When should I launch my author website?
This is a question I get asked quite frequently by authors who are enquiring after my services! So I thought it would be an interesting topic to explore in a blog post.
I have had a website since the dawn of time - or so it seems. I started out with a blog on a platform called LiveJournal, and then moved over to Blogger, and then Wordpress, and then eventually found my happy home at Squarespace, where I have been for the past six years.
I also needed a website pretty early on in my career as I left my job as a staff member on Homes & Gardens magazine to go freelance, and needed a space online to display my work and list my contact details so people could get in touch.
But I know I’m a bit of anomaly, especially in the author world, in that I absolutely love building websites and working online and I genuinely enjoy the process of discovering all the latest developments in the digital space.
It was my passion for redesigning my own website (over and over!) that led to me finally deciding to take the plunge and launch my own web design business.
Since then I have built websites for more than 50 authors, several of whom hadn’t yet landed a book deal.
So when is a good time to launch your author website?
My short answer to this question is: as soon as possible!
(Are you surprised? I am a web designer, after all, so may be just a little bit biased 😉)
But let’s dig a bit deeper into why that might be.
Technically speaking, you probably don’t NEED an author website before you’ve written your book, or before you’ve landed an agent, but there are many reasons why launching your website sooner rather than later is a good idea.
1 It’s a commitment / mark of professionalism
I’m a huge fan of the importance of mindset and setting out your intentions to the world, especially when it comes to writing!
It’s such a nebulous, intangible career, and any steps you can make to ‘officiate’ it can be really helpful I think.
Having a proper author website is a way of telling the universe that you take your writing seriously and that you are committed to building a long-term career.
Before I got published, many people in my life treated my writing like a nice little hobby, or a daft pipe-dream.
I don’t want to be too critical of them because I get it - it IS incredibly difficult to make a career as an author and they were just worried about me.
But at the same time, I took my writing seriously - I always have.
And a professional mindset is so important because there are so many hurdles to overcome in this job, but I also fully believe that if you commit to doing it, then you will get there in the end.
2 It helps you shape your author brand from the outset
These days, more than ever, people who want to sell commercial fiction need to be thinking about their ‘author brand’ from the outset.
I know it’s icky, but at a time when TikTok influencers are hoovering up all the book deals, it really does help to be thinking about building an author brand as soon as possible.
Thinking about where your writing sits in the market, how you want to be portrayed, what your USP is - these are all important considerations.
If you show you’ve thought about these issues and created a cohesive author brand, this will only help when publishers and agents come to find your work. It gives a good impression, will show that you’re tech savvy and also that you’re keen to help market yourself.
You’ll basically help them see where to position you. And from experience, this can be incredibly important.
You know your book and your writing best, and if you can show you’ve picked out a clear niche for yourself in the market, then you’ll save them a job, and make yourself far more attractive.
3 It saves time when you do get a book deal
Trust me, when you get a book deal, there’s a LOT to do!
You enter a whole new crazy world. A world which is exciting, nerve-wracking, overwhelming and full of jargon.
You’ll also probably have a lot of edits to do.
So if you already have your author website up and running then you’ll have saved yourself one job, which trust me - you’ll be very pleased about!
3 things to do straight after getting a book deal →
And if you build your author website on the newest version of Squarespace, 7.1, then you’ll be able to change up any styling decisions you might have made previously easily, so that your website reflects any marketing assets your publisher prepares for you.
4 It allows you to start building a mailing list as soon as possible
I’m evangelical about the importance of author mailing lists!
The sooner you get your author website launched, the sooner you can direct people to it, and encourage them to sign up to your author mailing list.
It takes a really long time to build a mailing list with a significant number of people on it, so trust me, the sooner you get started on this, the better!
Why every author should set up a mailing list →
5 It gives your SEO a kickstart
I know this isn’t the most exciting thing in the world, but from an SEO perspective, older websites are ranked more favourably by Google than newer ones.
It can take a while for your site to be indexed by Google and so the sooner your site is registered and live, the sooner it will start showing up when people google you.
It also means you can grab your author name for your domain sooner rather than later!
6 It helps you build interest and buzz in your book as early as possible
I’ve talked about how publishing runs on hype here → and I really don’t think this can be underestimated.
You can be hugely effective at building your own hype and generating buzz and interest in your book even before it’s finished or published.
Having your own author website where you publish behind-the-scenes content and teasers and talk about your writing process can really help build interest in your writing and your book, which in turn helps build your author brand and make you more appealing to publishers.
7 It’s essential if you’re planning on self-publishing, or might want to consider this route in the future
If you want to self-publish your books, then it’s even more important that you get your author website up and running as early as possible.
I don’t know any self-published authors who don’t have an author website!
And again, at the risk of repeating myself, the earlier you have your author website up and running, the better established it will be and the more comfortable you will feel using it if you do decide to take the self-publishing route.
OK, so we’ve talked about why sooner rather than later is the best strategy when it comes to building your author website.
But what if you’ve already got an agent, or you’ve just landed a book deal, but you haven’t got a website up and running yet?
Don’t panic!
When is the latest you should launch your author website?
This is something I get asked a lot too. I would say, ideally you want your author website to be up and running at least three months prior to publication.
This will allow people who may be interested in reviewing your book, or featuring you on their podcast, or - more excitingly! - optioning the film rights, the opportunity to get in touch with you easily and efficiently.
It will also mean that all the information that press and media need - your author website and biography, plus any info about the book - is readily available in good time before publication.
However, don’t panic if your book is out soon and you haven’t set up your author website yet - it’s never too late!
If you want to get your author website up and running quickly with the least amount of stress, then do check out my DIY Author Website Course, which will hold your hand through building a beautiful, functional author website in just a couple of days.
