How Bang On Books Makes Your Child the Hero in Custom Adventure Stories

Background & Origin

Simon and Hannah founded Bang On Books in late 2018 after testing a personalized story idea for university finals. They created The Golden Key and Unicorn Oo as the first titles, then launched with Santa Socks for the holiday season. From day one they handled writing, illustration, printing, binding, and shipping each book from their UK studio.

Customizing Your Book

Parents start by selecting a story on the site. Next, they upload a child’s photo into a “Magic Mirror” widget, pick a lead character, and type in a name plus a dedication. A custom API merges these details with Simon’s hand-drawn art to generate a ready-to-print file. That file heads straight into production, creating a truly one-of-a-kind keepsake.

Web Experience & Performance

An agency-built store left slow page loads and confusing templates. In January 2019, web developer Jonathan Young stepped in, cleaned up the WooCommerce templates, and optimized site speed. He used WordPress hooks to integrate the book generator directly into the checkout, trimmed down scripts, and smoothed the user flow so parents can complete orders on mobile or desktop without headaches.

Order Fulfillment

Stripe handles payments in multiple currencies, while Royal Mail and DHL cover shipping across Europe and beyond. Once an order finishes the “Magic Mirror” step, it triggers a print request. Simon and Hannah pack each soft-touch laminated book by hand, then ship it with tracking to customers from Australia to Canada.

Marketing Strategy

The team leans on Facebook and Instagram ads to reach parents and relatives. Free copies go to bloggers in exchange for honest reviews and unboxing posts. An affiliate program offers commissions on referrals. These channels fuel steady traffic and positive social proof—dozens of five-star reviews show up daily.

Future Plans

The team plans to release at least two new stories each year, introduce more character options, and explore added features like birth announcements and holiday cards. They are testing a loyalty reward system, hoping to encourage repeat purchases. By refining their custom plugin, they expect to cut turnaround time and support higher order volumes.

Lessons Learned

Bang On Books shows that a tight focus on user experience and product quality can win in a niche market. Their advice: find a developer partner who teaches you, own your platform, and plan fulfillment before scaling marketing spend. With clear processes and a simple checkout, they continue adding new titles and customization features for young readers worldwide.