Authors Need Discoverability Even More Than Findability

What is this "discoverability" and "findabiility" stuff a new language?

 

They are sort of ugly words but they seem essential to use these words to show how important discoverability is. 

 

Most of us authors (or our publishers) use "findability" well when they put all a book's metadata on the Web and on specific sites so readers can locate exactly what they're looking for…" even [when they don't have] complete information about the book. In this instance "metadata" includes all the stuff like categories, ISBNs, titles,—the specifics about your book.

"Discoverability" is the kind of access a reader might have when she isn't looking for a specific title, author, or even a specific category but something related to her search pops up. We authors hope that will be our book!  Categories can help with this exposure but things like keywords, great pitches and loglines, benefits, etc. that appear on your Amazon page, your social networks, your online bookstore profile and buy pages work even better.

 

Chances are—your title isn't as well known as you'd like, so you're after "discoverability."

 

I'm thinking most authors would get more out of the concept if we call it "serendipity." In other words, we have to work everything we can on the Web so that even those who aren't looking for us find us and that our "brand" (the Frugal Book Promoter is full of information on great branding for books!) will be clear to him or her immediately. That includes learning to play to the search engines using the dreaded "keyword concept" in all of our content.

 

Of course, some use Search Engine Optimization experts to do this for them. But I think you probably know more about what your book (and your career) is about than many SEO guys or gals. And there is plenty you can do to be discovered serendipitously that SEO doesn't fit into the job description of SEO professionals. In this article, we'll concentrate on online bookstores, but you can generally apply these ideas to your Web site, your social network profiles, and anything else you do online.

 

1.Get your book categorized in three different categories on Amazon and other online bookstores that offer this categorization feature to organize books. The online bookstore's search engine is a little like the library's catalog—only faster. You want to be associated with genres and categories that people search for. But you want each category to be refined down to the category with the least competition in it—as long as it applies to your book. This is what my categories for The Frugal Book Promoter look like on Amazon. I'm not too happy with the last one, but I really, really needed a subset with fewer books in it than I could get with the obvious:

      Look for Similar Items by Category

Books > Business & Investing > Marketing & Sales > Advertising

Books > Education & Reference > Writing, Research & Publishing Guides > Publishing & Books > Authorship

Books > Professional & Technical > Accounting & Finance > Accounting

Keep in mind that the people who might be looking for your book (or not know they are looking for your book) may very well not use the same jargon you use. Example: For my book they may think of the word "advertising" before they think of the word "publicity" or even "promotion."

 

2.When possible use keywords in your title, in your subtitle, on the back of your cover and in your book description. And, yes, in the endorsements and blurbs you use.

3.Use as many of the little benefits that online bookstores offer as you can. There is lots of Amazon-specific information on doing this in The Frugal Book Promoter (http://budurl.com/FrugalBkPromo) like reader reviews, Listmanias, the add-an-image function, and the like button (which appears to be disappearing these days!). Even a few "Add to Wish List" entries can help the logarithms on Amazon.

4.Participate in Amazon comments when it is pertinent, but not in a negative way. You'll find those at the end of each review.  Add helpful information and compliments to related books when you can. They link back to your Amazon profile page.

5.And, about that profile page! Check it every so often to see if it needs updating. And be sure to feed your blog to it! That keeps it active.

6.A rarely used function on each Amazon buypage is the "Start a discussion" section. Try to get someone to start one. Warn them that one must scroll down to find it.

7.Vote on reviews that you like best on your own buypage and get others to do so. This could push that review (along with all of its keywords) to the top of the review offerings.

 

Now you know what to do with Amazon, apply your new skills to other things you are doing on the Web. And then here's another little tip directly from The Frugal Book Promoter. You don't have to be actively engaged in a social network to have a very nice profile on the site with lots of links back to your other networks and your Website. Make it your business to add a profile to something new every so often.

----- Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and how to books for writers including the award-winning second edition of, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher; The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success; and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers . The Great First Impression Book Proposal is her newest booklet for writers. She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor . 

How To Keep Getting Tons out of a Writers Conference After the Event

Today’s SharingwithWriters guest is the co-chair for Book ‘Em North Carolina Writers Conference and Book Fair that supports local literacy and anti crime. This is a woman who can help the essentials of making a book fair and conference work for you. I extended her wisdom to three guest posts. If you missed the first two, start two posts ago on "What To Do Before a Book Fair" and read on through to this one.

How to Get the Most out of a Writers Conference

Part 3: After the Event

By p. m. Terrell 

Making the most of an appearance when it’s over is often the most overlooked part of book promotion. Yet it can be the most effective.

1.     Contact the Media. Have you noticed that 99% of what’s in the news is about what’s already happened? Send a picture of yourself at the conference to your local media with a caption and contact information. Often they’ll print the picture with the caption. And sometimes it leads to additional interviews.

2.     Update Your Web Site. Put pictures on your web site and keep a “Past Events” page. When you are booking other venues, they will often look at your website to see where you’ve appeared before. Especially if you have a line at your desk or you’re surrounded by fans, it shows future organizers that you can bring in the crowd.

3.     Update Your Social Networks. Tweet or post updates on Facebook and other social networking sites. If you have pictures, be sure to share them. You want people to know you’ve just attended a very successful event.

4.     Keep Up Your Contacts. Don’t make the mistake of dropping out of sight after the event. Send emails to those you met—fans, readers, and fellow authors—to thank them for attending or letting them know how much you enjoyed spending time with them. Staying in touch can often lead to more book sales and more appearances.

5.     Thank the Organizers. This can also be a good time to ask about any future events they have planned. As writers conferences and book fairs become more successful, the spots available to authors can fill up fast. If you had a good time and believed it was beneficial, make sure you’re one of the first in line for their next event. Other authors are doing it and you don’t want to lose out.

6.     Blog About It. Let those fans and readers who couldn’t be there in person know about the event and any highlights. Post pictures and provide links to buy your books.

7.     Update Your Mailing List. Hopefully, you got email addresses or mailing addresses of those who came by your table. Make sure you’ve added them to your list so you can keep them informed of upcoming events and new book releases.

What are ways you promote your successful appearance after the event? Click on the little comment link to share your ideas—and be sure to tell us about what you are doing in the publishing industry.

 ~Learn more about p.m. terrell:

www.pmterrell.com
www.pmterrell.blogspot.com/
www.maryneely.com
www.publishersmarketplace.com/members/pmterrell/
Terrell is author of more than 16 books, including the Award-Winning historical books River Passage and Songbirds are Free; internationally acclaimed suspense Exit 22, Ricochet,The Banker's Greed, Kickback and The China Conspiracy; the how-to book, Take the Mystery out of Promoting Your Book; and four non-fiction computer books. Look for her latest book, Vicki's Key, a two-time award nominee and finalist in the 2012 International Book Awards, and her next book, Secrets of a Dangerous Woman, due to be released in the fall of 2012!


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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and how to books for writers including the award-winning second edition of, The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity on your own or by partnering with your publisher; The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success; and Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers . The Great First Impression Book Proposal is her newest booklet for writers. She has three FRUGAL books for retailers including A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use the little Green widget to let them know about this blog:

On Branding and Your Web Site

Gayle Trent is guest blogging today on how people can upgrade their Web sites. Most of us need to do at least a little tweaking.


How Can My Web Site Help or Hinder My Writing?

By Gayle Trent, author of cozy mysteries

Before you go thinking you’ve heard all you need to know about Web sites, you might want to take a look at this article. I thought I knew everything I needed to know about them, but I found I was horribly wrong when I had my ite overhauled by a professional.

Blogs

We’re told every writer needs a blog. So I had blogs. I had a WordPress blog, a Tripod blog and three Blogger blogs. This scattered me and my brand all over the place. While it’s good to be found in a number of places, I learned that search engines don’t recognize free sites as well as they do hosted sites. Therefore, it’s better for your main blog to be a part of your Web site.

More Than One Site

I had sites for different books, different names and different ventures. As a result, the web designer told me I was too fragmented. Your one site should act as a funnel, directing attention to you, building your brand as a writer and bringing everything together. Your site should define who you are and what you do. First and foremost–careerwise–I write cozy mysteries. I also do coaching and speaking. Those two features now have tabs on my main Web site. That way, someone who goes to a site and learns about Gayle Trent, the writing coach, will also be aware that Gayle Trent writes cozy mysteries and enjoys speaking.

What Will It Take To Get YOU To the Next Level?

Basically, you need to ask yourself where you want to be and what it will take to get you there. Do you need a more professional online image? Do you need clips to entice editors and/or agents? Are you effectively promoting your books, your writing or your coaching talents? Is your site clear and easy to navigate? If you’re not sure, ask someone to go to your site and tell you how quickly and easily they found your book; learned what your book is about; learned where to buy your book; learned how to become part of your community; learned what else you do; learned about your upcoming appearances, if any. Then, take a look at a number of sites of writers you admire to see what they’re bringing to their site that your site may be lacking. Discover how you can add something similar to your own site.
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Guest blogger Gayle Trent is the author of
MURDER TAKES THE CAKE published by Bell Bridge Books. Find her book trailer on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGnKwHYlPCQ and her blogging at Fatal Foodies .


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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.

After You've Gotten a Great Blurb, Then What?

I met Gregory Kompes when we was director of the Las Vegas Writers' Conference and he asked me to speak. He is also a coach and teacher. He has a couple of books published but this is his first specifically for the benefit of writers' careers. Learn more about endorsements from his book, The Quest for Endorsements, or from the segment of The Frugal Book Promoter on endorsements (also called blurbs and several other things! (-: ) Use the index to find it. Today Greg is my guest blogger:

10 Ways to Make the Most of Your Book Endorsements
By Gregory A. Kompes


Endorsements, sometimes called "Blurbs," are wonderful and often witty comments about your book provided by respected authors, journalists, entertainers, and industry experts connected to your topic. They're also one of the strongest sales tools an author has in their book sales toolbox. These short quotes should be gathered both before and after your book is published. Once you've gathered your endorsements what do you do with them? Here's a list of ten ways to get the most out of your well earned endorsements:

1. Book Cover. Readers respect the opinion of others, especially respected authors and industry experts. Endorsements gathered before production should be included on your book cover. In addition to placing your blurbs on the back cover, a great, short endorsement on the front will increase your sales.

2. Inside Your Book. Place pre-publication endorsements on a page or two just inside the front cover of your book. If you don't have pre-publication blurbs, consider adding your blurbs on your next printing.

3. "What Others Are Saying" Page. Collect your best endorsements and reviews on a single page and include it in your media kit. Positive endorsements will increase your press coverage.

4. Promotional Materials. When creating postcards, bookmarks, flyers, brochures and other give-a-way items, include an endorsement. They send the message, "Don't take my word for it, this is what others think of my book."

5. Tip Sheets: Create a tip sheet to include in your media kit and as a handout. Tip sheets, sometimes called a "One Page," include four basic elements: About the Book, About the Author, Book Statistics, and Order Information. A callout box or sidebar with a blurb about your book is an excellent addition.

6. Website. Include call out boxes or sidebars on your website that contain your endorsement quotes. Boxes add interest to your website. Your site visitors will view them as testimonials from others adding a level of trust.

7. Email Signature. Endorsements included with a link to your website draw interest and attention to your email signature.

8. Advertisements. Include a quality endorsement quote or two in all your print and online advertisements.

9. Query Letters. Include an endorsement or two in query letters when selling editors on stories connected to your book.

10. Press Releases. Use endorsements as quotes in your press releases. This will add interest and value to your book related news items. Additionally, a great endorsement from a recognized name is press release worthy on its own.

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Want to learn how to obtain endorsements for your book? Gregory A. Kompes is the author of The Endorsement Quest (www.EndorsementQuest.com). This e-Book outlines an easy to follow and affordable way to obtain those all important endorsements. "A beautiful, professional piece—and much needed" --Carolyn-Howard Johnson, author of The Frugal Book Promoter. "Well done. Smart Idea." --Eva Shaw, author, writing coach, mentor.


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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal." Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com and AuthorsCoalition.blogspot.com, a blog that helps writers and publishers turn a ho-hum book fair booth into a sizzler.