The Critical Importance of a Professionally Designed Cover for Selling Books Online

How many times have you heard the phrase that 60% of digital marketing is completely ignored? Well, to put it simply, it's because of our peripheral vision. If a book meets a customer's needs, their peripheral vision will naturally detect this before they even consider picking it up. But what if you could make your book cover 'look like a real book' without breaking the bank?

The Secret That Everyone Won't Tell You

The answer lies in book cover typography and layout. Focusing on these elements can make your cover appear professional and high-quality. Even if you don't have design skills, you can find pre-made professional covers for as little as 10 dollars. There are countless cover artists on various platforms that offer such services.

Here is an example of a cover we made using one of our Canva Pro templates. A high-quality cover is not only essential, but it must also conform to genre expectations and be readable as a thumbnail. Its sole job is to catch the eye and direct potential readers to the blurb. This is its one and only job.

Why Professional Design Matters

A professional cover can cost as little as 10 dollars, but is worth the investment when looking to sell books online. If you have the skills, create your own cover, but ensure it reaches a professional standard. If you do not have the skills, it is better to hire a professional cover designer rather than using a pre-made tool, which can often result in inferior quality and easily recognizable templates.

Moreover, if you're on a tight budget and cannot afford a professional cover, a home-made cover that isn't too 'homemade' can still work wonders. The key is to make sure the title and author are readable and the design is distinctive for the genre.

Consider the following example. The same book had four different covers from 2015 to 2020. Two of these were professionally done, while the first was a simple mock-up using images with permission, and the fourth was a rearrangement of the third cover after gaining some design skills. Despite the differences in design over the years, the book has consistently sold. With 1,496 ratings and a current rank of 46,344 on the US Amazon store, it remains among the top 100 in its best category, proving that a cover does not play a significant role in sales.

Ensuring Your Cover Works

A good cover should be:

Distinctive for the genre Readable as a thumbnail Create interest and motivate potential readers to read the blurb

If your cover fails to do any of these, it needs to be replaced, regardless of whether it was professionally designed or not.

Conclusion

A professionally designed book cover is crucial for online book sales. Whether you create it yourself or hire a professional, ensure it meets the necessary standards. A good cover can make a significant difference in attracting potential readers and driving sales.