How To Sell Books Online

 

Authors need websites, let me show you how to sell books online. With 4.54 billion active internet users in the world today, an author’s website is essential to successful book marketing. Sure, social media is a great networking tool. But if you really want to sell your books, an author website is a must!

Whether you are unpublished, self-published, or even working with a publishing company, you should really consider building your own online presence in order to connect with readers, influencers, and media. Having your own website is your one-stop-shop for everything YOU.

Promote your books, yourself, and your brand, sell your books, share a preview, allow readers to leave reviews, link to your social media, take advantage of email marketing, the possibilities are endless. With that said, let’s get right into showing you how to sell books online.

 

 

∗As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links, if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a commission. I may also be compensated through other links on this post, and all ‘opinions’ are my own.

 

 

 

Where Do I Start?

The first thing I would recommend to you is, Google it, (I love saying that). What I mean is go and explore other authors’ websites and find inspiration. There are many wonderful author websites out there and you can get a good idea of what you might want to include on your website. One thing to keep in mind is that you want a clean website, easy to read, and easy to navigate. Keep it simple. Your audience, and Google, will thank you and reward you.

You will also want to research website building platforms like WordPress, and different hosts (basically a place for your website to live), such as; Bluehost, WPEnigine, and Dreamhost. There are many to choose from and it can get confusing as well as expensive. Therefore, I will give you my recommendation at the end of this post.

Another thing to start thinking about is your domain (website address) on the world wide web. You definitely want to purchase your own domain, which is very affordable. This is the first fun part of building your website, choosing your brand, or your name. I would advise against using the title of your book unless of course, that is the only book you will ever write and publish. I would probably go for your real name or pen name, however, it is your domain, name it what you wish, as long as it’s still available for use. I prefer {YOUR WEBSITE}.com, however, .net, .org, .inc and .co are options as well.

 

 

 

What Should Be Included On My Author Website?

 

♦First and foremost, you must include an About Me page or an Author Bio. Tell your visitors who you are, what you are about, and what you have to offer. Have you written other books? What do you write and why? Don’t forget to share a professional photo. Your fans want to know who you are and they want to see you. About Me pages and photos build trust.

♦Your contact information is also a must. There should always be an easy way to communicate with your readers. I suggest you use a contact form on its own page for easy access. Be sure to add a space for comments and questions as well as links to your email, social media, and newsletters.

♦A blog is a great addition to any website. You certainly don’t need to blog, however, it will definitely keep your readers coming back to your website and possibly keep them there longer, which is good, you want that. You could blog about books that you’ve read, upcoming books, book signing schedules, or other news and events, anything really. Have fun with it.

 

 

 

 

Choose A Website Building Platform

Most websites are run by WordPress, which is best for writers and bloggers, and as I stated above, I highly suggest you use it. Not just for its user-friendliness, but also because it’s mobile-friendly, highly responsive, and extremely powerful, and did I mention that it’s free and very easy to use?  Of course, you can take a look at Joomla, Weebly, Wix, or any other website builders to compare and make your own decision, but that’s just my two cents.

 

 

Choose Your Domain

You can purchase a domain name from places like Nameboy.com, Domain.com, and GoDaddy.com or get a free domain from a website hosting plan. I do recommend trying to get a .com simply because it’s great for SEO and search engines prefer it, as it is the most widely used extension.

 

 

 

 

Choose A Host

Bluehost is a great option for starting out, they are reliable and cost-effective. In fact, they are recommended #1 by WordPress, which you are hopefully using as your website builder.  Another one of the most reliable hosting options is WPEngine, where you can pick a plan that suits your needs. Click on the links to learn more and compare price plans.

 

 

 

Have Your Cake And Eat It Too

What if I told you that you can have a free website builder and free hosting? Well, I’m telling you that you CAN. You can even build one free website! SiteRubix is an all-in-one, free website builder developed by Wealthy Affiliate, where you can build your first website fast and easy. Even better, they use WordPress and they will never add banners or ads, you are fully in charge of your own website.

Give It a Try

Now, keep in mind that by using the free version, your domain will end with .siterubix.com rather than .com, which is not a problem.  However, once you are signed up for the free membership, you will have the opportunity to explore all of the benefits and possibly choose to purchase the premium membership package. Here you can learn more about Wealthy Affiliate and their premium membership.

Once you go premium, you may then purchase your very own domain (premium yearly will get you a free .com domain) or bring in one that you already own, if that’s the case. Wealthy Affiliate comes with many great tools as well as top-notch training and support. You do not have to use any of the services offered, however, there are really great benefits to doing so. You always have the option to stay with the free version for as long as you like. Try it out below, enter a name for your website and see just how easy it really is.

 

 

 

 

 

Sell Those Books

Once you have your website built, (which only takes a minute if you chose the all-in-one route) you can start selling your books and you can even consider incorporating ads and affiliates to your author website. If you choose to continue with the training provided by Wealthy Affiliate, you will have a beautiful author website that you can also monetize with affiliates if you choose to do so. I think it’s a great way to make a passive income while selling your books. Besides, who doesn’t want more money?

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

As you can probably tell, I highly recommend that you give SiteRubix a try, it’s especially great for beginners and as I mentioned before, it’s FREE! All you need is a user name, a password, and an email. No Credit Card Required. You have many options when it comes to building your website so go ahead, do your research, but do know, that I have given you what I believe to be the best option with the most benefits at the best price. Free. If you want even more training or want to purchase your own domain, I suggest you opt into the premium training, at a price that still outdoes the rest. I look forward to seeing your author website up and running very soon!

 

Thanks for visiting!