I Paid 5 Designers On Fiverr To Design The Same Cover
Вставка
- Опубліковано 23 сер 2020
- 🟢 Fiverr - DaleLinks.com/FiverrCovers
I paid 5 designers on Fiverr to design the same book cover. But, I chose 5 different Fiverr sellers from all levels including new seller, level 1 seller, level 2 seller, top rated seller, and Fiverr Pro. Find out how the book cover design turned out in this video!
📚 Pick up Amazon Keywords for Books at DaleLinks.com/KeywordsBook.
📔 New Seller - agneslena - dalelinks.com/agneslena
📕 Level 1 Seller - agnesam - dalelinks.com/agnesam
📗 Level 2 Seller - hubspot_pro - dalelinks.com/hubspot_pro
📘 Top Rated Seller - pro_ebookcovers - dalelinks.com/pro_ebookcovers
📙 Fiverr Pro - marmarko78 - dalelinks.com/marmarko78
================================
🔥 Learn how to publish books that sell! Subscribe at ua-cam.com/users/selfpublishin...
🤔 Get more perks & bonuses as a channel member. Details are at / @dalelroberts
================================
Get premium tools & services I use and wholeheartedly endorse:
🟢 Fiverr - DaleLinks.com/Fiverr - premium freelance services for self-publishing necessities.
📝 ProWritingAid - DaleLinks.com/ProWritingAid - a grammar checker, style editor, and writing mentor in one package.
📚 Publisher Rocket - DaleLinks.com/Rocket - get your book in front of more Amazon shoppers
so you can market less and write more.
✍ Rev - DaleLinks.com/Rev - service provider for audio transcription, video captioning, and subtitling.
=====================
🌟 DALE’S RECOMMENDED VIDEOS 🌟
🍌 Kindle Direct Publishing Explained: Is KDP Worth It? - • Kindle Direct Publishi...
🍌 Why Are My Books Not Selling on Amazon KDP? - • Why Are My Books Not S...
🍌 Audible Promo Code 2020: How to Get Free Audible Audiobooks - • Audible Promo Code 202...
================================
Join our self-publishing community on
🔵 Facebook - / selfpublishingbooks
🟢 Discord - dalelinks.com/discord
🔥 Check out my podcast channel - / @selfpubwithdale
📚 My Books - DaleLinks.com/MyBooks
Also follow me
🟣 Twitch - / selfpublish
🐤 Twitter - / selfpubwithdale
🔵 Facebook - / selfpubwithdale
📷 Instagram - / selfpubwithdale
🔴 Email notification squad - DaleLinks.com/SignUp
================================
🤔 Do you have any special requests or questions? Leave a comment on this video, I respond to all comments.
================================
🔴🔴🔴 Most outbound links financially benefit me and the channel through affiliate programs. The affiliate relationship doesn’t influence my opinion since I won’t endorse programs, products, or services I don't use or stand confidently behind. 🔴🔴🔴
![I Paid Artists on Fiverr to Design the Same Book Cover [CC]](/img/n.gif)
🔥 What cover would YOU choose? And, why?
Are you new to self publishing and not sure where to start?
Start here: ua-cam.com/video/u76Mm2K5LmI/v-deo.html
Love your videos im new to book publishing, did get an editor and formatting done because of your videos, I did go to fiverrr also. Thank you!
I did it before, years ago. But I'll watch and support your movement
The first design was fantastic, and cost effective for just $30.
Agreed! Thanks for taking the time to chime in.
First cover $30 for me on front, but liked the back cover of the $800. Would combine those two.
I notice a LOT of people love that combination you mentioned. The back cover on the Fiverr Pro was top notch. It looked very professional. And, I'm so glad you liked Agneslena's work. She's very grateful for all the kudos.
@@DaleLRoberts You know, it is kind of difficult for me to love back cover because of the the white title and its shadow behind. It should be better with blue as font color probably for contrasting title vs text. Furthermore, thinking about it I love white text over yellorangish background but it is something most of the older designers would not recommend to do because of the legibility. Specially for long distances, it is something hard to be playing with. As an example think about colors in signs, never ever use white over yellow. I really couldn't choose white until I see the real cmyk/pantone colors in my hands. The rest of the work is just perfect, and great to see people giving their best!
@@agustinmassimo80 thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I am a typesetter. I really loved the first design. Great ideas! Following ideas were meh, and then came Marco. Holy s*it! It blew my mind off! So much attention to detail and great execution. And, over the top, cherry! Full media package! I am in awe!
haha Nice! Thanks for censoring the expletive. I gotta keep it family-friendly here, but I agree with you on the sentiment. After spending $800, I needed to curse, but in a good way. haha And, getting the stamp of approval from a typesetter is priceless. Your comment made my day!
Call me crazy, but I liked the whimsical side of the first book cover. Very creative. The bold and busy Marco is probably more eyecatching as a thumbnail and I did like the back cover better, but the front of his design was way too much for me. Almost like he is screaming at you! I guess that would get your attention too, but not in a good way. !!! Tough decision. Can't wait to see which you choose. Thanks for spending nearly $1000. to give us this info!
J Q Rose I’m glad you enjoyed it. And thanks for the feedback. I’ll make the official announcement next week with the video about writing a book in 24 hours. I’ll give a link to sign up for the ARC team.
Found the first one captivating, The Pro had lots of great extra perks however, the cover was too busy. His style and flair for color and fonts were great but too much
Bernadette Nadeau it’s so funny how quite a few people commented the same. It seems there’s the two extremes. Lots of people like the cheap one and the expensive one. And a few commented how the expensive one is too busy. Thanks for weighing-in 😀👏👍
I chose Agneslena a couple of times for her different types of gigs. She has always been a pleasure to work with and as you say a real 'steal'. In my opinion her work was also the best one in this selection. Her cover was very clean and the others were too crowded. Not a great use of space at all, just way too much. Sometimes less is more. Great to see her in this video again!!
Hey, I'm so glad I chose a familiar face for you. Agneslena was refreshing to work with! I'd do it again in a heartbeat, especially before her rates increase any more. When we were tweaking the cover, I really wanted to fill the space at the bottom, but she told me to trust her on it. So, we went with it. You're proof that it was a good decision!
Thanks so much for weighing in!
@@DaleLRoberts She pushed back! I like that in a cover designer. Nice video.
Even for fiction, where the cover counts even more, paying $800 for a cover is beyond most people. They shouldn't go with homemade covers, but I've made lots of money with a $25 cover from Fiverr...
An indie author who has been in the bestseller list since 2017 with the same five books had originally paid oodles of money as a beginner (before selling books at all) for especially commissioned fantasy illustrations -- and had to ditch them all as he wasn't selling.
Bought illustrations of $10 from Shutterstock and had the design done in Fiverr for $15 each. Started selling like crazy.
Indies can only pay a lot of money for covers when they're making a lot. There are really, really good people in Fiverr making covers that are among the bestsellers out there. The writers' forum is FULL of stories like that ...
Cave Canem yep, I’m hoping people see there’s something for everyone at every level.
As someone just getting started, I really appreciate you sharing what you learned from your experience!
I liked Agnes' front cover, but marmarko's back cover (plus all the extras). I suggest when deciding on a Fiverr person to handle your work, give them a small job to test out how it is to work with them. When I was selling my editing on Fiverr, I made authors do a manuscript critique with me before we did any work to make sure we were a good fit. And don't hesitate to ask for a custom quote on any service to get exactly what you want. Thanks for spending the money on these tests so we didn't have to. ;)
Heidi! Always great hearing from you. I'm glad you liked it! Which Agnes? The cheaper one (agneslena) or the level 2 seller at $75 (agnesam). I know, I could've picked different names, but after seeing their samples and reviews, I was sold on both of them.
Thanks so much for the tip on ordering custom gigs. It's something I forget to mention in these Fiverr videos. It's how I get quite a few of my fitness covers from RebecaCovers.
@@DaleLRoberts The first Agnes (the lowest price one). I thought her key/lock combo and overall styling were clean and clever. Marmarko's back cover really showcased your work and personality. Evaluating artwork and graphic design is a higher level skill that many authors are not prepared to do. So like I've done here, authors need to verbalize what they do/don't like about a design, not just that they do/don't like it. Will be sharing video!
@@HeidiThorneChannel Hey, thanks! This is the type of feedback I need. It helps me refine the product and communicate what I want on future gigs.
Dale this is probably the coolest video I've seen you do and man - you do awesome videos. I love the range and it also shows that while you can get a great cover (Agneslena I think was her name??) for a low cost, there is a difference when you bring on a true pro and it DOES show. WOW. Honestly don't think her covers will be $30 or $40 for long though. I also like how you walked through the elements and what made each cover better AND what the experience was like working with the cover designer.
Great job!!
Book Launchers This means a lot to me coming from you. You’ve been one of my longest running supporters. For you to give praise like this makes my evening. Thanks so much!
That's awesome!! Love the last cover. I was with you doing pomodoros when you wrote that book. It helped me get mine finished.
Oh, nice! See, we agree on the last cover by Marko.
Well, next week we'll be doing the official advance release. It'll be in a video called "Writing A Book In 24 Hours Challenge: Is It Even Possible?!" At the end of the video, I'll provide a link to get on the Advanced Reader Copy Team. Stay tuned for more!
I thought your work, the work of the designers, and the commentary were all stellar. A great service to everyone, Dale.
Hey, thanks so much for the kudos!
Loved this video. Couldn't stop watching until it was done :D
Lots of great insights here!
Thanks so much!
Nice range of services you covered! I'm impressed with the 800 one, you get lots for what you pay so it isn't "just a book cover" that you get
Totally agree! When we were done with the cover, I said, "Okay, let's approve the gig." And, Marko was like, "Nope, we've got even more stuff to create." haha Wow! I can't express enough how awesome it was working with Marko. His customer service is unparalleled.
Awesome video. This was really fun. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
That Instagram set-up for the last service was amazing, I'll definitely be implementing that!
Neat, right? I've seen IG profiles do it before, but I've never tried it. When I launch the book, it'll be plastered on my IG profile.
Great informative video Dale! Angie with Pro EBook Covers was maybe my favorite design, but Marko did an ace job all around with the additional formats and details. Thanks for sharing!
I totally agree! It's so funny. Not too many people realize it, but the print interior was done by Archangel Ink. So, the inspiration was drawn from that interior. In a future video, I want to share that behind the scenes look into our thought process. Maybe you'd be game for chatting about it in a live interview?
@@DaleLRoberts You got it, when the time comes, give a shout!
Archangel Ink let’s make it happen. I’m eyeing up the week of the launch. If anything, it’d be awesome to do the launch during our live broadcast.
Nice presentation on finding a cover designer. My favorite is the first one...I loved all the elements, especially the little cart and the key/lock! Very creative. While the $800 was nice, it was much too busy, in my opinion, but you did get a lot of items for the money. Still, the first cover would have caught my eye to possibly buy rather than the $800 one.
Nice! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Agneslena is the best new talent out there. It’s my hopes more authors take advantage of her services.
WOW! Marko really did a fantastic job. The details were phenomenal and to get the full set of media elements too? Your going to sell a ton based off of just the cover! Fabulous! I also liked that lock and key design too. Great vid and interesting topic.
Awesome! Thanks so much for weighing-in. I agree with you about Marko. He really captured what I was looking for. That’s part of the video that got cut. I shared examples of covers I liked and that were selling well. He was able to pick out commonalities and model from them. But, he kept it unique and dialed into my brand.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Marko, because his work is super clean and organized. He's a very analytical person. Maximizing all of the space to fit all of your information without it looking overloaded. I also liked Angie's book cover as well.
I was quite impressed with all of them really.
Marco is absolutely worth the 800 dollars. In fact, I would work with him if he charged more. The covers I liked most were number one, number four, and Marco's. I didn't like the blue cover at all, I think that was the second one. That cover would not interest me and I wouldn't buy the book. But the other three, especially Marco's, I would buy that one. I also like Hubspot his cover, but I wouldn't work with him just because of the communication issues. But he's a good designer.
Excellent! Thanks so much for weighing-in. You've made me more confident in my choices. Wasn't the cheap cover crazy good quality? For $30, I feel like it was pretty darned good! Then, the top rated seller (the one we both agreed on as a second choice) is ALWAYS a winner in my book.
Can you help ? How do I contact Marco ? Cant find an address / Thanks
Des Burke-Kennedy Visit the affiliate link in the description. It shows all 5 sellers in the link.
Des Burke-Kennedy or visit DaleLinks.com/Marko.
Dale, thank you so much for doing this - a very useful exercise, and proving that it isn’t necessarily the price band or seller level that is an indicator of quality. That said, the Marco cover and level of service would seem to be the top of the pile, and I think that Agneslena is a rising star and won’t be at the entry level for long. Interestingly I thought the others were perfectly serviceable covers but, with the greatest of respect to them, were a bit ordinary and I’m not sure how they’d stand out from a list of other books in that niche.
Mark Brownless nice breakdown. Quite a few people echoed your sentiments. This case study showed quality in 2 extremes. One was great in the cheap version. While the other was excellent in the most costly version. Crazy, right?
Awesome video idea and that last design is great with all the bells and whistles. I love Fiverr, there are some really talented people there, but it is better not to pick the cheapest ones if you can afford it. I've been using Fiverr for a while now and I love the platform and you can find some gems in there, but you need to be picky and selective, don't just order from anybody. I wouldn't mind at all to read your book, Dale. That last cover rocks!
Nice! Thanks so much for weighing in. And I’ll be making an announcement next week in the “Writing a Book in 24 Hour Challenge | Is It Even Possible?!” I’ll be opening it to a limited number of ARC members. After that, it’ll be available to the public in mid-September. 😀👏👍
Wow - a great walk-thru of the experience.
Admittedly, for what I would normally spend, Agneslena would be the winner. Yes, the $800 design was indeed beautiful, but her design still rocked big time (and would have saved a bunch of cash to use to spend on editing, or marketing, etc - ie, maybe saving up some extra dollars to pay for the Amazon Advertising needed to actually sell on Amazon. ;)
Mark Leslie Lefebvre haha well stated! Agneslena was a gem. I connected with her on IG and she’s incredibly humble and grateful for all the kind words. I like her and hope this video will get her more business.
Always great hearing from you. 😎🔥💪
I'm sold on the last one. I love the word "keyword" in the search field. Beautifully done.
Tania Stephanson Author nice! You and I are on the same brain wave. I really dig the last cover, Marko really nailed it.
Hi, Dale, although the 5th Cover effort was stella, I liked the key and lock creative design - that design was best for me.
christopher briscoe very nice! A lot of people liked the outside the box thinking that Agneslena did in the first cover. Thanks for weighing-in.
I also kinda love you raving over basic text wrapping :) it's nice to remember how professional designer skills look from the outside.
Yeah, it's not hard to wow me.
Just subscribed. You’re amazing!
Thanks so much! Stay tuned for more.
I feel $800 is a lot for a book cover. I liked the very first one. Very pocket-friendly and perfect. A video like this is very much required on UA-cam. Thanks for doing this.
I totally agree! Trust me, I really dig Marko and his work. But, my bank account will weep every time I order a gig from him. For me, I can afford it. For most indie authors, maybe not. That's why I wanted to show one extreme to the other. I'm working on another video like this and seeing if we can get something fun going with it. Stay tuned!
@@DaleLRoberts Can't wait
Bharath Ram 👏😀👍
That Fiverr Pro cover is stellar. That said, you still got good quality covers from the other freelancers as well. I love how you covered the gambit when it comes to pricing. That's proof that you can still get good covers even if you don't have a lot of discretionary expense.
That's exactly what I wanted to illustrate. Sure, if you have the expense, go for the Fiverr Pro. But, when you're hard-pressed to invest that much, there are other cost effective solutions.
@@DaleLRoberts Well, you succeeded. I think that came through loud and clear! Great job!!
Keith Wheeler Books stay tuned, because I have more on the horizon including a new monthly show.
@@DaleLRoberts I can't wait!
Keith Wheeler Books you and me both. Once I can get this Fiverr video set and the 24-hour book video launched with some distance, I can start strategizing with Ironman Dan.
The first and the last ones were my favs!!
Thanks, Brian. This was a great little experiment and I think it really shows that Fiverr is still relevant for self-publishers. Thanks for your comment!
@@DaleLRoberts And thank you! I'm going into self publishing myself so lots of great information!! THANK YOU!
Speaking as a designer, obviously we try to provide as good a service as possible, but honestly it's not surprising that sometimes there needs to be a lot more communication to finish revisions like with that one cover. When you reach the design concept you intended and it's "done" apart from revisions, unless the client is very specific about changes it's tempting to make less bold changes because A) ideation faze is over B) at the end of a design every change is exponentially more time consuming because each change necessitates adjusting the rest of the design to fit.
So unless there's a very specific change needed, you won't want to change too much and screw up the design, because they'd had positive feedback up to that point so you don't want too much to change.
These are great insights from a designer perspective, Daniel, thanks for sharing. It makes a lot of sense.
I think that’s $800 WELL INVESTED!
The other designs weren’t bad but they weren’t as dynamic. I think if I’m hiring a pro I don’t want it to look like something I created or could create. I love those that really lean into the project vs fast and lackluster.
Plus, the extra stuff that came in the $800 gig are other assets you’d pay for hiring out elsewhere or burn time trying to make yourself.
I agree to an extent, but not everyone can afford an $800 cover and that's where the other designers are important.
You're right though, Marco really packs in the value. Thanks for your comment, Diana!
@@DaleLRoberts Oh for sure! The one young lady who did the orange design was second best and was a gray overall design. It’s cool to see you were able to use one of the designs though. It’s really well done.
So insightful! Thanks very much, Dale! You definitely get what you pay for. He's definitely gone above and beyond!
Jon Pogioli Aw, man, you aren’t kidding. I’ll be getting with Marko this week for book 2. Sadly, my bank account started sobbing when it heard the news 🤣 jk
Self-Publishing with Dale Haha, yes, our poor bank account! It sure is an investment so worth it in the long run, my friend.
Jon Pogioli yep! That’s the way I view it too.
I loved this video and it was really helpful. I know it was posted in 2020 and I tried looking through the playlists on your channel but I was wondering if there was a video on what should be in a metadata folder in order for the designer to have the best idea of wants and needs for a book cover? Also is there a video on tips or red flags to look out for when choosing a freelancer on Fiverr?
Glad it was helpful! When you purchase a gig on Fiverr, the seller will tell you exactly what they need to create your cover. Just follow their guidance.
When you are looking for providers on Fiverr, go with the recommendation from another buyer (purpose of this video), or vet them using Fiverr itself. Look at sellers in the top tiers and read their reviews carefully. I also have a list of curated and vetted providers here - dalelinks.com/list
Great video and you've given me some great ideas for my upcoming book! I've tried designing my own book cover on CANVA, and it's terrible! I'm impressed and amazed at how some of the lesser-priced gig providers did such amazing work! At the end of the day, you get what you pay for, and MARCO as the most expensive was also the one who provided more hands-on service and superb outcomes!
Thanks so much! And I understand how Canva is fairly limited in its cover options. I played with it once for covers and quit when the cover just got worse as I messed with it.
I ranked them exactly as you did, Dale. Marco's design was fantastic. I loved your top 2 and 3, as well, but Marco's doesn't look like (in a big way) another one of those self-published "how-to" books. I love the subtlety of the "matrix" number design, the pointing finger usage and the joined front-to-back flow, as well! For limited budgets, though, 2 and 3 were great options!
I would love to see this kind of experiment done with several different genres of fiction books -- thriller, paranormal, YA dystopia, romance, etc. (hint, hint) :D
SK, you're a mind reader. I've actually got a BIG project I'm working on. Stay tuned to the channel.
I've used Angie for covers. She is great to work with! I loved her cover in this video.
Elise Loyacano Perl Yes, Angie is fantastic and always reliable.
Awesome Dale - very excited for you. I like 1, 4 and 5. If it were my book (which would be my first), I would go with 4. For you - Marco gets the nod - that design blows me away. LOVE the color scheme and background.
Yeah, Angie (cover 4) does great work and her price pint is incredibly discounted. But, I’m glad you’re digging the Marko cover.
Superb Video - WOW how unbelievable interesting and what a great (useful) topic to discuss and the way you went about it, in getting a cross-section of designers - I was intrigued to the very end - just what UA-cam was made for! Captivating Comparisons !! And as always very enlightening from " The DR ".
Thanks so much! My video editor and I worked our tails off on this project. Fiverr was super cool about everything and didn’t limit us whatsoever.
But the question is: what cover did you like best?
I really liked the 1st cover
Isn't it crazy that the first cover was the cheapest? haha Would you say it's worth the $30?
I liked the first and third best. I liked the final one, however, I don't like that everything was in capital letters and I find it difficult to read white text on a dark background so I didn't like the back cover of Marko's. I think I'd choose the first one. Personally, I've had minimal luck with fiverr. Those I've hired never gave me what I asked for and since I can't get their email address, I can't have decent communication or stay in touch after the gig. I was recommended to a cover designer who did an amazing cover for me for $100 with infinite revisions!
Andrea Glass Thanks for weighing in. As for the sellers, I use direct message on Fiverr with no issues on communication. In fact, I’d rather keep the communication on the Fiverr platform so it can be tracked. You never know if you have to escalate a gig to arbitration. Having the communication there will help. Having it off platform, it gets dicey.
Goals before: Make it big on KDP
Goals now: Make enough from your day job and KDP to afford the 800 dollar cover and make good use of the social media stuff
Eh, build relationships. Get in there where your readers are and interact. That way, when your book drops, you audience is warm!
Oh, wow. Terrific vid, Dale. Thank you! I've battled for so long trying to find a decent cover creator on Fiverr. Really appreciate this.
Jan Turner now you’ve got options! Which cover did you like best?
Qqqqqp
If we're going only for front cover, the cheapest gig is the best to me. The $800 one, this guy clearly did a lot of work for the money, though, and he delivered a full interactive service for you. Still, value for cost, $30 wins. You got almost an $800 cover for $30. Nothing beats that.
Great insights for sure. This was a fun experiment for me.
I love all of this information, as being a new author, trying to navigate my self publishing adventure is a hard journey. These videos help so much. I will say my hear sank with the first few cost because I spent 900 for my cover that I will see in March, given it is a fantasy book that takes a little more artwork. But then the last one made me feel better being 800 that you paid. Thank you for this 😊
Yeah, prices can vary wildly from one designer to the next. I'm glad I could share something from all ends of the spectrum so you can make a more informed decision going forward.
The additional stuff from the pro designer are cool.
C. Ruth Taylor oh yeah! And he’s such a pro. I’d shared my video with him and he promoted it to his massive group on Facebook. It blew me away.
Tbh, my favorite ones were the third and the last! Loved this kind of video :)
I'm glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for weighing in!
Thank you for the comparisons. I agree with your order of designers. I have used pro_ebooks covers once. She is very easy to work with and delivered on time. Marco's cover is remarkable.
It’s a small world! Angie does fantastic work and is just so efficient while maintaining quality. And I’m so glad you agree with me on Marko. His work was phenomenal and his customer service unparalleled. 😀👍👍
I love the back for the pro cover but not the front. I like the simplicity of Angie's cover. The first cover was not bad. The pro front cover looks crowded but hey, glad you loved it.
C. Ruth Taylor thanks so much for weighing in. Everyone really digs that back cover.
EXTRAordinary Scenes!
Stay tuned for more!
Cool and very interesting...thank you.
I’m glad you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for another video like it. This time I’ll be ordering 10 more inexpensive cover designers.
Awesome. Hard choice. I loved the 800 buck cover, but I personally liked Angie's with the graph graphics climbing upward. Seemed like a subliminal message that reading and putting into practice what's in the book will boost your sales. Hard, hard choice between the two, though.
Haha now you see the dilemma I had. But, it’s a good problem to have. Good eye on Angie’s cover. She’s been doing this for so long that I’ll bet she can do this in her sleep. 😀👍👏
Awesome. Just started working with Fiverr. Thanks for the comparisons and what to look for in a great cover.
Glad it was helpful! What cover did you like best? And, why?
Also, what type of services will you be doing?
@@DaleLRoberts Hi Dale. Of course, the $800 one offered more bells and whistles. I'm just not there financially. Catch 22, I guess. I'm not offering services on Fiverr, I'm looking for the best activity book cover designer for the money.
Judy Watters ohhhhh! I misunderstood what you meant when you said, “Just started working with Fiverr.” Thanks for clarifying.
Fun fact: I actually worked as a seller in my first couple years in self publishing. I used the earnings to pay for gigs like book covers.
Epic video man and loved the breakdown. Awesomem to see the $800 product. I'd definitely say that is worth the product you got.
Heyyyyy! There’s the man. I really should’ve given you credit on this idea. I’m so glad you dig the same cover I do. Marko is a good dude. He seemed happy with the video too.
My vote is Agneselena. I was attracted to the clean design.
That's awesome! I'm in talks with her to bring her to the channel. I want to showcase her in an interview and talk about her experience as a new seller on Fiverr. It's going to be fun to see her career blossom over the next year. I found a diamond in the rough. That's not easy to do.
Oh my god that's some great covers and after seeing the pro cover I was just stunned very valuable video Dale you nailed it. Next time I know whom to choose for good covers
saketh Kumar thanks so much for the kudos. Which cover did you like best?
@@DaleLRoberts I go for pro but the 30$ cover is quite a thing for such small money.
@@sakethkumar8638 Yes! Agneslena did amazing work for the cost. Even at the increased $40, it's still a steal!
I like the first one and the orange one with the computer. They look the best and they are the least expensive.
None of them were bad. I enjoyed this little experiment. Thanks for watching and commenting!
It would have been interesting to judge the covers without knowing the price/artist. Bias starts to creep in when we're privy to information irrelevant to the pure aesthetic of the design.
Haha great minds think alike. Sadly, we had to make a hard decision. Most people who follow me would tolerate guessing the price point of each. But, random viewers would be less forgiving. We studied dozens of videos with a similar format and had to pull the trigger at zero hour to reveal the price tag.
We both felt it would’ve been a great way to encourage a ton of engagement. But, our biggest fear was ticking off new viewers.
800 DOLLARS? Damn, you can get a 20k to 25k word book with that on ghost writing companies.
Yes, it's pricy, but worth it if you have the cash and know how to make a book sell.
I have been waffling between using a Fiverr gig or finding someone on social to do a cover. This video is really helping me make a more informed choice. Thanks again Dale^^
Glad it helped! What cover did you like best?
@@DaleLRoberts I really liked Mark and Angie's. Mark takes the edge as it looks like it would stand out in a bookstore, but they were both amazing.
Boring Story Things Kelli was with you on Angie’s cover. She wasn’t vining with Marko’s cover as much. For the price, Angie delivers in spades! But Marko also has that down too. I was admittedly torn.
I’ve been waiting for this video excited to see what is most worth it
Hope you enjoyed it! What cover did you like best? And how would you organize the best to least?
I can understand why the last guy commands the price he does, however, the first one was absolutely my favorite and that would have made it a bit for me
Thanks for weighing in!
Been a Graphic Designer for over 20 years.... You get what you pay for.
Yes, in most cases that is true, but not all of them. Value fluctuates.
Totally worth, great video!
Glad you enjoyed it! Which cover did you like best?
And, by the way, thanks for being a subscriber for the past 3 months. That means the world to me.
@@DaleLRoberts My assessment: that first woman was _soo_ good, for that low price. However, the pro was in a class of his own. Thx u2 for being positive, it means a lot.
Loffy yeah, that’s a crazy low price for the quality she provided. I’m looking forward to seeing her growth on the Fiverr platform.
Amazing. How did you get the pictures. Did you take a picture with the book or did he impose it in
It's all done through my video editor. He uses Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects.
The first one is eye-catching and has a simple but effective elegance in its design. And at the other end of the scale, the $800 cover is superb.
PS, any recommendations out there for a sci-fi cover designer?
That’s so funny, quite a few people feel the same way. I feel like I found a diamond in the rough with Agneslena. She was great to work with. And I’ll be working with Marko again.
Darren Powis and I can to recommend OlivaProDesign enough for sci-fi. Do not cheap out and order her cheapest gig. Go all the way and message her ahead with your needs. She did the cover of a few viewers here and the work is stellar. Just come with a semi-decent idea of what you want.
Find Olivia at DaleLinks.com/OliviaProDesign.
Thanks, Dale.
Darren Powis hey, I’m always happy to help. Hey, by the way, someone commented about your book in that older unboxing video on the channel here. They wanted your contact info, so I sent them to our FB group.
I loved the first cover design. Hands down, better than any of the rest (not even taking into account the price - I would have paid the most for that one) but the back cover of the last one is great
Thanks for your insights!
I have seen the light!
Book covers really make a difference.
But...
My book cover doesn't look the same on the Amazon search page, on its own book page, in the original picture and in the print form.
It's enough to drive me crazy!
My book cover also looks different when it's a sponsored link... it looks more blurry.
I don't know what to tell you unless I saw what you were dealing with. join our Discord community and maybe we can all troubleshoot with you. Link in the video description.
I have published print advertising for two decades. Always be very specific on what you want with a graphic designer. Otherwise, most likely it's Forrest Gump and the chocolate box theory! "You never know what you are going to get." I have worked with some wonderful graphic designers. And some that wear space helmets because they are in orbit.
Great insights, James. Thanks for your comment.
Fantastic! Marco was off the chain! Angie would be my 2nd!
JosephMartin nice! See, great minds think alike! 😎🔥💪
Thanks for a great video Dale. I would have picked the cover from Marko... also love the Social media add-ons :-)
Excellent choice! I have since ordered more covers from Marko. He’s a good seller. Stay tuned, I have another video like this one coming out where I ordered 10 gigs this time.
@@DaleLRoberts GREAT... looking forward to see that video.
Just a little extra question... What video editing program do you use?
Love the flow in your videos...
@@ThomasThrowin my video editor uses Adobe Premier Pro and After Effects.
@@DaleLRoberts THANKS
Right on. 😀👏👍
wow! wow!! wow!!! I am really impressed after looking this video. I am a learner for book cover design. Thank you sir.
So nice of you! We've got more videos coming out this month where I'll be trying more services with Fiverr. Stay tuned!
The first cover was great! (To me,) the last one was too wordy on the back cover. But you go with what makes you happy. :)
Thanks for your input! I appreciate your comment.
The one that catches my eye the most is
ProEbookcover’s. If I’m spelling it right! But they all are good really!
Yeah, Angie delivers consistent work. You can't go wrong with pro_ebookcovers. Thanks so much for weighing in. And, I appreciate you being a subscriber here for the past 10 months!
Self-Publishing with Dale Sorry I just saw this! Glad to be here! I’ve learned so much!
@@TimBurVlogs haha don’t sweat it. UA-cam doesn’t do the best job in notifying. I miss a LOT of comments.
When I looked for cover designers for my fantasy novels, the first one that was introduced to me did absolutely nothing I have requested of him. Good thing i haven't paid a single cent. In the end I had to look for myself and found one who did the first two covers for my books. He was the cheapest one I found that had an art style I like. 400USD. However, he was great to work with and kept you up-to date about the progress so that anything I didn't like, could be fixed before he finalized the cover. And now since my book is on tour, many people comment how great the covers look.
Thanks for sharing! What cover did you like best in the video?
@@DaleLRoberts the ones that stuck out to me more were the first one (30$ I think it was) and the one with the orange cover.
Oh nice. The two cheapest gigs. You’re a man after my heart 🤣 Great choices.
@@DaleLRoberts glad i could help you find a cheaper one. wish my covers would have costed that much but well, the art is great.
i still get comments about the covers as my tour keeps going but no increase in sales. damn.
I'm sure you'll eventually gain traction as you build a deeper backlog of books.
Awesome. I like them all first I think is what I liked but the Last one was the most value
Good choice! So many people are torn between the first and the last. I promise, I didn't frame the video that way. It just seemed like a natural progression to go from the new seller to the Fiverr Pro. I'll be in another a few years, that new seller (Agneslena) will be a top rated level 2 seller. She's got so much potential and a lot of folks are really digging her work.
I already know what I want my cover to be and have created a generic example. Do you suggest Fiverr still or is there another site you recommend?
Absolutely, and I recommend all of the designers from this video.
thanks, this was great and I liked your video and subscribed to your chanel
can you please make a video on book cover design mistakes
Thanks so much and welcome aboard. Here's a video that might interest you:
ua-cam.com/video/30FGCfhoJbI/v-deo.html
Do you have a template you use for filling out the details. How do you know what to say to designer to give as much detail about your vision for the cover. I’ve hired for a cover several times and they always ask for an example. Usually I’m given something that looks slightly different than the example which came from Amazon. So that would be copying. Then after a revision it’s just down hill from there even for several attempts.
You know, I need to do a video specifically covering cover design briefs. Stay tuned, because I'll see what I can do. Generally though, I recommend sending at least three cover designs as an example and make sure you explicitly state you are NOT looking to lift the design. You just want to model that and create something new based on the overall feel, layout, and graphics.
NGL, it can be tough to find that one good designer you gel perfectly with. Once you find them, don't let them go! haha
@@DaleLRoberts Thank you for your response.
I’m dealing with covers now. How different do the book versions need to be to upload with a different cover?
You'll have to ask the platform's support to where you're uploading.
I don't use Fiverr anymore. I've researched many editors and graphic designers but wasn't happy with their work. During my search I found Deranged Doctor Design. This January they're designing my thriller cover. They also do other genres.
Awesome 👍
The Pro backcover was the best. The front cover, I can see it getting attention. I believe you'll make the most sales with that. Not sure it's $800 good, but it was good. On the cheaper side, Angie's was better. Did not like the backcover part of it though. Wasn't a fan of the rest. The key and magnifying glass was imaginative, but the color schemes they used... I just found them dull.
Excellent! I love hearing feedback from other people. And, I totally agree with you about Angie. She does GREAT work.
Nice experiment! The covers are among the most important aspects. But it doesn't end there! Dale, do you suggest to pay a proofreader and a paperback formatter or you do it yourself??
Absolutely! If you have the discretionary expense, hire a professional formatter. For my book (the one referenced in the video), I had Kotobee handle the ebook interior and Archangel Ink handle the print interior. For proofreaders, it's a good idea, especially if you don't have a beta reading team.
@@DaleLRoberts you're the best, thanks :)
Giuseppe MF Donatone thanks for the kind words. Stay tuned for more just like this.
Thanks for sharing. The cover that I like was agneslena.
Good choice! It seems like quite a few people are really liking Agnes. She's a gem and has even commented to me about how blown away she is by the video showcase.
@@DaleLRoberts I guess she's right, I'm looking at her profile right now. I'm her next customer. Thanks
Jan's Selection I’m sure she’ll love to hear that. Make sure you name drop me. And wait till you see her notes. I’ve never seen someone so meticulous with their notes.
General note before critiquing the actual examples: The title and front cover copy provided are maybe not specific (from a consumer perspective) enough if I was scrolling by online or in a store, but might work for me if I was specifically looking for that kind of book, depending on the competition available.
Agneslena: Simple, clean, maybe too much space. But for the price, I would be really happy with that. It would certainly catch my eye. I also like the solid-color back (I can't really tell a gradient in the video).
Agnesam: What I like about this one is that it's forward-thinking. The color choice and inclusion of "Book 1" at the top immediately suggest to me that this could be part 1 of a series, with each book having the same design in different colors. Really clean. Maybe a little too generic or corporate-looking for my own tastes. The back cover is a little less compelling than the front, all things being equal.
Hubspot_pro: The blue and yellow option looks like an author's inspiration mock-up to Agneslena's final design. The blue-on-blue cover doesn't do anything for me. I might be willing to pay that rate for that product, but I probably wouldn't be a returning customer, certainly if there was a communication breakdown. And with clearly superior options for even less, definitely not the best choice for anyone.
Pro_ebookcovers: It's eye-catching, and I generally like the colors, but I'm not big on the graphics. It's too generic and busy for my taste. I also don't really like how the blue bars hit the spine and don't wrap symmetrically (obviously, they wouldn't have to wrap around, but seeing it laid out like that brings all my attention to the blank spine first and that the blue bars are all different sizes second).
Marmarko78: Very well-composed. I like the way the orange wraps around. It's detailed without being too busy and distracting. The variety of social media assets is huge. Unless my marketing budget was substantial, I probably wouldn't consider spending that, but that's not to suggest it's not worth the price tag. Seeing all that certainly opens that possibility for me. Definitely a heavy-hitter and hard to resist.
My ranking:
1. Agnesam - for the price, really hard to beat, especially for that type of book and if I have the series planned out. I'd maybe request a few tweaks. Ultimately, price is the driving factor for this victory. I also like that this first book uses the channel colors, and I think that the light blue looks better than the darker blue covers.
2. Marmarko78 - definitely forces me to consider spending the money. Awesome work and exciting assets. Would make me excited to promote my book. Super close second, with the price being the only obstacle.
3. Pro_ebookcovers - probably really a tie with Agneslena, this is a little better composed and is more eye-catching, which would probably be the most important factor for me in marketing a book like this. The difference between $30-40 and $70-75 is insignificant enough for me to allow this to take third. If I was strapped for cash to the point that I couldn't afford this cover, I would probably just take a day or two and design it myself.
4. Agneslena - a little too simple, but more than attractive enough for a mere $30-40
5. Hubspot_pro - these designs aren't as off-putting in retrospect as I thought upon first viewing, but they also do nothing for me. If I can get Agneslena's design, which is cute and has a bit of character, for half the price, or the Pro-ebookcovers' eye-popping cover in the same price range, I would probably not choose this design, especially if it took the amount of back-and-forth it took you to get it there.
At the end of the day, I would probably be satisfied with any of these for the price, since in a real scenario I wouldn't know exactly what I'd be getting beforehand and I wouldn't be able to compare the options like this. Like, you, I think within the context of this comparison, I'm disappointed by Hubspot_pro. While it looks intentional, it does feel slightly unfinished, at least if we consider it professional work.
Luke, you get the banana sticker for the day! This is, by far, my favorite most detailed comment. It REALLY helps me dial in my next list of requests for future books. And, as you know by the series number, there's more on the way! Well done and thanks so much for the deep thinking.
@@DaleLRoberts yay! I always enjoy your content and how thoroughly you explain aspects of the self-publishing process
Luke Carr this makes my day reading this. You’ve always been good to me, Luke. I appreciate that.
@@DaleLRoberts you were good to me first!
Luke Carr Aw, man. That’s just what I do. See the good in people!
I am currently experiencing frustration, again, with Fiverr.com! I used to use one guy who produced reasonable covers - until the last time that I used him, for quite a simple design. He took longer than usual, before producing something that looked as if he'd dashed it off in about 5 minutes. I requested a revision, but it was no better (I ended up making my own cover). This week, I wanted to revise another book cover, with just a couple of basic amendments, and I picked a guy who had excellent feedback. Three days after the due delivery date, I still don't have a paperback cover that I can really use. The front is fine... but, for some strange reason, no matter how much I explain it, the back looks terrible! I have even done a mock-up on Amazon cover creator, using the ebook cover, showing how the layout of the blurb on the back needs to look (not all bunched up in the top half of the page)... and I am still waiting. My own effort isn't always good enough, hence me paying someone to do it for me. And this is certainly not the first time that this kind of thing has happened. It steals so much time and energy, and results in lost sales. There are two potential answers: learn how to do it properly and consistently myself, or, pay a much higher price (though, in my experience, even that hasn't always been a guarantee of a good quality service). It is such a hit-and-miss experience. I will, in future, try one of your recommendations. Sorry, rant over!
Rant justified! I’ve had some doozies before and tend to just remember to NEVER go back to them. I hope these recommendations help. I have a handful of other sellers I’d recommend, but maybe I’ll save that for another video.
I do have a video of one seller I love using and she’s actually cheaper than these gigs. It’ll be a video about buying 13 covers and reviving dead titles. Stay tuned for that over the next week or two.
What I want to know is what program(s) they all use to make these. Just PhotoShop? No PhotoShop at all? I want to learn more about making covers.
Photoshop is the industry standard, but there are other programs like Affinity Photo and GIMP. There are also in-browser options like PhotoPea.
@@DaleLRoberts neat. I have been wanting to find something to replace Photoshop for a long time. Ever since Adobe absolutely destroyed any trust I had in them and stole money. I use Autodesk Sketchbook Pro mostly.
What I've learned after 16yrs as a branding/marketing/graphic design lead...quality is subjective.
Very true. Scroll through the comments and you’ll see proof of that.
@@DaleLRoberts Quick reply on a 3 month old video. Love the hustle, gratitude, and humbleness you display bro. Good stuff
Aw, shucks. I just put my pants on one leg at a time and am grateful for every last viewer and comment.
The last one is Awesome! The first one is cute.. I like it!
It’s so funny how quite a few people feel that way. It’s the one extreme or the other in pricing. Who would’ve thought?
Thanks so much for weighing in.
Self-Publishing with Dale just shows. I am impulsive hahahaha
That's alright! Always go with your instincts.
I mean you definitely get your money's worth when you spent $800, I mean if I spent that much and got what you got, I'd go with that cover and additional assets because that was top level! Realistically though I think the first one was the best bang for your buck, if you don't have a lot of money to spend $30 for what you got was great! It was IMO the second best cover - obviously I like the $800 best but realistically i'd go with the first one because they were creative with the cover seemed like quality service and only $30!
You got my point exactly!
The $800 cover is NICE, but it's definitely not a requirement for success! The $30 cover will suffice!
$800 into your bottom line is A LOT. If your'e not established and already seeing moderater success as an author, I wouldn't even recommend it!
@@DaleLRoberts it's a great point and i think gives many aspiring authors piece of mind that they have other choices besides either going bankrupt trying to get a nice cover that sells books or creating an unprofessional home brewed cover.
I love and use Angie!!!
Lisa Washington nice! Angie is a great and reliable designer.
A couple of them were kind of busy. I like the simplicity better of I think the first and third
Thanks for watching and weighing in. 😀👏👍
The first and the last one were the best
Wow! This speaks volumes! I notice a lot of comments mention the first and the last as being the best. Isn't it interesting how those are the most expensive and the least expensive?
@@DaleLRoberts Yes, somethings don't have any explanations ..i guess😅
Samarth Behl it’s nuts! Scroll through the comments. You’ll see it’s been pouring in for the first and last cover. 🤷♂️🤣
What is the difference between audiobook, ebook cover etc.
Just the size?
Correct. Audiobook covers should be square whereas the ebook and print book covers are rectangular.
@@DaleLRoberts have you ever thought to collaborate with someone on a book?
No.
Agnes Celina and Angie I would go with. exceptional value
Yes, they were all a great value. Thanks for taking the time to comment, Ron.
Angie's back cover could do with a darker font? Yellow against orange is a bit of a blinder...
Agreed. Thanks for weighing in.
Really tough choice the $30 is great value but the $800 my favourite, Marco’s SoMe assets did it for me I need a cover designer and they are both now on my list 👍
Yeah, and Marco throws in some extras I didn't expect. If you've got a flagship book, he's worth the money.
@@DaleLRoberts can’t wait I’m still hurt from
Being scammed by a co in the UK to edit snd proof etc Rookie error credit card company is processing my claim for my money back then it’s Marco is Go! Can you recommend a copy editor and proof reader? 🤷♂️ cheers Phil
@@woodfordp it just so happens I had another video of some people I used:
ua-cam.com/video/x7M9DlFkXUo/v-deo.html
I like Marco design🤩
Me too.
I am learning and trying to do this all right. So if you are kdp select, you can still use lulu and such to get hard back books?
BirdDog181 KDP Select is only for ebooks and doesn’t affect print or audio books.
@@DaleLRoberts ooohh ok. I am still learning. Found your youtube and have been watching what I can when I can. I thought you did audiobooks and ebooks with kdp and could do paperback with it as well
BirdDog181 you can do ebooks and print books with KDP. Audiobooks are elsewhere.
@@DaleLRoberts thank you for your time and knowledge. I will do more digging. Again I thank you
Right on! Glad to help. I have a couple videos about KDP Select if you need a better idea. Browse around, you’ll most likely find an answer to most of your questions.