This blog is all about publishing 2.0 – the new ways authors can write, publish, promote and sell online. So I am particularly interested in this book “The Web Savvy Writer”, which is brilliant for authors who want to improve their internet presence and make a difference to their online profile and sales.
I interviewed author Patrice-Anne Rutledge, who has written 26 books already so she knows a lot about marketing them. I loved the book, and had these questions about it.
“The Web Savvy Writer” contains a mass of information about building and optimising your website. What are the 3 most important things that authors need to know about their website?
First, you need to remember that your website is the home base for everything about your book – it’s where many potential readers will go to find out about the book, and make the decision whether to buy it. Your website should be your first priority when you start to plan your online book promotion campaign. Second, be sure to focus on your audience. Your site should target the two groups of people you want to attract, potential readers and the media. And finally, update your site frequently. There’s nothing worse than a site that says, “Coming soon in April 2007” when it’s now December 2008. That’s one reason why a blog-website combo is a great idea, because blogs are so easy to update.
Why is a blog a good idea for authors, and when should people start one?
A blog is a great marketing tool for authors, both before and after the sale of their book. What makes a blog so effective is its “from me to you” focus that really helps authors develop a rapport with their audience. Your blog helps sell books if you’re already published, but can also help new authors get published by developing that all-important platform.
If people have limited time, is it best to use video or audio (podcasts) for promotion? Which has the better response?
There is no clear answer as to whether audio or video is a more effective promotion tool because it all depends on the individual book. I use both because they reach different audience segments, but authors trying to choose just one to start with should analyze their budget, their personal preferences, and their skillset when making a decision. Creating a simple podcast, particularly one by phone, is easier than creating a video if you don’t have video skills. On the other hand, if you’re short on time and have the money, outsourcing the creation of a professional video can give you a great promotional tool with little effort.
You recommend sending ezines to prospects. What is the best way for authors to build their lists?
Offering a sign-up incentive is a great way to build your list as well as develop your reputation. But be sure your incentive provides real value for your target audience, and isn’t just an advertisement in disguise. For example, I offer a free special report “Your Author Website: 21 Content Ideas for Profit and Publicity” to anyone who signs up to receive my blog updates by email.
What are your top 3 tips for making the most out of Amazon?
First, understand how Amazon works. The site offers numerous promotional opportunities and you need to know what they all are before selecting the ones that best suit your book promotion campaign. Second, create a great book detail page. This information is what converts browsers into buyers. And finally, don’t obsess about your Amazon presence or ranking. Amazon may be the largest online bookseller, but for most authors it’s just one of many sales avenues.
This blog post is a stop on your virtual book tour. Why should authors consider virtual tours as opposed to “real” ones and has it affected your sales?
What’s great about a virtual book tour is that it enables you to reach thousands more potential readers than any in-person tour, and at just a fraction of the cost. From my home office here in California, I’ve toured at sites across the U.S. as well as in Canada, Australia, the UK, India, Ireland, New Zealand, and several other countries.
You recommend social networking. There are so many networking sites now – which ones do you think are the most effective for authors?
The best sites really depend on your audience. MySpace is great for fiction authors, less so for authors of business books. The reverse is true of a site like LinkedIn. There are also niche sites that could be a perfect match for your target audience. You really need to determine who you want to reach and where they are, and then create a targeted social networking campaign. Avoiding social media overload is also important. You don’t need to be on every site to succeed.
Patrice also has an article on her blog about social media overload.
The book is packed with so many ideas to implement. What should authors budget in time and money to do all this?
The great thing about online book promotion is that you can develop a campaign that suits any budget or timeframe. You don’t have to do everything, and you don’t have to do it all at once. After you determine exactly how much you want to spend and how much time you can devote to promotion, you can pick and choose the best options for your book, budget, and schedule. And nothing is set in stone, either. It’s easy to expand a basic online campaign, or make adjustments if you aren’t getting the results that you want. So, essentially, you can develop a campaign that costs nothing or a campaign that costs several thousand dollars. It’s all up to you.
What do you think are the most exciting new technologies affecting the future for authors and publishing – and how can authors take advantage of these?
Web 2.0 and social media offer so many opportunities for authors that didn’t exist ten years ago, or even five years ago in some cases. Blogging, podcasting, web video, and social sites all provide authors with unprecedented access to a worldwide audience of more than one billion people on the Internet. And the social web is just in its infancy. I can hardly wait to see what comes next!
Where can people buy your book and found out more about you?
You can buy the book on Amazon.com here The Web-Savvy Writer: Book Promotion with a High-Tech Twist, Second Edition
. Readers can also learn more about my book on its companion blog, The Web-Savvy Writer which also offers articles, tips, and lots of free content of interest to authors.
Here is the book trailer for “Web-Savvy Writer”. If you are interested in doing your own book trailer – check out this post on how to make your own book trailer using MovieMaker.
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