Book Covers and eBook Covers
When size matters, what’s in a name, catchy titles, and the power of the subtitle – all things to take into consideration when designing your book cover.
When Size Matters
Authors and often graphic designers envision the new book cover design on … a book. Many graphic designers don’t think about the visual impact of the very small book cover on websites, social media, and digital marketing. Not to mention how it will look on a black and white digital screen. You need a cover that sells. It is highly likely that an author will look to sell their book on a site like Amazon or as an ebook on their phone. The cover design can be impossible to see when it is shrunk to fit on many digital sites.
You and your graphic designer should take the time to test out the cover design in a small size.
What’s in a Name… the Author’s Name
Your name is your name, you were born with it. But some people have very common names.
As an author the first thing you should do is a google search for your name in quotes, to see how many people are showing up with the same name. Then do another search with your name and the word “author” – you might be surprised at how many authors have your name.
Why is this a potential issue? If people search for your book(s) by your name they might not be able to find your books. I’ve had a few clients that have had this problem, one inserted their middle name initial, one used their nickname, and the other didn’t do anything.
Catchy Titles
Authors tend to either struggle over a title or have a lightning bolt inspiration. I’ve seen many an author get dead-set on a title even though there are multiple published books with the exact same title. If you tell someone about your book they will probably search for it either by the title or your name. Make sure you don’t make it difficult for your potential readers to find your book.
If you insist on using a title that is already used on another book, consider adding a subtitle.
Don’t Forget to Harness the Power of the SubTitle
Another area that authors miss out on is the benefits of the subtitle. For example, something as simple as using the subtitle “A Novel” can bring clarity to the genre. And “novel” is an excellent keyword to have. You might think this isn’t necessary because you’ve already designated your category as “novel” but as with all things SEO – you never know how someone is going to find your book.
Another time that subtitles are very helpful is if you have a short or one-word title. The subtitle provides more insight into the book. And when you think about your potential subtitle, think of the potential keywords that can be in it for search features.
A Critical First Impression
Don’t make marketing your book more difficult, make sure that the cover is easy to view in different sizes, on different mediums (computer, ipad, or phone), and in black & white or color. And test your online competition with other people with your name or your book’s title.