Wednesday’s promoting tip for authors

Successful authors recognize the importance of content and formatting simplicity in their online marketing.

In a world of complexity and endless competition for their visitor’s attention, successful authors hone their messages to the core, and communicate using a minimum of text and graphics.

For example, consider Bob Kaden’s Guerrilla Marketing Research website. The home page, above, focuses the visitor’s attention on his 2 published books, which provide instant credibility. To the left of the book covers, are a few, key, navigation options.

The simple layout and subdued colors focus attention on the book covers and his concise benefit statement: “Marketing research techniques that can help any company make more money.”

White papers

Click the White papers link, and you arepresented with concise descriptions of 10 helpful and relevant downloadable resources.

Like the books, these further reinforce his credibility and expertise in the research area. Note how each title not only describes the white paper, but “sells” the importance of the information offered.

Not requiring visitor registration as a condition of downloading and printing the white paper encourages more visitors to read–and be impressed by–his PDF white papers.

Services offered

Click the Kaden Company link, and you’re–once again–presented with another concise and organized page.

Notice how the use of lists organizes the contents and makes it easy for visitors to quickly skim the page, searching for the particular type of assistance they’re looking for.

Bob obviously understands that, on the web, brevity and skimmability are the keys to success: visitors want immediate access to concise and relevant information.

Not only does the list format communicate a lot of information at a glance, it results in “open,” or white space filled pages that present an “easy to read” image, versus the same amount of information contained  in long paragraphs.

What’s your favorite “simple” author website?

What do you think of Bob Kaden’s Guerrilla Marketing Research website? What are the pros and cons of “simple” sites like the above? Share you ideas as comments, below.

And, please share your favorite example, or examples, of “simple” author websites with Published & Profitable friends and members. Submit the URLs of your favorite sites as comments, below.

Check out The 7 Essentials of Online Marketing Succes for Authors, Part 1: Control.