Book covers are more than a pretty face — they are powerful marketing tools that can make or break a reader’s decision to pick up your book. When is the time to consider a cover redesign?
From outdated styles to genre misalignment, there are several signs a book cover may need a refresh to stand out.
1. Outdated Design
Book cover design trends have changed throughout the years. Covers from the 90s typically featured bold fonts, limited color palettes, and very basic stock imagery. Today’s trends are all about minimalism and rich imagery. Joshua Frederick — a freelance book cover designer for indie authors and publishers — gave his insights into the current book cover trends authors should be aware of in this day and age.
He points out, “A trend that has been happening in the last few years is the use of bold, saturated colors. It’s appeared in typography, flat colorful backgrounds, and colorful imagery, across multiple genres. Kaveh Akbar’s Martyr! and R.F. Kuang’s Yellowface both use a bold yellow paired with minimal, symbolic imagery that compliments the important stories they tell.”
Frederick also states how bright colors and illustrations create a playful and romantic tone for the romance genre. Yet, he mentions how colors give you insight into the time and place, like on the book covers of The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.
Compare iconic but dated books to the most popular ones you see now. Noticeable shifts in design trends can indicate it is time to breathe new life into a book.
The Joy Luck Club various editions: Original cover design from 1989 (left), rebranded 2006 edition (center), and the 2016 Penguin Orange Collection (right).
2. Low Sales or Engagement
One of the clearest indicators of the need for a book cover redesign may be when a book experiences a sales slump or declining engagement. Often, the issues may not be with the content itself but with the cover not resonating with the intended audience.
A cover serves as the first impression. If it can immediately convey the right message or catch the eye, potential readers will pick up the book.
Hollis Duncan — a graphic designer who has worked with major publishers like Penguin and W.W. Norton — discusses the impact of a cover redesign, “A refresh breathes new life into a title. If a cover featured a photo and a rebrand goes for an all-type, minimal solution, this can be modern and elegant by repositioning the cover in a favorable light or attracting a new audience.”
A book’s visual appeal — whether by making a bolder statement or refining its visual language — will attract your target demographic. Essentially, giving a book a fresh start allows you to align with reader expectations.
3. Rebranding
Every once in a while, an author evolves in their writing style, target audience, or genre, so their covers need to reflect these changes to maintain consistency. Patti Ratchford, Creative Director at Bloomsbury Publishing, oversaw the rebranding process for the popular book series A Court of Thorns and Roses. The originally published covers can be seen below:
Initially, these books were marketed as YA novels, but, as Ratchford noted, “A lot of adults were reading them, and the series — which is still ongoing — was getting more adult in content, so it was time to change the covers to reach an adult trade market.” The goal was to accomodate for the shift in audience while keeping the covers fresh and marketable. Ratchford’s creative process started with a goal: “We had a clear idea of what the design should be from the start — bold, sexy, simple, and iconic without looking static. Tattoos seemed like a good place to start to look for inspiration and a jumping-off point. I honestly wasn’t expecting to find exactly what we needed for the cover, but there was the wolf almost exactly as you see it on book one of the series. That art provided the gateway to the rest.”
Another key challenge was ensuring a cohesive global look. “We had to have a global cover for an important author like Sarah J. Maas and this very popular series, and you must get it right. Part of the work was navigating the design process across the U.K. and U.S. teams to get a design that we hoped would capture a new audience around the world.”
Once the rebranding of the series came to life, the redesign allowed it to reach a broader and more appropriate audience without losing the original essence that made it popular.
4. Genre Misalignment
A cover must align with the genre. Otherwise, it can mislead the audience and lead to missed opportunities to connect with the right readers. Simultaneously, the cover must maintain originality to catch the eye of the target reader. Balancing these two can be challenging, but Vanessa Mendozzi — an experienced book designer — offers insight into achieving this. “I like to add a unique touch — maybe with an unexpected font or bold color — but still make sure the cover feels right for its genre,” Mendozzi explains.
She explains that readers’ interest should be piqued just by looking at a book’s cover, making them want to learn more from the onset. “If someone can spot it and think, ‘What’s that?’ you’ve nailed it. The goal is to create a design that stands out from a distance or on an online store without feeling forced. It should be bold, clean and instantly recognizable.” To stand out without straying too far from what readers expect, research current genre trends while incorporating unique elements.
Making the Right Call for Your Book’s Success
Deciding to redesign a book cover is a big decision. Yet, consider these top signs and ask yourself, does it communicate the book’s content? Is it resonating with the target audience and standing out to readers? If your answer to any of these is no, it may be time to consider a design to maximize potential impressions.
How to Find the Best Book Cover Designer for Your Rebranding Project
The “best” book cover artist is subjective and varies according to an author’s specific vision and style preference. However, platforms like the INeedABookCover Job Board have made it easier for authors to find and collaborate with talented, professional designers who can help you rebrand your book cover deisgn.
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out our Jobs Board series to learn about other aspects of the book cover design process, such as writing a creative brief or buying stock imagery.