Oct 26, 20234 min read

How much does book cover design actually matter?

Book cover design, as it turns out, is extremely important to the success of any book.

When wading through a sea of books (physical or digital), most people choose one at least partially based on its cover. Maybe you've done this yourself - I sure have. We can't help what catches our eye, right?

I wanted to know just how important the book cover really was to a book's success. I mean, just because people are more likely to initially pick up a book with a great cover, does it actually make a real difference in sales?

Let's get into what the research says about this and what makes a book cover more appealing to your target audience.

Why Is A Good Book Cover Important?

The research and industry voices unanimously agree that a strong book cover increases sales. I didn't find a single opposing voice, even in our digital world of contrarian trolls.

Some of the articles discussing the importance of beautiful, professionally designed covers come right from the designers themselves. Others, however, come from unbiased or neutral industry voices, like Reedsy, The Huffington Post, The Guardian, and Brilliantio.

Essentially, a strong book cover increases:

visibility of your book (in digital clicks and people picking it up)
book sales
branding & recognition of a series, book, or author

Book covers have become even more important in recent years as more people have begun to treat them like an "accessory," visibly carrying and posing with them.

Social media has enhanced this trend, especially with the growth of Instagram's #bookstagram, where people share their favorite books and covers with their quite large followings. (Check out my bookstagram for writers and readers if you're into it).

A/B Testing: Do Professional Book Covers Sell Better Than Self-Designed Ones?

A few groups have completed extensive book cover testing to determine if professionally designed covers sell more books than those created by authors.

While there are obviously many variables that could impact these results, the professional covers significantly surpassed the others in nearly every case.

The most significant jump I found was in a Reedsy test that found a professional cover increased sales of a fantasy book by 164%. Another study by 99designs saw a 122% increase for a funny crime thriller. These links are worth following to compare the before and afters of successful book covers.

If you are deciding between options, consider conducting your own A/B test to determine which is best for your book.

What Does A Good Book Cover Look Like?

Great book covers look different depending on their genre and target audience. It's crucial to understand who you are marketing to when designing or selecting the best cover for your book.

Most of the best covers...

Contain genre & audience-appropriate color schemes, typography, and overall design
Hint at the plot or connect to the main protagonist
Set the tone or mood of the book
Have a distinct style to set them apart from others
Look great as both a physical cover and a digital thumbnail
Include positive reviews (when available)

Forgetting to consider the cover's appearance as a digital thumbnail is a common book cover mistake in the modern era. Most thumbnails are simply deconstructed versions of the physical cover, so it is essential to consider this when designing your book.

For an example of a great cover, check out this article on the most iconic book cover of all time. (Think you know what it was?)

How Do I Get A Great Cover For My Book?

So, where do you find a great cover? Most agree that hiring a professional designer is the best course of action.

If your book uses a traditional publisher, they'll probably handle the book cover design for you. They likely have their own designers to create a cover that suits your book and helps it sell.

If you self-publish, you can hire a book designer on your own. It will cost money, but most agree that the benefits in sales and visibility are well worth the cost of a great design. Unless, of course, you have a background book cover design yourself, then go for it.

You can find freelance book cover designers on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, or simply search the web for them. I came across many designers just in the research for this article, so I can assure you they're out there.

Suggestions for Further Reading

Interested in more info? Check out the links I read in preparation for this article:

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