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So, you wrote a book to promote your business, speaking, and expertise?

Congratulations! As a busy coach, consultant, speaker, or expert, it’s no small feat to finish and publish a book.

You’ve created a powerful marketing tool that will support your promotional efforts in a number of ways:

A book demonstrates your expertise.
Your book helps potential clients get to know you and learn about your approach.
When negotiating for speaking appearances, you can make arrangements to sell your book at the same time. Or, you might require that the host organization buys a copy for everyone who attends.
A book is a super-affordable way for “cold leads” to get a taste of working with you. Or, you might even give your book to prospects for free, using the book-as-business-card philosophy.
Your book helps you get found in new ways, like Amazon searches by people who need your service and expertise.
Your book launch is a newsworthy event, giving you a reason for media outreach, press releases, client appreciation gifts, social media posts, emails, and a launch party.

How should you update your website, now that you’re a published author?

I’m assuming you already have a website to support your speaking, business, and the services you offer.

Let’s look at the questions that come up, as you consider how to incorporate your new nonfiction book into your site.

Should you create a separate website for your book?

No. It’s almost never a good idea to have an entirely separate website for your book: it should be an integral part of your current business website.

The only exceptions to this rule would be:

If the subject matter of the book is entirely different from your main business, or somehow conflicts with what you do there. Hopefully, if this applies, you were clear from the outset that the book is not supportive of your main marketing message!
You absolutely love technology, or you like paying someone else to love technology for you… and you’re dying to create another online presence with its own social media and branding.

For your sanity, it’s seldom a good idea to start duplicating efforts and doubling the time you need to spend on social media. You’ll weaken your brand when you send your audience to two places. In splitting the attention you receive, you’ll also compete against yourself in Search Engine results.

Is your current business or speaker website up to the job?

You’ve spent valuable time and money publishing your nonfiction book, so take an honest look at your existing website. Will updates suffice, or is it time for a complete overhaul?

Just like your book, your website is a visual communication medium. If your site is poorly designed or outdated, visitors will assume your book is low quality too. In order to stand out in the sea of book titles that are published every year, your website needs to play its part in positioning you as professional and polished.

Signs that it could be time to start over with your business or speaking website:

You’re embarrassed to send people there.
It’s ugly or broken when viewed on a mobile phone.
You don’t have a full-width home page design.
It’s more than 5 years since the website was built.
Nobody recognizes the photo of you!
You have an abandoned blog, that no longer represents your work well.
You’re paying hefty monthly fees for someone to maintain your website for you, to patch it, update plugins, and to keep it secure.
Your website is not appearing in search results, even if someone enters your name or business name.

The time leading up to your book’s publication can be the ideal opportunity to start over with your website.

I specialize in creating effective and attractive author websites for business owners who want to be taken seriously.

Schedule your free consultation with me here.

Should you wait until your book is published, to update your website?

No. Plan for at least two rounds of website edits, or more if you’re aiming for a big splash. Good milestones for website updates include:

You’re writing a book! Include news about the topic, title if you have one, and expected release date. You might also ask for early readers and/or feedback on what you plan to include.
Book cover reveal. Hopefully, you’ll have the book description (blurb) ready at this point too.
Feedback / blurbs from early readers and others in your industry. Include a firm release date, and remember to gather email addresses so you can notify interested readers on publication day.
Purchase links, once your book is available to buy.
Reader praise, after your book has been out for a few weeks.

At each of these stages, you should make or arrange for website updates. You can also use these prompts for material to share on your social media channels.

Which pages of your website need to be updated?

You’ll need a page for the book itself.
Update your home page to show your book. Being a published author is a big deal, and sets you apart from your competitors.
It’s highly likely you’ll want to update your bio.
Refresh your news/events page to include online or real-life events that support your book launch. Remember to add the year for all dates, so a future visitor can tell immediately whether an event is imminent or past.
Update your media kit and speaker one sheet.
If you’ve joined Amazon’s affiliate program to make a commission from book sales, you must include Amazon’s disclosure statement in your website footer: “As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”

What do you put on your Book page?

First, get clear about the goal of your Book page. There’s a good chance you’d like to use it to sell the book, but you might be planning to give away a digital copy in exchange for an email address, or prioritize another Call to Action.

The content of your Book page should follow general best practice for authors. It needs the following:

Large, clear cover image. Include meaningful alt text to help search engines and visually impaired readers. Assuming your book is available as a paperback or hardback, use a mockup image that makes it look like a real book. Here’s how to make a free book cover mockup.
Short description, highlighting the outcomes and benefits for your reader.
Praise from others, for example the media, readers, or industry peers.
Awards that your book has won or been shortlisted for.
Buy buttons. Always use a button, not a text link, for an action you want the visitor to take. Research shows buttons are more effective.

You might also include:

A photo of you holding one or more copies of the physical book, and/or at a book signing, or launch party.
The link to download extra resources you promised in the book. Often, these will require an email address so that you’re using the book to build your email list.

Remember your Book page should contain headings and text appropriate for SEO, including phrases that your ideal reader or client would look for.

How should you add the new book to your main website menu?

Be sure to update the main menu of your website so it’s clear you have a book available. Unless your book is an immediate national bestseller, you’re better off naming the menu item “Book” instead of using the actual title. Remember, you’ve expended months of effort and probably love your book title, but your typical website visitor won’t know it. And “Book” is shorter, too.

Your actual page URL and SEO title, on the other hand, can be chosen tactically to include good keywords for search. I will assist you with SEO keyword research and placement, to maximize your chances of being found.

How else can you leverage your website updates?

Once your consulting or speaker website has had a refresh for your new book, this is a great time to send an update to your email list, to post on social media, and even to run a giveaway to celebrate.

Just as you can use a mockup of your book to make it more lifelike, you can share mockups of your website for appealing, on-brand photos too.

See examples of website mockups in my portfolio.

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Would you like me to design and build your speaker + author + expert website?

As a professional specializing in Squarespace design, I have extensive experience in creating websites that drive business results. We’ll work together to show the value of your book, your speaking, and your services. You can expect a fast return on your website investment through both new clients and speaker fees.

If you’d like technical expertise, book marketing advice, and all of the implementation taken care of, consider hiring me.

After careful preparation together, I’ll design, build and launch your site in just 2-3 weeks. Learn more, and then schedule our free and friendly chat.

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