5 Ways To Improve Your Author (Or Any) Website Immediately

5 Ways To Improve Your Author (Or Any) Website Immediately

Creative people need to create art AND look after their online spaces. Use these 5 tips to improve your author (or any) website immediately.

You’ve finished writing your book and you’re publishing it. Congratulations! Your website may be the last thing you want to think about, but it should not be.

Authors need to look after their online spaces. Your website is your home away from home. It is where your readers get to know about you and your books. Look after it.

Even if you do not have a lot of time, here are tips to immediately improve your author website.

5 Ways To Improve Your Author (Or Any) Website Immediately

1.  Update Information Regularly

Make sure your ‘home’, ‘contact’, and ‘about’ pages are current. If you have a FAQs page, do the same there. Make a date to update these pages with any new information every three months.

Use a current photograph for yourself and include information about any appearances, podcasts, interviews, and new books.

2.  Blog Regularly

There is something eerie about visiting a website that is only updated once a year. It is like visiting a ghost town or an unpopular relative. Use your blog feature to post every week. There are many things authors can blog about.

Read these posts for ideas: 30 Inspiring Blog Post Ideas For Writers and 23 Interesting Blog Post Ideas For Creative People.

You should also create a blogging calendar. You will find really useful tips in this post: Practical Hacks For Planning Your Blogging Calendar

3.  Speed Up Your Website

Your website should take no more than three seconds to load. ‘47% of consumers expect websites to load in two seconds or less — and 40% will abandon a page that takes three or more seconds.’ (via)

Here are six things you can do to speed up your website – even if you’re not an IT genius:

  1. Uninstall plugins if you aren’t using them.
  2. Reduce the content on your homepage.
  3. Optimise your images. You can reduce the size of your images without ruining their quality by using the following tools:
  4. Choose a light theme that does not take time to load.
  5. Install a plugin to boost site speed. (You probably need somebody who knows what they are doing for this.)
  6. Consider changing web hosts if it still takes too long.

4.  Include A Call To Action

A call to action could include asking your followers to:

  1. Sign up for your newsletter.
  2. Download free resources.
  3. Watch a video or listen to a podcast.
  4. Like or share a post.
  5. Buy your products, including ebooks and coaching services.

Suggested reading: Easy Ways To Write Call To Action Phrases That Convert

A call to action helps you to stay connected with your readers and it makes it easier for them to support you.

5.  Make Sure You’re Socially Connected

Check that your links to social media platforms are working and that the widgets suit your theme (unless they come with the theme), and that they suit your brand. These are our widgets at Writers Write:

5 Ways To Improve Your Author (Or Any) Website Immediately

You will find them on the top right hand side of the page. Click on them there to find our platforms.

Top Tip: If you want to learn how to blog, sign up for the online course.

by Amanda Patterson

If you enjoyed this post read:

  1. The 12 Best Quotes On Blogging
  2. The 5 Best Ways To Support Your Blog’s Story Arc
  3. 6 Things To Do When You Finish Your Book
  4. Everything You Need To Know About Blogging

Top Tip: Find out more about our workbooks and online courses in our shop.

Posted on: 18th June 2018
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1 thought on “5 Ways To Improve Your Author (Or Any) Website Immediately”

  1. barry mcdonald

    I’d add that a call to action should be in every post. And not just relying on the sidebar. At least that way you’ve got a chance to get everyone to take some type of action.

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