Easy Indie Author Website Tweaks to Boost Book Sales
While I can hear your eye roll from here, please hear me out:
I know messing with your website is just yet another thing on the never-ending to do list, so I am creating a series of posts to help explain why having a website as an indie romance author showcasing you and your books should be a top priority.
This post focuses on one critical, but super easy to incorporate, website optimization strategy to help your readers find you and your books.
Incorporating Keywords into Your Indie Author Website Boosts Books Sales
THE WHY: Readers are more likely to find you even when they don’t know your name.
Your ride or die, auto-buy readers already know and adore you. You don’t need to market to them.
But what about those thousands of readers who don’t know their next favorite book is out there waiting for them to discover YOU?
Sadly, their fingertips will not magically type your author name into their search engine of choice, eagerly wanting to add to their TBR. Your indie author website has to drive your future readers organically.
Now, I realize that to drive traffic organically on a technology riddled website is a bit of an oxymoron.
So what is an unknown indie author to do?!
Create an SEO-optimized author website that drives traffic to YOU even when you’re not searched for by name.
Again, the eye roll.
I get it. Not yet another website designer spouting off about even more mumbo jumbo tactics no one has time to care about, let alone to implement!
However, since over 50% of website traffic comes from search engines, it is important to prioritize these simple strategies to get your books picked up by the bots.
Plus, implementing the strategy outlined below does not require any plug-ins nor any software downloads.
Here are some quick, to the point ideas to get your indie author website at the top of the SEO-optimized list:
The Easy Tweaks:
1. Use keywords (and keyphrases) as part of your book description
These are actually easier to incorporate than you might think.
Simply, keywords are the words you readers are likely to type into search bars when looking for their next book to add to their TBR.
For example, the tropes in your latest release could be considered as keywords.
So, brainstorm a quick list of words you use to describe your book. Consider not only the always popular tropes and subtropes, but also list your book’s genre, setting, the characteristics of your MMC, FMC, and any side characters. Any main plot points are also often searched for keywords.
For example, I might turn to good ol’ Google when I am in the mood for a cinnamon roll hero, a kickass heroine, a fantasy romance, a plot that features found family or forgiveness, or if I am needing a good sob fest, and search for those keywords.
You probably already have a version of this list, so it’s just a matter of adding them under your swoon-worthy cover that is already on your author website.
2. Use keywords in your author website’s content and in headings
Without “keyword stuffing,” sprinkle in your at-the-ready words throughout your site’s content. And, because writing is your area of genius, this is an easy strategy to help ensure your website is further SEO-optimized.
Did you know that search engines give more credence to sites that use keywords in their headings?
Again, where it seems natural, use words from your list in headings. This strategy might even provide the added bonus of breaking up blocks of text, giving your website pages some needed whitespace and breathing room, thus making your site easier to read and navigate!
3. Use keywords as a list of categories on your website
Consider structuring your author website categorically.
If you are an indie romance author who writes a variety of tropes, you could categorize your books using the keywords cowboy, small town, MC, RH, for example. Especially as your backlist grows, using these kinds of categories will be even more helpful to your readers.
How many times have we all turned to Google to help us find what we are looking for, even when we don’t know ourselves?
No matter where you decide to add these keywords to your author website, doing so is relatively painless and does not require much additional skill or time. In fact, this is a great task for your PA, or your author personal assistant!
4. Use keywords across platforms and link back to your author website and vice versa
You can get even more bang for this brainstorming buck and use these keywords and key phrases in any promotional materials and platforms.
Many of your soon-to-be readers look to build their next TBR pile by searching for these keywords on TikTok and Instagram (*think, #hashtags!).
The SEO bots are eagerly awaiting your keywords, so they can direct them to your indie author website!
Creating additional links from your author website to your social media platforms also helps Google learn how all of your links are tied together across the world wide web.
How cool is that?!
5. Create valuable, frequently searched for content on your website
All of the business and marketing gurus say, “Content is queen.” And they’re right.
Give Google what it’s searching for, and direct potential readers to your website.
Here you get to capitalize, yet again, on your area of genius! Since you likely have book blurbs, marketing materials, a social media presence, and/or a newsletter, this content is already written!
Simply also include it on your site, and let your already-existing fruits of your labor do double, triple and quadruple duty.
Google loves active author websites
If your site is inactive each time the Google bots are trolling around looking for new content to scan and index, and your site is dormant yet again, Google is going to wonder, “Why bother checking in? There’s nothing new here to hook new readers. Moving on…”
However, Google is the ultimate matchmaker.
Google wants to “reward” active sites with more traffic, which equals more book sales, and more readers who are eagerly anticipating your next release!
To satisfy those hungry bots, please be sure to consistently add new content to your website. This could be the perfect job for your PA, or author personal assistant!
Need some ideas of where to put this content?
Incorporate your already-brainstormed list of keywords/phrases on your home page, where you can welcome readers to your site and have them continue their journey with YOU, their new favorite ride or die!
Your “About” page is likely one of the most frequently visited pages on your site, so make sure to take advantage of this. Talk about how you got started, where you get your ideas, your writing process, what you like to do when you’re not writing, and give them behind the scenes sneak peeks.
Your readers are insatiably curious about you, so be sure to scratch this itch.
Consider writing a blog, especially if you are already producing a newsletter. Again, you’ve already done the hard work, now repurpose away! The Google bots are waiting!
While the suggestions above do not require much website navigating knowhow, the following strategies require going into the backend of your site. However, if you or someone on your team has access, these next SEO-optimizing strategies will help further guide those future readers to your site = HEA for all!
6. Use the keywords in your website description
The SEO description is what is seen when someone searches for you, and it appears right under your website’s title.
Be sure to take advantage of this high visibility location and incorporate some of your especially searchable keywords.
7. Use the keywords in the URL slug
URL slugs are another SEO-optimizing opportunity that you’ll want to capitalize on.
While you’re there making sure the slugs are “clean” and filler word free, also take a moment to use appropriate keywords. Be sure the URL slugs do not exceed 5 words.
8. Use keywords when naming images/photos
Include your keywords when naming the images on your website. When doing this, it can be helpful to remember that everything on your site, including images, is read by bots. So, using your keywords, describe what’s happening in the image.
(While website platforms are similar, please note that these suggestions are from knowledge of Squarespace.)
A Deeper Dive into SEO
In case you’re interested: What is this SEO thing I keep hearing about, and why should I care?
Google is the OG HEA!
Nothing makes Google happier than matching content to query.
So what is an indie romance author to do? Try to anticipate the keywords their future readers will search, thus guiding them in the moonlight to the book of their dreams!
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. As defined by Rand Fishkin, the founder of Moz, SEO is:
“The practice of increasing the quantity and quality of the traffic that you earn through the organic (not paid) results in search engines.”
Basically, this is living the dream, right? Who doesn’t want readers finding their books in droves?
Google’s goal is YOUR GOAL.
It wants to match your readers’ searches to your books, and ensuring that your author website is optimized for SEO is a critical first step. The icing on the cake is that with the few simple tweaks outlined above, you’re well on your way to your SEO-optimized indie author website!
In future blog posts, we will continue Our Story and explore the reasons why your indie romance author website is your number one marketing strategy.
Your supportive side character,
Lisa