One of the first things an eBook Author must learn to use is the power of links. Whether you’re creating your ebook, setting up your web site, writing a blog or joining a group on the Internet, hyperlinks are what make things happen. The more clicks, the more chances of your success. The synergy created by links is a powerful thing.
With that said, where should you put links? The following is a list of possible opportunities for linking.
Your eBook Author Page
Let’s start with your ebook. You should always have an author page with links to everything in your arsenal. This page is different than the title page or the copyright page. You should have links to your website, your blog, your social network and your email address. Make sure to link to your other ebook’s buy-pages to help the reader go directly to your other writings.
Your In-Book Links
Another link possibility is links imbedded in your content. These links can be added in the ebook rendering process. Whether the links are to Internet sites or to information in the back of your ebook, the links can be very valuable to the reading experience.
In my ebook, Call Off The Dogs, I included brief definitions of uncommon terms and locations in the back of the ebook. For example, the reader could click on a link embedded in the content and see a brief description of the pier in Seal Beach, California. Then they would press the BACK key and continue reading.
Other Link Opportunities
You should link everything you do digitally. For example:
Website – Your site is a great place to include links to your ebooks. Include a blogroll on your home page to link to other sites you visit. And then ask those sites to link back to you. The more the merrier.
Blog – You should establish a blog to keep in touch with your readers. Your followers will follow the links you insert into your blog like a page for your upcoming ebook. Also, you can use links to get them involved in the writing process.
Social Network – You should use Facebook and Twitter and link away every chance you get.
Email – All outgoing communications should include a link even if it is just a link in your email signature line.
Link Maintenance
One of the important things to remember is that link maintenance is great an opportunity to keep in front of your reader. Links change and become invalid for one reason or another. You should maintain a current, up to date list of links you have used in your writings. Then point the reader to your site for the latest link information.
Another example. Let’s say you have an ebook with a lot of internet links embedded in the content or the ebook has a list of links associated with source material. As the links turn bad, and they will after time, you could add Amazon Public Notes in the ebook to assistant the reader in finding the updated link or an alternative one.
You are maintaining the value of the reading material by updating the content without republishing the ebook.
Link Power
So what does linking everything do for you?
1. It will build traffic to your ebook buy-page, to your Internet site, your Facebook page and your Blog.
2. Links are what drives Internet Search Engine Optimization. The more links you have on the net, the more chances you have for readers to find your offerings. The most prized link is one that is an incoming link from another site. This can be your site or blog or one from one of your peers.
3. Connections through Social Networking, links your friends and followers to your site and your ebook. You cannot have enough of this. The more ebooks and blogs you put into the pipe, the more action you create.
Takeaway
Think of this as a little web page with the power of communications.
A general rule: Never publish anything without a link or two. That includes your ebook, your Internet site, your blog, your email or comments on other people’s blog.
So what do think? Be sure to share with me other link opportunities that I have overlooked.
View my website: HBSystems Publications
Or EMAIL at: jrm@hbspub.com
Or goto my blog: The eBook Author Corner
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Great advice. Which, unfortunately, I didn’t think about for my week-old Kindle version. But you know I’ll start adding code for links now. Aside from the publisher’s website and email address (which were the only two things I did link to), I hadn’t thought how links could be used otherwise.
“the reader could click on a link embedded in the content and see a brief description of the pier in Seal Beach, California” totally steers me in a new direction; definitions, further reference on a particular person or place, photos.
We just finished an ebook conversion specific to the iPad (it includes video) for another author. But now we can create a Kindle version where we’ll link to a landing page of those same videos. So even though the reader may not be able to view that video in an embedded player, she can still click over to watch it on another page.
Thanks again for the post.
I like the auto responder function of Omnistar Mailer
john:
thanks for your comment. inbook links worked great on a project in did with Garry Graves. his book, bloody omaha, had over 40 pictures with credits. rather than filling up the kindle screen with the credits and interrupting the read, we put bookmark links to the end of the book whether the reader could see where the picture came from if they wanted too. with your video link you can also move the reader to the internet with an imbedded link.
I have just finished writing a mystery novel that takes place in the Amazon jungle during the 80’s. It is about the use of the jungle by the Colombia drug cartel to launder money – buying gold and using the bank system.
I am a journalist and I worked extensively in the region. The book has fictional and real characters mixing. I plan to use the documentary material I have produced, as well as slide shows from photojournalists who worked with me. The idea is to publish an enhance e-book. In my case, it footage and images will help take the reader to the place where the novel takes place, showing some of the real characters in action and the unique setting of the book.
herb:
thanks for your heads up. i will check out Omnistar Mailer.
Juneia:
sounds like a great read. this is the kind of ebook that will be commonplace in the future. it just enriches the reading experience. i did the same thing with my ebook which centered around the assassination of Kennedy. don’t forget you can use wikipedia for extra information.
james moushon