librarydiva ([info]librarydiva) wrote,
@ 2006-12-11 11:50:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend  Next Entry
Where on the World Wide Web Is...?
Number of people registered: 79.
Days left until program officially begins: 21.

Oh yes. I really have 79 people now registered for my program. I hustled my booty off on Sunday at our open house and got 32 people registered. Woo hoo!

An article in this morning's PW Daily caught my eye: One-Fifth of Readers Visit Pub/Author Sites. Reporting on a recent survey conducted by an advertising firm, this article notes that "18% of readers have been to a publisher's Web site, while 23% of readers polled have visited an author's site." This poll also showed that the younger a reader was, the more likely they were to have visited an author's website. When looking at readers under the age of 35 the percentage of them that had visited an author's website jumped to 35%.

This got me thinking. If a decent chunk of readers are going online to learn about authors/books, why does the lack of information about some authors/books continue to be a problem. I've seen this topic come under discussion periodically in the blogosphere, but I continue to be surprised by the number of authors who just don't get it. If I had to parse the time I spend at work on the Internet into categories, I think it would be fair to say that I spend 30-35% of my online time looking at author websites (and that would be a conservative estimate). I think it will also be fair to say that I spend a good portion of that time frustrated.

I visit author websites to do everything from learn more about a book I've just read a review of to answer reader advisory questions for patrons to help me create promotional materials. What I find on an author's website can make the difference between me ordering their book or passing on it. What I find (or more importantly don't find) on an author's website can make the difference between me booktalking new and future releases to my patrons (some of whom are book buyers themselves) or not even mentioning them. Maybe it is the bitchy librarian in me, but I can't help but ask myself why should I help an author when they haven't done anything to make my job easier?

What about you? As a reader, which do you find more frustrating: an author who has no web presence or an author who has a sparse, incomplete website?

(8 comments) - (Post a new comment)


[info]shanna_s
2006-12-11 10:31 pm UTC (link)
Out of curiosity, what are you looking for when you visit an author's web site? What information do you need that makes the difference between talking or not mentioning?

From a reader perspective, for the most part, I visit an author's web site after I've read the book to find out when the next book is coming and maybe get a little more info, and I get frustrated when the only information on the site is basically the cover copy about the book, some reviews, and a link to Amazon to buy it. I want to know what the author is working on now, maybe some of the story behind the story, and most of all, release date and maybe a teaser about the next book (because if I go to the effort of visiting a site, it's because I want more).

I very seldom visit an author web site before I read a book by that author, unless I get there indirectly.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]librarydiva
2006-12-12 04:22 pm UTC (link)
Here's what I look for both for me the reader and me the librarian:

1) Complete booklist -- It would seem like a no brainer that an author have a list of everything they have written on their website, but I've found some authors who don't. Also, as a user it is really handy if the booklist isn't spread out. I understand if an author has different series going that they like to set up sections on their website devoted to the series (which don't get me wrong, is nice). However, it is extremely helpful if they still have at least one page with everything listed on it. When readers glom onto an author they really want an all encompassing list of eveything the author has ever written. Having a list that they can easily print out and check off makes a reader happy.

2) Series notation -- This is a biggie. Before ordering a book I ALWAYS double check on the author's website if it is part of a series. If an author is three books into a series and I am considering ordering book four, I want to double check to make sure I have Books 1-3 before I place that order. On the plus side, if an author lets me know that the book I am looking at is Book 4 of a series and it turns out that we haven't purchased earlier books, chances are I will place an order for Books 1-4.

3) Coming soon -- Again, this seems like a no brainer. If I don't know what an author has coming down the road, then I can't booktalk it to patrons. I've been working on some promotional ideas for my new reading program, and as part of the program I'm going to highlight a few new book releases each month. While researching what authors I wanted to feature in January I was dumbfounded to find that some authors have no mention about a new book, and their new release is less than a month away! Also, if I know an author has something coming out and it sounds interesting to me I will go ahead and put an advanced order in for it, regardless of whether or not it has been reviewed. As I get to the end of my fiscal year and have fewer dollars in my book budget, this can impact what eventaully does and doesn't make it to my library's shelves.

4) Annotations -- This should be expected of any book that an author has already published, but they should have something (even if it is bare bones) up about each book -- even if it is a title that falls under the "coming soon" banner. While it is nice to know that an author has a new book coming out March, it is even nicer to be able to say to a patron, "It's a story about..." The more I know about an upcoming release the more likely I am to talk about it.

5) Contact information -- In case their website doesn't provide the answer I need, it is very helpful to have a way to contact the author or their assistant.

These are just the basics of what I need/would like to see on an author's website in order to do my job, and I don't think they are a lot to ask of an author website. Especially since it is to the author's benefit to have these items there. :-)

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]shanna_s
2006-12-12 07:12 pm UTC (link)
Thanks for the insight. It sounds like I'm on the right track, but it never hurts to check with people to get their perspective on what information they need.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]me_fein
2006-12-12 03:20 am UTC (link)
It's sad to learn an author doesn't have a web presence - but some just don't. It's definitely more irritating when you find they do have a website with next to nothing on it.

If you're going to have a website - have a bloody website and not just a page with your name on it and a few random links or whatever. Yes. Frustrating.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]librarydiva
2006-12-12 04:25 pm UTC (link)
I'm generally confused by authors that do that. Why go to the trouble to set a place up for yourself on the net and have nothing there? Seems like a bad way to present yourself to readers.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]tanyaleestone
2006-12-12 04:26 am UTC (link)
Thanks for pointing out these articles. Do you have a top five wish list you want to see in an author's website? This is a topic of frequent conversation. One problem I personally encounter is that I don't have enough flexibility in updating my website without going through my web designer who isn't necessarily available. I'm working on fixing that. The challenge I faced in the design of my site is that I publish picture books, nonfiction, and YA. So my goal was to make the information accessible, but not too overwhelming, and I use the home page to highlight the latest book. This approach has its flaws too, though. www.tanyastone.com (if you feel like looking to see if this is an example of a site doing its job or not)

Answering as a reader, I'm more frustrated when I can't find an author's site at all.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]librarydiva
2006-12-12 04:28 pm UTC (link)
My top five (see the reasons why in my response to Shanna above):

1) Complete booklist
2) Series notation
3) Coming soon
4) Annotations
5) Contact information

These are basics that you would think everyone would have, but I am continually amazed by authors who don't do these things.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

[info]tanyaleestone
2006-12-12 05:09 pm UTC (link)
I just took your advice (the part I can do while my designer is awol) and added a Coming Soon section at the top of the home page. The info was there, but it was too buried in other places on the website. Thanks!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(8 comments) - (Post a new comment)

Create an Account
Forgot your login or password?
Login w/ OpenID
English • Español • Deutsch • Русский…