Creating An Author’s Website

Authors, your most important marketing tool is your website. An author website provides essential information to potential and current readers. This information could be about current and upcoming books, contact information, and even details about active promotions. While most authors actively engage in social media, a full-fledged author website essentially completes the web presence of an author. Today, an author can build a website in the current year and have a successful site launch. Fortunately, creating an author website is simpler than you may think.

Why Create An Author Website?

An author website is important for a very good reason. Author websites are essential for long-term author platform development and book promotion, as well as providing critical information, not to only readers, but members of the media. A website also provides a place where authors can keep track of everything they do, without having to answer to other parties, such as those who run social media platforms. So, while it is important to have an active Facebook and Twitter, it is just as important to have a website alongside each one.

A well-created author website accomplishes two things. The best author sites put authors directly in touch with their readers, mainly through providing them the information they may want to see. A good author website also expands the web footprint of an author. People who search for a specific author will be directed to their website instead of other website pages. Visitors essentially get directed right to the source from the start.

Creating An Author Website

A good author website is an investment in the career of an author. Did you know that investment does not only involve money? Investing in the creation of a solid author website is also an investment of time. Today, many website building tools exist to help authors wisely invest their time into creating a website. Without needing to take a full-fledged learning course, any author with little to no coding experience can make their own website. Some of the better platforms offer you ready-made templates so that all you need to do is plug in your information, upload pictures of your book and activities, and hit publish.

Buy A Domain Name

A domain name or personal website address directs visitors to a website. Authors should buy a domain name that is close to the name they publish under. It is important to connect an author name to their site from the beginning since it helps readers find an author website. Keeping it consistent also helps build an author’s brand. Many online domain providers sell web domains for an annual fee. However, many site building services also offer domain purchasing options so that everything is a one-stop-shop.

Find A Web Host

Web hosting is inexpensive, especially if buying a domain and hosting from the same hosting provider. Web hosts typically provide shared web hosting, managed web hosting, and premium web hosting packages. Free options include blog services like Blogger and WordPress, which are great options for authors on a budget. Plus, the more information you put out there that is deemed “relevant” the higher you will appear in a keyword search. As a writer, you should know that content is “King”.

The Elements of An Author Website

An author website should be engaging. The site should feature essential information that immediately tells visitors about the products up for sale: the books. A typical author site has separate pages for books (with ways to buy), a blog (for author updates), an about page (to describe the author), an upcoming events page, and a splash page with essential promotional information (the first page visitors see).

Want to learn what it takes to become a successful children’s author? Get writing tips, insider info, helpful tutorials and book promotion ideas to get your writing career started. The premise of all Full Cycle Publication works is to spark critical thinking while advocating a love of literature.