Author Websites
You should have a website that tells people, at a minimum, what books you’ve published and where to buy them. Your site’s design should look professional and should convey the spirit of your book’s content.
You might also want to tell them a bit about yourself. If you’re writing non-fiction, include a brief bio listing your experience and credentials. If you’re writing fiction, let the reader know what accolades your work has received, including awards and positive reviews.
Dorian Box’s author site is a good example for a thriller writer. The image sets the tone, you see right away what books he’s written and all the awards they’ve won. Below each summary is a purchase link.
Don’t get intimidated by the idea of website. Many author sites, like Stolen Time Press, consist of a single page.
Getting Started
If you want to post a simple website, sites like Squarespace, Wix and Weebly can get you started in minutes.
If you want to build a site that includes a blog or frequently updated news section, consider using WordPress, which includes a huge number of readily-available themes to customize your look and feel, and many proven plugins to add functionality.
Blogger is also a good option for those seeking a simple design process and easily updatable content.
Professional Help
If you want a designer to build your author site for you, check out:
- Reedsy’s List of Web Designers
- The list of web designers recommended by BookLife
- Girl Friday Productions list of services includes designing author websites.
- DartFrog also creates high-quality author websites.
Finding Images
Whether you’re designing your own site or hiring someone else to do it, it’s usually your job to find stock images. You’ll find plenty of free ones on the images resource page.
Getting the Most from Your Website
Almost all successful indie authors will tell you that their most valuable marketing tool is their mailing list. Most of these authors built their lists by offering engaging content on their author site, and by including a list sign-up form. Wordpress and most of the other options listed above include options to set up a subscription signup form.
One of the best ways to build your mailing list is to create giveaways. Offer new subscribers a free copy of one of your older ebooks, or a free copy of a draft of new work, or a chance to enter a raffle for a more valuable prize.
Nichole Bianchi gives a good, practical overview of how to set up a raffle. If you’re giving away free ebooks to anyone who signs up for you list, consider using BookFunnel.