Sometimes it’s best to start with a low-cost author website

As someone who earns their bread and butter designing custom, hand-coded websites, you’d think I’d tell authors they should avoid generic websites at all costs. But I don’t. In fact, during every consultation, I make sure the author I’m working with is certain that a custom website is in their best interest. Because the truth is that there are times when a basic web builder is really all you need.

In this blog, I’m going to go over a few of the talking points I use in my consultations to help you decide if a custom-designed website is right for your author page. Let’s start with a few basic questions.

How many books do you currently have?

If you’re in the processing of publishing your one and only book, the expense of a custom author website might not be financially feasible. You might be better off with a low cost or free site while you’re just getting started. Then, once the sales to come in and your bibliography expands, you can invest in a high-end website.

On the other side of things, if you have a large social media presence and hope to start off with a good number of sales, you’ll probably want a professionally built website as a resource for your fans, even if your current publication count is zero.

Do you want a multi-purpose site?

The ideal author website should serve several purposes. It should be a hub for your fans, a place where you can share your thoughts via a blog, post updates and press releases about your publications, and sell your books. This makes a website a worthwhile investment of your time and money.

If all you’re really looking for is a place to put your blog, you might be better off with a free blogging platform, like WordPress, or a newsletter service, such as Substack. You can always integrate that into a professional website later on.

Are you going to sell books on your site?

Selling signed copies of your books directly from your own site is a great way to increase your profit margins. However, free website builders don’t always offer e-commerce options. If the main reason you want an author website is to sell signed copies and special editions, you’ll probably need to purchase a paid version of your free hosting plan. At that price point, it might be worth considering a custom-built website.

The bottom line is, it all depends.

Seeing “Website by [Free Hosting Provider]!” on every page may not give off high-end vibes, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad place to start. If your needs are few and your budget is limited, beginning with a basic web builder and a free hosting plan could be the best way to build your online brand.

Your own, custom author website is an excellent resource if you can afford it, but if you’re waiting to make your first sale, it’s fine to hold off for a while. What I strongly recommend, however, is snapping up your domain name. Many free and low-cost site builders will allow you to use your own URL, but even if they don’t, it’s worth $7-20 per year to hold your spot.

When you’re ready to upgrade to a custom-built website, the right designer will be ready, too.

9 things to remember when launching an online platform

Are you ready to put your book and brand on the internet? Congratulations on taking this step in your journey as an author. As a web designer who works specifically with authors and other creators, I’ve got a list of nine things you website should include.

Here’s what to expect:

• I’ll start with the very basics. It’s easy to overlook the ubiquitous.
• Then I’ll get into ideas you may not have considered.These are probably what you came to this post for.
• Finally, I’ll list optional items that can boost your chances for success. They might not work for every author, but you ought to give them a glance.

And, by the way, if you find this helpful, you can sign up for our mailing list to get more tips delivered to your inbox!

The 3 Must-Haves

1. Your name

It sounds like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how hard it is for some writers to prioritize their name above their work. As an author, your name is your brand, so you need that to be front and center. Your logo should be your name, and that logo should be clearly visible on every page and every device.

2. Your books

Specifically, you want one book prominently displayed on the home page. This can be your most recent publication, your best-selling work, or even something that you feel deserves more attention than it’s gotten so far. You should have clear links to all of your books, but remember that a good sales funnel offers a through-line to the buy page, not a bunch of distractions.

3. An email list sign-up

One of the top advantages of having your own author site (as opposed to just an Amazon sales page) is the ability to interact with your fans directly. Don’t overlook this opportunity to add as many fans as you can to your mailing list. These are the people who are going to pre-order your upcoming books and leave you reviews when you ask. Your email list signup needs to be a focal point of the home page and present on every other page.

3 Things You May Have Overlooked

4. An “about the author” page

I know that even amazing authors hate writing their own “about” pages, but it’s vital you have one. You know how more and more people are setting up drop-shipping sites that run on auto-pilot, making it hard to figure out which online sellers are the real deal? The same is starting to happen with bloggers and, sadly, authors. Now that LLMs can churn out more or less convincing novels (and they’re only going to get harder to discern), you need to set yourself apart as a real person.

Of course, an LLM can pop out an About page even more quickly than a novel. But this isn’t about one-upping the LLM. The point of your About page is to offer your readers a genuine connection. Your readers want to know you. They want to get a glimpse of the person behind the pen. Give them a reason to believe that you write because it matters to you.

I plan to post a blog about writing an author about page soon, so subscribe using the sign-up form below to be notified when it’s published!

5. Something free and valuable

This can be a freebie they’ll get for signing up to your mailing list, information about the genre you write in, or a coupon code for your books or merchandise. Reward people for stopping by your site and you’ll encourage them to return.

6. A way to contact you directly

If you’re an indie author with no staff, you might not want to share your email with the world. But your fans still need a way to ask you questions and leave comments. If you have a blog, you can do that via comments. You can also link to your social media platforms (though you should share those no matter what). I typically recommend a form that visitors can submit via the site. The contents will go to your email without revealing it to the sender.

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7. A design that speaks to your genre

To really take your author website to the next level, leave the ‘white site’ template behind. Yes, there is a reason that a sleek, minimalist, white look is so popular—it’s easy on the eyes and the mind. But it’s also forgettable. It should be clear from the moment someone lands on your homepage what kind of books you create. To give your author website a little extra staying power in your readers’ minds, make sure you have a custom designed site (or, at the very least, a color scheme) that reflects your genre and/or intended audience.

To give your author website a little extra staying power in your readers’ minds, make sure you have a custom designed site (or, at the very least, a color scheme) that reflects your genre and/or intended audience.

8. Exclusive insights

Give your visitors a behind-the-scenes look that they can’t get anywhere else—not on Patreon, not in your interviews, not anywhere but your domain. This doesn’t have to be anything major or time-consuming. For example, Brandon Sanderson has a progress meter on his home page where fans can see exactly where he’s at on projects they’re interested in. You could offer a fanart gallery, where your readers can see what others in the community are creating. By making your author site the exclusive source, you make that the place where returning readers will seek you out.

9. Easter eggs

In the late 90s and early 00s, website designers were really flexing their skills. Small animations and image maps meant that viewers could interact with parts of the page that seemed inert and, occasionally, be reward with a surprise. It made being on the website an experience in itself rather than just a way to get information. If you want visitors to see your website as comparable—or preferable—to social media platforms, this is how to do it. Make your website a welcoming, rewarding place on the internet.

Those are my top nine tips for creating an author websites that goes far beyond just checking all the necessary boxes. I encourage you to browse my other blogs for more information on creating a successful site, either on your own or with a designer.