Your author website is the hub of your online identity. It’s the first place curious visitors will check to learn more about you and your writing. Are you sure your author website will make a good impression on literary agents, editors, and—of course—readers?
Signs Your Author Website Will make A Good First Impression: Insider Tips From Web Design Relief
Your call to action is clear. Your site turns idle browsers into connected, focused buyers by pointing visitors very clearly toward something they can do—a specific action they can take—now that they’re on your website. Often, authors like to direct visitors to sign up for their mailing list (a freebie is a great way to encourage visitors to share their email addresses). Other authors prefer to focus their website’s call to action on encouraging visitors to buy a book. Whatever your “call,” use your author website to funnel guests toward the first action you hope they’ll take.
Your website design supports your author brand. Moody and mysterious? Comedic and lively? Introspective and literary? Your author website will make the right impression on readers when you use colors, fonts, and images that echo the tones and themes of your writing.
Your headshot is a great representation of you. Your author headshot is not just an image of your face; it’s an excellent opportunity to reveal who you are without saying a word. Learn more about how to create a great author headshot on a budget . Then, pair your headshot with a “dear reader” letter or an intriguing author bio for maximum impact.
Your website tells your personal story. Smart marketers (and smart writers) know that story is one of the most compelling elements of making a sale. Your personal story—the story of how you became you—can help you connect with other people (people who also happen to be literary agents, editors, and lovers of the written word).
Your social media is integrated into your author website. Your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads feeds are woven into your author website in multiple ways, giving your readers the opportunity to connect with you via live updates. You can use static icons to direct people to your social media pages, or you can incorporate your status updates and posts directly into your website. Here are some tips from our designers about how to integrate your social media profiles into your author website.
Your website functions properly. Broken images, out-of-date text, and typos can send the wrong message to visitors. Even well-constructed websites can “break” due to server, hosting, or technology changes. Smart writers regularly check in on their author websites to make sure that everything looks okay and to avoid the mistakes that “bounce” readers fast .
Your visitors can easily contact you. Your website is more than just a digital poster; it’s a way for readers to reach out and interact with you. Learn about the contact form safety protocols that will protect you, your website, and your fans.
Remember: You Don’t Have To Spend A Fortune To Create An Impressive Website
It may be human nature to think that investing a lot of money into a project is the “best” way to go about it. But how much money you spend will not predict the success of your author website. Instead, it’s important to be sure that you’re working with a Web design company that specifically understands the needs of writers and the etiquette of the publishing industry—expertise is priceless.
Learn more about how to create an author website that fits your budget.
Question: What element of an author website is most important to you?
Thank you. I found this article very helpful and affirming. Since I’m new at this I find that there is still so much more for me to learn.