Don’t Make it Hard for People to Buy Your Book.

While every author wants to maximize book sales, they often become their own worst enemy by making it difficult for people to actually buy their books. The ideal scenario is to work with book marketing services to be sure that every possible opportunity is utilized. However, whether an author uses this type of service or works independently, their own level of commitment and involvement also impacts potential book sales.

Today’s savvy self-published authors understand that their website and a dedicated book page are the cornerstones of their brand and the gateway to maximizing sales. The first step is to be sure to create a book page and author website that has a clean and simple design with no popups or things that slow down page loads such as flash, motion or automatic video starts, which can be off-putting to visitors.

Not only will this discourage potential buyers that want their information quickly, but add-ons like flash can also be difficult to update and negatively impact search engine rankings.In addition, authors must be sure to invest in a quality hosting provider to ensure that the website runs glitch-free and loads quickly.

When it comes to the Author Page or Facebook fan page, always keep the bio, photos and information on the latest books updated and current as visitors will expect real-time information. Authors should also keep these elements short and sweet on the author and book page. They can always provide links to lengthier versions for those readers that want more detail. When there are several books to promote in the catalog, it is important to display the cover of every book and be sure to embed links to every location where each book can be purchased.

When a book page visitor is ready to buy, authors must make the process simple and easy. The first step is to make sure that the book cover image is also a link to various outlets where the book can be purchased. Always include a prominently displayed “buy now” button and keep the checkout process as simple as possible. This means only asking for the information needed to complete the transaction and design it so that the purchaser has no more than one or two clicks to complete the process.

Always check for broken links to avoid readers being taken to a 404 page. Since this can happen at any time, be sure to keep the obligatory 404 page as simple and generic as possible. While working with a good webmaster or book marketing firm can be quite cost-effective, authors handling their website on their own can utilize Google Webmaster Tools, 301 Redirects or Broken Link Checker to streamline the process and avoid missing a broke link. Search boxes are also an important aspect to the website as they make it easy for potential buyers to quickly find the information that they are seeking.

List building is an important part of developing an ongoing relationship with readers through the use of newsletters where they submit their email for access. Be sure to keep this process simple and only ask for the necessary information such as name, email address, phone number, mailing address and zip code. Be sure to post a privacy policy so that fans are not discouraged from sharing the information for fear of being spammed or having their information sold.

Quality book marketing services will help the author ensure that anyone desiring to purchase their book will have access to every place where the book can be purchased. Regardless of whether or not an author chooses this route or takes the route of DIY, their commitment to the details of book marketing will be a major factor in increasing sales.