Posts tagged ‘Internet’
Authors Who Market: Offering Author Solutions to Promoting and Publishing Books
Recently, Tribune-Review ran a piece in their publication called “Market Savvy Authors Can Take a Nontraditional Way to Audience,” in which Rege Behe explores the emerging benefits of self-publishing (and self-promoting) a book as opposed to blindly submitting your manuscript to publishers who may not even read your potential bestseller.
Essentially, your potential to spread the word about your book (and earn higher royalties per copy sold) with self-publishing is only limited by your enthusiasm to personally market your book and tap into any valuable connections you may already have.
For example, Ray Goss could use his experience in radio to market his self-published book, while others such as Lisa Genova (author of Still Alice, originally through iUniverse) or Barbara Burstin (author of Steel City Jews: A History of Pittsburgh and its Jewish Community, 1840-1915) have self-published only to receive rave review from some of the best magazines in the world, leading to traditional publishers scrammbling to sign them for another book.
Reporter Behe does mention the stigma of self-publishing, too, as its method is shunned by the hyper-literary-minded and even some bookstores; but given the lack of editorial and design control imposed by traditional publishers, not to mention the significant cut in royalites you earn with traditional publishing houses, may overwhelmingly overturn this negative sentiment toward companies like Author Solutions, Inc. (and Wordclay) in the very near future.
Because bookstores are perhaps slower to adapt to the changing publishing industry, self-published books may have a harder time reaching their shelves. That said, Behe also offers some tricks of the trade when marketing your book online. For example, creating an author Web site with your book details and order information will not only act as a base of operations for the writer, but also allow Internet surfers to stumble upon their book naturally when searching on different keywords. Combine your Web site with social networking and perhaps some book giveaway promotions, and BOOM! your chances for success just skyrocketed in the publishing industry!
The Point: Self-publishing with companies like Wordclay, iUniverse or AuthorHouse (all Author Solutions brands) can indeed be more beneficial to authors, especially emerging authors, than endlessly (and sometimes fruitlessly) seeking a traditional publisher to back you, even if your book has great potential!
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Market savvy authors can take a nontraditional way to audience
Microsoft Bing: The New Verb for Authors and Search Optimization
Microsoft has come out with a new search engine. In a world where “Google” and “Facebook” are used as verbs, then it’s entirely possible that Microsoft’s new search engine at www.bing.com could also amend our future vernacular as well. I assume that this is a goal of theirs, among others of course.
Obviously, the search function is not unfamiliar, but Bing is more visually appealing than Live Search; and the default images on the homepage are more colorful and inviting, too.
Those of us who spend our days working and playing on computers try to learn about everything that comes to our attention that we don’t necessarily understand yet, like Bing for instance. Already, the bloggers out there are testing the new tool to see how it competes with Google. I have seen several side-by-side assessments of similar searches and evaluations of the quality of the results. Thus far, it appears that the Bing engine and Google are rather comparable to each other.
- Simple Thoughts: Bing vs Google>>
- BetaNews: Bing vs Google Faceoff: Round One>>
- BetaNews: Bing vs Google Faceoff: Round Two>>
One advantage to Bing that I’ve discovered is that the image search results are displayed in one continuous page that you can scroll through, rather than page after page of 25 images.
I hope that those of you out there who are marketing your books will take the time to familiarize yourself with this new tool. It will definitely become increasingly important if it is adopted by users, and authors must be certain that the efforts they have taken to maximize your relevance in Google search results will also be fruitful in Bing.
Microsoft has already faced some criticism, as there was a “bug” that briefly was forcing users of Internet Explorer to reset Bing as their preferred search engine. Even if the users manually attempted to switch back to whichever other platform that they preferred, IE would kick the default back to Bing instantly. Microsoft addressed the issue and resolved it rather quickly, but the impression that I get is that Microsoft will be going out of their way to make Bing a hit.
We would of course love to hear more from the writers out there who are starting to explore the advantages and disadvantages of Bing so that we can all mutually benefit and maximize our presence in this highly competitive environment.
Author Giveaways and Contests: How to Host Contests for Book Promotion
If you’re a published or self-published author, you already know the importance of promoting your book online, creating a buzz around your new title and recruiting new readers on a daily basis. What might elude you are the common methods of achieving those goals. Luckily, the Wordclay team has provided some handy author giveaway tips and contest basics, which you can easily implement in order to reach thousands of potential book buyers.
Tip #1: Consider launching your own Web site or blog. Posting regularly on topics of interest and generating useful content or free previews of your book will help to solidify your credibility in the eyes of readers. You can use your site to establish a strong Internet presence, loaded with valuable keywords which could lead Internet surfers to your page. Remember that securing a memorable, unique domain name will help readers find you again whenever they have time.
Tip #2: Offer a limited-time book giveaway. You could offer a free e-book download whenever a person registers with your mailing list and verifies their e-mail address. Any portion of your book can be given-away for free and serve as an enticement to readers, from your book’s first chapter to a complete printed copy to a PDF. You’ll not only establish immediate trust between author and audience, but you’re also supplying interesting and useful content to the world.
Tip #3: Host a review contest. Invite readers to buy your book, read your work and submit a review to win cash prizes, not unlike Bryan Hutchingson for his book One Boy’s Struggle: A Memoir. And if you don’t have the means to offer cash prizes, a copy of your book in exchange for a brief testimonial or even an e-book to winners of a random drawing just might be enough to earn you a following of devoted fans.
However you decide to market your book online, don’t be afraid to get creative with your promotions by launching contests as well as giveaways, but no matter what, you always want to offer a practical, useful incentive to your Internet visitors to keep them interested.
The Wovel: Choose Your Own Adventure Novels & Literary Fusion
Recently discussed in a NPR segment called The Wovel: Literary Alternative To Browsing Blogs, the wovel (or the Web novel) is now inching its way into the public eye. Instead of surfing the Internet for blogs and news, readers are now turning to this new form of choose-your-own-adventure writing, where users can actually decide the direction of the next installment by simply utilizing the binary vote feature located at the end of each chapter post.
For example, perhaps a character is torn between traveling north to rescue a princess from an evil tyrant, or traveling south instead, in order to meet with a wizard who may know the meaning of life itself. Either one of these scenarios can be played out, pending a majority vote, which readers can submit each week.
“The way we read is changing,” as Rick Kleffel of NPR said, and it’s true. Many individuals read in bursts nowadays, their only opportunity to enjoy writing on breaks from work or between family pursuits. Say you’re taking your 15-minute break from the office, so you jump online, check your e-mail, and afterwards, when you’re looking for something to fill the next 10 minutes, you might not want to start such a lengthy pursuit as a novel. Instead, you may turn to the breezy nature of the wovel, whose serial installments might satisfy your literary itch in whatever short time you have to spare.
As an integrated, online and traditional print publisher advocating the wovel, Underland Press has recently started publishing this new genre. Underland Press’s Founder Victoria Blake wanted to offer exciting, edgy fiction with a touch of the fantastic, and the wovel seemed like a natural approach. Combining the serial novel format with the pace of journalism and the latest in Web technology, Blake has adapted to the ever-changing literary sphere, appealing to people who love to read and actively engage writing, but those who perhaps only have time to read a chapter every now and again.
Some readers are a little wary of the wovel’s implication, suggesting that bursts of reading might cheapen the literary experience. Of course, we need to maintain the novel — Blake isn’t suggesting otherwise — but what do you think? You’re the one reading this blog burst, perhaps on your lunch break, so your opinion is the one that could make or break the wovel’s presence within the online literary marketplace. Join our discussion, submit your opinion, and keep the ideas coming.
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
TheAuthorsEdge.com: Online Book Marketing Tips & Blog
Back from temporary holiday hiatus, the Wordclay team would like to inform authors of invaluable book marketing resource, TheAuthorsEdge.com, where you can learn how to effectively promote your books on the Web and earn significant royalties as sales increase.
Marketing your book online may seem like a daunting task — you may not even know what terms like SEO or Web crawling or organic traffic mean — but Chris Simeral of TheAuthorsEdge.com can definitely help you turn your published book into a success story with his straightforward, simply online marketing strategies.
For starters, his numerous free video tutorials not only explain the importance of various online marketing techniques, but also show you, the author, how to easily implement these Internet techniques. From the very basics of book promotion to seemingly more complicated publicity issues, Simeral explains all.
Find more of his tutorials on his website or YouTube.com.
But that’s not all. Simeral also provides podcast interviews with other marketers, who provide different perspectives and even more tips. Additionally, he manages an Online Book Marketing blog, which is consistently updated with a wealth of publishing news and insights that are sure to help any emerging writer sell more books.
Take five minutes, subscribe to his blog today, download one of his many informative author promotion packets for free, and enact a simple, foolproof book marketing plan that’s bound to increase your Internet visibility.
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
When to turn your blog into a book: The fuzzy lines between formats
How many inches doth fill up one mile…-Wm. Shakespeare
The Power of Paper in a Paperless World
So many people out there are blogging. These daily (and sometimes posted several times daily) entries track concepts and topics while communicating content to friends, family and the general public. Some bloggers who place ads on their sites make some money. For others, it’s a serious career, earning enough to live comfortably. But for most bloggers, this is not the case.
One way to drive the traffic to your blog is to aggregate and publish collected thoughts in print. There are several books that have become bestsellers which had originally been published online as blogs. Often the publication of the book drives more traffic to the blog and vice versa. Perhaps having a printed version of your blog for sale is the equivalent of pop stars having fragrance lines and clothing lines. It’s a way to leverage your notoriety to further cement your own financial footprint, thus also preserving your ability to focus on citizen journalism and blogging with more of your time.
Moving across platforms to draw larger audiences is the rule for success in many creative fields. Many new bloggers are working at the local level to make a splash with their thoughts. By ‘crossing over’ to other media you can improve the odds that people might see your name more than once or recognize your brand as more prevalent.
This goes for those of you who are writing books as your main focus as well. You can go out there and start free blogs on the Web. You can use this platform to sell your books and to expand your perceived expertise in your field.
Our duty is so rich, so infinite, that we may do it still without accompt.-Wm. Shakespeare
Branding Your Web Site: Maintaining Your Unique Voice on the Internet
Nowadays, promoting and selling your book means you need a strong Internet presence. Of course, you can start your own blog with WordPress, or you can create profiles in social networks like Myspace, Booksie or WOW! But in order to distinguish yourself, you’ll need your own author Web site.
Looking for free Web site design? Check out AuthorTree, or maybe even Weebly and Homestead for your options.
That said, once you’ve secured your Web site and your memorable domain name, you’ll need to establish your voice, generate content and insert images that all reflect your unique book and authorship. That’s what branding is all about – portraying a product (your book) in a catchy, yet informative away.
Here are some basic tips on how to brand an effective Web site:
- Know your audience, and design your site to meet their needs and desires.
- Think of their perspective when marketing your book and offering promotional opportunities.
- Genuinely engage real people within blogs, forums, e-mails and social networks.
- Avoid aggressive and silly copy that only seeks to sell.
- Increase your fan base with conversations that reflects your goals and voice.
- Research collaborations, partnerships and your target audience.
- Maintain a newsletter or mailing list, and consistently send updates.
- Post regularly within your own blogs and other relevant blogs.
- List all your reviews, contact information and testimonials on your site in a clear, concise manner.
Obviously, each Web site is different, and hence requires a unique brand mentality, but authors who follow the above guidelines should create sites that not only dazzle audience members, but attract new readers who could potentially buy more books!
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
Researching, Sharing & Learning from Experience: How Search Engines Can Benefit Your Book Marketing Efforts
“My salad days/ When I was green in judgment.“
-William Shakespeare, “Antony and Cleopatra”
People often mention their early inexperience. If I had it all to do over again… If I knew then what I know now…But in the digital era of book marketing, this can actually be an advantage.
Unfortunately, earlier generations never had the option of typing words into an Internet search engine only to discover thousands of Web sites, online communities and blogs. Nowadays, however, with a simple registration, participating in communities and employing technological advantages through online research can allow you to explore new promotional concepts in cyberspace.
For example, if you have plans to schedule an event in a local bookstore, you might choose to spend a little time researching the location. Maybe visit the company Web site and find the name of the local manager. Searching, you may even find mention of the bookstore on another blog suggesting authors bring their own chairs. You may even stumble upon a comment about an event that was ruined due to the tanning salon next door that tends to block the bookstore entrance with its weekend crowd.
The above might be random examples, but you should begin to understand the necessity of researching your marketing plan. Type locations and specific book strategies into search engines like Google, Cuil and Yahoo, and you’ll likely find at least a few ongoing or resolved conversations about your question.
From the first moment an idea about a novel pops into your head, search and see if any other authors have posted about similar fiction ideas. When you finish writing your book, type “I just finished writing my book” into a search field and read the search results. You’ll be surprised at what Web site and social networks you can visit!
Don’t be afraid to share you insights and discoveries with the world either. Post a comment below about your research experience, and perhaps you help a few other emerging writers startup their career.
“Experience is by industry achieved.”
-William Shakespeare
Extra, Extra, Blog All About It: Five Basic Blog Tips for Authors
Greetings, Earthlings,
Blogging ain’t easy, especially when you’re trying to get noticed among the million or so other blogs currently posting. Intimidated? Not even sure how to manage a successful blog? Need a few pointers? Then, look no further. Wordbot has five basic blog tips that should help emerging writers and new authors make waves in the blogsphere.
Keep it short and sweet. Sure, it’s important to have a playful tone and establish a good voice, but not at the expense of your content. Make sure you have a strong SEO title and keyword-friendly first paragraph, so your readers know what your post this week is actually about. Long, irrelevant blogs will definitely get swept under the digital rug before Internet surfers have even finished reading them.
Be honest, but excited. Sometimes the truth can hurt, but as long as you look on the bright side and find a rhyme to the reason, your readers will respect you. Don’t get bogged down by negativity or marketing pessimism. Instead work to help your fellow writers and yourself with useful information and proactive suggestions.
Use your common sense. You’d be surprised – simply being practical can works wonders for your blog. When you pose real problems and offer time-tested solutions that are easy to implement and adaptable, you should definitely seem an increase in Internet traffic and positive comments. Before long, people who stumble upon your insightful posts will link back to you, ask questions about your experience and subscribe to your feedburner.
Stay current. Make sure your posts are always relevant to your mission and address topics that in the news. People want to stay in the loop. Even tidbits and reasonable predictions can make a world of different. Publishing industry buzz and printing technology updates will not only earn you hot keywords, but a contemporary audience as well.
Balance is key. When you’re designing your blog, be sure to think about your layout. Most blogs include search engines, about the blog text, author links, other site information along with a wide variety of widgets. Incorporate graphics, podcasts, viral videos, humor and information into your posts, and create a memorable blog people look to for guidance. Consider purchasing a personal domain name as well, and giving your blog a URL title that readers won’t forget.
Though there’s no guarantee that your blog will become the latest craze on the Internet, by following these rules of thumb you can definitely turn your weblog into a hot spot for your target audience.
Wordbot upload completed. Transmission ended.
Book Bloggers: We’re Here! We’re Viral! Get Used To It!
It’s no secret that writing and publishing company blogs are the marketing wave of the future. In addition to increasing your SEO (search engine optimization) with fresh content, blogs are also the perfect platform to actually engage interested readers.
That’s the reason it’s important that author bloggers keep a running list of publishing discussion boards and other similar Weblogs. With your list, you can visit each Web site, read up on the latest developments in your marketing field and even post a comment referring to articles that you’ve written and posted to your blog.
But how can you hope to manage the colossal list of publishing and writing blogs while searching the Internet for new, relevant ones as well?
What is Comment Sniper?
Comment Sniper is a free blog monitoring software that allows anyone to track recent updates to leading blogs within select industries in order to maximize your exposure by being the first to comment. Once downloaded, users can cull specific blogs from WordPress, Blogger, Live Spaces and Google by searching for the keywords that best suit their marketing needs and goals. It’s really an amazing developement in blog tracking and networking strategies. By simply selecting those blogs that interest you most, you can give premium updates on your blog or Web site within relevant articles and associate your Web site with prime Internet real estate.
Here’s How This Simple Proven Strategy Works…
(from Comment Sniper hompage)
Download this easy-to-use, innovative blog monitoring software today, and start marketing your new book by selecting the blogs that will provide the exposure you deserve.
Like I said, downloading the software is free, and there’s no hidden charge for working within their program. If you can spare five minutes, then you can begin your journey down a manageable, lucrative book marketing blog campaign.
This is Justin, blogcasting from Wordclay, signing off.
June 17, 2008 at 12:46 pm jdimos 2 comments