For those of you who still don't have a website...

[FAUSGA]

here's an interesting article:

http://www.fausga.com/10-reasons-why-...

[C.]

Those are all good points, but I've found a problem. I'm not getting hits on my website even though I've posted the URL. It seems tricky as to how one gets Google to find and post the website in response to search requests. No matter how great your site, if people don't go there, it's not a great tool.

[Brizo]

C. wrote: "Those are all good points, but I've found a problem. I'm not getting hits on my website even though I've posted the URL. It seems tricky as to how one gets Google to find and post the website in re..."

Here are some hints on how search engines prioritize search results. If you want to get noticed more you need to meet their search criteria. Each search engine has their own criteria so it's best to check with them directly as to what that is. Lately and unfortunately, I think they are getting paid big bucks by corporations to display their stuff 1st, so the little guy has to really market and do what is necessary to meet the search criteria or you'll be 1,000,000th on the return list and no one will ever find you...
http://searchenginewatch.com/article/...

[Micah]

I know I should, but I'm good at procrastinating...and I suffer from the belief that everyone else in the world is like me and never visits authors web sites. (Or when I/they do, I/they am/are always undwhelmed by the site and wonder why I/they looked at it in the first place, other than to say, "Huh. Yeah, they have a web page...so what?").

That belief may well be delusional. Afterall, it turned out I was wrong in my belief that (just like me) everyone else in the universe dislikes watching sports and absolutely loathes the Peter Jackson Lord of the Rings movies.

**shrug**

[S.]

Oh too much work I think..Besides there are places like goodreads and FB that can be used...

[C.]

Brizo wrote: "C. wrote: "Those are all good points, but I've found a problem. I'm not getting hits on my website even though I've posted the URL. It seems tricky as to how one gets Google to find and post the we..."
Wow, I looked at that article and it might as well hae been written in Greek! There were very few words I recognized and no explanation of any of it. Thanks for posting it anyway for those that might make sense of it.
I wanted the website which I own and control to assure the information doesn't disappear when some company goes out of business or the like. Sadly, if no one goes to it, it's like a book stored in the vaults under the library.

[C.]

S. wrote: "Oh too much work I think..Besides there are places like goodreads and FB that can be used..."

The problem with FB, and I've heard Twitter now, they are limiting how many people have access to your posts. To get a wider reach, you must pay them extra. The Internet is closing off to the individual entrepreneur.

[Blair]

The article does have some good points. I have had a personal website for a number of years. I'm not sure how much good it does me, if any. As someone already noted, if people don't visit, then it's basically worthless, and a lot of work too. I also run one of About.com's websites - Golf Travel - and that's probably why I still have my own site. The About website garners thousands of visitors per day; my own site does well to get 25 visitors per day. Knowing what I know about running a website, I live in hopes that things will improve, but I think that an author's website is too obscure of a subject to get much interest, unless the author is a famous one, or without a lot of expensive and very iffy marketing. Golf Travel, on the other hand, is a popular subject, hence the vast amount of interest. The Google bot visits my site every day, so obviously Google does not think I am important enough to rank very highly, although I wonder what they would have to rank if they did, just some books that might be of interest to a limited few. I do promote the website through my Golf Travel Blog, and it is beginning to some signs of movement, but it's still too soon to know how much. I also have taken note of the marketing experts that say if we want to attract visitors we should give something away. I have had a free book download offer on my site now for some 8 weeks. So far I have not had a single taker. Amazing! If you'd like to take a look at my site, the url is http://www.blairhoward.com. I have just upgraded it from the old-style html to the new html5. I think it looks quite nice. I'd appreciate any thoughts.

[[deleted user]]

Blair wrote: "The article does have some good points. I have had a personal website for a number of years. I'm not sure how much good it does me, if any. As someone already noted, if people don't visit, then it'..."

I've had a website for a while now, and I don't find that it's much trouble to maintain. Yours does look more professional than my Weebly site, and that may be why. I average about a dozen visits a day, but I don't think that it helps sell any books. Nor do Facebook pages and Twitter accounts, at least not for me, but I write classic Science Fiction, so it appeals to a smaller group.

[Jim]

During the past three-plus years that my novel has been commercially available, the website, created and maintained by the publisher to promote the book, has proven to be a most effective marketing tool.

The five pages of the site include: About the Book, Author's Bio., Excerpts, Events, and Communication Page.

Most who contact me via the Communication Page have already read the book or have specific questions regarding it. Others comment on my events and interviews or ask for the nearest commercial vendor that sells the book and which formats they have on-hand. The social interaction generates much more publicity and actual sales than literary social websites. The added advantage is the fact that the communication takes place without me having to reveal my personal e-mail address and all submissions are screened by the publisher to eliminate nuisance messages such as spam or potential viruses.

The existence of the website and its address are publicized via press releases, interviews with literary magazines, and push cards, customized bookmarks, and thank-you cards passed out during presentations at literary conventions, book clubs, book stores, public libraries, and book signings.

I personally recommend that those authors who do not yet have a website look into having one created and maintained.

[C.]

The problem with having someone else create and maintain your website is you are dependent on them to do so. That can be additional expense and worse, if they decide to go out of business etc. your website is their property and it disappears with them.

[Jim]

C. wrote: "The problem with having someone else create and maintain your website is you are dependent on them to do so. That can be additional expense and worse, if they decide to go out of business etc. your..."

C.,

So far (3 years and counting) I have been very satisfied with the design and maintenance of the site.

I phone or e-mail the publisher's IT department regarding an event or interview, and the appropriate page is updated; usually within an hour or two. There is no expense beyond the initial design and maintenance charge.

[G.T.]

When the Internet was in its infancy, I built my own website (the html way) to generate freelance gigs. Back then there were scant platforms with templates available. I blogged before blogging became a hip word. Did the SEO thing and after a year or two I took the site down and let the domain name go -- writeronline.com I should have paid the price to keep that name but I wasn't blessed with visionary instincts on what the Internet would become. Today, that domain name is worth big $$$ to whoever is holding it.

Now, I keep a very simple website because I'm running a "1389 Reader Trivia Contest" in conjunction with the release of my novel Juror 1389: Dorsie Raines Renninger. Submission entries are through the site. I'm taking a very laid back approach to all this Internet, social media marketing. For me, at this stage in my life, it's just not worth the investment of time. Nor do I feel it will drive sales to compensate for that investment of time.

GT
www.gttrickle.com