Social media platforms change their rules and reach constantly. Your website is different: it is the one place online that you fully control. A clear, well-organised author website helps readers learn about your books, stay in touch and buy with confidence.

The essential pages

Home

Your home page should immediately show who you are, what you write and your latest or most important book. Include a clear invitation to join your mailing list.

Books

Create a page for each book with its cover, description, series order and links to the formats and retailers where it is available. If you write a series, a reading-order page is invaluable.

About

Write a short, personable author bio and include a professional photograph. Many readers enjoy knowing a little about the person behind the books.

Contact

Provide a contact form or professional email address for readers, media and event organisers. Make it clear what kinds of enquiries you welcome.

Features that make a difference

  • Mailing list sign-up: email remains one of the most direct ways to reach readers. Offer a reason to subscribe, such as updates on new releases or bonus content.
  • Mobile-friendly design: many visitors will arrive on a phone. Test every page on a small screen.
  • Fast loading: optimise images and avoid unnecessary plugins or scripts.
  • Media kit: a page with your bio, photos, cover images and book details makes it easy for journalists and event hosts to feature you.

Own your domainRegister your domain name in your own name and keep the login details safe. If you ever change designers or hosts, you keep your web address.

Basic search optimisation

You do not need to become an SEO expert, but a few basics help readers find you:

  • Give each page a unique, descriptive title and meta description.
  • Use clear headings and descriptive image alt text.
  • Link between your book pages, blog posts and about page.
  • Submit a sitemap to search engines once your site is live.

Keep it current

An outdated website suggests an inactive author. Update it when you release a book, announce an event or change your bio. A simple blog or news page makes regular updates easy.

Start simple

You do not need dozens of pages on day one. A clear home page, book pages, an about page and a working contact form are enough to launch. You can add features as your catalogue grows.