I came across this post on a message board, complaining that author websites are always boring. That got me thinking: How do you define ‘boring’? To whom are these sites boring? Are author websites supposed to be entertaining? What could authors do to make them more entertaining? Here’s the truth of the matter: author websites […]
Are Author Websites ‘Boring’? Read More »
I’ve said for a long time that every author website should include a photo of the book cover(s) and links to buy on every page. But what’s become even more of an issue of late is the various ways a book can be sold, and the various vendors that sell it. When I first started
Selling Books Online? Offer Options! Read More »
An author needs a website. That’s a given. But who’s going to design it? And how should that process go? That’s a good question… Common mistake #1: An author designs his or her own website There are many technologies out there which make it easy for an author to sign up for a website hosting
The Musts (and Common Mistakes) of Author Website Development Read More »
I came across this great conversation on Amazon about things that drive readers crazy on author websites. Authors beware: These small things can actually make the difference between someone buying your book and telling their friends about it and … well … not. Here’s a synopsis of the author website pet-peeves that readers made in
5 Ways That Author Websites Are Turning Off Readers Read More »
I encourage all authors who are developing a website to have a newsletter sign-up area where they can start collecting names and email addresses. This list can be invaluable, because it’s comprised of people who have already expressed interest in your writing and want to hear from you. You couldn’t BUY a list like this.
The 3 Most Common Reasons Why People Are NOT Signing Up for Your Newsletter Read More »
It’s amazing how quickly technology changes — especially social networking. I mean, who knew when Facebook was switching from “friending” to “liking” and what the change meant? Anyway, I was reading the most recent issue of my trusted Internet and Marketing Report yesterday and came across a few key pieces of information having to do
The Latest Social Networking Updates That Impact Authors Read More »
I was reading an issue of Internet and Marketing Report recently. There were two separate articles I came across that were seemingly unrelated. And yet, I think they’re VERY related … and relevant to author websites. The first article talks about one of the most common mistakes that people make when designing a website: having
Authors: Tell Your Visitors What to Do … and Why! Read More »
By some strange coincidence, I had three different clients (ones whose websites were built and launched in 2010) contact me this week asking if I had any recommendations for how we could improve their search engine placement (i.e. get them to show up near the top of Google search results for the subject matter of
Authors: The Secrets to Improving Your Search Engine Placement Read More »
This past Saturday, I had the privilege of speaking at the ASJA conference. The workshop I was a presenter in was, of course, about author websites. One of the questions that came up during one of my colleague’s presentations had to do with the use of mobile phones for searching the net. A poll was
Should You Build Your Author Website for a Mobile Device? Read More »
You guys are writers! You’re creative with words! Maybe it’s time to break out of the mold when it comes to link text on your website. If you browse 50 author websites, you’ll probably find the words “Click here” … “Read more” and “Buy Now” appearing hundreds of times. Because it’s easy. It’s clear. It’s
Authors: Think Beyond ‘Read More’ and ‘Click Here’ Read More »
