The Worst Website Mistakes New Writers Make | Web Design Relief

by | Author Websites | 0 comments

The Worst Website Mistakes New Writers Make | Web Design Relief

An author website is a must-have for both published, seasoned authors and new writers. But if you’re new to writing or are not yet published, creating an author website might seem intimidating. You have a lot of decisions to make about what information to include, what style matches your genre (and your personality!), whether you should include a blog, and much more. It’s easy for a new writer to get the answers wrong. The experts at Web Design Relief can help you avoid the worst website mistakes new writers make.

The Worst Author Website Mistakes New Writers Make—And How To Avoid Them

Typos And Grammar Gaffes: Grammar mistakes, typos, and incorrect punctuation can send visitors bouncing from your author website and even damage your reputation as a serious writer: You don’t want your readers to question your ability to compose a sentence! Consider using expert proofreading to solve common mistakes that might appear on your author website.

Too Much—Or Too Little—Info On Your About Page: Since your About/Author Bio page is the page most readers will visit, be sure you’re putting your best foot forward! Include your personal story, interests, hobbies, and inspirations. These details will help your readers connect with you. But while you want to share with your visitors, be sure you aren’t telling them too much. Don’t make the mistake of including your home address, your mother’s maiden name, or anything that could be used by hackers to steal your personal info or identity. Be aware of the biographical elements you shouldn’t include.

Hidden Social Media Links: Are your social media links easily accessible on your author website? Don’t hide them! Make these links prominent so your readers can find them. Keeping your audience engaged on multiple social media sites is a great way to grow your online presence and author platform.

Dead Blog: A blog is a great way to keep your audience engaged. If your author website includes a blog, make sure you’re regularly posting new content. Don’t lose your readers’ interest by ignoring your blog for months on end—your audience will assume you’ve abandoned the website entirely and will stop visiting.

Messy Publications List: Make sure your list of publication credits is organized, updated, accurate, and easy to read. Include the publisher’s or journal’s name, publication date, and a link. Check these publication links periodically to ensure they aren’t broken.

Not Optimized For Mobile: Most of your audience will view your author website on mobile devices. As of February 2023, 60% of all website traffic came from mobile phones. To accommodate cell phones, tablets, and other mobile devices, it’s important to design your website with a vertical scroll direction and easy page navigation. Be sure your images display properly on mobile. Test your website using online resources that simulate different screen sizes. Failing to make your website mobile friendly will deter readers who want to visit your author website without using a laptop or desktop computer.

Lack Of Updated Security: Best practices and web safety should be an important part of your author website. A website using outdated design elements will become susceptible to malware, putting you and your visitors at risk. Having the latest website security measures in place will defend your website from cybercriminals.

SEO Mistakes: Poorly designed websites unwittingly use bad practices or have common technical glitches that lower their search engine rankings. Empty or missing alt-tags on your images, duplicate blog titles, and poorly written metadata are just some of the ways you could be harming your website’s chances of being chosen by search engines. When you optimize your website, you’ll see more visitor traffic. Using precise keyword phrases will list your website higher in search engine results.

By avoiding the common mistakes many new writers make when creating author websites, you can ensure your website will rank higher in searches and be more visible to potential visitors. For the best results, put your website design into the hands of tech experts who understand the unique needs of writers. The pros at Web Design Relief will create a budget-friendly author website that suits your needs and your genre. Sign up for a free consultation today!

 

Question: Which of these mistakes have you noticed on an author website?

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

GET YOUR FREE 4-PART REPUTATION-BUILDING GUIDE!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

FIND AN ARTICLE

RECENT ARTICLES

Reviews

If you need help nailing your brand, you’ve come to the right place. The designers know what questions to ask, what imagery translates best to the screen, and how to make your original idea come to life on your webpage. Conventional or quirky, your idea is in good hands with the Web Design Relief team.

—Darlene Eliot, Writer
Read more reviews!

Working with the Web Design Relief team was a total pleasure. They made the process easy, in-depth, professional, and lyrical. I wanted a site that leaned toward the bohemian and yet held an edge of minimalist sophistication. I couldn’t be happier with my very inviting and creative site! We should win awards with this one!

—King Grossman, Writer
Read more reviews!

I cannot possibly detail how professional and helpful Web Design Relief has been in helping me launch my collection of short stories—there are just too many things they have done! They’ve been there for me all along the way, guiding me in developing my book and into the 21st century of web design and social media platforms. It could have been a bewildering journey; Instead it was one that was organized and so pleasant. Truly, Web Design Relief has blown me away by what they have created. The first time I watched my book trailer (who knew there were book trailers?), I cried. That team perfectly imaged what my book is about. I want to thank the whole team for their skill and creativity. I appreciate it so much.

—Cyndy Muscatel, Writer
Read more reviews!

I’m pleased with the look of my website. The team at Web Design Relief listened to my suggestions and added a few of their own to make my website look exactly how I envisioned it. I would definitely recommend using Web Design Relief if you are looking to create a website.

—Marion Hill, Writer
Read more reviews!

Sign up to receive our FREE four-part series, The Writer’s Essential Guide To Reputation-Building In A Digital World—the ultimate resource for building your online author platform.
YES! Send Me My FREE Guide!
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

close-link

Pin It on Pinterest

Shares
Share This