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The fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges across industries, including the supply chain of physical goods.
But there is light on the horizon; according to SEMRush more people are searching and shopping online for a growing number of new categories, specifically books & literature eCommerce website traffic has grown by 16%.
With so many people shopping online for so many different reading needs, there is a diversity of titles being sold (ie. not just bestsellers). The competition for discovery is much higher and price consciousness from consumers will grow as online book availability increases. Comparison shopping – already the norm – may well increase.
So, consumers are rushing to get their hands on the books that you sell.
Your team is flat outstretched with accommodating changes in work life and your marketing spend needs to be producing tangible results. How you prioritize which titles to pay attention to now and which would benefit the most from attention, in terms of marketing dollars and improving placement in the online retail environment, is crucial.
Come, see for yourself.
Product pages should include as much marketing information and material as possible. A lack of marketing content typically hurts consumer experience and sales, and Amazon and any online search engines and retailers that use algorithms to aid in discovery weight products more highly if all marketing assets are provided. We look at the following items to ensure a rich, complete product page.
Consumers like to see and sample products before they buy. Online shoppers can’t see your book and pick it up, but your cover image and content preview give your potential buyers the chance to virtually leaf through the book as they might in a physical bookstore. Make sure you have digital shelf appeal and give consumers what they need to make a more informed purchasing decision.
Look Inside / Search Inside the Book preview
Include a rich, detailed product description to improve search engine optimization, maximize sales, and ensure the best possible consumer experience.
We suggest book descriptions be at least 225words long and up to a maximum of 4,000 characters (including HTML markup). Rich information about the book will help buyers make an informed purchasing decision. Typically, the more detail you can provide the better without, of course, writing a dissertation when none is required. This isn’t a matter of “write longer because it is better.” Rather, the tendency has been for marketers to write short copy for the web – often far too short. Good, healthy descriptions work the best. People will read them.
Take the book description for Erik Larson’s for The Splendid and The Vile as an example:
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You want to describe the book in the ways in which readers think about and talk about books and aligned with how likely buyers might be looking for it. Include details about the content and themes of the book, relevant information about the author, and other attributes that your potential audience cares about.
What is the book about? Describe the book in simple, straightforward, and consumer-friendly terms.
Who or what matters in the book? Include the important people and/or other “entities” (real or fictional) that the book is about or directly related to.
When and where is the book set? Name any places or time periods important to the book.
Who is it for? Include recommended age/grade range and/or leveling information and other audience guidance in the descriptive copy.
What sets this edition apart? Describe the format of the book (particularly relevant for highly designed/illustrated titles). Detail any special features.
How was the book received? Update copy after release to include any notable items.
What else has the author done? Mention other important works and accolades (for books or other work closely related to the topic of the book).
Any other relevant context? Describe any other important people and properties that have to do with the title or the author, including important background experience or relationships.
Format your book description with paragraph breaks and other structural elements to provide emphasis and make it easier for search engines and human beings to parse. No one wants to read a block of text.
One thing that study after study shows is that the structure of product descriptions really matters. We suggest you include at least three distinct sections with proper paragraph breaks to optimize for online discovery and consumer conversion.
(As shown above, Larson’s book description is a perfect example of this).
Again, notice how the book description hit on all 8 steps for boosting the title’s discoverability.
Each paragraph or section of the description should be separated visually by vertical blank space using supported breaking methods:
Make sure to include both the beginning <p> and ending </p> tags. This is the preferred code to differentiate paragraphs.
Ex.) <p> Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. </p>
To create visual space between paragraphs with this method, you must include two consecutive tags. This is often used and is acceptable but note that it can lead to larger than intended spaces. Other break element variations (<br> and <br/>) are also acceptable but <br /> is recommended for the broadest compatibility.
Ex.) Quisque id rhoncus justo. <br /><br />
Duis id nulla risus.
Lists are a great way to break up your description and outline features or topics in a book. Make sure to properly nest and enclose each list item and include the ending list tag (</ul> or </ol>).
Ex.) <ul>Mauris nec urna varius:
<li> Maecenas in ante et tellus sodales iaculis.</li>
<li> In ac ex a augue finibus fringilla. </li>
</ul>
Book descriptions should begin with a brief, bold headline (approximately 25 words or 200 characters) to entice potential buyers. This straightforward “elevator pitch” is critical for search engine optimization and discovery.
You have a very brief chance—a few seconds or less—to capture a potential buyer's attention and get them interested in learning more. The first sentence or two of your book’s description is your chance to hook readers in and to incorporate important keywords, topics, and phrases that will help you optimize for consumer search.
The headline should be approximately 25 words, up to a maximum of 200 characters in order to optimize display across devices. Longer headlines may be fine but be aware that mobile shoppers will likely not be able to read the entire headline without clicking to "read more." Less clicks, the better.
The headline should be in bold (using either <b> or <strong> tags). Bold headlines draw consumers' eyes, signal to retail and search algorithms that the content is important and have been proven to improve consumer conversion rates.
Follow your headline with a hard paragraph break. (Read more about supported paragraph breaking methods and why structure is important in product descriptions.)
Emphasize key selling points that will resonate with potential buyers. Focus less on the plot and more on why someone might want to buy.
Ex.) “A fast-paced crime thriller set in Sweden from the award-winning author of…” is better than “It was a dark and stormy night...”
Remember that online shoppers can’t see the book for themselves, and this is likely the first thing they’ve read about it besides the title. Cues that readers might have picked up on in a physical bookstore—like where a book is shelved, how it’s merchandised, or a descriptive blurb on the cover—may not translate to your online buyer.
Include the consumer keywords, topics, and phrases that likely buyers might be looking for. How are readers talking about and searching for books like this?
We’ve given you several ideas that tend to be broadly applicable and evergreen winning moves. The book market is a tough one now – one that makes being able to see and optimize the online channel more important than ever. We hope this helps.
