How To Sell Books Better Online: Must-Have Features for Every Author’s Website in 2023
In 2023, an author’s website serves as the hub for all their online activity. More than just an online resume, an author site today needs to provide value and build engagement with readers. By optimizing your website, you can drive book sales, grow your email list, improve organic search, and more. Here are some key elements every author’s website needs.
Sell Books Directly
Having an ecommerce store on your site allows you to sell books directly to readers, avoiding the fees and restrictions of retail platforms like Amazon. You can offer special editions, bonuses, and discounts to encourage sales. An online store also enables preorders and the ability to accept payments for speaking engagements or other services. Overall, selling direct nets you more money per book and strengthens your connection with readers.
Collect Emails
An email list is an author’s most valuable asset for marketing new releases. Offer an opt-in form or newsletter sign-up on every page of your site. This way readers can subscribe wherever they happen to land. Send regular updates with exclusive content to build engagement. When you have a new book coming out, you can notify your list immediately. An email list keeps you connected with your most eager fans.
Improve Organic Search
Quality content on your website will help you rank higher in search engines like Google. Blog posts related to your books and expertise establish you as an authority. These pages also provide keywords and links that search engines value. Promoting your site and content across social media gives a further boost. As organic search brings new visitors, they can become newsletter subscribers and buyers. SEO is a long-term strategy that constantly works to expand your audience.
Share Multimedia Content
Don’t just blog. Include videos, podcasts, photo galleries, interviews and more. Varied media keeps your site engaging and provides more entry points for new visitors. You can serialize fiction into audio chapters or offer writing tutorials through video. Share the creative process behind your books, Q&As, or even live streaming events. Multimedia also makes your content more interactive and shareable on social media.
Offer Merchandise
Readers want to proudly display their fandom. Offer t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, posters and other merch featuring covers, characters or inspirational quotes. Fan art contests are a great way to get designs. Merchandise sales provide another income stream while getting your brand in front of new audiences. Items sold through your store have higher profit margins than those on third-party print-on-demand platforms. Merch is marketing.
A well-rounded author website goes beyond a simple online resume. It provides real value to build an audience that purchases books, promotes you organically, and stays engaged between new releases. The options are continually expanding. Use your site as the hub to employ multiple strategies proven to boost discoverability and sales for today’s authors.