So, What Do I Need on My Website?
Domain name and
webhosting
There are two things you need to get started on a
Website. 1) You need to budget for a domain name
and Webhosting.
The domain name is usually yourname.com. For
branding purposes, it’s always best to use your name unless you are writing under a pen name.
There are other extensions like “.net”, “.tv”, “.us”, etc, but most people recognize “.com” as a
company and you are in a sense a company or a brand.
When you do a domain name research, sometimes the name you want may be taken so it’s
good to have a list of alternatives. For example, author Monique Miller wanted
moniquemiller.com for her domain name, but it was already taken. She opted for
authormoniquemiller.com.
As you explore domain names think about whether people will have a hard time spelling your
name or if someone shares your name. Author Tia McCollors ran into this issue and uses not
only TiaMcCollors.com, but also TiaWrites.com. Both domain names are directed to her author
Website.
If you decide to use a free Website service like say Blogger.com, I recommend at least
2
purchasing and forwarding the domain name so readers can find you.
A NOTE ABOUT BLOGS - Most sites now are run on a blogging system, so I don’t object to
people using blogs for their Websites. I’m actually encouraging people to go this route more
and more.
I would like to recommend that you consider Typepad.com (pay) or Wordpress.com (free)
instead of Blogger.com. It’s a lot easier, especially with Wordpress to make your Website
appear to resemble normal Websites. Plus if you use the combination of Wordpress and your
own webhosting, the customization you can do is truly mind-blowing and fun!
Elements needed for a Website
Here are a few websites to take a look at
• bonniehopkins.com
• maritateague.net
• rhondamcknight.net
• sharonewellfoster.com
• shelialipsey.com
• tiamccollars.com
• vanessamiller.com
Some of the common
elements or the basics:
• Home: A homepage is the landing site for your website. First impressions count. Your
latest book release should be a focal point when visitors enter your site. A lot of authors
still want you to be aware of their other books so they will probably still include those
books on the page.
• Bio/About the Author: It’s up to you how much information you want to include.
Definitely not TOO MUCH PERSONAL INFO. It’s the internet and you still have to use
commons sense.
• Books: Always if possible include a description, post an excerpt and have links available
for Amazon, BN, etc. If you are selling the book, you might want to look into getting a
PayPal account.
3
• Tour dates or calendar: This is a must. Include your book signings. Any conferences
where you will be speaking? Are you going to be a guest blogger somewhere? Are you
going to be on television, radio, participating in a podcast? The key with a calendar –
keep it updated.
• Contact Page: I recommend getting a gmail or yahoo account. Keep it separate from
your personal email if you can. Spammers can easily grab or harvest your email address
from your Website. Yahoo and Gmail do pretty good jobs of catching spam. Simply,
redirect yourname@yourdomain.com to your personal email account.
• What are you offering? If you have the time and expertise, consider how you can
expand your site to meet a need or offer a service. A great example is Rhonda
McKnight’s inclusion of her Legacy Editing Services on the “For Writers” page.
DO NOT put or request irritating things on the site that will drive visitors away like …
• flash intros with no skip – preferably no intro at all especially if you want repeat visitors
• music that loads as soon as the visitor enters the page
• huge graphics with large file sizes – yes some people still use dial-up
• blinking animations
• large fonts
• clashing colors schemes
I could go on … but you get the idea.
Branding – Your name is the brand
Whenever I sit down to create a mock-up for a site I always start with colors. I like to get a feel
for a person so his or her personality shines through their brand. Whatever colors, logos, fonts,
etc that you use for your Website, keep the same concept as you work on print materials and
online promos like eblasts.
Remember if you are a debut author or if there is a certain amount of time that has passed
between your books, you have to teach people your name. Publishers spend a lot of time on
creating the perfect book cover. Use those same techniques for marketing your brand.
4
Platform (Nonfiction)
Many writers are speakers. Platform may be more
important for nonfiction writers, but it's probably
helpful for fiction writers as well. Do you talk about
domestic violence, cancer, parenting, divorce, etc in
your fiction or nonfiction book? There is a possibility you
can speak as an expert on this topic at a conference, on
a radio show or on television. You can at least write
articles for print or online publications.
Websites to check out: flourishleadership.com, toniaspeaks.com
Audience
You need to know your audience.
CamillePeay.com. Camille’s YA book, Brittani, is
marketed to young adult females. So, when we talked
about her Website, she wanted something not too cute,
but would appeal to a young girl.
When you are talking to a web designer or if you are
searching for a template, think about your audience. Do you want something that attracts a
younger audience? If you write suspense, shouldn’t you think about darker colors versus pastels
(even if you really like pastels)?
Plan for the future.
KellyStarlingLyons.com. Children's book author, Kelly Starling Lyons, has mainly written
children's books, but when it came time to put together a Website, she wanted to make sure it
would appeal to young adults as well since she’s planning to write for a YA audience.
If you are going to write for more than one type of audience, you may have to think about
branding yourself two different ways. Several authors, who write adult books, have separate
Websites for their YA books.
Example: Victoria Christopher Murray
http://www.victoriachristophermurray.com, http://www.thedivinedivas.com
Feel free to request a FREE quote for a Website or a customized blog at Tywebbin Creations.
5
About the Author
Tyora Moody is an author, graphic designer, and entrepreneur.
Her debut novel, When Rain Falls, will be released March 2012
(Urban Christian / Kensington). This is the first book in the Victory
Gospel series.
Tyora writes romantic suspense and cozy mysteries. She is a
member of Sisters in Crime and American Christian Fiction Writers.
She owns and operates Tywebbin Creations LLC, a design and
marketing company. Her company’s niche is assisting authors with branding and developing an
online presence.
Follow Tyora Moody online at: Follow Tywebbin Creations online at:
www.TyoraMoody.com http://www.TywebbinCreations.com
www.facebook.com/AuthorTyoraMoody www.facebook.com/Tywebbin
twitter.com/tyoramoody twitter.com/tywebbin
6
to request a FREE quote for a Web site or a customized blog at Tywebbin Creations.
6
About the Author
Tyora Moody is an online book promoter, graphic designer and writer. For the past ten years, her niche has been to assist authors and writers with establishing an online presence. A teacher at heart, she loves to share quick tips and teach newbies about internet marketing. She also is a social network enthusiast. You can find her online at two of her favorite social networks, Facebook and Twitter. Visit her online at Tywebbin.com.
7