This is a guest blog post from Stacie Vander Pol. Stacie is a marketing entrepreneur with nearly 10 years of dedication to self-publishing. Through her experience publishing hundreds of titles, she knows first-hand that the key to a successful book is more than great writing; it’s also great marketing. Stacie’s passion to support self-published authors was the inspiration behind her latest endeavor, CoverDesignStudio.com.

Do you know the fastest way to connect with potential readers? Your book cover image. That’s because we connect with pictures faster and more easily than we do with words, which makes images ideal for attracting instant attention. Images are so effective, you rarely see a book without one.

So how do you choose the best cover image? Follow the 3 guidelines below.

1. The best images are like the best writing

The best writers use symbolism, metaphors and examples through storytelling to convey meaning or to strengthen their message. A great book cover image works the same way. While a literal reflection of the title or subject can work, consider images that do more.

A flower crushed to a thousand pieces is far more powerful than the words in the title, and it connects us emotionally to the story.

The cover of the international bestseller, Freakonomics, could have sported a chart or a percentage sign. Instead, the image tells us why the book is interesting. It’s full of the unexpected surprises found beneath the surface of ordinary things.

2. The best book cover image sets the tone

The two books below both have an element of romance in the plot, but their covers tell us all we need to know about the underlying mood of the book. One is light, cheery and possibly humorous. The other is heavier, mysterious and possibly sinister. Right away, you know the difference between them, without having to guess.

Consider the mood of your book cover image and the message it sends to your audience. When your cover conveys tone, it’s more likely to spur an emotional connection with potential readers.

So often, diy publishers settle for an image that matches a word and hope that it transforms into feeling. Try reverse engineering. Find a word that describe the feeling of your book and look for images that match that feeling.

The designer could have thrown a gavel on this cover, but thought better of it. This contemplative story is much more than a legal proceeding and the image reflects it.

 3. Quality gains trust

What should you do when you find an image that fits the first two criteria, but is blurry or pixelated? Keep looking. Your cover image is your Welcome sign. If it doesn’t exude tip-top technical quality, readers won’t even consider your book. At the very minimum, buyers need to know a book is professional, and the cover is the first place they look.

Insist on images of high resolution (300 dpi or greater for best quality) and leave your audience with plenty of reasons to believe in the quality of your work.

Conclusion

Your book cover is a direct line of communication with future readers. It’s not easy to find the perfect book cover image, but with these simple guidelines, you can create a design that connects with your audience. Take the time and invest the effort. You’ll be glad you did.