09/27/2020
The Ideal Website For an Author or a Writer
The ability to create and share a detailed description of a fictional account in a book is simply extraordinary. However, as we dive deeper into the digital era, authors are increasingly needing to crank up their visibility on the digital landscape, from adopting innovations like audiobooks and e-books to establishing reliable social platforms where they can interact easily with their fans.
Back in the day, libraries and book shops simply did most of the work, selling and borrowing books to readers across a community; however, besides the new-age means of book access, the online world enables authors to sell their work just like every other e-commerce business with physical products. It’s also made access to readers pretty simple, garnering a lot of sales, reviews, interactions, discussion forums, etc. in no time at all after each book release!
Writers who use websites to publish new ideas and share reading content with users have experienced the new era’s joys. However, the success of your digital presence as an author heavily relies on the quality of your website rather than just that of your written work.
With so many talented authors globally now competing so quickly online, one needs an extra edge to stand out. That edge can only come from having the best website, which will attract your audience and keep it captivated beyond words! Let’s just quickly dive into the finer details of a successful author’s website.
What makes an author’s website attractive?
An attractive website has a set of features that draw in the viewers and people interested in the kind of work you do. It’s important to understand what the person going through your website will feel like and ensure that those reactions match your brand. Here are a few pointers that will help achieve that match.
With so many talented authors globally now competing so quickly online, one needs an extra edge to stand out.
Simple and uncomplicated.
The very first thing any user would be attracted to on any website would be how easy it is to use. A complicated user interface would just be too good for nothing. The majority of people who visit your website want to navigate through it without any difficulties. They have to be able to read material and purchase books in a relatively straight forward way. Your website should avoid too many redirecting links, which may ultimately confuse anyone interested in your material.
Clutter-free.
People don’t like feeling cramped or crowded; hence when creating your website as an author, it’s vital to make sure that your design does not cluster information, pictures, and videos. Clutter could cause some viewers to lose interest in your material. Information shared on the website could be overlooked. An orderly layout could undoubtedly buy you some extra views and readers.
Content administration and oversight.
Well, most people think that once you create a website, you won’t need to monitor and edit anything. That’s an absolutely wrong assumption; an author’s website should have certain features that allow for content management and handling to update the followers on any news about your books or any author’s information. Sometimes you will need to pull down posts and blogs that have a negative impact assessment on your website, for instance, spoilers.
You need a Bio section.
Some followers have a keen interest in the author’s life history and experiences. Writing and imagination experiences help inspire some readers. A bio creates a connection between a writer and his audience. The biography does not need to be intimate or personal (it always helps if it is!); however, anything that the writer deems shareable would certainly work just fine.
Social media links.
Social media platforms have a significant impact on the SEO index ratings of any website. Hence, social media links such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest allow easier content sharing. After all, most readers share books and other related information, and such social media sharing helps increase the number of people who organically search for your website. It’s essential to make sure that the share links are visible and can easily be used by readers of any age.
The comments section.
It’s normal to overlook comments from the audience; however, any author looking to improve and inspire ingenious work to a group of people would certainly listen to what people have to say about their writing. A proactive and reactive comment section will help an author see what sort of impact his/ her writing has on the audience. Being responsive to comments helps engage your followers. It makes them feel part of your legacy and journey.
Also, avid readers, who are often the core fans of any author, tend to be very opinionated; hence a simple comment section with an interactive author can go a long way in cementing such readers’ loyalty to your brand.
Multiple purchase links.
The main reason you create a website is to be able to sell your ideas online. A website can connect a user to a direct link to purchasing a book, say from Amazon or Goodreads. A good website should have several purchasing links to redirect clients to an online bookstore to buy a book. These multiple purchasing links aid visibility.
Frequent posts on your website keep it fresh.
Sometimes websites become obsolete from disuse. People want to go on a website and see new material. An author ought to do what they do best; write something to inspire their regular viewers. Keep them seeking more each day or each week. It’s essential to frequently post something on your website. Blogs and book analogies could attract viewers to use your web page frequently, which in turn builds your SEO index ratings.
Email address book capture.
One of the most important features an author’s website should possess is the ability to retain email addresses for your address book. An updated email address book helps you advertise and market new material to some of your regular and faithful followers. Most of them prefer to be contacted via email and reminded of important events such as release dates and so forth. The ability of a website to capture email addresses of all visitors could come in handy for future communication with them.
Publisher and author’s contacts.
Last but certainly not least, one of the easiest ways to gain trust with readers as an author is by simply telling them who the publisher is. Some people relate to publishers from previous experience, and good publishers tend to have a reputation. Including the details of your publisher will help you gain more traction in attracting customers.
As we wind up, always ensure that your site fully reflects your brand and/or style as an author, it’s the one thing that sets you apart amid millions of authors globally. Make use of professional developers like Lakeplace Design to ensure a perfect website for your brand. Also, always aim to add value to people’s lives with each post, share, work, or comment that you put out there and watch your fan base grow each day!
Good luck!
