Three Ways to Make Your Author Website Work Harder for You
Make Your Website Market Harder
I launched my first website with the basics and I was happy with how it came out. This is who I was at the time, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
But the more time I have spent learning and growing, the more I looked at my website and knew that change was needed. I had the foundation and now I needed to build on it.
In my last podcast essay, I spoke to Elina Haverinen about the basic needs for a website, SEO, and branding. She reminded us that the website is not static, it should evolve with you.
With that in mind, I asked myself a simple question: what can I do to make my website work?
Add a Blog (But do it strategically)
A blog was not something I ever considered. How would I even begin to fit that in with the actual writing, marketing, and newsletters that I do? What I have learned is that blogging isn’t about frequency; it’s about visibility. It creates entry points for your work and is one more tool to help compound discoverability.
“Think of blogs like little breadcrumbs that help readers and professionals find your work over time.”
Pro-Tip:
Start with 3–5 evergreen posts that reflect your writing life and let them work for you long-term.
It doesn’t take a weekly blog to get discovered. Try writing about something that others will find helpful, like how to write fear beats or what it takes to research for a historical fiction book, as examples. The possibilities are endless.
Build a Press Kit/Media Kit
I admit that I had no idea how helpful a Press Kit can be until I considered the journey a journalist or a bookseller would need to go through to find out about me. I asked myself, “Where can I find information about this author in less than 10 seconds?” The initial answer: I couldn’t. My information was all over the place.
By creating a Press Kit, you are not only setting yourself apart from other writers who skip this, but you are making it easy for opportunities to say yes.
“Think of your press kit as a way to remove friction for those who want to feature your work.”
Pro-Tip:
Create one clear, easy-to-navigate page with your bio, photos, book info, and contact details.
I created placeholders on my website media page for my upcoming release. This gives you a visual overview of how it can look. These are very close to the end result and will be altered to include my final book cover. I used Google Drive to store my documents and made sure to keep my file names consistent. Though this did take me some time to put together, the end result is a professional file with easy access to items that are frequently requested by the media, bloggers, podcasters, and booksellers.
Resources I found extremely valuable to help me:
Reedsy: How to Build a Rocking Author Media Kit: a 7-Step Template
Kindleprenuer: How to Write a Book Press Release (the Right Way)
Design for Reader Discovery
If you are an author, you must build your website with your ideal reader in mind. After all, this is who your website is actually for! Readers should not have to guess what to do next. Make sure you build with intention. It’s about making a connection and guiding them through the journey.
“Every page should guide readers somewhere with your CTA, also known as the call to action.”
Pro-Tip:
Make sure your website helps readers do three things: discover you, understand your work, and stay connected.
Have you reviewed your website today? I challenge you to take a look at what you put together with a reader lens on and ask yourself: is this easy to navigate? Does it show who I am and what I do immediately? Have I offered them a place to connect with me?
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Remember that your website is the marketing tool that you don’t have to stress over. (well, for the most part) It will work for you all day, every day, as long as you have it set up to do so.
“Marketing for writers doesn’t always mean you need to be online shouting into the social media void. Sometimes it simply means starting small, doing little things that can help readers find you over time.”
Website marketing is a long-game and it is sustainable. I encourage you to implement one technique today to help bring yours to life and make it a place your readers will be happy to visit.
My 5 Secret Tips to Make Your Website Work While You Sleep
Use your name and genre consistently everywhere
Optimize SEO descriptions on every page - no one will see this but you and the search engine gods
Add alt text to every image (and include your name and genre. Throw your book title in there, if it applies!)
Link to everything (blogs, podcasts, media)
Register with Google Search Console
