Today's featured article
A Cutting Edge Book Website: A case study in what is possible
We just finished an innovative book website that is different from any other book website you will find on the Internet, at least for a few weeks.
Let's pull back the curtain so you can look behind the scenes at a trend you can't ignore. I will dissect this website so that you know why we did what we did and the strategy behind each innovation.
The first thing you notice on the site is the video. The book, Angel of The Maya, is a spiritual adventure novel. We wanted to give site visitors an experience of the magic of the Maya so we used photos, authentic Mayan music, and a warm introduction from yours truly.
This same video is posted on YouTube.com , specifically to bring tons of traffic to the site.
Notice that the graphics on the site are very high end and professional. We wanted a classy look for the site with colors that drew the eye to the book cover and photographs.
Then, instead of a long sales letter on the first page, we usedd testimonials from early readers. Notice how the happy faces really draw you in.
The following two pages of the site are also unique. Instead of giving away a free chapter, site visitors get several excepts with audio explanations from the author, Ruth Lee. She is a compelling speaker so we wanted to let readers bond with her before deciding about purchasing the book.
The author is also mysterious and keeps her identity private so we used some of her artwork on the About the Author page along with an extensive interview.
The goal of these techniques is to bring a significant amount of traffic to her site from YouTube, have plenty of links so that the site ranks well, and to sell lots of books.
Videos are the hottest topic in Internet marketing today. People are practically panting about how much traffic can be generated with a video.
Consider these questions:
- How can you use these ideas for your book website?
- What parts of your topic would be suitable for a video?
- Can you use testimonials creatively?
- How can you use all the senses to bond with your readers?
Internet marketing is changing all the time. So are book marketing sites.
Hope this case study sparked some ideas that you can use for your site!
P.S.This was one of the most exciting projects we've ever worked on. If you want a similar site for your book, give me a call.
