What You Need to Know Before Building an Author Website
By Nicole Bernholtz, Iron Fox Creative
A successful author website can (and should) take quite a bit of thought and time to get up and running. The last thing you want is to do it all over in order to accommodate additional books or features. Here are a few ways to ensure the longevity of your site.
Domain
We recommend purchasing your name or your penname as a domain so it remains relevant, no matter how many books you write. You can always purchase additional domains and point them towards your website so users will land on your site whether they type in YourName.com or YourBookTitle.com.
Trustworthy Host
This can be difficult for people to invest in. Out of sight, out of mind. But, try to think of a host in literal terms. If you stay at someone’s home, you do not expect to sleep in a shack out back. A good host will provide you with a warm, safe, comfortable place to sleep and make sure everything works properly and runs smoothly for the duration of your stay. A good web host does the same for your website. The host should have certain security measures in place. They should routinely back up your site and inform you of any major updates that need to be completed in order to keep your site safe from hackers and other security risks. A good hosting service doesn’t need to cost a fortune, but you’re probably not going to get the best service and protection by going with the cheapest rate. Just do a little research before settling.
Easy to Update
Make sure your website is built with a Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress.org so it can easily grow with you as an author. The foundation of your website really makes a difference when you consider adding books or a blog, updating your bio or changing up what’s featured on your home page. A CMS can even make it easy enough for you to manage content changes yourself!
Branding
Whether you’ve just released your first book or your tenth, think long and hard about your subject matter and your writing style. You get to control how to bring that to life, visually. Colors, fonts and imagery all work together to evoke certain emotions in your readers. When you keep these elements consistent across book covers, social media, marketing materials and your website, you establish a brand: a way for readers to visually recognize and remember your work.
Take the measures to get your website right from the start so it can continue to work for you and grow with you for years without deterring you from your craft any more than necessary.
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: info@ironfoxcreative.com.
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.