Converting with Books for Content Websites

Sept. 2007

To Join Our Program go to: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/AffiliateOpportunities/AFF1-art.html

Ceri Nelmes, Online Marketing Manager, Affiliate & Partner

Tel: (416) 646 8984 Email: cnelmes@indigo.ca

Why Books Should Go On Every Content Site

• All content sites should be libraries of fresh information to keep users bookmarking and returning to your site.

• If you feature books you give visitorsmore information about the niche topics you’re covering. After all, they are interested in the topic or they wouldn’t have searched for your site

• Give users what they like – users like book recommendations

Where Books Should Go on Every Content Site

• At bare minimum, always create a: “Library/Resources/More Information” section on your site and add some clickable images of books (with Buy Now! or another call-to action) and add a short blurb of why you think this book speaks to your audience.

• For example: if you have a site on yoga add your “Top 10 Yoga Books for Pregnancy”.

• Don’t forget to add banners, text links, etc. on other pages of your site to drive traffic to your book resource section

Already Featuring a Book? Use the Basics to Increase Conversion

• Relevancy: ensure you choose books that are relevant to your site. Don’t put unrelated books on your site just because you like them – think of your audience.

• Choose individual books and not a generic banner for better conversions

• Include information, like in a review• You can add that there is $39

Free Shipping or 45% off Bestsellers, etc. in a note to the user or beneath the clickable image.

Use “Featured Books” to Increase Conversion

• Create a Yoga Book of the Month/Week/etc.,” and make it a regular feature.

• From somewhere on the home page use a call out box with short intro text into the currently featured book.

• Include an image of the book and a few lines of descriptive text. At the end of the very short, but captivating few lines add ‘More…’ and link to a full page review. This is a great teaser and makes the user navigate more pages.

• On the feature page list all of your other reviews from previous weeks and link to them – increasing your authority as topical content provider.

Use Top 5 Lists to Increase Conversion

• Add a Top 5 Books list

for your vertical –

use a text link box • List the books with the

book title and author

as the link’s anchor text• Include the price to help

increase conversion

Use Your Current Content Pages to Increase Conversion

• Talk about relevant books that will make your article content more interesting and informative (have text links to books embedded right in your article copy)

• Keep anchor link text sounding natural and in your usual style of writing

• Include specific quotes from any book (but ensure quotes from books and sources are short, so your page doesn’t hit the duplicate content filter)

• Use clickable footnotes citing the books and documents you used for the article (these are more links to products that will sell for you)

Use the Bottom of your Content Pages to Increase Conversion

On the bottom of each article on your web-site add the text:

For More Information:

Then add a link to a few book titles relevant to the topic that’s covered on page. If you’re discussing a controversial topic, use books from both sides.

Use a Blog to Increase Conversions

• Add a review of a relevant book you’ve read on your blog. Include your thoughts and make it personal. This is seen by the reader as a ‘vote’ (negatively or positively) for the product. Remember, an opinionated blog is a well-read blog.

• Link out from your review to the exact product landing page. Linking to the outside product creates a great user experience - if they need more information, it’s there!

• You can add the book cover image in your blog post and make it clickable too. Underneath add the list price and ‘our price.’

Use a Search Box to Increase Conversions

• Chapters.Indigo.ca has a search box you can use on your site. This converts well when you use in conjunction with content.

Use Banners from Big Brands to Increase Legitimacy (and Sales)

• Using big brand sites’ banners or buttons on your website shows users that you are a legitimate site

• Users perceive the brand’s presence as a vote for your site (you are now viewed as having the brand’s approval)

• Users are more likely to take action on a site approved by a brand they are already familiar with

Bonus! SEO Linking Strategy & No Follow Tags

• If you’re worried that your outbound links will be read as affiliate links and negatively impact your SEO linking strategy, use a no follow tag which looks like this:

<a href="http://www.mysite.com/"rel="nofollow">

Questions?Contact:

Ceri Nelmes - Manager of Online Marketing, Affiliate & Partner

Email: cnelmes@indigo.caTel: (416) 646 8984

Address: 468 King St. West, Suite 500 Toronto, Ontario, CANADA

M5V 1L8