There are certain pages that are “givens” on author websites. Those include a bio page, a list of books published, a contact page, etc… But what really makes an author web site unique is those “special features” for readers. Things that make the site feel personal and give readers a chance to get an inside […]
Special Features for an Author Web Site Read More »
There was a really interesting article this week in the New York Times about authors and book trailers. I highly recommend you read it (but please be aware you need to create a free NY Times account to do so). Here’s the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/11/fashion/11AuthorVideos.html For those of you who don’t feel like registering, or don’t
How to Create a Book Trailer: What’s Working, What’s Not Read More »
What’s the purpose of your author website? It’s probably to sell books. When you sell your book to an individual, you’re probably only selling one copy. But when you sell it to an educator — be it an elementary school teacher or a college professor — you could be selling a boatload of copies. So
Reaching Out to Educators on Your Author Website Read More »
You probably built your author website because you were trying to promote your first book. And, if you were smart, you built it around yourself as an author. That way, when you got future books published, you could easily promote those on the website as well. But what do you do between books? Do you
Keeping Your Author Website Active Between Books Read More »
One of the biggest challenges in developing a website — any type of website — is speaking to a variety of audiences. For instance, when I was working on developing a website for a private school, it was hard to make sure that current parents, potential parents, and alumni all felt like the website spoke
Finding a Balance Between Potential Readers and Previous Readers Read More »
Ask any reader and they’ll probably say that one of the reasons they visit an author website is to learn more about the author. They want to get a peek into who the author is as a person. But how do you know what to share? How do you get personal … but not too
Getting Personal on Your Author Website Read More »
What’s the main purpose of author websites? It’s publicity! Which is why it’s so frustrating when authors make someone from another website or media outlet jump through hoops in an effort to feature them and their books. It’s like shooting yourself in the foot! Case in point: A blogger who covers books stumbles upon an
Authors: Make Yourself Media-Friendly! Read More »
This is one thing that I often recommend to clients as we’re discussing what kinds of content their author website should include. It’s a downloadable book club discussion guide. If you think your book might be appropriate for a book club (and what book isn’t, really?), then you should be making it as easy as
Book Club Discussion Guides on Your Author Website Read More »
There are thousands of author websites out there. And most of them are pretty standard in terms of what they include. But sometimes, an author website has to be pretty different from others. A book that’s being published internationally is one of those instances. I’m going to use a few of the author websites I
Building a Book Website for an International Book Read More »
I was reading a recent issue of The Internet & Marketing Report last night. And there were two completely separate articles in this issue that both seemed to tie together somehow. The theme of both? Keep your design simple! Now, this publication is generally for marketing professionals who oversee websites that sell products or services.
Author Website Design Tips: Keep It Simple! Read More »
