Best Seller Authors

Book Marketing, Publishing, Author Resources

Marketing Your Book Through Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Gust post by Alan K’necht

yura_seo-style_book~300~11189_20091007_MA011500_6[1]You’ve no doubt spent countless days, weeks even months writing and editing your book. Along the way, you most likely had a working title, an interim title and finally the official title for your book. Congratulation all that is left is to market you book is to ensure that people who hear about can find it.

This is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes into play. If you’re like most non-technical authors, you might have never heard of SEO or even considered it in the name of your book. Yet you’re about to come face to face with the reality of SEO. So prepare yourself and get ready to start working on it.

Even before your book is published go to Google and Bing and search on the title of your book. Take a look at what comes up in the search results. Believe it or not this is your first level of competition. When I did this search for my book entitled “The Last Original Idea” I was competing with numerous blogs, news paper articles, etc. that were lamenting that neither Hollywood nor the TV industry has had a truly original idea in decades. Many of published article/blog post had title similar to my book “what was the Last Original Idea in…”, “The are no more original ides ….”.

As a marketer I knew how to get people spreading the name of my book and that was great if people happened to go directly to Amazon (or other online books store) to purchase it, but what if they wanted to know more details about the book or what if I wanted to capture people searching for the last original idea in marketing? To ensure that my book would be found and dominate the search results, I executed a SEO strategy.

As part of this strategy, I was aware that Google will only show 2 listings per website on a page of its search results. Simply building an SEO effective website would only get me 2 spots out of the default 10 which isn’t good enough. How could I ensure that they were the first two listed? I wanted to own the first page of results and if possible the second page as well. I’m happy to report that I do and here’s how I did it and now you can you!

  1. Register a domain that is the title of your book (i.e. thelastoriginalidea.com) (to protect yourself from others hoping to steal your thunder also register similar domains (i.e. lastoriginalidea.com)
  2. Build a website according to SEO best practices ensuring that you are focused on the title of your book and the subject of your book
  3. Create a Facebook page for your book and register a custom URL that includes the name of your book (i.e. https://www.facebook.com/TheLastOriginalIdea)
  4. Start a blog that does not operate under your website. This means using a different sub-domain (ie blog.thelastoriginalidea.com)
  5. Use the blog to not only post book happenings (book signings, status updates of your book, etc.), but your thoughts on related topics. This is a great opportunity to create both excitement for your book and to demonstrate your knowledge on the subject.
  6. Submit your book for various online contests that will create a page about your book or at a very minimum list it as an entrant with a link to your site.
  7. Contact book reviewers who have blogs and regularly post reviews. Not only will the review help get your name out there, you can easily get them to link to your site and that’s part of step 8.
  8. Now get active and get links & fans to both

Getting Links and Fans

Fans

This may be harder or easer depending on how involved you are already in Facebook. Step 1, tell all your current Facebook friends about it and encourage them to pass the word on. To entice people to become fans create a simple contest (become a fan for a random chance to win X copies of my book). Don’t stop with you current Facebook friends; market this fan generating contest through your email list, twitter followers, LinkedIn account and simply by telling people you know and meet.

On your Facebook page you will of course have a link to your books website. As you get more fans the value of this link will go up and help both the Facebook page and your website rank higher in the search engines.

Don’t forget to post regularly in the Facebook page to garner likes and shares. This activity also help keep and generate new fans, Likes and Shares. Remember your blog (step 4), make sure you post a description of each blog post on your Facebook page as well. This helps generate links to your blog, plus lets people know about and encourages people to read your blog posts.

Your Blog

Ensure that in description area of your blog is a description of your book with a text based link on the books name to the books website. When done correctly, this link will appear on every blog post creating a new link to your book with each post. While not as valuable as links from unique domains, they still count and help your site rank in the search engines.

Your Website

Last but not least the most critical part of the puzzle the book’s website. This is where you need to get tons of links. Here are some sure fire ways to get links:

  1. Send out a press release with an established/quality PR distribution company and ensure that it has a text based link to your site in it. When done well, the press release will get picked up by 10 perhaps several hundred websites creating a large quantity of links.
  2. Register your website with as many author /book directories as possible
  3. Arrange for interviews that will be published online and insist that they link back to the books website.
  4. Run a contest that requires people to submit written entries that will be posted on the site and voted for. This works wonders in getting other people not only to tell people where to go, but in many cases they’ll put permanent links to their content on your site (known as deep links)

The Fruits of Your Labor

If you’ve done everything well, now when you search on your books title, you should be dominating the listings (6 out of 10 on the 1st page maybe even a 10 out of 10 on the first page). To truly reap the benefits of this effort, make sure you have a link to where people can purchase your book on each of the pages listed. After all, isn’t that the ultimate goal of all your efforts?

Alan K’necht is the author of “The Last Original Idea – A Cynic’s View of Internet Marketing” (www.TheLast OriginalIdea.com) and a founding Partner at Digital Always Media Inc. (http://www.digitalalwaysmedia.com) a full service agency specializing in search engine and social media marketing.

What Can You Learn From This Author’s Success?

Five years ago today we changed Matt’s business forever.

We launched a book and his life has never been the same.

Matt had a business before he wrote this book, but the next month grew sales by 300% and then doubled the next month. In the process, Matt has become one of the best resources for authors and small resources who want visitors to their web site. He tests, and retests, and created automated process that make it easy for anyone to to succeed.

That’s the power of working a system and sticking to it..

Authors often look at the "how to make money promotions" Matt does today and ask: Do this work?

I have to say "Only if you do what he says"

You may have a business that getting a lot of attention and your web site is converting well. You may not like the style of promotion Matt does. If so, don’t watch this video.

If you want more traffic to your web site, more readers and more sales, watch this video and learn from Matt

imageWatch the traffic and income video

Today is Matt’s birthday. Again he’s breaking records with a huge promotional push and outstanding offers.

The "make a lot of money" and "Kill it" language Matt uses is full of hype, but what he teaches works. I know,.. I’ve worked with Matt for years, seen how hard he works at this and how much he cares about ever customer, no matter how large or small. His customer service is great and the products are true values.

Matt will tell you about selling books and product in your niche even if your own book is not yet out. Paying for your marketing and promotion and starting a relationship with your target readers… Or use the same traffic building tactics and direct the traffic to your own book or offer.

Whether you buy or not, watch what best selling author Matt Bacak does. He’s the real deal

I am a paid affiliate for Matt’s products. I rarely suggest any "make money online" products, even those that I know work.. but I’m proud to endorse this because Matt is a client, takes very good care of his customers and has always been quick to follow up on any questions or problems from authors I’ve referred to him.

Have a look. Don’t let the sales style turn you off. If you want to make money, or get a lot of traffic for your book’s web site, Matt’s methods will help you.

Watch the traffic and income video

Webinar for Authors “Create an Info Product Business From Your Book”

I’ve just lined up a special FREE webinar this week for authors or anyone with a idea to share.

Willie Crawford is a legend in the Internet info-products industry. He’s been creating and selling information products based on books, or just information and ideas from experts like you.

Willie came from humble beginnings, but once he found the system creating and selling information products online, he was able to secure his financial future, write a bestselling book and start sharing his message with authors and entrepreneurs like you

We Will Share Willie’s System for Product Creating and Sales

Here is a partial outline of topics that we will cover in this webinar:

  • The Secret To Making Money Online
  • Why Create Your Own Product
  • Why Write A Book
  • How To Easily Create Info Products In Other Formats
  • Creating A Product Is Actually EASY Compared To Marketing It
  • Market Your Product By Leveraging The Efforts Of Others
  • Finding Joint Venture Partners

New Widget Make it Easy to Get In FREE

We’re using DimDim to present this special event… a breakthrough in webinar technology.

Simply enter your email address in the widget below, and you’ll get the one click log in detail and list of the resources and websites we share during the webinar.

(notice that the widget show 7:55 pm Eastern as the start time. There’s a live chat, so come in at that time to say Hello to Willie, myself and the others.)

if you don’t see a Blue Widget above this line.. CLICK HERE

Be sure to click on the Facebook and Twitter SHARE BUTTONS so your friends can join us.

When you enter your email, DimDim handles the rest. It’s private (won’t be shared) and secure. You simply click on the link in the email you get when it’s time to start.

Why the Best Authors Have a Mailing List

With all the talk of social media and the dominance of Facebook in the out thoughts when we market your book online, authors have been asking me “Do I still need a mailing list?”

The answer is any unwavering YES!

In the 1990’s, just having an email address from a reader meant you had a connection. Then marketers got busy sending out offers and mailings, with some large companies reaching millions of subscribers. Spammers really added to the clutter to the point where many people shut down one email address and started over.

However, in the past decade, we’ve all come to depend on email for important communications. Most good email services do a pretty good job of catching the spam, and we’ve all learned to filter and ignore the mundane or irrelevant mail.

You Have to Be Relevant

When I talk to major marketers about their mailing lists, they tell tales of lower response rates to sales offer emails. One might think that email is on it’s way out.

Not quite, what on it’s way out is irrelevant emails.

It’s true that some young people forgo an email address to get their messages from other sources, but most everyone is getting email type messages in one or more places. Facebook has just announce integration with email systems. Emails between real people have a real conversation is alive and well.

What does this mean for an author today?

You have a major advantage when you engage readers using email. As an author you understand the power of the written word. In an age where much of the communications amounts to the written equivalent of grunts and murmurs, a little bit of attention to good writing really stands out.

Here’s some tips for getting your email read

  1. Make sure your are writing as a human being. Put your own name and a return address on every email and expect that some of your readers will reply and want a response. If you have a large following, you may need some assistance, but there’s no excuse for ignoring your readers.
  2. The SUBJECT LINE is the most important part of an email message. If your reader thinks it’s just another ad or notice, you’ve lost them before the message is opened.
  3. An email is not a book. Keep it brief, get to the point and let your readers know what do next to continue the conversation.
  4. Don’t send email just for your own goals. Pay attention to what the readers will be feeling and thinking when they get your email. What is their desire? Speak to those desires and they will respond.

How To Build Your Mailing List

When you know what your readers want, it’s easier to find other places they are reading relevant information. You can buy advertising, or reach these group in forums, chat rooms and user groups… or you can get creative…

My favorite way to find people who are anxious to read about a subject is a cross promotion with other authors in similar niches. We often put dozens to hundreds of authors together to announce a new book launch or business. We know that readers will like seeing what authors they know recommend.

Connect With the Best Authors for FREE

I set up ZeroCostPromotions.com to help authors build their mailing list when we launch a new best seller.

It FREE to join, just sign up at the link to become a PARTNER.

You’ll get the first notice of any upcoming book launch, specialized training, and an inside look at our best seller book launch campaigns.

The site is a bit dated. We are putting up the new page with paid options next month.

Become a PARTNER at ZeroCostPromotions.com to build your list with readers.

Market Your Book Like a Business

I’ve been holding off reading the NY Times Best Seller Conquer the Chaos till I knew I could give it some attention.  Well today, I got thinking that I’m going to see the authors next week and since I wanted to take the afternoon off, I sat down and read the whole thing start to finish.

CONQUER-THE-CHAOS

That was an accomplishment. Every time I read a good business book, my mind goes off in many direction with the ideas that come to me. The best books are the ones that keep my mind racing with ideas.

I knew that would happen with Conquer the Chaos. I’ve been using InfusionSoft for many years and all of the trainings, webinars and speeches from these guys are this inspiring. Sometimes, I sit down to do a task in Infusionsoft and come up with 3 more great ideas.

Today I forced myself to read the whole book. Still, I had to pause and write down two ideas.. one of which will likely add $30,000.00 to sales in the next week.

Should you read this book? Absolutely

Marketing Lessons for Authors

Now, for authors wanting to build an empire. Here are some takeaways from turning your book into a business

  1. Think of your book as a business. It is, whether you do or not
  2. When you see a brilliant marketing strategy like this, take notes (they were an instant best seller)
  3. Tie your book into a lead generation plan for other business
  4. Plan on spending more than you make on royalties to promote
  5. FOLLOW UP (read more about this in the book.. it’s where my $30k idea came from)

Are you building a business based on your book?