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When an author is ready to start or update their website, what content should they share? What platform should they use? Should they develop a blog? Website platforms, basic SEO, and blog development for authors are covered here.
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BOOKMARKETING WEEK 5
© 2014, Tara Lynne Groth
“Homework”
What 3 steps did you take to grow your writer platform?
WEEK 5: BOOK MARKETING ONLINE
Your Writer Website
Your Writer Website
If you’re writing your own book, you can write your own website.
If you’re writing a novel, book of poems, memoir or non-fiction book, you know how:
To tell a story
Long/short your finished piece should be
Each scene, stanza or chapter is sequenced
When writing for the web you need to know how:
To convey your story so that your audience will find you
Short (Not long when writing on the web!) to keep your content
To effectively place links and buttons on your page to entice visitors to navigate your site the way you want them to
Affordable Website Services
What is affordable?
Domain registration
Hosting
Design
Search engine optimization (SEO)
Annual maintenance
You can easily spend:
$1,000s+ per year
<$100 per year
Domain Registration
Go Daddy, eNom, PowerYourName, NameCheap, HostGator, 1&1, Name, Gandi
The above offer hosting solutions
As little as $9/month
Website Hosting
Bluehost, Network Solutions, SiteGround, Dreamhost, Linode, A Small Orange, Rackspace
The above offer hosting solutions
As little as $3.95/month
Website Design
Use design solutions offered by sites mentioned on prior slides
Hire a designer
DIY
Prices vary
Website Design Templates: Weebly & WordPress
Design Elements
Dress Your Writer Website for Success
Font Choice Affects Blogs
How do search engines work?
How do search engines work? Google crawlers, spiders, algorithms Fresh and targeted content Consistency Link-building Finding competitors’ key words Key word selection: Alexa, Soovle, Search Results Analysis, Analytics
Analytics Terms
Visits
Unique visitors
Pageviews
Pages/visit
Visit duration
Bounce rate
Traffic: search, referral, direct
Traffic: organic vs. paid
Tips for Your Writer Website
Content
POV
Subheadings
Anchor Text
Links: Draw more traffic to other areas, engage visitors to spend more time on the site, bring attention to older/newer content, inbound/outbound
Meta description & tags
Optimizing Your Writer Website
More Tips for Writer Websites
“Black Hat” SEO – AVOID THESE PRACTICES!!
Keyword stuffing
“Cloaking”
Plagiarism
“Spin”
Book Buying Options
Link to every possible purchase option
Make it clear from the home page where to click to learn more about the book
Create multiple layers (more pages) about the book
Book reviews Character map (Where are they now?) Events Editor experience About the cover designer
Book package
BOOK MARKETING ONLINE
A Writer’s Blog
What will you blog about?
How will you decide topics? Content calendar Evergreen pieces
How often will you post content? Plan quarterly & schedule! Create 3 from 1 / complementing
How personal/private will you be? Offensive content v. Diplomacy Relevant?
When will you start? Launch after 3+ posts Start following first
This is what happens when you stop posting content after gaining momentum.
Blog Platforms - Samples
WordPress (.com) SEO & user-friendly Highly customizable Built-in community Mobile-friendly Plug-ins Free, upgrade costs WordPress.org requires download, hosting, fees
Blogger (Google – formerly Blogspot) Not as versatile HTML skills help Free
Tumblr (Yahoo) Built-in community Image-heavy, long load time Free
Blog Responsibilities
Commenting Moderate your own Engage with others Rule: Comment on a new blog and a known blog every time you post
Consistency
Images (Remember MorgueFile, Pixabay, DollarPhotoClub?)
Showcasing your writing skills – proofread!
Attractive titles
Bullets, lists, spacing, images
Be a resource
Timing a Blog
Going to a writers’ conference/retreat or other literary event? Have your blog established to spread the word. Turn the event into post(s). Live blogging!
Studies show posts generally enjoy more traffic on weekends. This is true from personal experience, as well as Mondays and Thursdays.
Most users read blogs in the AM! See Kissmetrics stats.
NEXT WEEK: BOOK MARKETING ONLINE
Social Media, Blog Engagement
“Homework”
If you have a website/blog, audit your site for improvements
If you do not have a website/blog, make ‘dummy’ accounts on different platforms and pick one you are comfortable with.
Read Writing Down the Bones p.122 “Why Do I Write”
© 2014, Tara Lynne Groth
Connect:‘Resources for Writers’ – www.taralynnegroth.comTwitter - @writenakedwritenaked.wordpress.com
FIND THE SLIDES
View this presentation at slideshare.net/taralynne0
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