Booksellers looking for tips on how to grow their store’s online presence should consider attending a biweekly video conference hosted by the American Booksellers Association on Zoom.us [6].

The online roundtable — held every other Thursday at 11:00 a.m. — offers booksellers the opportunity to discuss a wide variety of marketing topics with fellow booksellers and industry professionals. Previous roundtables have focused on affiliate marketing [7], social media analytics [8], and new ideas for customer engagement [9].

During the most recent roundtable, held on August 9, IndieCommerce Director Phil Davies led a tutorial on product photography.

Davies instructed booksellers on how to create a portable tabletop studio using a folding card table; a roll of white craft paper cut to 34 inches wide by six feet long and positioned with clear packing tape; two clip-on desk lamps with 60- to 100-watt incandescent LED light bulbs; and a digital or phone camera.

Supplementary tools, as Davies showed during the demonstration, can include plastic or wire book stands and a blank sheet of paper that can be used to manipulate lighting. Afterward, photos can be edited using free websites such as Canva.com [10] or PicMonkey.com [11].

All ABA members are invited to join the weekly marketing roundtables to learn about an array of marketing topics such as product photography. Booksellers who would like to participate can send an invite request to ABA’s Phil Davies [12].