Book Cover Redesign as a Marketing Strategy

A book cover design is a multi-tool for your self-publishing business.A professional design shows off a 35% increase in the real marketing value compared to amateur book cover design that usually lacks contrasting colors and smooth shifts between images.

Book cover redesign is a marketing strategy that enables you to hustle up new and current readers, stand out from other writers in your genre, and increase turnover.

So let’s find out how it works.

How to know that it’s time to redesign your book cover

You should treat the book cover design as art with its trends. Apparently, they change, but the primary purpose of the cover is to skyrocket your book promotion. If the turnover decreases, then your book cover doesn’t sell. Sufficient to say, you should assess the current design and find out its feeble sides before you alter and refresh your book covers.

Here are the main questions you can ask yourself if you hesitate about your book cover redesign.

Does my book cover meet the genre expectations?

Book covers should reflect the idea of your writing. When you choose the appropriate imagery and color scheme, you communicate the genre and inform the audience it’s the book they expect to read.

Read more about the best ideas for the book cover design in our article Fiction Book Cover Design Guide

Does it evoke emotions? If so, what are these emotions?

Appeal to the reader’s emotions. Whether it is horror, fantasy, or romance, opt for the colors, contrast, typography, and imagery to bring about fear, love, compassion, and other suitable for your genre feelings.

Does my book cover let people know what the book is about?

Select the elements of the book cover design that reveal the key message and intrigue but do not disclose the final.

Is it visible as a thumbnail?

Check how your book cover looks in a thumbnail. It should have distinctive images and readable text to capture the readers.

What target audience does my book cover attract?

Think of people who pay attention to your book covers. If it targets your audience – great! Otherwise, think about the makeover.

Does it look amateurish?

When you give your book cover a professional look, you invest in your sales. Properly designed covers tend to increase the number of readers.

Color palette. Do you use contrasting colors that match each other?

Colors matter. Choose the tints and shades that look balanced and adjust the contrast between them. Use saturated and muted color schemes to convey the mood of your writing.

Are the title and subtitle visible?

Make sure that typography is visible and clear so that the audience can read the title and subtitle of your work.

Is the author’s name visible?

Don’t neglect the size of the author’s name. If the new readers are unfamiliar with it, the current audience will identify you right away.

Does typography communicate your genre and look professional?

Typography conveys the genre. If you don’t know what font is suitable for your cover design, it’s better to search for cliches or other successful examples. The choice of appropriate typography shows the professional design and doesn’t mislead readers about the genre.

Do your sales and reviews grow over time?

A book cover is the first thing that influences the book sales. When you use the same design for several years, people get used to it. The cover becomes uninvolving, so people are unlikely to buy your book. That’s inevitable to stir up the readers’ interest by changing old designs and creating something new and trendy.

Book cover redesign cases

Let’s have a look at the cases of the successful book cover redesign presented by different book cover design companies.

“Miles of Files” by Michael J. Sahno – 99designs

Before

After

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It’s a comedic crime thriller with an improvement in click-through rate by 122%. The first cover doesn’t communicate the genre because the pastel colors look too mild and bland. This design is likely to target readers who prefer romance or memoirs. Moreover, the choice of imagery and fonts also induces the misinterpretation of the book’s concept. Imagine your audience’s reaction when it finds out that the book in their hands is about crime, not a love story.

The redesign looks better for several reasons. Initially, the dark color palette is perfect for a crime thriller. Bright colors – orange, yellow, turquoise, and white – complement and balance the design and refer to the dynamic plot. The imagery intrigues as piles of paper look like buildings. The posture of the protagonist conveys the tension in the novel. As the redesign looks appealing, it has boosted the audience’s engagement and sales.

“The Dust Will Answer” by Richard Risembergder – Reedsy

Before

After

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It’s a mystery and thriller book cover that has got 53% more clicks after the makeover. The former design is dark, and the fonts don’t communicate the genre. Additionally, the size and placement of the author’s name don’t look good in this composition.

Why does the redesign look better?

Primarily, the color scheme remained the same. Although the designer kept the monochrome concept, he brightened the background to make the cover more eye-catching. The photo in the center captures the sight and fits the color scheme of the cover. The designer experiments with fonts and their layout. He increases the size of the author’s name and its prominence as well as uses typewritten letters for the title. All in all, the redesign stands out.

“True Colors” by Sue Haasler – Creative Indie Covers

Before

After

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It’s a romance, and after the redesign of the cover, the book looks more appealing because it communicates the genre and elicits the right emotions.

What is wrong with the first cover then?

Although both designs make the lighthouse the focal point of their compositions and use the color palette of yellow, red, and maroon, the previous book looks brighten and motley. Saturated hues appeal to energy instead of love. This font choice is also inappropriate for romance. Therefore, readers become misguided about the genre. Finally, the alignment on the left disbalances the composition while the right part of the cover looks empty.

MiblArt book cover redesign

That’s great that you’ve read so far.

MiblArt team also redesigns book covers and helps them become bestsellers. So, we want to show you some examples, highlighting their mistakes and improvements.

Keep reading. You’ll be impressed.

The Hamster Horror Trilogy by Michael Christopher Carter













It’s a series of horror short stories, which has become best-selling in its category. Our designer focuses on the image of the hamster as a branding mark. Also, he resizes the author’s name and uses solid colors for the title. The typography and the color palette communicate the genre and convey the concept of the series.

“League of the Lost” by Vic Sandel

Before

After

Needless to say that the redesign looks professional. The image seems to be one photo, not parts comprised together. The designer adjusts some effects to increase suspense and mystery. Additionally, he changes the font of the title and its color. It remains visible and matches the concept.

“Jaben’s Rift” by G. David Walker

Before

After

The first cover seems amateur, although some effects are shown. The cover can barely stand out from the competitors. The fonts look fitting, but the wrong accent is made in typography. Instead of focusing on the book title, the designer highlights the book series title. Yet, we’ve fixed it and the color scheme. The redesigned imagery intrigues and alludes to the plot.

Wrapping up

The book cover redesign is an efficient way to boost sales. I hope with the cases above you realize that professional design is a win-win approach to make your books best-selling.

Have you ever redesigned your book covers? What was the result?