My days have been busy lately, filled with lots of fiction writing and reading, as well as time spent on various publishing considerations. One of those considerations is my author website.
I’ve been with my current web host for ten years now, but I feel it’s time for a change, for several reasons: cost, options, security, ease of use, and ease of maintenance.
After a lot time spent researching various hosting options, and a great deal of ruminating, I decided to move to Book Bub’s Author websites. Since I had been barely utilizing my WordPress website for quite some time, starting anew wasn’t an obstacle; instead the prospect appealed to me.
Incidentally, Book Bub’s Author Websites also provides a simple, no frills email newsletter option, which was another incentive to switch.
Given what I’ve been working on, it’s probably no surprise today’s Words of Wisdom sifts through the KZB archives to find three posts concerning author websites. Even though the first is from 2009 and the second 2013, the considerations they address are evergreen. Kathyrn Lilley looks at grading your website, using a free online tool which is still available. Claire Langley-Hawthorne provides questions to consider when designing your author website. Lastly Debbie Burke discusses online accessibility.
For most of the year, I tend to ignore my web site, www.kathrynlilley.com; I lag behind in making updates (except for the Twitter app that automatically displays updates). Recently I noticed that I’d even let my newsletter account expire. (This may be due to the fact that, because I don’t like getting newsletters, I assume other people don’t like getting them–even the ones who sign up for my newsletter. Or it might be just laziness on my part–I hate writing ’em).
But from time to time I make solemn vows to improve the site. Recently I ran my URL through Website Grader, an SEO service that grades web sites according to various criteria, including meta data, inbound links, and a bunch of other things that I barely understand. It also compares a given site to similar sites. My web site had a score of 47. Now, when I went to school, a 47 was a big, fat “F”. The site also had a Google page rank of 3. That’s probably not good either, although I have no idea what is considered a “good” Google page rank.
The Website Grader issued a report that suggested various ways that I can improve my statistics: Adding a page title, metadata, and listing the site on web directories, among others. I’ve since heard that those suggestions for revisions are based on “old” technology, and no longer valid. But honestly, I have no idea. I’ll take a stab at making the improvements, just to feel like I’ve done something useful.
As an author, how much attention do you pay to your web site? Do you let it languish like an unwanted stepchild, or do you nurture yours? If you’ve done a major overhaul, have you been pleased with the result?
Kathyrn Lilley—October 19, 2009
I am focusing on a much needed update to my author website (very much overdue I fear!) but, horror of horrors, I’ve realized that the book world has altered so much since I set up my website, I am now at sea as to what changes I really should be making. Sure, I have all the obvious tabs: Author bio, appearances, book news, links to blogs, excerpts/readings and ‘what’s new’, but what I really need is to focus on what additional elements that truly add value to my readers (and yes, I also know I need to update my news/appearances too…)
As a reader I know I enjoy websites that are beautifully designed, visually appealing, easy to read (no weird fonts or jarring colors) and which offer lots of value added information that keep me coming back. That being said, it’s often hard to translate that into what is needed for your own website (and also, it’s a slippery slope, I don’t want to spend all my time writing website content rather than novels!).
So as I so often do, I am turning to you, the Kill Zone experts to find out what you think works/doesn’t work on author websites.
Here are some of the ideas/questions I am currently mulling over:
1. As I am venturing into YA territory should I have a separate tab for this on my current website or should I have an entirely different website designed – given that these are two separate genres?
2. How much ‘value added’ content is worthwhile including on a website. Given that I write historical fiction (for both my mysteries and YA books) does giving information on the period provide a useful value add or would links to other websites and resources be sufficient. It’s always hard to know just exactly how much information/effort an authors should give to what is essentially background information.
3. Are giveaways and competitions really worthwhile?
4. What about books trailers or videos?
5. Do you (as a reader) appreciate any other value added elements/information on an author website?
And finally, have you got an examples of what you think are truly first-class author websites or ones which just don’t meet the mark?
Clare Langley-Hawthorne—January 21, 2013
An author’s website is their billboard to the world. This is the one-stop site where readers, potential readers, editors, agents, and others go to learn about the author and their writing.
Social media sites owned by others can ebb, flow, and sometimes disappear altogether (remember My Space?). Or they can suspend or ban your account.
Your website is your one constant showcase as an author.
That’s why it’s important to make it as welcoming, friendly, and accessible to the broadest number of visitors.
And that includes those with disabilities.
Recently on the Author’s Guild discussion thread, the topic of ADA-accessible websites came up. Rumors had started on social media that authors could be fined if their sites weren’t accessible per standards set by the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) act.
Apparently, the source behind those rumors were individuals and possibly law firms threatening suits against authors.
As far as I can tell from my research, there is no current law requiring author websites to be ADA compliant.
The ADA does require websites and mobile apps for federal, state, and local governmental bodies to be ADA compliant.
We’re all aware of the necessity for businesses and buildings that are open to the public to meet ADA requirements, such as barrier free entrances, ramps, restroom facilities, etc. Also new construction must meet ADA standards for physical accessibility with hallways wide enough for wheelchairs, etc.
But until recently I hadn’t given much thought to online accessibility.
With increasing use of websites and apps to do everyday tasks like making travel reservations, ordering merchandise and services, applying for employment, bill paying, banking, etc., consumers need to be able to actually use those online services to take care of the business of living.
What if you have low vision or are color blind? What if you can’t read the text onscreen because of poor contrast or small fonts? What if you can’t see the color images onscreen that instruct you to click here?
Despite recent successful cataract surgery, my close vision is not good even with reading glasses. I’m frustrated with online sources that feature elaborate but undecipherable fonts. Often they feature tiny text. Worse is low contrast text on a background that’s a similar color (light gray text on dark gray background). Moving icons or videos that flash past, or other quirks can make content hard to read.
I just ran across an appealing website about wine with many gorgeous professional photos. The background image is a beautiful bunch of grapes. But…the text is 6 point font in white. Small, low contrast text combined with a busy background made it challenging to read. This otherwise stunning site was a disappointment.
If I visit an author’s site and it’s difficult to navigate, I really don’t care how cool it looks. I close the window.
When authors update their websites or create new newsletters, it’s good to be mindful of various disabilities. Here’s an article from ADA.gov with potential problems to look for and suggestions for easier accessibility. Levelaccess.com offers a free color checker test.
Website builders like WordPress offer many different themes. Maybe changing the theme can make your site more welcoming. If you publish a newsletter, review sample templates to find the most attractive and readable options for fonts, background colors, and images.
Because I’m not techie, the goal of my website has always been to make it as friendly and easy to use as possible for fellow troglodytes. I use large, easily readable fonts and bold typefaces.
Debbie Burke—August 27, 2024
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Do you have an author website? If you do, what tips do you have for appearance, accessibility, ease of use, and ease of maintaining?
Ugh. All the non-writing parts of the writing life drive me nuts! I just wanna write. LOL!
I must not utilize author websites anywhere near as much as other readers. Even for authors I’ve followed for years, I rarely visit their websites, so in my mind, I’m thinking “what’s all the fuss about having a website?”. I understand that it’s the one thing you have control over (or so we hope) as opposed to social media. But I might visit an author’s website **maybe** once just to see what other books they have but often don’t even do that because Amazon can give you that information. And chances are, if they’re not selling their books on Amazon I won’t be buying anyway because I rely on Kindle for fiction, rarely buy print fiction.
So when I do finally get my act together & put together a website, it’s going to be as no-muss, no-fuss as I can make it.
You raise a good point, BK. The received wisdom is that authors need their own website. It’s certainly one that I’ve followed. The big advantage is that it’s yours. True, you are essentially renting the space from the hosting company, it’s still your space, as opposed to a page at a retailer’s.
Thanks for including my post, Dale! I’m interested to hear a follow up about your experience with Book Bub’s site builder.
I’m still using WordPress and mine is due for a facelift. Recently it was reviewed during a webinar sponsored by the Authors Guild. The presenter kept hammering on one point: Every page must include a call to action.
That doesn’t necessarily mean “Buy my book.” It can be invitations to book signings and speaking appearances, listen to recordings of author interviews, play a game, solve a puzzle, take a quiz, enter a contest, etc. Something to pull the reader in and keep them interested and engaged.
She also said put your most important info “above the fold,” That refers to an old newspaper term for headline stories. Online, that means the first page on the screen. She said don’t make the reader scroll down to find the juicy content.
Sigh, another project on my to-do list.
Thank you for writing that post, Debbie. I was very happy to include it. I will keep you posted on my experience with the new hosting service.
Great nugget of advice from the webinar you attended. However, I feel your pain when it comes to adding another thing to the list.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend and can take time away from the to-dos.
If I were starting my career now, I don’t think I’d do a website. Most of the reasons to have one like having chapter samples and other ways to connect to readers are no longer needed. Amazon offers the samples, etc. We need to be where the audience is and most of them are on places like TikTok
The usual argument is to “own your platform,” but I do wonder, as BK commented above, how many readers really search out author websites these days?
Maintaining an author website is an endeavor for sure. I think it’s worthwhile, but do take your point, Marilynn.
Do you have a stat app like Statcounter attached to your website seeing not just the number of people who arrive to your website, but the pages they move to and engage with? Before I closed down my own site after I retired a few years ago, I watched my numbers for over a dozen years. The engagement gradually shifted from the samples and book information to the extra content for my teaching courses and my writing blog. For me, that was a pretty clear picture of what visitors wanted. From conversations with other writers, some bestsellers, they have seen the same pattern of disinterest from visitors.