Today, authors have more options for where and how they sell their books. E-book and social media sites generate exciting opportunities for new and established writers. As a result, authors have more control over their sales and revenue than ever.
Rather than only selling books via online booksellers, writers can set up their own stores online and become business owners. Here are a few valuable tips to help you create an online bookstore.
Understand an Online Bookstore’s Most Essential Components
Readers may not get their hands on the most genre-defining, life-changing books if they can’t easily navigate an online bookstore. From site design to payment methods, an online bookstore must have essential components for visitors to have a positive experience.
ECommerce vendors and software suites can do a lot of the heavy lifting, but you may need expert help for matters like producing compelling sales copy. For example, an eCommerce SEO agency can help you learn keywords your target reader uses when searching online for books like yours. A solid eCommerce SEO strategy ensures visitors find your online bookstore and make a purchase when there.
Set Up a Separate Site
If you’ve already set up a blog or website, you may think using that existing platform for an online bookstore makes sense. However, while your site or blog may generate a lot of traffic and have a lot of quality content, the platform may struggle to handle an online store’s demands.
Instead, having a separate online bookstore with a different domain name is better. Creating a fresh site makes it easy to attract readers and keep them interested long enough to buy a book. Also, most blogging platforms cannot handle an online store’s demands. Internal links, branding, and a traditional shopping experience are often beyond a blogging platform’s scope.
Limit Links to Books on Other Platforms
While you shouldn’t pull your books from popular online sellers, limit using links to those stores. For example, rather than including a link to Amazon when discussing one of your books on your blog, link to your bookstore. Online bookstore links maximize every book sale for marketing and promotions.
Use Giveaways and Incentives
Although popular e-book sites get more traffic, they have limited options for authors to offer giveaways, incentives, and special deals. Setting up an online bookstore knocks down those obstacles and reveals ripe opportunities.
Readers need convincing reasons to buy a book from an online bookstore instead of a popular e-book site. With the power to create giveaways and offer discounts as you see fit, you may move more books. Not jumping through hoops to offer attractive incentives saves time and empowers authors.
Encourage Buyers To Share Their Email Address
Some writers churn out several books a year, while others go a decade without a new release. Knowing when your favorite writer is about to release a new book can improve sales and boost hype.
Whenever someone buys a book from your online store, ask for their email address. Then, you can send out a brief email a few months before releasing a new book. The message can include a sneak preview to get readers interested.
Email lists are also great for distributing newsletters to share updates, public appearances, and media mentions. To maintain trust, ask for permission to send newsletters and book releases. Readers should also have a way to easily unsubscribe from the newsletter or updates, or change their delivery frequency.
After writing multiple drafts, overcoming creative blocks, and publishing a book, you deserve to sell your books your way. Use these tips to enjoy more control over your career with your own online bookstore.