Creating an Engaging Author Website: Insights from Reader Surveys and Website Design Practices

Welcome to the world of author websites, where the competition is fierce, and readers are just a click away from discovering their next favorite book. With the ever-increasing popularity of the internet, having a well-designed author website is no longer an option, but a necessity.

As a seasoned marketer, I've worked with designers and created numerous websites for authors, publishers, nonprofit organizations, universities, and small businesses. However, in my quest to discover what truly makes for an effective author website, I turned to the readers themselves. In late 2022, I conducted a survey, asking readers what they liked most when it came to author website design.

The results were eye-opening, to say the least. While good-looking, smooth websites designed by professionals can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $20,000, it's important to focus on the features that matter most to readers, rather than those that seem most dazzling. After all, a website that doesn't meet the needs of its intended audience is like a book with a poorly written blurb - it’s a tough sell.

That's why I'm excited to share my findings with you. By combining quantitative research with best practices in website design and marketing, like what was shared in an earlier post, we can create an author website that not only looks good but is functional and interesting for readers. So let's dive into what readers like most and want to see more of, and how we can use this knowledge to design an effective author website for you.

The Survey Methodology

• Anonymous Google survey with seven questions asking respondents to choose via multiple choice between different author websites in various categories.
• The categories were contemporary fiction, literary fiction, nonfiction, young adult, and children’s books
• Each category shared the live website URL for respondents to look at (if they wished) plus a screenshot of the homepage of each website within the survey for respondents to have a quick look at the design/feel of the website
• The survey was open from November 2022 to January 2023
• 103 respondents across Japan, the USA, Europe, and Australia picked their favorite websites in each category
• The survey was shared through my email list, friends and family, Facebook groups, and survey swap websites
• Respondents were told that I had no affiliation with the authors or their websites and only singled them out of 100+ sites reviewed as some of the best out there for respondents to choose from

Choosing the Websites

The websites that were scoured and ultimately chosen came from listicles of best author website designs from around the internet, including, but not limited to:

• https://situdio.com/best-author-websites/
• https://book-publicist.com/top-27-author-websites-in-2023-compiled-by-book-publicist-scott-lorenz/
• https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/author-websites/
• https://mycodelesswebsite.com/author-websites/
• https://rocketexpansion.com/author-websites/
• https://blog.hubspot.com/website/author-websites

I selected websites that were frequently mentioned on the lists and also considered my knowledge of website design to choose sites that were not too complex or expensive to create. These are the websites that I included in the survey for readers to choose from - they look great, were highly rated by others, and can be designed affordably.

The Results

As this is a children’s book writer and illustrator blog, I’ll focus on the outcomes of the YA and children’s book categories.

In YA, I asked survey takers to pick between the following four sites:

• https://angiethomas.com/
• https://jenniferlarmentrout.com/
• https://maggiestiefvater.com/
• https://neonyang.com/books

All the sites were clean, but some used more color than others, some had more dynamic design than others, and all had different placements of the author photos and the book images.

Which website was loved most by respondents? Angie Thomas came out with 38.8% of the votes with Jennifer coming in second with 25.2% of votes.

Why did these two websites reign supreme in the YA category? Here are my thoughts:

• Very clear navigation at the top of the page
• Clean color palette with a light background and darker fonts
• The homepage length (and on all other pages) is a quick scroll
• Pretty good mobile accessibility
• For Angie, you see the author photo right away and she looks inviting
• For Jennifer, you see her latest book right away with bold information about it
• Both authors have at least one book + further info and buy links on their homepage

The Best Practices to Back Up Readers’ Opinions

💥Mobile-Friendly Design is Important

With many readers accessing websites on their mobile devices, it's important for an author's website to be optimized for mobile viewing. This means using a responsive design that adjusts to different screen sizes and making sure the website is easy to navigate on a smaller screen. A mobile-friendly website can also improve the user experience and increase the likelihood that readers will return to the site.

💥Book Information Should be Easily Accessible

Readers want to be able to easily find information about an author's books, including covers, descriptions, and purchase links. Having this information clearly displayed on the website can make it easier for readers to make a purchase decision. This can include a dedicated page for each book that includes all the necessary information, such as links to online retailers, reviews, and book trailers.

For the Children’s Book Websites, the four contenders survey takers were asked to review were:

• https://lindatharpink.com/
• https://kamigarcia.com/
• https://www.roalddahl.com/
• https://fionawood.com/

These websites were chosen because some were loud and bright, while others were more calm and quiet. Some focused on picture books while others were more middle grade. Last, some of these websites seemed to focus more on the author while others had the books front and center.

Which website was loved most by respondents? Roald Dahl came out with a whopping 53.4% of the votes with Fiona coming in second with 16.5% of votes.

Why did Roald Dahl’s website capture the most attention in the children’s book category? Here are my thoughts:

• Bright colors that invite the users to explore more, but focused on a specific color palette and contained to certain areas of the site
• Image of most popular character above the fold (before you need to scroll to see more of the homepage)
• Easy navigation on the homepage to the other pages of the website and easy button navigation to click on links across all pages of the website
• Along with easy navigation, only five main pages to explore so visitor overwhelm doesn’t settle in

The Best Practices to Back Up Readers’ Opinions

💥Simple Design is Key

Many readers appreciate a clean, easy-to-navigate website design that makes it simple to find information about the author and their work. This means avoiding cluttered pages, excessive use of colors and fonts, and difficult-to-find menus. A simple design allows readers to focus on the content and easily find what they are looking for.

💥A Clear Call-to-Action can be Effective

Including a call-to-action on an author's website, such as See All Books or Discover More Resources, can encourage readers to take action and engage with the author's work. A well-placed call-to-action can provide a clear path for readers to follow, helping them to become more engaged with the author's brand and dive deeper into their digital world, potentially leading to further connection and possibly book sales.

There you have it, eight websites, two clear favorites. And of the favorites, the features that were clearly prevalent were:

• Clean navigation and design with lots of white space
• Simple and focused color palette
• Calls to action
• Book information is clearly available
• Standout pictures/imagery

I'm curious to know, what are your thoughts on the survey results? Are there any winners that you think should have been different?

Ultimately, the goal of an author's website is to captivate the attention of the visitor and lead them to take the action that you want them to take. This includes getting to know you and your work better and stepping deeper into your world. Whether that be by attending an event, signing up for your newsletter, or purchasing your latest book. But to get them to take any of these actions, they first need to be drawn into your website and want to stay awhile.

Using the examples and tips we've explored, I hope you feel inspired and excited to enhance your website and engage your readers in a more meaningful way. Remember, your website is the face of your brand, so make sure it represents you and your work in the best possible way!

Ayanna Coleman is a high-level marketing and creative concept strategist. As founder of Quill Shift, a boutique marketing agency, she helps thought leaders, experts, and creative thinkers expand on, clarify, and crystalize their next big ideas for programs, movements, or life-changing experiences so they (and their team) can make them a reality. Trained as a youth services librarian, she started her career at Hachette Book Group in digital marketing, moved into the nonprofit space and led programming and diversity initiatives at the Children’s Book Council, and over the last eight years has partnered with and led marketing initiatives on behalf of publishers, distributors, literary agencies, and startups across three continents. Snag a helpful author website checklist and gain access to more of Ayanna’s marketing tips and tutorials here.