Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Leverage Tools on Amazon to sell more books


  1. Adding Book cover images
  2. Book Description
  3. From The Author
  4. Editorial Book Reviews
  5. Inside & Back Book Flap
  6. More About the Author
  7. Author Bibliography
  8. Amazon Best Seller Ranking
  9. Customer Reviews/Testimonials
  10. Tags
  11. Participation in "Customer Discussions"
  12. Creating Unlimited Listmania Lists
  13. Creating Unlimited Guides (a.k.a: So You'd Like to . . . Guides)
  14. Request "Search Inside the Book Program"
  15. Request Browse Paths
  16. Request Browse Categories (this benefits the "Look for Similar Items by Category")
  17. Request Subject Categories (this benefits the "Look for Similar Items by Subject")
  18. Add a video interview, book trailer or book signing video
  19. Your Author Profile Page (via your Product/Book Detail Page)
  20. Adding blog feeds to your Author Profile
  21. Adding your twitter feed to your Author Profile
  22. Book Extras - by adding the following via www.Shelfari.com:

  • Characters/People
  • Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis
  • Summary
  • Quotations
  • Settings & Location
  • Glossary
  • Organizations
  • Awards, Themes & Symbolism

 leverage all of of these tools that Amazon provides to increase your book sales.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

http://authormarketingclub.com/bookalyzer
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Bowker has more than just ISBN's:

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GREAT Tools & Resources

https://www.bookbub.com/

eBook Booster is a service that announces free ebooks on 50+ free ...ebookbooster.com

http://www.bookigee.com/

Book marketing database - Writer Cube:
http://www.bookmarketingdb.com/ EXCELLENT!

http://epubmanifesto.blogspot.com/

http://lizclong.com/2013/06/10/amazon-kdp-select-how-i-got-over-20k-downloads
+ INFO BELOW:

"Best money spent" -- http://home.bookbub.com/home/  $40-=$100

The Author Marketing Club has a page here for authors looking to submit their free KDP days for promotion. If you scroll down and click on the list of logos, it brings up a window where you can enter your information – just make sure to do it ahead of time, say at least a week, so you’re guaranteed to have it listed (plus, it’s just polite AND keeps you from going crazy at the last minute).
I also used a bit of marketing help from thedesertgirl on Fiverr. For $25, she promoted my days to several sites I wouldn’t have known about otherwise. I was happy to pay the small fee for her to handle it, since the day my sales started all I had to go was log in to see she’d tagged and promoted me with several book listing sites. I will definitely use her again for future free book days.
I  took out a Facebook ad too, promoting a post about the free download days. I think I put in maybe $25 – I got a ton of new fans for my author page and feel confident it converted into at least a couple handfuls of the 20K+ downloads.
I would absolutely recommend checking out these links for other advice too. They not only list great links for where to submit your listing, but also offer tips on when to choose your days, how to promote through social media, and more.
Before your days, make sure to submit your listings to all of the sites you can find like these (Pixel of Ink, Free Booksy, etc.). .
On the day of, make sure you’re posting on all your networks! Use your Facebook fan page to your advantage and talk it up. Same goes for Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, etc. Write up a blog post announcing it and make it live that morning so it reaches your fans and followers early. Ask your fellow writing groups and author contacts to share it out  (and make sure to offer to repay the favor for them). And for all that is holy, thank every. single. person. who shares, RTs, and helps to promote YOUR product. We wouldn’t get far without them.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Build A Great Press Page Right Now - http://www.totemapp.com/

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Tuesday, July 15, 2014

image placeholders - image sources by pixel size

sent from my Samsung Mobile

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: What makes a better image placeholder? a) Bacon or b) Vanilla Ice?
From: SitePoint <newsletters@sitepoint.com>
To: "colbycrocsmexico@yahoo.com" <colbycrocsmexico@yahoo.com>
CC:

[http://www.sitepoint.com/] View Online http://go.sitepoint.com/t/y-e-ilhhlil-yktyjhddkt-d/ SitePoint Design

Image placeholder services are nothing new, right?.

Sites like ' DummyImage.com [http://dummyimage.com/]', ' PlaceKitten.com [http://placekitten.com/]', ' BaconMockup.com [http://baconmockup.com/]' and even the Vanilla Ice-themed ' NiceNiceJPG.com [http://www.nicenicejpg.com/]' have been dutifully delivering filler images for our working mockups for years now.

Unfortunately, as fun as they are, not all clients, managers and co-workers are going to appreciate your Charlie Sheen-plastered gallery mockups as much as you (or I) might

So, here are two quick options that should pass most inspections.

1). P-Hold.com

[http://p-hold.com/]

P-Hold.com [http://p-hold.com/] uses Flickr's Creative Commons search API as its image pool -- allowing you to not only set image dimensions, but also a keyword such as 'people', 'agriculture', 'food' or 'machine'.

For example, if you needed a 400px square image for a car racing website, you could could use this URL: [http://p-hold.com/racecar/400/400]. Very useful.

The second service I like is UIFaces.com [http://uifaces.com/], which specialized in providing real-world avatars for mockup.

These avatars look real because the ARE -- each graciously provided by their owner for all your mocking needs.

Both of these services make it easier to get visually plausible imagery -- regardless of the site topic -- in place much earlier in the project timeline.

And that can only make it easier to hone your UX.

Alex Walker

@alexmwalker [https://twitter.com/alexmwalker]

SitePoint Design Channel

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Great copywriting weaves language, emotion and design into a powerful weapon. Today, Julia gives us some easy but powerful tips for producing great copy.

Read more [http://www.sitepoint.com/proven-copywriters-power/] The Art & Science of Great Website Color Selection [http://www.sitepoint.com/website-color-selection/]

Choosing colors is something we all do from preschool, but that doesn't means it automatically gets easier. Dan gives you some method to apply to your color selection madness.

Read more [http://www.sitepoint.com/website-color-selection/] Simple Ergonomics Tips for Desk Jockeys [http://www.sitepoint.com/simple-ergonomics-tips-desk-jockeys/]

While one research team has declared sitting to be maore dangerous that smoking, most of us can't avoid our desks forever. Follow, Ada as she pulls together a handy ergonomics checklist.

Read more [http://www.sitepoint.com/simple-ergonomics-tips-desk-jockeys/] My Favorite Sass Tools [http://www.sitepoint.com/my-favorite-sass-tools/]

Hugo's has a great round-up and analysis of a number of cool Sass tools to make your CSS and Sass development easier.

Read more [http://www.sitepoint.com/my-favorite-sass-tools/] 12 Little-Known CSS Facts [http://www.sitepoint.com/12-little-known-css-facts/]

Even if you've been writing CSS for a while, you probably still come across new stuff all the time. Here are 12 things you might not have been aware of.

Read more [http://www.sitepoint.com/12-little-known-css-facts/] Head to manage your subscriptions http://sitepointcom.updatemyprofile.com/y-ilhhlil-3334339F-yktyjhddkt-h to unsubscribe yourself from this newsletter. You can also unsubscribe http://go.sitepoint.com/t/y-u-ilhhlil-yktyjhddkt-k/ from all SitePoint newsletters - no hard feelings! We send out our newsletters with Campaign Monitor [http://www.campaignmonitor.com/]

Saturday, July 12, 2014

The Power of Words: Use Them to Convert!

The Big List of Power Words: 189 Phrases That Influence, Persuade, and Convert
Read more


“Join us!”
“Sign up!”
These phrases litter the huge variety of email newsletter boxes you’ll come across online, and they generally serve the same purpose: Click here to give us your email address. They serve the same purpose, but do they say the same thing?
Can one word change the way you feel about a button?
In my experience, yes. I subscribe to the copywriting school of thought where every single word is absolutely worth stewing over and A/B testing because one single word can change everything. The difference between “joining” and “signing up” is the difference between fellowship and enlisting. A word changes the meaning, the mood, and the motivation.
The Big List of Power Words: 189 Phrases That Influence, Persuade, and Convert image Copy of Untitled design
To connect the dots then, you’re probably wondering: If a single word makes that much difference, then what words should I be using? Which words and phrases convert?
The science of copywriting, the psychology of headlines, and the art of CTAs has revealed quite a number of go-to moves for marketers looking to gain a linguistic edge in their words and pitches. I’ve enjoyed saving several lists of these so-called power words and pulling them out to use in a pinch. I’m happy to share my lists with you. Do you have any power words that work magic for you? I’d love to hear about them in the comments.

Research reveals how a single word makes all the difference

You likely know inherently that specific words matter. You click on a headline because a single word strikes you. You click a signup button because a word creates an emotion.
The research behind this power of words is incredibly deep. Researchers have found that the word you use to describe a car accident (“contacted” vs. “smashed”) paints the way eyewitnesses view the event. Another study found that simple stock names that are easier to pronounce lead to quicker gains post-IPO.
Perhaps my favorite study is one shared by Brian Clark of Copyblogger. Social psychologist Ellen Langer tested the power of a single word in an experiment where she asked to cut in line at a copy machine. She tried three different ways of asking:
“Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine?” – 60% said OK
“Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I’m in a rush?” – 94% said OK
“Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make some copies?” – 93% said OK
I don’t know about you, but I thought Langer’s third request was rather elementary. Yet it didn’t matter. The trigger word “because” was all she needed. The takeaway: When you want people to take action, always give a reason.
Neurologically, we have an instinctual reaction to words and language. Researchers have found that we are hardwired to associate sounds with images, even in words we do not comprehend. Here’s a test for you, pulled from a study by Wolfgang Köhler. Which of the two shapes below is a maluma and which is a takete?
The Big List of Power Words: 189 Phrases That Influence, Persuade, and Convert image malumatakete 580
The vast majority of respondents label the smooth, rounded image a maluma and the hard, jagged image a takete.
To go one step further into the power of words, you can look at Patrick Renvoise and Christopher Morin’s book about neuromarketing (see Peep Laja’s article at ConversionXL for a great analysis of the book). Renvoise and Morin highlight the three different brains we have: the new brain, the middle brain, and the old brain.
The Big List of Power Words: 189 Phrases That Influence, Persuade, and Convert image brain 1
The old brain is the part that controls decisions, and it also happens to be the most primitive. In this way, the words you use to market to the old brain will often be the most direct, simple, arresting, visual words you have.
You’ll likely see a lot of these “old brain” words in the lists below.

The ultimate list of words and phrases that convert

A quick Google search can reveal pages of results for persuasive and powerful words. There’s no trouble finding them; there’s sometimes trouble applying them. The words you see below are split into a number of categories, along with some ideas on how I’ve used them in the past (and how you can use them, too).
The Big List of Power Words: 189 Phrases That Influence, Persuade, and Convert image Copy of Untitled design 5 600x600

The 5 most persuasive words in the English language

  • You
  • Free
  • Because
  • Instantly
  • New
You’ve seen these words countless times before—and for good reason. The research behind these words has shown over and over that they work. Gregory Ciotti wrote about these five in a post for Copyblogger, showing exactly how each is vital for persuasive speech and copy. For instance, immediate words like “instantly” trigger mid-brain activity and feed our zest for quick gratification.
Where to try these words: Calls-to-action, headlines, email subject lines, headings, opening sentences and paragraphs

The 20 most influential words, via David Ogilvy

  • Suddenly
  • Now
  • Announcing
  • Introducing
  • Improvement
  • Amazing
  • Sensational
  • Remarkable
  • Revolutionary
  • Startling
  • Miracle
  • Magic
  • Offer
  • Quick
  • Easy
  • Wanted
  • Challenge
  • Compare
  • Bargain
  • Hurry
David Ogilvy is to advertising as Jimi Hendrix is to the electric guitar. His list of influential words you see above was first published in 1963, and many remain in vogue today.
Where to try these: Headlines, bullet points, subject lines
(Sidenote: For a fun blast from the past, courtesy of Ben Locker, here are a couple advertisements for power words that date back to 1961. A New York Times ad is on the left, a Washington Post ad is on the right. Ogilvy’s 20 influential words came out two years after these.)
The Big List of Power Words: 189 Phrases That Influence, Persuade, and Convert image persuasive words 1 600x591

3 words to encourage community

  • Join
  • Become a member
  • Come along
These community phrases provide a sense of togetherness to the user; they feel like they’re taking part in something larger than themselves. (You’ll notice that we use the word “join” in our email newsletter form.)
Where to try these words: Email signups, trial offers, in-app messaging

10 cause-and-effect words and phrases

  • Accordingly
  • As a result
  • Because
  • Caused by
  • Consequently
  • Due to
  • For this reason
  • Since
  • Therefore
  • Thus
Author Darlene Price, the originator of this cause-and-effect list, has great insight into what makes these cause-and-effect phrases so useful: “Cause-and-effect words make your claims sound objective and rational rather than biased and subjective.”
Where to try these: Closing paragraphs, transitions

12 phrases that imply exclusivity

  • Members only
  • Login required
  • Class full
  • Membership now closed
  • Ask for an invitation
  • Apply to be one of our beta testers
  • Exclusive offers
  • Become an insider
  • Be one of the few
  • Get it before everybody else
  • Be the first to hear about it
  • Only available to subscribers
Garrett Moon of CoSchedule explains exclusivity as being like a club with membership restrictions. You want in because others are in. There’s a bit of social pressure with exclusivity wording, and it helps drive decisions and actions for the user.
Where to try these: Signup forms, links, calls-to-action, subheads

9 phrases that imply scarcity

  • Limited offer
  • Supplies running out
  • Get them while they last
  • Sale ends soon
  • Today only
  • Only 10 available
  • Only 3 left
  • Only available here
  • Double the offer in the next hour only
The fear of missing out (often abbreviated as FOMO) is a common driver of action for marketers and advertisers. FOMO is essentially scarcity. By showing that an item or product is in limited supply, you hope to ratchet up demand.
Where to try these: Headings, promo copy

28 words and phrases that make you feel safe

  • Anonymous
  • Authentic
  • Backed
  • Best-selling
  • Cancel Anytime
  • Certified
  • Endorsed
  • Guaranteed
  • Ironclad
  • Lifetime
  • Moneyback
  • No Obligation
  • No Questions Asked
  • No Risk
  • No Strings Attached
  • Official
  • Privacy
  • Protected
  • Proven
  • Recession-proof
  • Refund
  • Research
  • Results
  • Secure
  • Tested
  • Try before You Buy
  • Verify
  • Unconditional
Boost Blog Traffic’s Jon Morrow collected a huge list of power words (his full list of 317 is well worth the read) and sorted the list by category. The above section is Morrow’s grouping of words that engender feelings of safety. It’s my favorite group from Morrow’s list because these safety words have an amazing effect on the person reading: They create trust.
Where to try these: Payment forms, signup forms, testimonials

48 ubiquitous power words

  • Improve
  • Trust
  • Immediately
  • Discover
  • Profit
  • Learn
  • Know
  • Understand
  • Powerful
  • Best
  • Win
  • Hot Special
  • More
  • Bonus
  • Exclusive
  • Extra
  • You
  • Free
  • Health
  • Guarantee
  • New
  • Proven
  • Safety
  • Money
  • Now
  • Today
  • Results
  • Protect
  • Help
  • Easy
  • Amazing
  • Latest
  • Extraordinary
  • How to
  • Worst
  • Ultimate
  • Hot
  • First
  • Big
  • Anniversary
  • Premiere
  • Basic
  • Complete
  • Save
  • Plus!
  • Create
Each employee on the circulation and email marketing teams at Interweave Press has these words printed and posted on their wall. The list, which was originally compiled Linda Ruth and Curtis Circulation Company, came from studying best-selling magazine covers, and Interweave’s Bob Kaslik found that the words work equally well on magazines as they do in promo copy and in email subject lines.
Where to try these: Email subject lines, headlines, calls-to-action

9 word for shareable content

  • Secret
  • Tell us
  • Inspires
  • Take
  • Help
  • Promote
  • Increase
  • Create
  • Discover
Neil Patel put together the infographic you see below, based on research on each of the four major social networks: Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn. His list represents the words that can get your content shared on social media. I’ve found success grouping some of these words with other power words as well.
Where to try these: Social media updates

Read more at http://www.business2community.com/brandviews/buffer/big-list-power-words-189-phrases-influence-persuade-convert-0933163#cBuP0oq3kpb8P3HQ.99

5 Tips For Video SEO