Start to Build an Author Platform by Setting up a Website/Blog
If you are an aspiring author, one of the most important things you can do right now is start to build your author platform. Once published, you will need an audience to market to, and this applies to any aspiring author, whether you plan to self-publishing or go the traditional publishing route. Now more than ever publishers are looking to sign authors with an existing platform in place. First things first, you will need a website and/or blog.
You don’t have to hire a professional web developer to get started, unless of course you would rather have someone else build your website so you can focus on your writing. But if you have the means, are tech savvy, and can spare some extra time, you can easily start your own website for very little in start-up fees, if not for free.
Tip: My suggestion is to have an author website with the option to add a blog. A blog serves many purposes for an aspiring author. As writers, we should practice the art of writing each day. Having a blog gives you a creative outlet while you build your audience and online presence.
Your website will list your services, credentials, writing samples, and links to any published work you may already have. Your blog will develop your audience and serve as a platform to drive traffic to your website.
There are many free do-it-yourself website design services you can access to create your author website such as Weebly or Wix, which will also host your website on their platform. This is a good option if you just want to get a website up on the internet and don’t want to invest any money.
If you want something with more functionality, I highly recommend installing a WordPress site with your own web hosting. When you install a WordPress site through your paid hosting account, you will own your blog, as opposed to having it hosted on a free site like those mentioned above. Free hosting sites like Blogger have been known to delete blogs and this can be frustrating for a writer who has put much time and effort into building an online presence. A paid hosting account on a platform such as Bluehost will only cost roughly $10 per month and you will own your blog.
Bluehost is where I host all my websites, but HostGator is another popular option. Check them both out to determine which option is right for you. I have many high-volume websites, and I have never had a problem with hosting each of them on my Bluehost account. Plus, it is easy to buy domains and install WordPress to my sites hosted with Bluehost. This is easily done through the CPanel once you sign up for hosting.
For those of you who would like more detailed instructions on setting up a WordPress site with Bluehost, I have added four easy-to-follow steps below.
Set up a WordPress site with Bluehost:
1. Register a Domain: A domain will cost around $9-13 per year. If you would like your domain registration information to be kept private, meaning your information will not pop up in a whois.com search, then you will simply add the domain privacy policy for an additional fee of approximately $10 per year. When choosing a domain, keep in mind the following pointers. For search engine optimization (SEO), your domain should contain two or three keywords from your niche topic. However, if you are an author setting up your personal blog or your book’s blog, your personal name or book title is a good option when selecting a domain. You may have to play around with this a bit if your domain listing is already taken. The goal is to find a domain that is either your name, your book title, business name, or two to three keywords from your niche topic. By rule of thumb, you should stick with domains that end in .com, .net, or .org, with .com being the most desirable choice. Try to steer clear of .info, .me, .co, or .biz.
Note: You can either buy a domain from www.godaddy.com and point the namesavers to your new hosting account, or you can buy your domain directly from your hosting account.
2. Set up Web Hosting: Go to Bluehost.com and click the “Get Started Now” button. Select a hosting plan ranging from $4.95—$14.95 per month, depending on your future needs. I would suggest the middle of the road option for now. This will allow you to add more sites to your web hosting account in the future and will give you unlimited space for your website and email. You can always upgrade to the business plan later, if needed.
Another perk of paying for your hosting is that you can set up a professional email address for your name or business. For example, although I have a Gmail account for my name, I use that most often for my own personal use. For business, having your name or niche topic as your actual email address looks more
professional. For business, I use: info@shandatrofe.com and coaching@shandatrofe.com.
3. Install WordPress. From your CPanel of your hosting account, scroll down to “Website Builders” and click on the WordPress icon. Click on the “Install” button and follow the prompts. This can also be done through Fantastico or Mojo Marketplace when using Bluehost. Once you have installed WordPress, bookmark the login page for easy access from your web browser. Voila! You now have a WordPress site with a blog set up and ready for you to sign in, choose a template and design.
Note: You can set up WordPress as a static site if you do not wish to add a blog at this time.
4. Start adding content. You don’t need more than a few pages to get started. The main components are your: home page (an introductory page welcoming your visitors), about page (information about you including your bio and credentials), contact page (email address and/or a contact form so your readers can get in touch with you), and a products & services page, if you need them. If you don’t have products or services to offer, don’t worry, you can leave that page unpublished. Later you can add your books, mp3’s, webinars, teleclasses, coaching services, testimonials, and other options. The sky is the limit! Your website will grow over time. For now, you just want to get it started.
TIP: Be sure to add an email signup form to your site so you can start collecting contact information for your mailing list. When your book is published, you can send out an announcement via email to an audience who is already interested in what you have to offer! This can be done through Aweber, Constant Contact or MailChimp. I personally use Aweber but there is a monthly fee of around $19 and for me it’s well worth it. If you are looking for a free option, MailChip may be right for you. Once you set up your account, you can build an opt-in form that is easily integrated into your WordPress site through either a plug-in or sidebar html text widget.
The post Start to Build an Author Platform by Setting up a Website/Blog appeared first on Shanda Trofe.
