Striking a balance between personal finances and web design has become easier with the emergence of affordable author website builder options for several writers.
In addition to reaching out to the audience, exhibiting one’s work, and making a brand, an author’s website these days has also served the purpose of advertising the author’s brand.
The one factor that may hold several authors back from venturing out to create a website is the investment that is required for its development.
This is however not the case as there are many services that can allow them to get a well designed site within a fixed budget.
In this article, we will discuss how to get an affordable author website builder for your writing career.
What are the Key Features of a Good Author Website
Every writing website must contain the following selling points in order to take their use to maximum level.
Essential Elements
1. Homepage with a Clear Author Bio
A good home page can be the perfect opener for all aspiring authors because of their ability to showcase various things.
One of these is always a good author bio.
In this instance, a good author bio would also assist the reader in gaining an understanding of the author’s works.
This section should address, among other things, the author’s writing styles and genres, as well as any notable accomplishments.
Including a professional photo can also help personalize the interaction, making it simpler for readers to connect with the writer.
2. Portfolio or Book Showcase
One key aspect that the portfolio or book portfolio section should include is a book description or cover images and how one can acquire the book.
If the author has more than one publication, they may want to segment it by genre or publish date in order to make it more convenient for the audience.
3. Blog Section to Engage Readers
There are certain blogs which can attract engagement from readers.
At the same time, they allow you to provide an insight regarding your books or writing processes.
Posting such content on a frequent and regular basis not only helps to gain back old readers but also enhances the performance of your company’s SEO.
You could also have writing tips, personal stories, and reviews for your posts.
4. Contact Form for Any Queries and Opportunities
Yes, in the fields of blogging, publishing and targeting readers or even event management, providing contact forms becomes a necessity.
With the help of this feature, readers can also use up their time to ask questions and make inquiries about bidding, collaborations or even speaking.
Ensure that the form is welcoming and very easy to consider.
It should only put up questions that are necessary for all such purposes.
Optional Additions
5. Newsletter Signup
This is also effective.
Posting a newsletter section signup on your website can easily grab attention.
People can fill this form to stay updated and not miss any opportunities to get in contact with you about future new content or releases of books.
With this signing form providing an attractive offer can also help sell your release more, such as exclusive content or a chapter of your book to gain new members.
Events or Speaking Engagement Pages
It may be useful for you to set a page dedicated to your participation in events such as book signings, readings and other speaking engagements.
This page serves as a marketing tool in promoting such events.
Furthermore, inputting specific details such as the time, venue and registration links helps achieve the intention of the page.
This also serves to keep your readers updated and to establish you as an active voice in the literary world.
Planning Your Website on a Budget
In case you’re an author and thinking of building a website while staying within a budget then I have some great news for you.
Just follow these key steps:
1. Set your objectives clearly
Determine what pressing issues you aim to achieve through a website.
A few examples can include:
– Your previously published works – showcasing them online.
– Perhaps you would like to keep the readers updated through a blog or a newsletter.
– Promoting book signings and other events.
– Selling the books directly from the website.
2. Determine an investment amount
Bring to the table an estimation which you are sure you will be able to invest.
– Research the amount offered by website builders.
– Consider the registration fee paid for a domain.
– The amount which would be incurred to design and develop the website.
– Routine costs of hosting and advertising.
3. Sketch an outline
Focus on creating a few essential features that will allow you to direct customers to your website easily.
– Users want the design of a website to be clean as it improves their experience while using the site.
– Important portions which need high attention: Mouthpiece of the author, draft works of the book, a blog, and a portal for contact information.
– Site navigation should be intuitive so that all resources of the website can easily be found by users.
Finding the Right Affordable Author Website Builder
If you are an author looking to grab attention on a budget without compromising the quality of the design, make sure you choose an affordable website builder.
What Features Does it Have
Ease of use: Being a non-tech person can make it hard to build a website, which is where an easy-to-navigate website explorable in the main menus comes in.
Built-in Templates for Authors: Concerning the design aspect, choose the platforms that provide ready-made templates for authors.
Cost-Effective Plans with Essential Features: Always make certain that the builder provides reasonable pricing but with necessary functionalities such as hosting, a custom domain, and SEO tools.
Top Recommendations
Wix
Popular for its customization possibilities and installing features such as a user-friendly drag and drop interface.
Pricing: Free plan available; premium plans from around 11 dollars a month.
Best For: Authors who require creativity in their work.
Olitt
Offers a fast and efficient website-building experience with pre-designed templates and basic customization options.
Pricing: Free plan available, with premium options at competitive rates.
Best For: Authors who need a quick, simple setup with minimal fuss, especially for simpler websites.
Hostinger Website Builder
Very cheap, uses a simple Drag and Drop interface with the help of AI Tools.
Pricing: Plans from 2.69 USD a month, a demo version is also available free of charge.
Best For: Authors who are on a tight budget and require a platform heavy on features.
Squarespace
Capable of providing professional website designs that look appealing to the eye.
Pricing: There are no free plans but a 14-day trial is provided, regular plans start from 17 dollars per month.
Best For: Authors who are looking for appealing designs and professionalism overall.
Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your Author Website
Designing an author website shouldn’t be an arduous task, as long as the process is divided into a few steps.
Here’s a step-by-step instruction that more closely shows how to easily build a website and which features for optimization are more vital.
a. Register an Account with a Website Provider: Pick an Ideal Package
Begin by choosing an affordable author website builder that meets both your preferences and your budget.
If you’re a beginner, Olitt, Wix, and WordPress with cheap hosting are some of the reliable options available for you.
You have to create an account and pick a package that comprehensively meets the requirements needed for an artist’s website.
b. Pick a Template: Go for the one that is Author Based/ or Simple
After registration, the very first step is to search the templates that the system has to offer.
Try to find the templates that are designed for authors or simple ones that throw the spotlight to the content.
Such templates should provide the readers with ease of use and good visibility to the authors’ books.
c. Adjust Your Template
Incorporate Your Logo, Colors and Fonts: Adjust the content of your website to your liking defining your brand. i.e. as an author, choose the fonts and colors that incorporate your style.
Incorporate Images or Covers That are Free To use: In a bid to make your website appealing, add eye-catching images.
You may want to use book covers, author pictures or free to use photos that are in line with the content of your writing.
d. Create Important Pages
Each author site has to have the following pivotal pages:
Home: This page should sell your website and entice users to stay on the website. A hot welcoming hook.
About: Talk about yourself, your writing adventures and how you got that inspiration.
Books: Write down your description and let others know where they can buy your published works.
Blog: Tell our readers about your writing, or provide them with updates or tips by posting a blog.
Contact: Add a contact form through which an individual can reach out to you for various purposes.
e. Optimize for SEO
To ensure your website reaches its intended audience, follow these SEO best practices:
1. Use keywords
2. Ensure mobile responsiveness
3. Fast loading speed
Tips to Keep Costs Low Without Compromising Quality
Here are some effective ideas to keep your expenses low while ensuring your site looks sleek and works effectively.
Use Free Tools and Plugins for Added Functionality
A number of website builders offer functional tools and plugins for free.
This means that you wouldn’t have to pay extra for using these plugins on your website.
Also, try to use free images from websites such as Pexels, Unsplash or Pixabay instead of stock images to save costs while also making the site visually appealing.
Aim To Seek A Free Hosting Plan
While looking through hosting providers, you may want to look for free hosting services such as Olitt, Weebly and Wix which also include some ads.
Or you can also look into other options such as Truehost, Hostinger or Bluehost which are low-cost services and allow you to customize your website the way you want.
These plans allow you to host a basic website on a low budget.
Learn Basic DIY Website Maintenance
Knowing how a website functions can help you in the long run and avoid extra costs.
You must get comfortable in knowing how the interface and the features of the website building application work so you can install updates or if you want to make any content changes.
Most of the website builders come along with great tutorials to help you improve.
This makes it easy to cut costs because now simple tasks no longer require hiring professionals.
Concluding Remarks
An affordable author website builder can make the whole difference.
You only need to define your short term and long term goals, find the cheap author website designer and integrate key options.
This will allow you to maintain a great site that displays your works and help you and your audience connect better.
Therefore, do yourself a favor and make the first step now.