Is your website ready for business? The main goal of your site is to sell your
book or product, and no matter what you're selling, there are some key elements
every website must have. This checklist will help you determine if your website
is working as well as it should:
1. Proofread your copy:
Every single page must be carefully edited. There's no quicker way to lose a
sale than to present readers with typos and other needless gaffes. Your website
is your 24/7 sales and marketing tool and you want to create a stellar first
impression.
2. Check your traffic: You can see who
visits your site, where they come from, and much more. Google Analytics is free
and easy to use. You want to review the reports regularly so you understand who
visits your site, how they find you, and what they do once they're on your site.
Then you'll learn what works (and what doesn't).
3. Be media
ready: Every website should have a media room with downloadable
materials ready to go. This includes a photo, bio, book synopsis and book cover.
Offer the downloads in small files, people will appreciate that. In addition,
your media room can have a Q&A, book reviews, book group questions, events
calendar, and more. Make your media room the one stop source for easy to obtain
information.
4. Keep the copy simple: People don't sit
down to read web pages. They scan, so a home page of 200 to 250 words is ideal.
Your site needs to be easy to scan and it has to have a call to action - what is
it you want readers to do? Buy your book? Download a report? Whatever it is, you
want your site to direct visitors to a specific action.
5. Have a
web store: While it's a good idea to have your products available at a
number of e-tailers, you should have a spot on your site dedicated to sales -
even if you direct people to Amazon.com or another site for the actual purchase.
Make it easy for visitors to your site to buy from you, otherwise, you'll lose
the sale.
6. Invest in professional design: You don't
have to break the bank, but definitely consider hiring a professional to design
your website. Designers understand layout, color, calls to action, and web
surfing habits better than anyone. A good designer will not only produce a
nice-looking site, but one that's focused, with a clear call to action that will
turn your site's surfers into buyers.
7. Blog and other contact
points: Having a blog ensures you have regularly updated content on
your site as well as a page on your blog where visitors can participate. If
you're using social media, make it easy for visitors to your site to click
through and follow you wherever you are: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+,
etc.
8. Freshen up your content: This works well if you
have a blog. Try to update it once or twice a week. The updates are a big plus
for Google, which will reward your site with a higher search ranking if it has
fresh content. That ranking will help with search because you’ll be listed
before your competition. And that’s what you want – for people to be able to
find you (instead of someone else) when they’re searching books in your genre or
for authorities in your area of expertise.
9. Add social
widgets: All of the major social media sites have widgets you can add
to your site. This makes it easy for others to share content, whether it's your
latest blog post, book synopsis, or events calendar. When you make it easy to
share content you’ll get results.
10. Build a mailing
list: Email marketing is a valuable tool, and you can use your website
to build that list. Offer something your readers want, such as a free download
of a report, or a sample chapter of your book. Those email addresses will come
in handy when your next book or new product comes out!
11.
Contact information: Make sure your site offers a way for people to get
in touch with you. Don't make visitors hunt for that phone number, email, or
contact form - they won't. They'll just leave your site and they won't come
back.
Your website is critical to the success of your business, book, or
product. Invest the time and money to get the best, most professional site
possible. When you take the time to do it right, you’ll have a website that’s a
valuable marketing and sales machine.
Reprinted from "The Book Marketing Expert newsletter," a free ezine offering book promotion and publicity tips and techniques. http://www.amarketingexpert.com
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