You've probably already discovered how difficult capturing a potential reader's attention online can be. Driving traffic to your web site is quite a challenge. Internet users move from site to site rather quickly. With so many options, the chances of them landing on your site (let alone spending any length of time there) are slim. How can you grab and hold their attention?
Using multimedia elements in your Web promotions is one way to stand out in the crowd. Multimedia tools consist of streaming video and audio (voiceovers, music, etc.), animation, and interactivity. Using these tools gives you a higher level of connection with your readers, building relationships between writer and audience. Hearing audio and seeing moving visuals engages them, and interactivity helps them feel involved with your product, not just bombarded by it.
The web gives authors an amazing opportunity to have an ongoing conversation with their readers. Set up an online forum on your site or give readers a place to make comments (perhaps on a blog that you update regularly with news about your campaign or writing progress). This allows you to get feedback from your readers and address the feedback promptly. While you do run the risk of being negatively criticized on your page, remember that you do have the power to remove anything you don't want on your site.
A creative way to make your audience feel connected to you as a person is to include a video of yourself on your web site. You can speak to readers about what inspired you to write, answer e-mails you receive on video, or simply read excerpts from your book. Either way, you'll no longer simply be a name on a book cover; you'll be a face and a voice that they can relate to. Be careful not to make your personal videos too long. Remember, web users don't spend a lot of time in one spot and will likely become bored easily.
If you really want your possible readers engaged in your book, creating a video of a scene or producing a book trailer (much like a movie trailer) is a unique way to pique their interest. Your video will help readers visualize the story, and hopefully, they will become more excited about reading your book. It's also fun for people who have already read the book to see your words come alive. Make sure you don't give away too much of your story in your video, taking the fun away from reading the book.
These are just a few examples of how to use multimedia tools in your campaign. Be creative and have fun. You know your book better than anyone. Find a way to use multimedia elements to make it stand out.