Bookswarm is a small, agile digital agency dedicated to delivering projects to the UK book publishing trade – publishers, authors and agents. We have a great deal of experience in these areas (plus, we’re mad about books!).
Website design
Website design should not be a complicated process – there’s no doubt that it’s much easier than it used to be, with all manner of tools available. These tools make it more important than ever, though, that you:
- Have a clear creative vision for the website
- Select the appropriate way of implementing that vision
Bookswarm are here to help you make those decisions, and to implement the agreed solution quickly, cost-effectively and beautifully. We understand that the moment the website goes live is only the beginning of the journey, and we’ll be here to support you in its evolution.
The wonders of WordPress
Most of our website projects rely on WordPress. WordPress is an open-source (and thus free) blogging platform which has developed in to a full-blown Content Management System (CMS). Bookswarm uses WordPress for almost all its website needs. Here’s why we love it:
- There are tens of thousands of plug-ins, almost all of which are free – these plug-ins extend the functionality of the site in almost any useful way that can be imagined. And if a plug-in doesn’t exist, it can be created (something we know how to do). Plugins make WordPress development very cost-effective
- WordPress uses themes to apply the design to a site. While there are many good-looking off-the-shelf themes available, it’s also easy to develop bespoke themes. A WordPress site can therefore look like anything that you want, from a simple, stripped-down blog to a rich magazine or a full-featured shop
- There is an extensive community of WordPress designers and developers all around the world – so you don’t need to feel that you’re locked in to working with Bookswarm for ever
- WordPress is really, really easy to use and is used by everyone from small bloggers to major new organisations and other high traffic websites (such as Stephen Fry’s site)
View our portfolios: Author Websites or Publisher Projects. Seen enough? Get in touch
Print design
We can design for print too as part of a total design package. We produced a range of marketing collateral for Love Your Indie, including bookmarks, window decals, posters, the loyalty cards themselves and even self-inking stamps for use by the bookshops.
eBook consultancy and design
We have extensive contacts with a range of companies who deliver eBook services – from major conversion houses to freelance designers and developers – as well as contacts with major eBook retailers. We also have experience of working with suppliers to craft custom workflows that are best suited to the challenges of converting illustrated and enhanced content. So whether it’s Epub 2, Epub 3 or Apple Fixed Format that interests you, we can recommend the best approach.
We focus on creating the nicest looking illustrated eBooks possible within the limitations of the Epub standard – re-flowed e-books that stay as true as possible to the spirit of the original books while working on Amazon Kindle, Apple iPad and any other Epub-compliant reader. We use our extensive knowledge of interactive media to re-shape the reading experience for the new medium, rather than just blindly converting the book. We also suggest ways in which low-cost websites can support your digital publishing.
View our portfolio: E-book Design. Seen enough? Get in touch
Branding
We can design beautiful brands for use both on- and off-line. We relish the challenge posed by a blank sheet of paper!
Bookswarm created all the brands for its sister company AMS Digital Publishing, including Bookhugger, Bookgeeks and Bookdiva.
View our portfolio: Branding. Seen enough? Get in touch
Author video production: AuthorInsight.tv
Broadcast quality author video production – for a budget price
We know the value that good quality video content can greatly add to the marketing campaign for a new title, and that there is increasing demand for such material from retailers and for inclusion in enhanced e-books. That’s why Bookswarm has teamed up with NextShoot to create AuthorInsight.tv.
Visit the AuthorInsight.tv website to see video examples and find out all about it.
Some of our clients
Publisher
- A&C Black
- Agile Marketing
- The Book Marketing Society
- Faber and Faber
- Gallic Books
- The Guardian
- Hodder & Stoughton
- The Independent Alliance
- Octopus Publishing Group
- World Book Night
Authors
- Chris Cleave
- Saul David
- Christina Hopkinson
- William Hussey
- Ali Knight
- Raymond Khoury
- Marcel Theroux
- Emily Woof
“Redesigning my website was a very enjoyable experience right from the minute I sat down with the Bookswarm team. Truthfully, I can’t recommend Simon and the Bookswarm team highly enough.”
“The Bookswarm team built me a site that was not only lovely-looking, but intuitive to use. I can thoroughly recommend them and have done so already to some of my fellow authors.”
“I think Bookswarm are unique in that they combine technical and creative expertise with a can-do spirit and an understanding of what writers, readers and publishers need from the web.”
“The Bookswarm team are very professional, really know their technology and social media, and above all love books.”
“Bookswarm’s classy design has transformed my website. It looks great, is simple to navigate, and – vital for a non-techno like me – even easier to update.”