Must-Have Pages for any Author’s Website

Your website is your home base for everything you create. Your social media and marketing campaigns should all lead back to your website where fans can find your purchase links and book information. Have you ever fallen in love with a story and gone online looking for details about the next book in the series, only to come across information that other people have written, which may have been outdated or incorrect?

Don’t have your readers searching all over the web to find what they are looking for. Provide your book information in a clear, easy-to-find layout that allows you to control the narrative. If you’re an author getting ready to redesign your website or build a new one, take note. We’ve compiled a “must-have” list of essential web pages for any author’s website.

Home Page

Yes, people will judge a website by its homepage.

An engaging homepage is a must, as it sets the overall tone for your website and your fan’s experience. Your website needs to stay on theme with your digital presence and act as the home base for everything you write. You want your homepage to display important information but not be overwhelming or cluttered. We use page sections and strong headlines with a call to action that highlights exciting information and takes the reader to what they want to see. If you’ll be using your website to post ongoing content, show your most recent blog posts and social media posts to entice the reader with quick snippets of the content. This will also ensure that there is new content on the home page anytime someone revisits your website.

About Author Page

Fans love getting to know their favorite authors. We’re not talking about a boring bio but something with a bit more flavor. Tell your story and how it all began, include some candid photos, or even an interview-style Q&A section. List any literary awards you’ve won, notable achievements, and tell us which authors have inspired your work. This is your chance to go beyond the standard short paragraph they’ve already seen in the book jacket and you have no space limits! Type away and make sure this page reflects your true self.

Book Library Page

Give your readers an easy to navigate page listing your books and series organized by the order they were meant to be read. We can’t tell you how important this is to someone who just found one of your novels and wants to read the whole series. Where do you start? Publication date may not be the same as the chronological story for your characters, so this is where you’ll direct your readers to everything within each series. It may be one of the key elements to helping you reach higher sales among your top fans. It also helps book reviewers or influencers who are writing about your book give a back story and recommend additional books in your series.

Individual Book Pages

Each of your books should have its own website page showing the book cover, book description, purchase links, promotions, reviews, any related blog posts and if applicable, any social posts or promos you’re running. For authors with multiple books, this allows you to link directly to your book’s page when reaching out for reviews, media coverage, or doing general social media promotions. If your publisher does this on your behalf, then this page will make their efforts even more effective. If your website budget allows for additional pages, this is definitely worth the investment!

Media Kits / Press Page

This page is important in helping you maintain a professional appearance. This is where press, blog authors, influencers and reviewers will go to find high quality assets to use. It should include links to download high-resolution book cover photos and your headshot, your media contact information (if your publisher handles this), a link to your reviews page and any other coverage you have received in the media. It may also help to have a short overview that gives the specifics of your latest book, including its release date, synopsis, and a link to find more information. (This is when you’d link to your individual book page).

Reviews Page

Your reviews page is an important part of your digital marketing. If you’re the top pick for that trendy new book club then showcase what they’ve said! Highlight your best reviews from well known reviewers so that others can see what they’ve said. This can be both written and video reviews, with YouTube videos embedded or linked within the page.

Blog Page

An active blog keeps your website fresh with new content that your fans can come back to read. You are a writer so do what you do best and let your fans know what’s new. Use your blog to tease cover art reveals, launch giveaways, post information on events, book launches, and more. Your blog works hand and hand with your social media. Have an interesting social post? Write a more in-depth blog article and link to it from your social post to bring more awareness to your website. An active blog will also help with search engine rankings and help increase your exposure.

Contact Page

Now that you’ve received interest on your website, give people a way to contact you or find you on social media. While not everyone is comfortable displaying their personal email address online, your contact page should have a form that allows someone to submit a message that will then get sent to your email. It is a safer way of allowing communication and allows your fans, the press and anyone else an easy way to get in touch without having to leave your website. We also recommend putting your social media account links on your contact page as an additional way for fans to connect.