Nowadays, many authors have realized the importance of having their websites. This is why it’s not surprising that there is plenty of author web design in the market. But how exactly can you determine a well-built author website design? Well, the easiest way to identify them is to take a look at the best author website design, which is exactly what you will find in this article.
Top 10 Author Website Design
Here are the top author website design examples of today that can help give you much-needed inspiration:
Henry Neff
Henry Neff is an author and illustrator whose main genre is Fantasy. What makes his website nice is that it fully reflects him as an author and artist. It also shows how he leverages his illustration ability through the time-lapse video artwork highlighted on his home page. Another important thing to note is that this website has almost all of the crucial elements of a good author web design. It’s easy to navigate; the branding is clear and consistent. Most importantly, it has an author funnel that markets his work.
David Dellman
Here’s an author web design idea that will immediately make you realize that it’s an author’s website. Therefore, it gets an A for clarity right off the bat. Another notable thing about this website is its well-designed typography. It has a very old-school look and feels consistent with the author’s branding.
Mike Michalowicz
Mike Michalocz’s website is a perfect example of an author’s website with excellent personal branding. It has a cheeky and fun appeal, but at the same time, it’s very informative, making you want to continue reading every page on the website.
You’ll also notice that all his books are featured on his home page. What makes it super interesting and fun is the background changes into something funny and quirky every time you hover on a different book. Overall, this website offers a fun user experience that you might want to consider integrating into your own.
Elsbeth Egholm
Elsbeth Egholm’s website has an excellent way of helping the author establish her social credibility. It has a testimonial page found about the fold. When it comes to being an author, this is extremely important because it shows that you are a reputable writer.
At the same time, the website is sleek and clean. Upon first glance, your eyes will immediately get the message and focus on the book featured. The call to action is also clear and concise. This one is definitely simple but very effective.
Austin Kleon
If you are looking for a blog-type author web design inspiration, then this might just be it. Austin Kleon’s website highlights his blogs, which you will immediately see on the home page. Given that he has new content almost every day, this gives the whole website a fresh feeling.
Making visitors focus on his blog is a clever strategy because it allows visitors to know more about him as an author and his previous work. By doing so, they can easily know his voice, making it easier to convince them to buy what he is selling. Moreover, when you look at the blogs published by Austin Kleon, you can see that he is using SEO practices. His posts also have plenty of cleverly positioned links, prompting visitors to explore the other pages on his website.
Judy Moody
Judy Moody is a children’s book author, and her website totally reflects that. It has a playful design that is super easy to navigate. Whether the visitors are kids or parents, finding your way around her website is super easy. Another notable feature on this website is the menu that is set up around the main character. This gives the website a more unique look. At the same time, it also makes it more engaging compared to other websites.
Eric Ries
If your main goal is to increase sales, then you should learn a thing or two from Eric Ries’s website. The website looks like a landing page designed to increase sales and sell the author’s books. This website has a consistent and harmonious branding that makes it easy on the eyes. It’s also very straightforward; the pop of color of the book has excellent contrast with the background, allowing you to focus on it immediately. The choice of font also further proves its no-frills design.
Amy Krouse
The website of author Amy Krouse is a testament to the saying that less is more. Design-wise, there are only three colors on the screen; yellow, black, and white. Despite that, it still has a playful and youthful appeal, making it very aesthetically pleasing. The choice of typography also makes it look more unique. The moving umbrella is also a nice quirky touch.
Frank Chimero
Here’s another minimalist author web design idea. The difference is that the design itself is the actual book, making it super unique. It’s a clever way of promoting one book, but many would argue that this is a book website instead of an author website. The simple navigation is also worth praising on this one. It is not only well-designed, but it is also highly functional.
J.K. Row
ling
Last but definitely not the least is the one and only JK Rowling. Her website is very different from others on this list because the focal point is the background. This simple yet effective design is quite playful. The carefully chosen typography also helps elevate the message of the content, making it more inspiring.
Elements to Look Out for in an Author Website Design
You now know more about the best author web design ideas. However, you must keep in mind that the term “the best” is subjective, and the design decision will all boil down to your personal preference. Despite that, it’s important to ensure that the design that you will be choosing has the following crucial element:
Branding
You have to remember that branding is more than just the logo you use. It also involves the engagement that you provide on your author website. This means that the color palette, typography, illustration choices, and media featured on your website should also be consistent with your branding.
Investing in an effective branding strategy and incorporating it into your author website has a lot of benefits. Most importantly, it helps you make yourself stand out in the online space. Without it, you would just be another random author of whatever your genre is.
Author Funnel
Since it’s an author website, then it should also be an excellent author funnel. Although the website’s main purpose is to allow people to know more about you and your work, you should not miss out on the opportunity of increasing your sales.
There are several ways to make your website a sales funnel. One of the easiest but most effective is to create awesome and helpful content to send to visitors through email. This is also an excellent way of improving your customer relationships.
Clarity
What message are you trying to convey to your visitors when they are on your page? This sounds like a straightforward question, but unfortunately, many websites fail in terms of providing clarity. The most common reason websites lack clarity is that there is too much going on. This makes it difficult for visitors to decipher the message behind the website.
In the worst-case scenario, visitors can feel overwhelmed because of too much information on a website, so they decide to leave with a bad impression. This is something that you do not want to be associated with your brand, especially as a writer who is expected to be an expert in expressing their thoughts through words.
This is why it is highly recommended to make your website as simple as possible. But, you can add a unique element here and there to make it stand out.
Navigation
You have to make sure that your website navigation is as seamless as possible to give visitors the best user experience. A website that is easy to navigate is super straightforward when it comes to how to browse one page to another. At the same time, the content on the website should be well organized with an excellent flow of ideas.
SEO
Another important element of a website is its SEO. You have to remember that there are plenty of authors out there who have the same niche as you. This makes the competition tougher, so you should do everything you can to gain an advantage. One way of doing so is by making sure that your website is SEO-friendly. This increases your chances of ranking higher on search engine results, allowing users to easily find your website in a sea of vast author websites.
Bottom Line
There you have it; those are the best author web design inspiration that you might want to consider. By the end of the day, you must pick one that best fits your needs and preference. Just make sure that they have crucial elements mentioned above, and you will hardly go wrong with your decision.
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