?
4.
What
free downloads do you offer in exchange for someone to provide their email with
you? Clearly highlight your offer and
properly incentivize people to take an action step.
5.
Can
people clearly and easily see where to click to buy your book or other items?
6.
Are
there parts of your site that are blank or not functioning properly?
7.
Do
you have enough visuals sprinkled throughout, such as photos, illustrations
videos, charts, and graphics? You need
to break up text with design elements such as space, color, boxes, bullet
points, and artwork.
8.
Is
your font or typeface big enough and easy to read?
Are your background colors distracting or interfering with the
consumption of content?
9.
Are
your testimonials and endorsements current?
Keep adding to them.
10.
Do
you have book excerpts and/or sample chapters available for those who want to
get a taste of your talented offerings?
11.
Your
site should always feel like something new is happening, so highlight recent
successes in the media or list upcoming appearances or planned events.
12.
People
buy from those they know, like, trust and believe will provide them with
something they need, desire, or will find useful. It’s imperative that your site give off a
feeling that is welcoming and that symbolizes your personality and
message. Post a Q & A so people can get
a flavor for your views and experiences.
13.
Only
have a blog on your site if you post to it regularity, such as three to four times a
month, otherwise it looks empty and stale.
14.
Do
not hit people up with a BUY offer or a SIGN-UP request as soon as the home
page pops up. First sell people on who
you are and let the consumer naturally conclude he or she wants to buy or sign
up for something.
15.
Pit
yourself on a seasonal schedule to review and revise your website – fall and
spring. The more often you do this, the
less arduous the task of fixing your site.
16.
Lastly,
the key to reviving your site is the choice of words used. Writers forget that
words are powerful marketing tools. The words you use in your site will help
determine its SEO worthiness. Make sure you use and repeat the keywords that
people search for when it comes to your subject matter. Don’t forget to use a level
of vocabulary that matches your subject matter, as well.
DON’T MISS THESE:
How do authors get on
TV?
Where do authors go
for book PR help?
What actually works in book publicity?
Do most authors
make any real money from their books?
Do you really need
a book publicist?
Good book publicity is a marathon, not a sprint
Best Author PR Strategy: Cover The Basics
Can you sell at least 10 copies of your book every day for a year?
What Does It Really Take To Hit A Best-Seller List?
10 Lessons For Authors-Turned-Bloggers
Can you market your
book for five minutes a day?
Complete Author
Book Marketing & PR Toolkit for 2017
Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog
are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter
@theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more
important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by
BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2017©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in
Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs
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