Building author websites to define your online brand

So you’ve written your first novel, or maybe it’s your second, fifth or even 20th, what do you do with your website? As an author in today’s modern world, it’s mandatory to have an online presence. Your fans and readers want to find you and connect with you, and so do the press, literary agents and others. Having a professional, well-designed and well-organized website can boost sales, increase media exposure and set you apart from other authors.

Sadly, many best selling authors have neglected this key marketing tool and still others have jumped on a cookie-cutter bandwagon making their sites indistinguishable from the masses. We spent some time looking at a few outstanding (and disappointing) author websites and put together a list of inspirational URLs that are unique and on point.

Peter Carey. This is a fantastic site that is extremely easy to navigate and leaves no one guessing about who the author is. The color scheme is subtle, but pleasing. Carey has done a great job including audio and video throughout the interface and organized it quite well too.

Augusten Burroughs. A true reflection of the author’s personality, this site is a tribute to creativity and targeted messaging. It’s simple to find the author’s bio, upcoming events, new and contact details. Even though there’s a strong visual presence, it doesn’t detract from the site’s true purpose – inform readers about newest book and find additional information quickly.

Nicholas Sparks. The nice thing about Spark’s site is that it’s perfectly appealing for his target audience. The clean layout and soft color schema have a modern femininity about them. This is an excellent example of how an author is using technology to extend the circle of attraction that his written body of work has among loyal readers.

Stephen King. If you’re expecting buckets of blood or Flash-designed bats to float around the screen you’ll be sorely dismayed. King maximizes his site’s ability to deliver an onslaught of regular news and ongoing updates. Front page (literally) and center, all the latest publicity and coverage is right at your fingertips. At the same time, the site continues to make superb use of navigational components.

Miranda July. Absolutely one of the most innovative author websites ever created. You can’t deny the fact that once you’re on the site you’re instantly hooked and want to read more. Although this site is extremely unconventional, it’s totally unforgettable and sticks with you long after you’ve entered another Google search term. Unfortunately, the actual author site isn’t nearly as impressive as the path that you take to get there. This site is included in our list because it’s a good demonstration of ‘thinking outside of the box’.

We hope these sites offer some assistance when it comes to constructing your own.