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Book Promotion Tip # 1
by A. H. Holt
http://www.ahholt.com
Note: These "tips" are from a journal I am keeping
on how to promote my book. They include things
that I learn from research and experience.
The day you sign the contract for your book---start
Working on your web page.
Keep it simple, I'll say that again---KEEP IT SIMPLE.
Do not use big graphics, frames, animation, or anything
that will cause the page to load slowly. People close
pages and never come back when that happens.
Leave a space for a picture of the front of your book on the
opening page and another on the "about you" page for your
picture. When you have a picture taken at a photographer
these days, she will offer to furnish you with a copy of
the image on a disk.
Use one page of your web to give something away free.
It could be free advice like this, free recipes, a copy of
a booklet you write about something you are an expert in,
just so long as its something of value to give people a
real reason and a reward to come to your web site.
Link, Link, Link to other web pages. Search for pages that
coordinatewith yours. Formally ask to trade links. That's
not required in most cases, but it's nicer. Check links
regularly to make sure they are functioning. Find
affiliate programs that coordinate with your web site.
Be ready to add something to your web page about once a
month. Consider starting a newsletter or e-zine about one
of your passions.
Answer your messages--always answer your messages.
Study and compare the realities of web hosts before you
sign on. Some are free and some are cheap, but not all are
useful.
There's so much information on the web that it's mind-
boggling, but it's important for you to compare
performance, not only price, before you buy.
Remember---Building a web site IS NOT as easy as a click
of a mouse. If you are a computer tyro find someone who
understands how computers work and has tremendous
patience to build your site.
Remember that paying to have
your site built is not the only expense. You will want to
change pages around and add to them, so the site has to be
maintained.
If you decide to build your own site, publish it to your
desktop first. Keep it there for about two weeks so you
can tweak it and add content. That will also give you time
to find and correct all (most) of your mistakes.
Spend time studying how to get your site on all of the
important search engines.
Prepare a list of 25 of your most important search words
and phrases and have them ready for when you start
submitting your site to search engines. Some will use even
more than 25 search words.
Write a three-line introduction to your site that will make
people want to open it. This will also go in your
application to search engines.
Find out about META tags.
Submit to Yahoo Canada, it will help you get on Yahoo
faster. Then submit to all other English speaking Yahoos
using the proper string---such as Art literature books
Young Adult, etc.
By A. H. Holt,
http://www.ahholt.com
SILVER CREEK, ISBN 0-8034-9600-1
Available at your favorite bookseller in June
Subscribe to Book Promotion Newsletter
By sending a blank e-mail to ahholt@ahholt.com
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