Do You Really Need an Author Website?
By Nicole Bernholtz, Iron Fox Creative
We may be biased, but we believe that every author should have a professional website. Here are just a few reasons why:
Establish your brand
As an author, you are your own brand. In order to profit, it’s necessary to put yourself out there and let people become familiar with you and your writing. Many authors would prefer to let people get to know them through their writing and not necessarily through face to face contact. An author website is the perfect platform for this. Every aspect of an author website, from the colors, fonts and images used in the design to the content you choose to share, all come together to set a tone for your readers and give them something to understand and connect with.
Develop a strong reader following by listing to your readers and giving them what they want. This might include details and photos that didn’t make it into a published book, snippets of an upcoming book, or a blog where they can learn what you’re working on, what you’re reading, and what you’re passionate about. Every author website should be as unique as that author’s point of view and his or her group of readers.
Sell your own book
We do recommend selling your book on Amazon and other popular bookseller sites for maximum exposure. However, selling your book directly through your own site has several advantages. First of all, it cuts out any third party fees on book sales. It also eliminates the distractions of major online booksellers. If a reader is told to search for an author or title on Amazon, something else may catch their eye before they even find your book or they may end up purchasing a similar book that has better reviews. If they are directed to your author website, there’s nothing to distract them from buying your book.
Simplify marketing
Have you written several books? Are you also a motivational speaker or an artist? Do you offer classes? All of your books and services can be featured on your author website. This creates a cross marketing environment.
An author website provides a single URL to which all promotional and marketing efforts can be directed. Using multiple platforms to consistently guide people to your website creates a strong, cohesive marketing strategy.
Additionally, your custom URL will be shorter and more sensible than the URL an online bookseller will assign to your book on their website. Your URL will be easier to print on marketing materials, easier for you to mention in conversation and easier for readers to remember.
Whether your site is simple or elaborate, professionalism is key. Your expertise is writing; ours is developing author websites that lead to more book sales. Contact Iron Fox Creative to discuss a customized solution for increasing your book sales with an author website: [email protected].
The views expressed herein are not those of Colorado Independent Publishers Association, its officers or directors. They are solely and completely those of the author. The Colorado Independent Publishers Association will not be held liable for any legal action resulting from information published in this newsletter, and the organization’s insurance will not cover any such action.