Happy holidays! In this installment of Web Design Relief Links Roundup, we’re featuring articles about expanding your author platform, making your author website audience-friendly, the traits that often lead a blog to failure (and how your blog can achieve success!), and the advantages of Google+. Whether you create your own author website or we create one for you, we want to give you the best tools possible to build an effective online author platform and get your writing out there for all the world to read.

Writing with Fans in Mind: What Will I Put on the Website? via Darcy Pattison — After reviewing a survey about what readers expect from author websites, Darcy Pattison revaluates her current website and blog and asks the questions, “Am I providing any of these things on a regular basis? Is there any reason for a fan of my writing to keep coming back to my website?” She provides an exploration of the elements and content every author website should provide in order to keep readers coming back.

7 Ways to Use Google Plus to Build Your Audience via American Writers & Artists, Inc. — What’s the story with Google+? It’s the little social network that could. It may not be as prevalent as the social media heavy-hitters Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, but, as Susanna Perkins explains, Google+ can help writers build their audiences and boost their rankings in an online search. Give it a shot!

Why Building Your Own Platform Is Essential via Jeff Goins — Writer Jeff Goins explains the essentials of building your own writer platform. While there are certainly a plethora of resources available to writers, he aims to help authors understand the basics needed in creating an online presence.

How To Grow Your Twitter Audience via twiends — This is a fun and easy-to-use infographic about how to expand your audience on Twitter. Check it out for great ideas to promote your writing!

3 Big Ways Most Writers’ Blogs Go Wrong From Minute One via Make A Living Writing — Thinking about starting a blog but don’t know where to begin? Have a blog but are having trouble keeping up with the regular output needed? Then read this article! Carol Tice discusses the main problems keeping writers’ blogs from prospering. Help your blog succeed!

Photo by Rev.Dr.Seb