Writing any sort of book is a huge undertaking.
You’ve spent months laboring over the text, and your great hope once it’s published is that it will be a commercial success. Whether or not you have a large publishing house to promote your work, every author can help to write their own success story.
One of the most effective strategies is to create an author website. Think of it as a place to connect with the wider world. It gives readers a place to go to discover your books and helps to boost your own brand as an author. In a sense, it’s your own piece of internet real estate.
In this post, we’re discussing why authors should create their own website, best practices to follow, what to include on the website, and how to use it specifically to market your next work.
Why set up an author website?
Why should authors take the time and investment to set up their own website? It’s a common question, especially as there are so many potential channels for marketing yourself as an author.
Here are some good reasons to go ahead with an author website:
It’s your own domain
You might ask, why shouldn’t I just use my social media accounts for promotion? That’s a reasonable question, especially if you have a decent audience on social media. One important reason to have a website is that you own the “real estate.”
Social media channels are at the whim of the companies that own them. They own the platform, content, and audience. If your most popular social channel was shut down overnight, you’d be left to find other ways to connect with readers. A website allows you to build an “owned audience” that you can communicate with at any time.
There is definitely value in having those social channels too, but having your own website means you create the rules for your content. The social media giants change up their algorithms and increasingly push a “pay to play” environment, meaning audience reach often dwindles. Your website doesn’t face these hurdles. You can take control over optimizing your website so that it remains effective.
A website provides you with a professional presence
Writing is a challenging profession, especially if you’re in the early days and trying to make a name for yourself. You need to show editors, literary agents, and publishers that you’re a great fit and that you’re serious about being successful as a writer.
In this sense, a good website can help you to stand out from the thousands of queries that come across editor and agent desks each month. A strong website shows you’re making every effort and that you’re up-to-date with technology. It shows you’ve got an online identity, which is often an expectation of publishers.
An author’s website can help you stand out from thousands of queries received across agents’ desks.
A website keeps readers informed
We touched on the fact that you can build an “owned audience” from your website. This means that you can use your website as a platform to grow your email list, from which you can keep in touch with readers. You can then email your list with news and updates.
Your website also acts as a marketing platform itself. It’s a channel that acts as an authority on you as an author, especially for anyone who may Google you to look for more information.
NYT bestseller, Cassandra Clare, showcases her book series and upcoming titles
An author website gives you creative license
If you focus mostly on social media channels, the way you present yourself is limited by what the platform allows. On the other hand, a website allows you to build a creative profile from scratch. You can share your own “brand” and ideas in any format that you choose on your site.
What pages should an author website include?
There are many choices when it’s time to build out pages on your website. WordPress.com makes it super simple to add, revise and adjust your site’s layout and aesthetic. You can see how to get started here.
One tip for authors is to ensure that those pages are well-organized. It’s important for the user experience that your website is easy to navigate and provides them with clear information, logical menus, and a pleasing layout. If people are confused by a website, they generally won’t hang around.
Here are some key pages to include:
Home page
The home page is almost always the first page website visitors arrive on. It must create a good first impression. This page should tell them within seconds who you are and what you write. It should reflect your own tone and voice.
Use the home page to announce new books and build anticipation. For example, you might include a “what’s new?” section. The home page is also a good spot to include a form to get people signing up for your email list.
Keep in mind that while your website showcases you as an author, it’s really about your audience. Design the home page to intrigue and excite your book’s target audience.
Author’s biography or “about” page
The author’s website equivalent of an about page is usually the biography. You’ll find this is often one of the most frequently visited pages. Visitors want to know more about you and what motivates or inspires you. Readers want to connect with you as a person, and agents or editors want to know more about how you work.
Include a professional headshot on your bio. Consider breaking your bio into logical sections to make it easy to read. If you have reviews, fellowships, residencies, or awards, make sure you showcase them on this page too.
Books page
Your website should definitely have a “books” page on your menu. You might choose to then have one page for each book, or a page per series, depending on what you write. Your books should each be featured with high-quality cover images and an enticing blurb. Include links for how people can purchase them.
Contact
How can readers or interested editors get in contact with you? This page can include a contact form and links to any social media accounts.
Media
If you’ve got a new book out and hope that word will spread, a media page that includes a press kit can make it easier for any reporter to get accurate information to share. Press kits usually include: bio with contact information, a professional author photo, information about your book (possibly with sample chapters), a press release for your book, and any early reader reviews.
Blog
A blog page is optional but can bring some great benefits. Blogs that are regularly updated help with SEO for your site. They’re also a good way to build a readership and connect with your followers.
As a general rule, only set up a blog if you’re prepared to keep it active. This generally means putting up at least one new post per week. If you don’t have the time to commit, it’s better to not have the blog than to appear like you are inactive.
How do you market your new novel on your website?
Here are some simple but essential steps for marketing your new novel.
#1. Generate excitement
Create anticipation for your new novel on your website. This is the place to share updates in blog posts and/or newsfeeds. Share your synopsis and include a countdown to your launch date. Show readers the cover image and any associated artwork that you may be able to share early.
#2. Get readers to sign up for updates
One marketing strategy that can work well is to build a list of interested readers ahead of launch. You might offer them exclusive early access, for example. Amazon has a feature where readers can order copies in advance so that they receive them on the launch date and you could promote this to your list.
How can you build this highly specific list? Having a landing page for your new novel is a good strategy. This is a page that has one purpose – to generate interest for that particular book. You could then send teasers or exclusive information to those readers. Have a call to action and button on your site that takes readers to your landing page.
#3. Publish sneak peeks
People will often crave more if they get a good taste of your new novel. Your author website can be the perfect platform to share sample chapters to build interest. Keep people invested in knowing what happens next!
#4. Publish advance reviews
Reviews matter to consumers! Studies have repeatedly found that people look to reviews before making purchase decisions, and books are no different. Readers want to know that other people have read and enjoyed your book. Of all the many thousands of book choices they have, they’re looking for good reasons to choose yours.
Showcase advance reviews on your website, along with any press that you get. “Social proof” is important for helping to get people excited to read your new novel.
#5. Run contests
Contests and giveaways are very popular! Use your website in conjunction with your social media channels to run a book giveaway contest for your new novel.
If you build your website on WordPress.com, you can access multiple plugins to help you set up contests on your site. For example:
Final thoughts
Every author, whether aspiring or already published, should set up a website to boost their online presence.
An author website gives you a place that’s entirely “yours” online, where you can have full control over creativity and build your audience. It’s the perfect way to showcase yourself to readers and agents, and carve out your own branding.
Ready to set up your author website? WordPress.com will be there through every step. Check out our tips for building a website from scratch here.
You might also like: 4 About Me Page Examples to Inspire You
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