by Lynn Varon
The homepage is a snapshot of your website that invites the visitor to explore further. Attention-seeking authors know a website has the widest reach of all promotional tools. It’s also flexible—it can be designed and redesigned to serve the purpose of the moment. Whatever moment you’re in, these are three essential elements for your homepage.
1. Book covers
Think of your website as your personal bookstore. You own all the shelf space; now you need to bring customers through the virtual door and get them to browse. People pick up books with covers that speak to them, and that’s the first step toward making a sale. Include a brief description to heighten interest, and add a link to a page dedicated to that book or a to purchase site.
If you’re still marketing a manuscript, make it the focus of your homepage. “In most cases,” says website designer Adanna Moriarty, “if you are at the agent stage, you need at least a mock cover and your manuscript.”
The website Moriarty built for true-crime writer Jane Howett resembles an evidence board, with artfully arranged evidence photos, newspaper clippings, and profiles of the people involved. “The entire website was built in hopes of getting an agent or a producer’s attention,” she says.
2. A distinctive header
If, by the grace of Google, a casual visitor lands on your homepage, you have seconds to catch their interest. Your site doesn’t have to appeal to the masses, just the people who enjoy your genre or want the information you offer.
You already know what book-cover elements work on your audience. Cover-design principles can also be used in an effective header.
Colors communicate feelings: passion, romance, mystery, suspense, calm, motivation, conflict. They can also convey authority, expertise, and confidence. Choose a palette that complements your fictional or factual subject matter.
A quality photo can say a lot about your written work. Websites like Pixabay and Unsplash offer stock images and illustrations free for commercial use. A donation to the content creator is suggested, but even $20 is cheap by stock-image standards, and you’ll be supporting a fellow creative.
Fonts are a potential pitfall. A fancy script may look great, but that’s not the only thing to consider. The first rule of font choice, in my book, is that it must be legible. It’s true I told a high school teacher he didn’t have to read my handwriting to recognize my signature, but messy is not a good signature style. To build recognition, make sure people can read your name and other vital information.
3. Bio and photo
“I always suggest putting your bio and headshot on the homepage,” says Moriarty. This may be most important for a site that serves as a press kit, but don’t underestimate the humanizing effect of a little personal information. Save your long bio for the About page. People are more likely to read shorter pieces of text when they’re skimming a homepage.
Think of these elements as window dressing for your virtual bookstore. A targeted display will invite the right readers to step inside.
Lynn Varon designs author websites and is a WPN board member. Adanna Moriarty is a website designer who works with literary groups and authors and is the WPN Membership Director.
