Building an online presence is essential for authors to market their books, engage with readers, and establish their unique brand. The perfect website builder may make all the difference, but with so many alternatives available, how can you select the ideal one? The answer is to try out website builders before making a financial commitment. Fortunately, many website builders have free trials, allowing you to experiment with their features, styles, and usability before committing to a commercial plan. Here’s a test drive before you buy author website builders with free trials, to help you make an informed decision.
Why You Need a Website as an Author
Having a website is no longer an option for authors; it is an essential tool for advancing your career, engaging with readers, and improving your marketing strategies. The following are some of the main reasons why an author website is essential:
1. A Central Hub for Your Brand.
Showcase Your Books: A website is the ideal place to showcase all of your published works, upcoming releases, and book information. You may create individual pages for each book, complete with summary, reviews, and purchase links.
Establish Your Author Identity: Your website is a digital reflection of who you are as an author. It enables you to share your writing style, voice, and personal brand with readers, making it easier for them to identify with you.
2. Build a long-term fan base.
A website allows you to interact with your audience directly. Offering newsletter sign-ups or contact forms allows you to engage with your audience, keep them up to date on new releases, and cultivate a devoted fanbase.
To interact with followers and convert casual visitors into lifelong readers, consider offering exclusive content such as sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes information, or exclusive bargains.
3. Sell Your Books Directly
E-Commerce Integration: If you’re self-publishing or want more control over your sales, a website can integrate e-commerce features, allowing you to sell more books directly to your readers without relying on third-party retailers.
Access to International Markets: An online store allows you to reach worldwide readers and ensure that followers from all around the world can quickly purchase your work.
4. Promotion and Visibility
SEO Benefits: Having a website allows you to optimize your content for search engines (SEO), which increases your online presence. Using relevant keywords and promoting your website increases the chances of readers discovering your books online.
Social Media Integration: Your website can act as a hub for all of your social media accounts. This integration allows your audience to easily see the most recent changes and communicate with you across several platforms.
5. Share your expertise and authority.
Blogging: Many authors use their websites to host blogs that provide writing tips, book reviews, personal anecdotes, or insights into their creative process. This content not only establishes your authority but also attracts readers interested in writing or the genre in which you publish.
Educational Resources: If you’re an experienced author, you can aid other writers by providing writing guidelines, online courses, or seminars. This positions you as an expert in your subject and provides additional value to your readers.
6. Connect with Your Audience Beyond Books
Author News and Updates: Use your website to promote forthcoming events such as book signings, interviews, and speaking engagements. This helps you to supply your followers with regular updates on your writing journey or industry news that they will find interesting.
Merchandise Sales: If you have any merchandise, such as books, clothing, or collectibles, you may sell it directly to your target audience through your website.
7. Professionalism and Credibility
A Professional Presence: A well-designed website increases your professionalism and builds trust with readers, publishers, and literary agents. A polished online presence makes you appear serious about your career and helps distinguish you from the competition.
Author Bio and Media Kit: You can use your website to provide essential information about yourself, your writing achievements, and any media coverage. A media kit with photos, interview quotes, and other materials makes it easier for media outlets or event organizers to feature you.
8. Data and Analytics
Track Visitor Engagement: The majority of website builders provide analytics tools for tracking website traffic, visitor behavior, and interactions. This data can help you evaluate which content relates to your target audience and make your marketing efforts accordingly.
Optimize Your Marketing Strategy: Using this information, you can fine-tune your promotional techniques, such as email campaigns or social media advertising, to reach the correct audience and boost interaction.
Simplifying Website Creation with Website Builders
Building a website may sound intimidating, especially for those who aren’t tech-savvy. Fortunately, website builders provide simple tools that allow you to construct a professional site with no coding skills. They offer pre-designed templates and drag-and-drop capability, so you can quickly create a gorgeous author website.
Why are free trials valuable?
Test Features Before Committing: Many website builders have free trials, allowing you to examine their tools, design possibilities, and functionality. This allows you to choose the platform that best suits your requirements without making a financial commitment.
See How It Works: Free trials enable you to test out key features like e-commerce options, SEO tools, blogging features, and customizable templates. You can determine if the platform aligns with your vision and goals before investing in a paid plan.
Top Author Website Builders with Free Trials
Here are some of the best author website builders with free trials so you can try out their features before making a decision.
1. Wix
Wix is a popular website builder with an easy drag-and-drop interface and customizable templates. Whether you’re creating a portfolio, a blog, or an online store to sell books, Wix provides a versatile platform ideal for authors.
Wix has a 14-day free trial during which you can test most features, including access to premium templates and apps. After the trial, you’ll need to choose a paid plan to keep your site live.
Key Features for Authors: Free domain for the first year, mobile optimization, eCommerce functionality, blogging tools, and the ability to integrate with social media.
Best for: Authors looking for ease of use and creative freedom without having to learn code.
2. Square Space.
Squarespace is also a popular website builder for creatives, including authors. It is well-known for its clean, modern appearance, and it includes wonderfully designed themes that will immediately make your author’s website look professional.
Squarespace provides a 14-day free trial in which you may build a website and try out the platform’s capabilities. To begin, no credit card is necessary, making it ideal for individuals who are just getting started.
Key Features for Authors: High-quality templates, blog integration, social media tools, and built-in eCommerce options. The website also provides analytics and SEO tools to help you build your following. Great, right?
Ideal for: Authors who wish to create a visually appealing website with little work.
3. Weebly
Weebly is another simple website builder that has a free plan and a 30-day free trial on more expensive options. It is well-known for its simple drag-and-drop functionality, which allows you to create a website even if you have no technical knowledge.
Free Trial: Weebly provides a 30-day free trial of its premium plans, which includes full access to all paid features such as powerful eCommerce capabilities, marketing integrations, and more.
Key Author Features: eCommerce options for book sales, blogging capabilities, integrated SEO tools, mobile optimization, and a drag-and-drop builder.
Ideal For: Writers looking for an easy and affordable way to build a website that looks professional.
4. WordPress.com
One of the most well-known website builders in the world is WordPress.com, which offers both free and premium versions. It’s ideal for authors who want to create a blog-based site but can also accommodate online stores and portfolios. The platform is highly customizable with plugins and themes.
Free Trial: WordPress.com offers a free plan with basic features and a 14-day free trial of its premium plans, which include improved customization options and more storage.
Key Author Features: Comprehensive blog and content management capabilities, customizable themes, SEO tools, and eCommerce capabilities (via WooCommerce integration).
Best for: Authors who desire the freedom and scalability to blog and sell books.
5. SiteGround (WordPress Hosting
While SiteGround is a hosting company rather than a website builder, it is worth noting for authors searching for WordPress hosting with exceptional customer service. SiteGround offers strong WordPress hosting and features that allow you to build a fully customizable author website.
Free Trial: SiteGround doesn’t offer a traditional free trial, but they provide a 30-day money-back guarantee. This gives you a risk-free opportunity to try out their hosting service.
Author-friendly features include fast website speeds, free daily backups, free CDN, email accounts, and one-click WordPress installation.
Best for: Authors who wish to create a fully customized WordPress website with stable hosting and excellent support.
6. Strikingly
Strikingly is a website builder that focuses on developing simple, one-page websites. It’s an excellent choice for authors who want a minimalistic yet effective online presence without too many bells and whistles.
Free Trial: Strikingly offers a free plan with limited features, as well as a 14-day free trial of their premium plans.
Authors should look for one-page websites, mobile-responsive design, SEO tools, and the ability to sell books or digital products.
Best for: Authors that want a simple, tidy website that does not take much effort.
7. Olitt
Olitt is a cutting-edge website builder that promotes simplicity and speed, making it a fantastic choice for authors looking to get their websites up and running quickly and with minimal learning curve. It provides a simple technique for generating professional-looking websites.
Try it for free: Olitt offers a free subscription with restricted features, which is suitable for authors who want to test the service. They also provide a 7-day free trial of their premium services, which allows you to experiment with more advanced options.
Key Features for Authors: Customizable themes, an easy drag-and-drop editor, quick website setup, and eCommerce integration for direct book sales. Olitt also has blogging features and simple SEO tools.
Best for: Authors who desire a quick and simple website builder that doesn’t require much technological knowledge.
How to Choose the Right Website Builder for You
Choosing the proper website builder is determined by several criteria, including your level of technical expertise, the features you require, and your budget. When evaluating website builders, keep the following points in mind:
✔Ease of Use
You should be able to answer if the platform’s UI simple to understand. Can you build the site without needing coding knowledge?
✔Customization Options
Does the platform offer enough flexibility to make your website look unique? How customizable are the templates?
✔Budget
While free trials are a great way to test a platform, you’ll eventually need to consider pricing plans. Select a builder who suits your budget for both short-term and long-term requirements.
✔Support
Is the platform’s customer support available around the clock? You’ll want to ensure that you can seek assistance if you encounter any problems and not wait forever to get attended.
Final Thoughts
A free trial is an excellent method to try out website builders without committing to a premium plan straight away. Each of the platforms featured here offers a risk-free opportunity to test out their features and determine whether they match your demands as an author. Whether you want a basic portfolio, a full-fledged blog, or an online store, there is a website builder for you.
Take advantage of these free trials to create a gorgeous author website that will allow you to interact with readers and expand your audience!