Writing a book is challenging, but it is not the only thing you have to do as an author. Promoting and distributing that book also has a big part in making your book a bestseller. Therefore, you must consider marketing and promoting your book after writing it.
You can promote your book through several platforms, such as Amazon, the author’s website, social media platforms, and much more. One thing that the process of book marketing involves is an author’s website, and this is what we will be emphasizing upon.
An author’s website is an online platform all published and newbie authors use to promote their books to the targeted audience. It is an opportunity for them to sell their books directly to the people. A website can include author information, a book trailer or description, testimonials, blurbs, and blogs to provide information about you and your book collection.
You can sell your books on various online platforms such as Amazon but with the help of an author’s website; you can build your online presence and directly connect with your potential readers. To do so, you can hire online book publishing services to help you create one. This way, you can expand your brand and be recognized as a well-known author.
So, let’s look at a list of reasons for having your own website and what you should include in your website to make it look professional.
Why You Need An Author’s Website (Four Significant Reasons)
There are a few common reasons why authors create their websites. One of which is to reach their targeted audience and increase their reach.
So, if you are a published author or just entering this competing industry, you must have an author’s website. Here are some reasons listed below.
It Gives You An Online Presence
Creating an author’s website builds your digital presence and showcases you as a professional. You can use your website to outshine others and impact your potential book publishing agencies and customers.
You must maintain your website and be up-to-date with the technology to outshine others. In this digital era, people have a mindset that if a person or an author has a website, they are reputable and credible. Therefore, you should create an author’s website and share stories and blogs to catch visitors’ eyes and turn them into potential customers. If your writing influences the visitors, they will definitely purchase your book.
A Common Place For Readers
You can centralize your book collection, daily activities, blogs, articles, and personal information all in one place. To do this, you need to have an author’s website. Your website will not only have your write-ups and books but also the links to your press releases, interviews, information about the events, and much more. Thus, your website can make things easier for the visitors for what they are searching for.
Furthermore, you can also add the interviews you gave to the media portal or the top influencers/bloggers. When these people post these interviews on their social media handles, they mention you in the posts. But, if you don’t have an author’s website, it will decrease your visibility. So, in order to engage with the targeted audience, you need to have an author’s website.
Get High-Profit Margins
Do you know selling your books through an author’s website can yield the author to get the largest profit margin? Well, it is one of the biggest benefits an author can get when they create their own website.
It is a profitable investment for the authors because selling your books through other online platforms can decrease your profit share. Therefore, published and newbie authors sell their books online through their websites to get high-profit margins. As the authors have full creative control over the process and retain all the rights to their book, they also profit from each book sale.
Stand Out From Your Competition
There are thousands of books that are launched every day worldwide. Publishers these days are way too busy printing books, causing delays in publishing your book first. This is the reason new self-publishing agencies are emerging every single day.
The competition is huge in the book industry. Therefore, you need to stand apart from others to sell more books and target new audiences globally. You can promote your book through book signing events, online advertising, and book reviews on Amazon and your website. You can promote and advertise your product on your author’s website and make the audience aware of your every move.
How To Make Your Website Look Professional?
You have so many options when you are creating your author’s website. You can use add, adjust, and revise your website aesthetics and layout. Here are some key pages you can include in your website.
Home Page
The first impression is everything, and the home page/landing page is the first page of the website that visitors see. So, to create a positive and good impression on your visitors, you need to make your home page pleasing.
Your first page should tell the visitors who you are and what you write in seconds. It should reflect your personality, tone, and voice. Furthermore, you can use it to advertise your books and build anticipation. For instance, you can include a “what’s new” section. You can also have a form to get visitors to sign up for your email list.
About Page
On the About page of a website, you can add the author’s biography. It is one of the most commonly visited pages. Visitors are curious and want to know more about you and what inspires you. They want to connect with you and learn how you actually work.
You can add a professional headshot in your bio. You should break your bio into logical sections to make it easy to read. If you have fellowships, reviews, residencies, or awards, you can showcase them on this page.
Book Description Page
Your author’s website must have a book page on the menu. You might have one page for each book, or a book series, depending on the genre of your book. Your book should also feature high-quality images and an appealing blurb. You should also include the links for people to purchase them.
Contact
You should include a contact form and links to your social media accounts so that readers, editors, and publishers can get in touch with you easily.
Blogs
A blog page on the author’s website is optional but can bring great benefits. If you put blogs on the website, help with SEO for your website. It is also a good way to connect with the audience and build a strong readership.
Conclusion
An author’s website is important because it enables you to create an online presence, stand out from the competition, and have a high-profit margin. So, to make your website engage the audience’s attention, you need to include a home page, book description page, contact, and blogs.
