Author website must-haves<\/h2>\nBy Pauline Wiles<\/strong><\/h3>\nAs a writer, you might presume that creating your website should be easy.<\/p>\n
In fact, finding the perfect words for your online home can often be challenging. Moreover, design decisions and technology choices can be downright overwhelming.<\/p>\n
It doesn’t have to be hard, though, especially if you start slowly. It’s all about knowing what you can and can’t live without in an author website.<\/p>\n
![\"author](\"https:\/\/buildbookbuzz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/author-website-must-haves.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\n7 key elements<\/h2>\n
Here are seven author website essentials.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n1. Clean design<\/strong><\/h3>\nModern websites are lean and clutter-free. I can generally spot an older site solely from extraneous information clamoring for my attention. Keep your words concise. Limit decorative elements, choosing \u201cwhite space\u201d instead.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re sprucing up your current site, your sidebar and footer are prime areas for purging clutter.<\/p>\n
With website traffic coming increasingly through mobile devices, clean design is vital. And don\u2019t forget to make sure your site looks great on a phone.<\/p>\n
2. Book information<\/strong><\/h3>\nAs a rule of thumb, the more books you\u2019ve published, the less information your website needs for each title.<\/p>\n
For your debut release, you\u2019ll be proud and excited. With only one book to showcase, you might feature:<\/p>\n
\n- A description<\/li>\n
- Reviews<\/li>\n
- Several \u201cbuy\u201d links<\/li>\n
- ISBN number<\/li>\n
- Book club questions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
However, if you have, say, eight books in the same genre, prune this to each book\u2019s:<\/p>\n
\n- Title<\/li>\n
- Cover<\/li>\n
- Single purchase link<\/li>\n
- One-sentence teaser<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Recommend a reading order for your books if appropriate, but don\u2019t overload fans with details.<\/p>\n
3. Clear calls to action<\/strong><\/h3>\nDon\u2019t give your audience a dozen options. A highly effective website prioritizes the ideal single next step that you\u2019d like your visitor to take. That\u2019s your \u201ccall to action.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition, research shows that visitors are more likely to see and click on buttons, versus underlined text links. So, pick a clear \u201ccall to action\u201d for each page, and create a button in an eye-catching color.<\/p>\n
Calls to action include buying your book or subscribing to email updates.<\/p>\n
4. High-quality author photo<\/strong><\/h3>\nUnless you\u2019re desperate to retain privacy, you\u2019ll form a closer reader relationship if you show your face on your website.<\/p>\n
Just as you wouldn\u2019t attend a party without sprucing up, your author photo should reveal you at your best. Use one that\u2019s recent and good quality. Don\u2019t use a hasty selfie, or a poorly cropped picture.<\/p>\n
A professional author photo<\/a> truly is a worthwhile expense.<\/p>\n5. Recent content<\/strong><\/h3>\nIf you care about your readers, demonstrate it by keeping the content on your website fresh. This doesn\u2019t mean you must publish weekly articles (see below), but check that your copyright year is current and \u201cnews\u201d is still applicable.<\/p>\n
Remove dead social media links.<\/p>\n
If I see a Google+ link on a website, I know it probably shelters other cobwebs, too.<\/p>\n
6. Mailing list invitation<\/strong><\/h3>\nIf you don\u2019t yet have an author website, I encourage you to publish a few simple pages initially, without getting bogged down in extras. Setting up a mailing list should follow as soon as you\u2019re able.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re daunted by the idea of a newsletter<\/a>, it\u2019s fine to gather email addresses before you plan to send regular updates. At a minimum, you\u2019ll have permission to notify readers of your next release.<\/p>\nOnce you have a mechanism for collecting emails, you must also publish a privacy policy that states how you\u2019ll handle that information.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll need to offer something to encourage site visitors to provide their email address. This \u201clead magnet<\/a>\u201d can be a free sample of your work or another reader resource.<\/p>\nBut don\u2019t let a lack of this type of gift prevent you from setting up your list. If necessary, it can come later.<\/p>\n
7. Contact information<\/strong><\/h3>\nMany authors favor a contact form, but a simple email address on your website is adequate.<\/p>\n
Journalists typically prefer this more direct method, and if you hope to be interviewed on current topics, you should consider including your phone number, too.<\/p>\n
If you do opt for a form, check it regularly to make sure it still works.<\/p>\n
A few author website non-essentials<\/h2>\n
You have limited time and energy for your marketing efforts. Especially at first, you can get away without these:<\/p>\n
\n- Press\/media kit:<\/strong> Unless you\u2019re pitching to mainstream outlets, emailing relevant information will suffice.<\/li>\n
- Long bio:<\/strong> Today\u2019s website visitors typically scan your content, so a few engaging sentences are better than reams of text.<\/li>\n
- Blog:<\/strong> Especially if your site is new, or if you\u2019re not seeing results from blogging, focus instead on submitting guest articles to other sites<\/a> with complementary audiences.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Aim for simplicity<\/h2>\n
The most effective author websites are constructed deliberately and thoughtfully.<\/p>\n
Rather than treat your website as a repository of all your writerly interests, aim instead for strictly curated pages.<\/p>\n
Whether you already have an author website or are starting from scratch, the best philosophy is less is more. <\/em>By keeping it simple, your website is easier to construct, and to maintain. And, you\u2019ll minimize typos and broken links while increasing the likelihood that your visitor will take action.<\/p>\nNot only will you make it easier on yourself, but clear, concise content is the ultimate compliment to your reader.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s your biggest frustration with your author website? Please tell us in a comment. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"author](\"https:\/\/buildbookbuzz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/PaulineWiles_square-300x300.jpg\")
<\/a>Interestingly enough, I “met” today\u2019s guest blogger, Pauline Wiles, when she commented on one of the blog posts here. In her comment, Pauline included a link to an article on her own site that I found helpful, so I asked her to share some of her wisdom in a guest post for us. Pauline creates simple, stylish websites for writers and authors. Learn more and get your free website starter kit on her site at https:\/\/www.paulinewiles.com\/<\/a> .<\/em><\/p>\nAuthor website must-haves<\/h2>\nBy Pauline Wiles<\/strong><\/h3>\nAs a writer, you might presume that creating your website should be easy.<\/p>\n
In fact, finding the perfect words for your online home can often be challenging. Moreover, design decisions and technology choices can be downright overwhelming.<\/p>\n
It doesn’t have to be hard, though, especially if you start slowly. It’s all about knowing what you can and can’t live without in an author website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":19654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49,11,12],"tags":[826,294,1232,37,1233,1234],"class_list":["post-13193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guest-columns","category-tactics","category-tools","tag-author-photo","tag-author-website","tag-author-website-design","tag-guest-blogging","tag-pauline-wiles","tag-website-elements"],"yoast_head":"\n
Author website must-haves - Build Book Buzz<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Whether you're starting from scratch or updating your author website, let a pro's 7 must-have elements plus 3 nice-to-have components guide you.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sandra.oddjar.com\/author-website-must-haves\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Author website must-haves - Build Book Buzz\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Whether you're starting from scratch or updating your author website, let a pro's 7 must-have elements plus 3 nice-to-have components guide you.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sandra.oddjar.com\/author-website-must-haves\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Build Book 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As a writer, you might presume that creating your website should be easy.<\/p>\n
In fact, finding the perfect words for your online home can often be challenging. Moreover, design decisions and technology choices can be downright overwhelming.<\/p>\n
It doesn’t have to be hard, though, especially if you start slowly. It’s all about knowing what you can and can’t live without in an author website.<\/p>\n
Here are seven author website essentials.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Modern websites are lean and clutter-free. I can generally spot an older site solely from extraneous information clamoring for my attention. Keep your words concise. Limit decorative elements, choosing \u201cwhite space\u201d instead.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re sprucing up your current site, your sidebar and footer are prime areas for purging clutter.<\/p>\n With website traffic coming increasingly through mobile devices, clean design is vital. And don\u2019t forget to make sure your site looks great on a phone.<\/p>\n As a rule of thumb, the more books you\u2019ve published, the less information your website needs for each title.<\/p>\n For your debut release, you\u2019ll be proud and excited. With only one book to showcase, you might feature:<\/p>\n However, if you have, say, eight books in the same genre, prune this to each book\u2019s:<\/p>\n Recommend a reading order for your books if appropriate, but don\u2019t overload fans with details.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t give your audience a dozen options. A highly effective website prioritizes the ideal single next step that you\u2019d like your visitor to take. That\u2019s your \u201ccall to action.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition, research shows that visitors are more likely to see and click on buttons, versus underlined text links. So, pick a clear \u201ccall to action\u201d for each page, and create a button in an eye-catching color.<\/p>\n Calls to action include buying your book or subscribing to email updates.<\/p>\n Unless you\u2019re desperate to retain privacy, you\u2019ll form a closer reader relationship if you show your face on your website.<\/p>\n Just as you wouldn\u2019t attend a party without sprucing up, your author photo should reveal you at your best. Use one that\u2019s recent and good quality. Don\u2019t use a hasty selfie, or a poorly cropped picture.<\/p>\n A professional author photo<\/a> truly is a worthwhile expense.<\/p>\n If you care about your readers, demonstrate it by keeping the content on your website fresh. This doesn\u2019t mean you must publish weekly articles (see below), but check that your copyright year is current and \u201cnews\u201d is still applicable.<\/p>\n Remove dead social media links.<\/p>\n If I see a Google+ link on a website, I know it probably shelters other cobwebs, too.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t yet have an author website, I encourage you to publish a few simple pages initially, without getting bogged down in extras. Setting up a mailing list should follow as soon as you\u2019re able.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re daunted by the idea of a newsletter<\/a>, it\u2019s fine to gather email addresses before you plan to send regular updates. At a minimum, you\u2019ll have permission to notify readers of your next release.<\/p>\n Once you have a mechanism for collecting emails, you must also publish a privacy policy that states how you\u2019ll handle that information.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll need to offer something to encourage site visitors to provide their email address. This \u201clead magnet<\/a>\u201d can be a free sample of your work or another reader resource.<\/p>\n But don\u2019t let a lack of this type of gift prevent you from setting up your list. If necessary, it can come later.<\/p>\n Many authors favor a contact form, but a simple email address on your website is adequate.<\/p>\n Journalists typically prefer this more direct method, and if you hope to be interviewed on current topics, you should consider including your phone number, too.<\/p>\n If you do opt for a form, check it regularly to make sure it still works.<\/p>\n You have limited time and energy for your marketing efforts. Especially at first, you can get away without these:<\/p>\n The most effective author websites are constructed deliberately and thoughtfully.<\/p>\n Rather than treat your website as a repository of all your writerly interests, aim instead for strictly curated pages.<\/p>\n Whether you already have an author website or are starting from scratch, the best philosophy is less is more. <\/em>By keeping it simple, your website is easier to construct, and to maintain. And, you\u2019ll minimize typos and broken links while increasing the likelihood that your visitor will take action.<\/p>\n Not only will you make it easier on yourself, but clear, concise content is the ultimate compliment to your reader.<\/p>\n What\u2019s your biggest frustration with your author website? Please tell us in a comment. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As a writer, you might presume that creating your website should be easy.<\/p>\n In fact, finding the perfect words for your online home can often be challenging. Moreover, design decisions and technology choices can be downright overwhelming.<\/p>\n It doesn’t have to be hard, though, especially if you start slowly. It’s all about knowing what you can and can’t live without in an author website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":19654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49,11,12],"tags":[826,294,1232,37,1233,1234],"class_list":["post-13193","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guest-columns","category-tactics","category-tools","tag-author-photo","tag-author-website","tag-author-website-design","tag-guest-blogging","tag-pauline-wiles","tag-website-elements"],"yoast_head":"\n<\/a><\/p>\n7 key elements<\/h2>\n
1. Clean design<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Book information<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
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3. Clear calls to action<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. High-quality author photo<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. Recent content<\/strong><\/h3>\n
6. Mailing list invitation<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. Contact information<\/strong><\/h3>\n
A few author website non-essentials<\/h2>\n
\n
Aim for simplicity<\/h2>\n
<\/a>Interestingly enough, I “met” today\u2019s guest blogger, Pauline Wiles, when she commented on one of the blog posts here. In her comment, Pauline included a link to an article on her own site that I found helpful, so I asked her to share some of her wisdom in a guest post for us. Pauline creates simple, stylish websites for writers and authors. Learn more and get your free website starter kit on her site at https:\/\/www.paulinewiles.com\/<\/a> .<\/em><\/p>\nAuthor website must-haves<\/h2>\n
By Pauline Wiles<\/strong><\/h3>\n