The first impression of a website can make or break a visitor's interest. A well-designed website, like Rumors of War, stands out with its simplicity and precision. Unlike other author websites that begin with a self-introduction, this site opens with the covers of the author's two books, prioritizing the content over the creator. This approach has garnered positive reviews and increased traffic, demonstrating the power of a user-friendly website.
Online marketing and promotion can be time-consuming, but it's worth the effort if it results in a user-friendly website that keeps visitors engaged. When building a website to promote a novel, it's crucial to research other book sites to understand the different types - author-driven, book-driven, and fan-driven.
For instance, popular books like "Angela's Ashes" by Frank McCourt and the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling can be found on their respective publishers' websites. The goal of a website should be to build an audience for current and future books. Since new authors may not be well-known, the best way to attract readers is through their books.
Movies are often promoted by their titles, which led to the idea of using the book title as the domain name. This strategy puts the book title in front of hundreds of pairs of eyes every day. For example, the domain name rumorsofwar.net was purchased to promote the novel "Rumors of War."
Creating content for the website was straightforward - it included a cover image, plot summary, reviews, sample chapter, ordering information, and a page about the author. The design and graphics were kept simple to mimic the experience of reading a physical book.
The strategy of focusing on the book title proved to be effective but potentially expensive. When a second book, "Carly's Ghost," was published, it presented a dilemma - how to promote two books with one website without creating a new site for each book.
The solution was to purchase a new domain name for the second book, carlysghost.net, and replace the home page with a splash page featuring the covers of both books. This allowed visitors to access the site from either URL and click on the book they were interested in.
Each book had its own home page, but the design elements were kept consistent to ensure visitors knew they were still on the same site. For future releases, the process would simply involve adding the new book's cover image to the splash page and creating a set of web pages for it.
Attractive websites and positive reviews can keep visitors engaged, but to make sales, it's important to encourage them to return. Regular updates, such as adding reviews, featuring sites that promote the books, posting articles, and sharing news about the books, can keep the content fresh and interesting. By focusing on the enjoyment of the visitors, they are more likely to return, leading to increased sales.
Source Source
