Tips for Revamping Your Author Website
By: Penny Zang
Tags: Marketing, Writer, Website Design, Writing, Writers Life

Creating a website is one of the most common first steps for many writers as they build a writing career or platform. The advice to create a website is everywhere, and for a good reason. The website is the place readers (including agents) will go to learn more about you. If a reader wants to contact you, they will look to the website for that information, as well.

While writers may initially spend time researching different platforms (Wordpress, Wix, and so on), the website often gets ignored after that initial push to create it

Here are three tips for revamping an author website that may feel stale or just needs a makeover.

Make the bio pop

Whether it is called “About me” or “Author bio,” this part of the website is the most frequently visited page on any person’s website, according to marketing guru, Jenna Kutcher. For this reason, the bio should stand out. It can include all the usual information (education, family, hobbies), but if it isn’t written in a memorable way, it may blend in with every other writer’s bio.

Think of it this way: everything written on the your website is an example of your writing, a chance to establish voice and style, as well as generate interest. Phoning in the bio by not giving it more thought is a wasted opportunity to engage visitors to your site.

Why does it matter? Readers (and people in general) like to know who they are buying from — or whose work they are about to click on. Look at the bio on Chuck Wendig’s website for one example of how the bio can remain professional and thorough while still injecting the author’s personality.

Change the background and color scheme

I already know some writers will be resistant to this. They don’t understand or care about design. They don’t think it matters how “pretty” the website looks. Or maybe they like what they already have going on at their website. Given how easy it is on many platforms to change the background (by using the website’s templates or uploading stock images), it is worth at least considering making a few revisions.

Changing the colors or overall look of the website can help make it more attention-grabbing (always a good thing) and it can help reflect the author’s “brand.” If “branding” makes you squeamish, think of it as the writer’s vibe or mood. Set the tone with everything from the background to the font choice.

Bonus: when you make this kind of change to your website, you have an “excuse” to promote it again by inviting friends, family, and followers to come see the new design.

Provide a call to action

Yes, the author’s website is a place for readers to find relevant information, but the website can also invite readers to stick around or simply connect with the writer in other ways. For example, if you have social media accounts, share a few links so that people can find you and keep up with your announcements and updates. Don’t just post the link, though. Invite visitors to keep the conversation going and find you on social to chat more about books (or whatever else you’re interested in).

The most obvious way to provide a call to action is to ask anyone visiting your site to sign up for your email list. When given a task like filling in their name and email address, you may be surprised how many visitors follow through. Sometimes simply asking is enough to see a spike in engagement.

The great thing about an author’s website is that it can be changed and revamped again and again. Writers can try something new (like adding images and video), but go back and change how it looks later, if needed.

If all of these ideas are overwhelming, start small by picking one thing to update. It could make a big difference in how visitors to your site interact with you and your work.