More than one author's website? - Writers Forum

HarryG · 03-26-2008, 11:19 AM

I have an author's website which is about a year old, which I paid to have professionally created and hosted, which has led to an increase in the sales of my books, a couple of which had disappeared from the radar. It was neither a surge, nor a spike, but somewhere in between, not yet fully measurable, but it paid for the website and a bit on top.

My question to the website professionals/publicists, or any other commentators:

Is it worthwhile (does it even make sense) to have more than one website, all linked to where my books are for sale, but different to each other? For example, supposing the current one is johnsmith.com, would johnsmithbooks.co.uk, or bestadventurebooks.eu, with a different content, but the same links, make sense?

(Having studied the subject, I'm now able to produce a reasonable website myself, so the cost would be much less).

Mike C · 03-26-2008, 11:32 AM

Hi Harry, nice to see you back.

The answer is maybe. Bella Stander, a publicist for writers, says yes. She advocates buying up every conceiveable domain option, .com, .net, .eu etc for your name, the name of the book, misspellings of both... even if they all redirect to the same site. I'm less sure. One good solid site with lots of content, good navigation, etc is good. Separate sites for each book also good. Links are what counts, so having these sites linking to the same places adds to the googleability of the target.

On the subject of linking (this bit I know you will ignore, but I'll say it anyway) putting links in your signature and posting on forums helps. Anything that puts any kind of inducement to visit is good.

I recently conducted an experiment for a client who'd recently written a book with racy content by joining 'specialist' forums and posting, just once or twice a day, on relevant topics. Hits on the site went up overnight from 2-3 visitors a day to 2-3 hundred.

Multiple websites are ok if people are actively looking for you, or for terms contained within your site, and they can help build your page ranking, but the best way to get visitors is to drive them there.

lin · 03-26-2008, 12:26 PM

My contact with people who specialize in SEO and web marketing have a different opinion. For one thing, having many URL's resolve to the same server files is creating a bunch of sites with identical content, as search engine robots see it. So they kick you down the stairs into Google limbo.

So why have many addresses if it doesn't help with search engines (which don't help much for novels,anyway)

It might make more sense to have a separate website for a book, linking back and forth.

But what is probably most effective would be a single author site with at least 5 pages, then a web of presence on all those youtube, myspace, facebook, Book Marketing Network, site you can get on...(and forums, as well..where you should a link signature) This is not only exactly what search engines smile on, it's also the most effective "net" to draw in eyeballs.

Dawnstorm · 03-26-2008, 12:42 PM

Hi,

I'm not an expert, but I did notice that you provide the link to your webpage neither in your sig-line (which you don't use) nor in your profile. Had I found the link, I might have clicked on it, here.

cpickett · 03-27-2008, 09:00 AM

Hi,
I'm not an expert either, but from what I've learned it can make sense to have various domains pointing at your regular site as someone else noted.

As far as having another one, something you need to consider is just having a site and having it sit there doesn't do much. It takes a ton of work to get traffic to any site, so if you have to do all that's necessary for two, do you have the time, energy, and desire?

strangedaze · 03-27-2008, 09:06 AM

I actually went looking for your site, as Dawnstorm did, but was sad when I couldn't find it. It seems I'm always looking into the websites of people in this place. Why not signature yours?

lin · 03-27-2008, 09:08 AM

That's the thing, too.

Apart from being an SEO no-no, what are you going to do, run around and publicize two different URL's? Why? When you could be spending the time pushing the same one?

(Check with SEO specialists on this one, anybody who is thinking it's a good idea to have two URL's with identical content)

Mike C · 03-27-2008, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lin

My contact with people who specialize in SEO and web marketing have a different opinion. For one thing, having many URL's resolve to the same server files is creating a bunch of sites with identical content, as search engine robots see it. So they kick you down the stairs into Google limbo.

I agree that lots of different sites with identical content is a bad thing, google don't like it and it affects your rankings, so you're looking at possibly several sites all with original content. Redirects, however, don't seem to have any negative SEO issues.

Second part, though, is spot on; google rankings for authors is pretty unimportant, because people have to know who you are before they go looking for you (though they may end up on your site by accident when searching for other things - I get a lot of hits on my site from people searching for the bee-gees, for example). What does make a difference is being in people's faces - facebook, youtube, forums, blogs, the more you do, the more you get filtering back. I get about 10 visits a day just through my signature on this forum.

DS/SD, Harry's shy about posting his URL in his sig line, I believe due to the content of his site.

archer88iv · 03-27-2008, 09:34 AM

One thing to keep in mind, Harry, is that with any good host you can have more than one website simply for the cost of the different domains themselves once you've paid for your space and bandwidth. Would it increase exposure/sales? I don't know. Would it significantly increase your cost?

...for two or three extra websites? Not really.

The question to ask is: where is my traffic coming from? If it's from the same places, the same links, the same people, then giving them all more than one place to visit isn't really going to help.

If, however, you can create additional web presence to capture additional traffic, then you're looking at a definite improvement for minimal additional cost.

The thing is, simply having a variety of content up can also help with your ranking on search engines, if that's all you're really after. In fact, if you just want your website to come up in Google, the URL doesn't matter one little bit. Who's searching for the URL anyway?

People search for what they're curious about. For example, if someone were to search for "strategic destabilization" (complete with quotes), my personal site would actually be numero uno on Google. Has very little to do with the name of the website or most of the content, even. It's just a search term.

P.S. Due to the content, huh? You're just making me more curious, Mike.

HarryG · 03-27-2008, 10:22 AM

Thanks for the advice. I'm minded towards additional websites for each book, with less Bio, more extracts, additional keywords, and as many links as possible (feasible). Would it make sense to use different hosts?

About my desire for anonymity on this site. The anomaly of dropping my trousers in the middle of Times Square comes to mind - it's just not me – but mainly, I don't think it would have much impact on my sales and vanity holds little importance for me, not at this stage. Lastly, my books do contain some (much) adult content, and are not really suitable for non-adult readers, of which I believe there to be some on this site.

I'm also grateful for the advice concerning exposure on the interactive sites like myspace, facebook and the many others, has any author experienced such exposure and has it helped?

Mike C · 03-27-2008, 10:51 AM

Myspace is best when you have, or think you can attract, a following; you can instantly broadcast to all interested parties when you have a new launch, signing, website update, change of underwear, etc. I know a lot of authors who use it (most published authors do, at least in the US - some even have their myspace pages maintained by their publishers) but I don't think any would directly attribute increased sales solely to a myspace presence. Facebook is probably less useful. Problem is even with Myspace, you have to make people go there and 'friend' you. They have to have a reason (aside from the sad "I got more friends than you" stuff that goes on) and you have to provide it.

I know you have reservations about posting links here Harry, and that's fine, but a link in your signature is also a link read by google. It's not vanity, it's strategy.

Why not join forums that involve whatever activities you write about and post there with your url in your sig line? Every post counts; you can't build traffic without once in a while sticking your head over the parapet.

Mike C · 03-27-2008, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lin

(Check with SEO specialists on this one, anybody who is thinking it's a good idea to have two URL's with identical content)

Agreed - it's 'black hat' and definitely a no-no.

Mike C · 03-27-2008, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryG

Would it make sense to use different hosts?

Missed this bit - no, makes no difference. Though there is a theoretical advantage in using a host based in the country you want to do business in, it's so small as to be negligible.

Judith Tramayne · 03-31-2008, 02:34 PM

Having one web site is best in my opinion. You can devote your time to driving traffic to it. You are branding yourself -- not your books. Readers remember authors not book titles.

There are many ways to drive traffic to your site:

1) Search Engine Optimiization

Each of your website pages should be a stand alone page. If you have good content and use your title and copy correctly, people will come through the back door. The more pages you have the more backdoors.

2) RSS Feeds

These are EZ to do and market for you 24/7 with very little work. In fact, it's only one .xml page you put up on your web hosting server.

3) Blog

It's EZ to put a Word Press blog on your site and either write articles or things about your writing process or yourself, your readers will find fascinating. The more they know about you, the more they buy your books.

4) Video

Make a Book Trailer video and put it up on Youtube.com or Google video. It's EZ to do and you can use all free software.

5) Make your book into an Audio Book

People love their MP3 players and you can double or triple your income. You can make small sample recordings and put them on podcasting sites.

This is only a few ways -- but if you have more than one site, you would be doing the above for all of them. Do you really have that kind of time?

Judith
P.S. The biggest mistake I see writers/authors make is not having an opt-in box on their site. Usually people will not buy the first time they come to your site. Give them a reason to opt-in and then build a relationship. Once they like and know you, they will buy your books.