Designing an Author Website: Must-Have Elements and Features

You are an author, even if you are taking the traditional publishing route or just have an ebook published under your name. And so, you need a dedicated author website. In this digital age, having a website for your professional work is not a luxury. It’s a basic requirement.

So, if you want to make an online presence, you must create an author website with these elements creatively integrated. You can amend them as you need, but the best practice is to have them all on your website. The core aim is to write, publish, and market the book. If you do not have expertise in any of these fields, you can hire the experts from McZell Book Writing. They have skilled professionals who can help you become a published author with an organic following.

1. Author Bio

It is the main introduction of you as a writer. So, it should be clear, interesting to read, and informative. The traffic that you attract would be varied. Some would know about you; some would have read your books. Or some would have discovered you via a simple Google search. So, it is necessary to have a dedicated space to display your credentials or bio clearly.

Another way is to mention your introduction in the last part of the blog post (if you do blogging). It would increase the conversion rate of website visitors into your fanbase.

2. Personal Branding And Vision

Your webpage should depict your personal image accurately. To be specific, it is your first impression to the readers. Maximum readers turn online to know more about their favourite author. So, designing a webpage that reflects your persona and vibe is a must.

You can add the names of your best-selling books, your work ethic, how you became a writer and your hobbies. Readers love to know all of that about their favourite writers. In case you do not know how to design and create an interesting website, you can hire author website design service providers online. They have the knowledge, aesthetics and understanding of what it takes to design an author’s website.

3. Option To Join Your Mailing List

Even if you do not blog, your website should have some system to remain connected with readers. The ideal option is to send weekly or monthly emails to them. For that, you need to have a prominent option for your email subscription. It will turn your readers into followers, and they will get every update about your work.

Moreover, one practice that many people do is to send a subscription email or welcome email to their new subscribers with the offers attached to it. It can be a small digital gift item or just a discount coupon code on your books. It is a great option to entice maximum readers to subscribe to your email list.

4. Mobile Friendly

It is a major drawback if you do not have a mobile-optimized website because many people would not even bother to open it if it lags. Plus, if the website appears distorted on mobile, it would ruin your image.

Following are some questions that you should ask while checking the speed and quality of your website.

–          Can you easily find your way around?

–          Does it load quickly?

–          Does it make you want to buy the books?

–          Are book titles easy to spot?

When you think from the perspective of the reader, you see the gaps and mistakes in your website. Make it appealing and easy to navigate for the visitors. Then you will get more traffic eventually.

5. Contact Information

It is the most necessary part. Ensure that it is easy for every visitor to contact you. Otherwise, you can miss out on many worthy opportunities. In other words, set up a professional email address and give authentic contact information on the website. Another way is to set up a contact form with all the details mentioned. You can ask the visitor to mention their names, email addresses and messages to contact you.

One catch is that it can attract a lot of spammers. So, be aware of those emails and take action against them. Apart from that, you will get messages from your fans and possibly publishers or agents who would be interested in working with you.

6. Separate Pages About Your Books

If you have done much work and published many best-sellers, you will have a diverse portfolio to show. Then, it will be the best option to display your work on a separate page. It will make it easier for the readers to navigate the website and find their favourite book.

You can give details regarding the books and post the discount offers there. Or, you can display any upcoming book or awards you have won. It makes you credible, and your work gets the recognition that it deserves.

7. Special Events Updates

As a professional author, you must have been visiting a lot of places like book launches, discussion panels, universities, etc. You can include a separate page on your website where you announce your upcoming visits. Or you can talk about your experience of any event you visited. Readers love to know about what places you are visiting so they can try to meet you.

If you are a frequent traveller, you can make use of this space to talk about your experience and advice regarding that. The aim is to display your personality as an individual and connect with your audience on a human level.

8. Social Media Handles

Many traditionally published authors and people with an old approach do not have established social media accounts. They do not have any online fan groups or professional accounts where they interact with their audience and have discussions. It sways them away from their fan base, and eventually, they get disconnected from their fans.

So, in simple words, if you do not have social media accounts like Facebook groups, Instagram Pages or TikTok, consider making one. Once you establish an online community space, you can attach their access to the official website to get more followers.

Another important point is to give visitors a direct call to action. People who do not know what to do further after scrolling your website will jump off. It increases the bounce rate and affects your website’s standing.

9. Testimonials

Testimonials are like the comments and reviews that prominent authors and other people give you on your work. If you have got any comment, appreciation or review from a celebrity writer, why not flaunt it on your website?

You can insert their comments on a separate page or even at the end of the website. It can also include the comments you got from the public or general audience. It increases your credibility and social standing as a writer.

Include the real comments, feedback, emails, or any notable media coverage you have received until now in your writing career. Either you can show them on a separate page or on the homepage. Prefer whatever you and your audience feel best.

10. Blog

Blogging has the potential to grow as big as your book writing career. Statistically, websites with established blogging schedules gain more traffic than just a portfolio website. So, it is an effective medium to grow as a credible writer and build your audience.

In your blog, you can talk about anything from writing tips to reviews and book publishing techniques. Since you are an expert in this niche, soon you will become an authority. Once you have gained attention and regular readership, you can monetize your blog to establish an extra source of income.

Conclusion

Setting up a website for any niche has become much easier and quicker. You can hire anyone from the online marketplaces to do it for you. You need a basic understanding of what you need in your author’s website. Communicate it to the designers, and they will create an interesting website for you.

There are many platforms available if you need help in writing the book as well. In case you are facing challenges in writing or publishing your book, you can hire professionals from McZell Book Writing. They have the most professional and skilled experts to help you write your book.

Also read: Top 10 Practical Tips to Score High in Assignments