In the world of Amazon – and book publishing in general – your book title must grab the reader’s attention. Contrary to the old adage, “You can’t judge a book by its cover,” readers do exactly that: They create a split-second opinion about a book based on its title and its cover. If it doesn’t grab them within three seconds of viewing, they’ve already scrolled to the next page.
Crafting your title involves some strategy along with some copywriting, SEO (search engine optimization), and marketing all rolled into one. If you want to be easily discovered in the wonderfully huge Amazon marketplace, then discoverability is paramount and makes your title that much more important.
For example, children’s author Katie Davis penned a book titled, “How to Write a Children’s Book”. Guess what pops up first in the Amazon search field when aspiring children’s authors search for “how to write a children’s book”?
Your title doesn’t have to be a keyword search term but think of some keywords that you might use to search for your book. If there’s a clever way to weave those keywords into your title, give it a try.
Here are some more tips for creating a book title. Your title needs to be:
- Compelling or exciting – use strong, descriptive words
- Easy to remember – not too long, not too short; you’re giving a preview of your subject matter, not a summary
- Relevant to your topic and your business – but not so obscure that no one knows what you’re referring to.
- Original! No copying! – Plagiarism is never acceptable. Go one step further and do your research to make sure someone else isn’t using your title idea.
- Written with SEO in mind – Compelling and easy to remember are still important but why not use the search engines to your advantage to get extra sales? Also consider how this title will tie-in to your overall brand and your other marketing materials.
If you’re drawn to using a subtitle, be meticulous about it. Many authors cram multiple ideas into their subtitles, which can help with search results, but also makes the cover, marketing materials, and Amazon listings look cluttered.
Subtitles are often used to denote the name of a book series or to give more hints as to the content of your book. Don’t force yourself to create a subtitle; that’s always something that can be brainstormed or added at a later date. For now, focus on your book’s main title and keep working it until you’re convinced that it is conveying the message of your book.
Take a look at Book Launch Booster Rockets to decide whether this strategy is the right one for you as you begin writing and marketing your book.