7 Things to Include on Your Author Website by Lauren Ranalli

As an aspiring or self-published author, having your own website is incredibly important. But there’s a big difference between having a site that simply exists to “check a box” and having an author website that is engaging, intentional, up-to-date, and designed to connect with readers.

Looking to create or improve your author website? Here are some must-add features. Need some real-life examples? I’ve included links to my own website so you can see how I’ve put these tips into action.

7 Things to Include on Your Author Website

1.  About the Author- this may be your reader’s first introduction to you and your work. So, take a moment to tell them your story! It’s great to include details about what inspired your books, why you chose to become an author, or link to additional features they can find on your site.

2.  Book Reviews- Do you happen to have any book reviews that live on Amazon and nowhere else? Yep, me too. But don’t forget that your website is one of the primary places you should post your reviews! I like to go in and swap out my reviews every 6 months or so to keep the site feeling fresh.

3. Free Download or Giveaway- having a freebie is a great incentive for people to visit your author website. This could be anything from free coloring or activity pages, discount codes, discussion guides, or other content that is relevant and useful to your readers. One option is to provide a direct link to a free download (check out this example), but you can also create “gated content” where your readers provide you with their email address in order to receive the freebie (like this free social media training). Having gated content on your site is a great way to build your newsletter list! Which leads me to item #4…

4.  Newsletter Sign-Up- you want to have a newsletter. Don’t think you need a newsletter? Let me repeat, you want to have a newsletter. Email marketing is one of the most effective ways that you can reach your readers! So be sure your site has some feature that allows you to capture email addresses. Not sure what you would include in your newsletter? Check out this blog post on 6 Emails Authors Should Send to Readers

5.  Media Links- do you have recent interviews, guest blog posts, or links to media appearances? Be sure to include them on your site! Don’t have any of these yet? Use this as an opportunity to highlight photos from any author readings, book fairs, or other events.

6.  Social Media Links- social media is a great way to build a loyal reader following. So be sure to make it easy for people to find your online!

7.  Contact Me- every author website should have an option for readers, book buyers, media coordinators, or others to get in touch with you. But don’t just have a standard form, give people ideas on WHY they should contact you! Check out this example from my site.

Personally, I love to use my author website as a place to showcase my work. Which means I also make it a priority to keep my site updated, relevant, and useful for my readers. And you can do the same! Start off with these 7 tips and see how it will make a difference for you.

 

More About Lauren

Lauren Ranalli is an award-winning self-published children’s book author, the Director of Marketing and Communications for an international non-profit, and the mom of two high-spirited children. Visit her on Instagram at @lauren.ranalli_author or at www.laurenranalli.com to receive 2 FREE resources, Finding Social Media Success, and Daily Marketing Strategies for Authors.