Top 10 Author Website Opportunities Most Authors Miss
If you’re an author with a website, chances are you’re already doing a lot right. You’ve got your books listed, a bio in place, maybe even a blog or newsletter signup too.
Nonetheless, there are probably some missing pieces, design blunders, or underused features on your site.
After working with dozens of authors across all stages of their careers, I tend to see the same overlooked opportunities crop up again and again. These tweaks can turn an average DIY website into one that actively builds your readership, supports your book sales, and makes you appear significantly more professional.
In this post, I’m sharing ten of the most common ones—so you can spot them, fix them, and get more from the website you already have.
1. Bigger, better book images
Your book cover is your best marketing asset, so make it the star of the show on your author website.
Make the image large — for example, up to half the width on a desktop/laptop, but do leave empty space (“white” space) around it so it’s not jammed up against your text.
And I’m a huge fan of making a book look like a book! How to Make a Book Mockup For Free Online
Ideally, your website color scheme should harmonize with the vibe of your book cover(s) too.
2. Foolproof links to buy your book
Use buttons instead of underlined text links: research shows people are more likely to click them, and this especially applies on mobile phones.
Link up the book image as well. (In Squarespace, here are the easy steps to do this.)
Provide links to multiple retailers. If you are hoping to get into local bookstores, be really careful that you don’t only promote Amazon.
Consider creating “universal” book links so that readers in other countries get directed to their local store. Books2Read is one service that lets you do this.
3. Offer a great reason to join your email list
Please don’t say Join My Newsletter (I have a whole separate piece about why this is a bad idea).
If you can’t come up with an enticing reader magnet, then at least promise them early notifications when you have news and events to share.
4. Put your website address (and freebie) in the front matter and back matter of all your books
I have even seen major publishers neglect to do this for authors! Right before, or right after someone reads your book is the ideal time to invite them to join your mailing list so you can build an ongoing relationship with them.
5. Create a hidden page for new email subscribers
Use this page to welcome your new subscriber, and to deliver, or link to, your freebie.
Ideally, offer an incentive to buy your book(s), and remind them that books make great gifts.
In Squarespace, here’s how to exclude this page from Google search results.
6. Run an advance reader campaign
This is one of the most powerful ways to use your author website! You can recruit advance readers, deliver (secret) content to them, gather their review text immediately after they read your ARC, and schedule tactful automated emails to remind them to read and review.
For tips on what to do, read Your book will be published in a few months, here.
7. Clean up the confusion
Don’t try to use your website as a catalog of everything you’ve ever written, every event you’ve offered, and every blog post you’ve published. Your readers will end up wading through a tonne of irrelevant information.
Caveat: if your SEO rankings are good for your preferred search terms, proceed with more caution.
Rename your website pages so the top navigation is clear; don’t use cute or creative terms for pages like “Books”, “About”, and “Blog”. Actually, you don’t have to call it a blog; “Resources” or “Articles” is fine too.
Whenever you change the URL of a page, set up a redirect to avoid broken links. More info: How to Set Up Squarespace Redirects, and Why You Should
Make sure any mention of a date also includes the year, so readers aren’t left wondering if your “June 5” event is this year or in the past. Similarly, check pages carefully for phrases like “upcoming book release” when the book is already out!
Run a dead link checker. The last thing you want is a precious website visitor clicking on a broken link. There are several free tools you can use to test the links on your site.
8. Link to (current) social media profiles
You can include links to your social media profiles in your website header and footer. Your “About” page and possibly your “Contact” page are great places too.
Squarespace makes it easy to set your preferred social links once, then it will show them everywhere that you use the social links block.
My advice to clients is: only link to social media accounts that are a) current and b) relevant. If a reader goes there, the material should amplify your author brand, not distract from or undermine it.
9. Check how your pop-up behaves!
Not many of us love pop-ups on websites. However … analysis suggests that, when implemented carefully, they do work.
So, if you have a pop-up message on your author website, make sure it’s a “polite" pop-up that genuinely serves your visitor as well as you.
In particular, make sure:
there is a delay before your pop-up appears.
the pop-up offers value to your visitor (news, a freebie, a coupon code).
once dismissed, it doesn’t come back for a specified period of time (like, 2-3 weeks)
you don’t have multiple pop-ups all jostling for attention.
Read more: Should You Put a Popup on Your Squarespace Author Website?
10. Spend 30 minutes to look more professional
Update the copyright year in your website footer.
If you have an introductory headline that says Welcome to My Website (or similar) at the top of your home page, remove that phrase. It’s incredibly dated.
Create and link to a privacy policy, if you don’t already have one.
Are you ready to sell more books?
Just as your book needs a professional second opinion from an editor before you publish it, it can be hard to spot the opportunities and pitfalls on your own author website.
If you have an existing Squarespace website but you’d like to give it some true professional polish, an Author Website Glow Up Day might be a great choice for you. Or if it’s time to start over, with all of the design and tech headaches taken care of, we can do that too.
Learn more about working with me, and then inquire here.
•
Want to give Squarespace a try? Save 10% off your first subscription for a Squarespace website by using the code PAULINE10
Popular resources for a powerful author website
Save 10% off your first subscription for a Squarespace website by using the code PAULINE10
This article contains affiliate links. I only recommend products and services that I love, and I may earn a small commission if you purchase through one of my links. But you don’t pay any extra.
