When looking at designing pages to promote projects (like an individual book or a series), one of the most effective ways to promote a series—and the author—is by building an online community around the subject area.
Community Building Enhancements
Like any other business, creators are building a relationship with their customers (or readers). An online community is the best way to enhance that relationship, not only between yourself and your audience but among the audience members themselves. But like any relationship, it requires commitment. If you are extremely busy, you might be able to draft a supportive colleague or friend to help in the maintenance.
A community also requires interaction. It is not a one-way street.
Chat Rooms, Bulletins, Message Boards, and Email Lists
The Internet is essentially a communications medium and people love to communicate, hence the success and popularity of chats, boards, and lists. But with the growing use comes saturation, abuse, and banality. The more unique the focus of the board and the more closely tied to a project’s identity, the better.
In addition, public postings must be monitored regularly and you must decide how much control you plan to place on postings. Chats, boards, and lists consume a great deal of time to be effective, but they are key in building an online community. Just be sure you are willing to support the relationship between you and your community.
Blogs, Weblogs, News, Op-Ed, and Editorial Journals
A blog (or weblog) is a web page made up of short, frequently updated posts that are arranged chronologically—like a “what’s new” page or a journal. Weblogs post information and news and then allow site visitors to add their comments and discuss the issues.
There are communities built around opinion, design, and news sites on specific topics. The difference between a community-building information page and a standard information page is the ability for the community to interact and provide visible feedback. Otherwise, what you’ve got is a following, instead of a community.