The Power of the Book Title and Subtitle

Hi, my name is D’vorah Lansky and I am excited to share this blog post, on the topic of Digital Publishing, with you. I’d like to thank Terry for hosting me during this virtual tour, in honor of Digital Publishing Virtual Summit, where we feature 20 world-renowned book marketing experts.

One of the most important decisions an author has to make is to choose the title for their book. Your book title is much like a billboard for your book and strong titles will attract readers like a magnet. If people are interested in your topic and your book title is well crafted, using keywords that attract your audience, readers are more likely to take notice of your book.

A keyword or keyword phrase is a word or string of words that people would type into a search engine if they were looking for information on a specific topic. To identify possible keywords for your book, compose a list of words and phrases that describe the topic or focus of your book. Keep writing until you are out of ideas.

An example of a keyword is the word “fishing”. While your book might be about fishing, that is too broad of a term and people would have a difficult time locating your book. A more specific, long-tail keyword phrase would be, “fly fishing in Alaska.” First of all, the type of fishing is more specific and the geographical location is listed. This will attract a more targeted audience of readers who are interested in your topic.

Have you ever driven by a store that has a catchy name, only to wonder what type of business it could possibly be? Book titles are the same way. You don’t want any guesswork involved when people read your book title.

You want your book title to grab peoples’ attention and draw them in. Your book title should imply a strong benefit. With this in mind, head over to Amazon to read book titles in your genre or on your topic. Notice which ones draw you in, which ones imply a strong benefit, which ones sound intriguing but don’t provide a clear illustration as to what the book is about.

Your book’s subtitle also plays an important part in getting people to pay attention to your book. The subtitle can be referred to as “the book’s promise.” What is your book going to offer, do for, or provide for the reader? Having keywords in your title and subtitle is an effective way of attracting readers interested in your topic.

One method for selecting an effective title and winning subtitle is to draw upon your community in the form of a survey. Spend some time brainstorming ideas to come up with a strong, benefit driven titles and promise driven subtitles. Pick your top three choices for titles and subtitles and then conduct a survey of your colleagues, friends, and readers to help you make your final decision. In setting up your survey you can use the polling feature on Facebook and/or SurveyMonkey.com. You may be amazed at the results and how a powerful and effective book title and subtitle emerge from the results.

What process do you go through when picking a title for your book? What do you think of the survey method suggested in this article? Scroll down to share your thoughts and join in the conversation.

If you’d like to learn more about digital publishing; how it’s grown and where it’s going, join us for the Digital Publishing Virtual Summit where Terry Whalin presents a workshop entitled: Become a Prolific Writer & Write Less

Learn the insider secrets of repurposing to broaden your writing world and open new opportunities for teaching and income. Terry has modeled and will teach the techniques in this workshop. Whether you have never been published or are much published, you need these tools. 

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Enjoy this Digital Publishing Virtual Tour! May the gems gleaned aid you on your path as you share your message with audiences across the globe!

If you are interested in the topic of Digital Publishing, consider joining us for the Digital Publishing Virtual Summit! Check out this impressive group of world-renowned experts at: Digital Publishing Virtual Summit

D’vorah Lansky, M.Ed., has been marketing online and mentoring leaders since 1994. She is the bestselling author of Book Marketing Made Easy: Simple Strategies for Selling Your Nonfiction Book Online.

She is the producer of the annual Book Marketing Conference Online and this year’s Digital Publishing Virtual Summit, as well as the founder of the Book Marketing Alliance and the Book Marketing Made Easy Academy. D’vorah coaches and trains authors around the globe, in online book marketing practices.

Join us for the Digital Publishing Virtual Summit! Listen as 20 world-renowned experts share their wisdom.