The pages every author website needs
You do not need a dozen pages. Most authors are well served by a home page with your newest book front and center, a books page listing each title with covers, blurbs, and links to every retailer, an about page that sounds like you, and a contact page. Add a media or press kit page with a short and long bio, a headshot, and cover downloads, and you have saved yourself and journalists a lot of email. Keep the menu short so nobody has to hunt.
A blog or news page is optional. It helps if you will actually update it, and it can support search visibility for topics your book covers. Speakers and consultants may want a services or booking page. We help you choose only what suits your goals, then write clear, plain copy for each page, so visitors see at once what you write and where to buy it. An abandoned blog with an old date looks worse than none. It is fine to start small.
Think about who visits and what each person wants. A reader wants the next book and a way to hear about it. A podcast host or event planner wants a bio, a photo, and a contact address, ideally in one place. A librarian or bookseller wants cover images, ISBNs, and trade information. Planning pages around those people keeps the site small and useful. If you write in several genres or under more than one name, we talk through whether one site or separate sections serves readers better.
Email signup, retailer links, and sales-friendly design
The most valuable thing a website can do is collect email addresses. We place a signup form where visitors naturally look for it, connect it to the service you use, such as MailerLite, Mailchimp, or similar, and offer something in return, like a sample chapter. Subscribers are yours, and you can contact them when your next book arrives, without relying on any social platform. Do not ask for more than a name and email, because every extra field loses a few signups. Send the promised freebie at once, so the first message is a good one.
Buy links should be easy to find and easy to update. We set up your book pages so that a retailer link or a new edition can be changed in a minute, and we can add a universal book link service if you sell in several stores. Covers load at sensible file sizes, buttons are large enough for thumbs, and each page has a clear next step so a visitor is not left wondering what to do. Test it on a phone before you share it.
Privacy and trust are part of the design. If you collect email addresses, your site needs a short privacy notice and a clear way to unsubscribe, and some regions have stricter consent rules than others. We add a plain-language policy page and a confirmation message to the signup form. We are not a law firm, so for anything beyond the basics you should check with a professional. Clear wording also reassures readers that you will not flood their inbox. We include both as standard.
Domain, hosting, speed, and basic search visibility
Your site should live on a domain you own, ideally your author name, such as yourname.com. We register or connect the domain and set up hosting in an account under your control, so you are never locked in. Pages are built to work on phones first, since much of your traffic will come from mobile, and images are compressed so pages load quickly. A secure connection (HTTPS) is standard. You pay the registrar and host directly, so every renewal notice goes to you.
Basic search work is included: a clear title tag and description for each page, readable headings, descriptive image text, and a sitemap submitted to search engines. Searching your own name should lead to your site. We do not promise rankings, since search results depend on many factors. We do promise a clean, well-organized site, with a short guide so you can update books and news yourself. Search engines also favor pages that are useful and fast, which a small, tidy author site usually is. We keep your title tags plain and specific, with your name and the book.
Accessibility and upkeep deserve a mention. Text needs enough contrast against its background, images need descriptive alt text, and links should say where they go, not just click here. These choices help readers who use screen readers and also help search engines. After launch, plan to check your site every few months: test the buy links, renew the domain, and update the books page when a new title comes out. We include a checklist, and we offer ongoing help if you would rather not do it.
How We Run A Author Website Project
- 1
Planning and content
We agree on the pages you need, gather your bios, covers, and links, and sketch the structure. We draft page copy in your voice for you to review, and we ask which visitors matter most so the layout puts their needs first.
- 2
Design and build
We choose a layout and colors that match your covers and genre, build the pages, and connect your email service. You see a working preview before launch, and we adjust spacing and type so the site feels like part of your books.
- 3
Review and revisions
You test the site on your phone and computer and send comments. We adjust text, images, and links, and check forms, buy buttons, and loading speed. Every retailer link is clicked through to confirm it lands on the right edition.
- 4
Launch and handover
We connect your domain, switch the site on, and hand over logins. A short written guide shows you how to add a new book, edit a page, or change a link, and we stay available for questions in the first weeks.
Who This Service Is For
Authors with no online home
Readers search your name and find nothing useful. A simple, credible site gives them your books, your story, and a way to stay in touch, and it gives journalists and event hosts one place to check facts. Setup is quick once your content is ready.
Writers building an email list
You are ready to move readers off borrowed platforms. A signup form with a clear offer, placed where visitors look, starts a list you own, and your welcome message begins the relationship with each new subscriber. Subscribers come from clear offers, not from pop-ups.
Speakers and expert authors
You need a professional page for event organizers and media. A press kit and a clear contact route make booking you straightforward, and a short speaking page explains your topics and what audiences take away. We also add a simple booking form.