4 key sections of your author website
Your website is often the first point of contact between authorpreneurs and their audience. Thus, you must carefully consider how you best grab your visitors’ attention and what messages you want to convey.
Your author website helps build your brand over time. Here, you set the terms: You post what and when you like and engage with your audience on your terms. There are many ways to present your information and messages. While the sections or sub-pages depend on your goals, there are four key components your website must have:
1. Introduce your author persona
Use the “About the Author” to introduce your brand story and give readers a glimpse into your author persona. Describe who you are, how you started your author journey, and what drives your passion. Showcase your unique skills and what sets you apart from other authorpreneurs.
Include an author photo, so people can recognize you across your author platform. Pick a recent photo that shows your face clearly and looks good in both color and grayscale. The photo needs to be clear and easy to see, even small on social media. Think about the image you want to project, and which traits best represent your brand.
Recommended article
4 reasons authorpreneurs need a website
Today’s digital age offers many opportunities for authorpreneurs to promote themselves. The website remains essential for your author platform. It’s an investment in your brand and your long-term success.
2. Showcase your products
The “Books” section is where you present a comprehensive list or gallery of your published books. Showcase your book covers, blurbs, and selected reviews. Add reading samples or excerpts, so visitors can get a taste of your writing style. To improve sales, place prominent links to your books’ point of sale directly on your website.
To showcase other products and services, consider using dedicated sub-pages. This helps your readers understand your entire portfolio better.
Instead of simply listing e-learning course topics, emphasize the advantages for students. What will they learn? How will that help them in their career? Provide detailed information about the structure of the courses, the duration, and any prerequisites. Add some testimonials to build trust and get more sign-ups.
For speakers, a page listing your preferred topics, past lectures, and testimonials is helpful. Provide links to any available recordings showcasing your presentation style. Also, share information about upcoming events and appearances.
Recommended article
Author website: 4 key principles for your digital hub
Success as an author significantly depends on having a professional website. But how do you make a powerful impression?
3. Email subscription
Email marketing is one of the most important aspects of your book marketing. So, use as many calls-to-action (CTAs) on your website as possible. Consider setting up a dedicated landing page where visitors can sign up. Offer an incentive, such as exclusive content or a free download.
Put the signup prominently on your homepage, sidebars, and navigation, and add links to your blog posts.
If you have separate lists, e.g., fiction and nonfiction, link to both.
Recommended article
Author platform: how to set up your email marketing
Author newsletters are important, but they take time and effort to make. When authorpreneurs are setting things up, they need a clear call to action and to stay on-brand.
4. Contact page
A dedicated “Contact page” makes it easy for people to connect with you because that shows you care what people think. Provide a simple way for people to contact you, like an email address or contact form, and state your preferred method. And don't forget to add your social media links—it’ll help you reach more people!
Recommended article
Social Media Essentials for Authorpreneurs
Social media isn’t dead, no matter what some experts claim. Despite the controversies involving Elon Musk’s X, the potential TikTok ban in the US, and Meta’s AI data training practices, the numbers of social networks and their users are both increasing.
Nice to have: Media kit
Positive media coverage builds brand trust. Good articles support your work and grab readers, which is particularly important if you write nonfiction. Should you have a media kit, make sure it includes press releases, reviews, interviews, and articles related to you and your projects. You can either create a separate “Press and Media” section or include this information on your “About the Author” or “Contact” pages.
Author website takeaways
Your author website should reflect your brand. Show readers your life as an authorpreneur. Share your journey, what inspires you, and what makes you unique.
Make it simple for people to find and buy your stuff—add links to the stores and what others say about it! Also, add links to email sign-ups and your social media profiles to encourage visitors to connect with you on multiple platforms.
Sign up for the "Essentials for Authorpreneurs"
Are you ready to unlock your potential as an authorpreneur? Then sign up for my newsletter “Essentials for Authorpreneurs”, and get “Branding for Beginners: An Authorpreneur's Primer On Creating A Compelling Brand” for free.
