Author Websites

by Fauzia Burke

Releasing a novel can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to marketing. With so many authors and books competing for attention, how do you make sure your book gets noticed? I recently spoke with a new author who was feeling anxious about her upcoming book launching here are some of my recommendations for marketing a new novel.

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by Fauzia Burke

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending and speaking at the IBPA Publishing University 2023 in San Diego. It was an incredible opportunity to learn from industry leaders, network with fellow professionals, and share my insights on cost-effective strategies for book publicity. Plus, it was fun to see people in person. I was also thrilled to promote our company, Pub Site, as an exhibitor during the conference. John Burke, the founder of Pub Site and, more importantly, my partner in crime, captivated numerous publishing folks with his live demos. Witnessing their excitement and admiration for the brilliant platform he's built is always a treat for me.

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by Fauzia Burke

If you are thinking about setting up and designing your author website, you’ve probably reviewed the available DIY website options. You’ve probably taken a look at Wix and added it to your list of potential platforms to use. However, the reality is that Wix wasn’t built to serve authors. Wix can work for photographers, event planners, entrepreneurs, etc. but not so great for authors. When it comes to websites, authors have different needs which is why we built Pub Site. Let’s get into it.

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by Fauzia Burke

As a publicist and marketer, I know that websites can be an invaluable marketing tool when promoting a book. Most authors know this too, but many don’t know how to get people to their sites, and more importantly how to sell more books. Here are some key points to keep in mind if you want to sell more books.

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by Fauzia Burke

As most of the world is sheltering in place due to Coronavirus, we are all spending more hours online than ever before. This is a good time for authors to spit and polish their websites and find new ways to get more readers. If you’ve been reading my blogs or have heard me speak, you know that I think every author needs a website in their own name, not the name of their current book. Remember, you need a website that is going to scale with you. But once you’ve taken the leap and set up your website, purchased your domain, and entered your basic book information…now what? How do you get people to your website? Here are 3 steps to make your website a success.

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by Fauzia Burke

I speak to several authors a day, and many of them find the whole digital marketing aspect confusing. I get that, I really do, but there are some things that you just need to know to take charge of your online marketing. Let’s start with the most important element of your digital marketing: Your website. 

All authors need a website. Yes, all of you. And in 2021 there's no reason to be dependent on others to build, update or maintain your website. Let’s break down the essential elements.

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by Fauzia Burke

It’s surprising, but authors still ask me if they need a website. The short answer is, “Yes”. I know building and maintaining a website can sound like a daunting, time-consuming task. And if you’re still in the writing or editing process, you may think a website isn’t the best use of your time. But as I've said many times, authors should start building their platform/brand as soon as they have an idea for a book and a website is the foundation of your author brand. Besides, new tools like Pub Site make building and maintaining a professional website quick, easy, and inexpensive (more info on Pub Site below).

Not convinced? Here are five reasons why I think an author website is necessary.

1. Your readers want...

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by Fauzia Burke

It’s very common for authors to come to me looking to build their online platforms. We know this is one of the key things publishers look at when deciding whether or not to purchase a book, particularly if you’re a first-time author and you don’t have a sales track. But where many people go wrong is by focusing only on social media presence and measuring success by the number of followers on Twitter and Facebook. Don’t get me wrong, these numbers are important. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again--your newsletter subscribers are far more important than your social media followers.

Think about it. It takes far more effort to subscribe to a newsletter--you’re not just clicking on...

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by Fauzia Burke

If you outsource your website analytics or you want someone on your team to be able to access your Google Analytics, here are the steps you need to take: Step 1                                                                    Sign in to your Google Analytics account at google.com/analytics. Step 2 Click on the website Analytics profile you'd like to invite a new user to under the "Account Home" section. Step 3 Click the "Admin" button. Step 4 Click the "Users" tab under the "Profiles" section, and then click the "+ New User" button. Step 5 Enter the email address of the user you'd like to invite, and click the radio button next to either User or Administrator. A user can view analytics data, while an administrator can make edits to the account. Step 6 Click the Create User button to complete...

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by Fauzia Burke

As an author, you need to have a website so your readers and community can learn about you. In order to know if your website is attracting traffic and is working for you, take advantage of free Google Analytics and connect your website. Google Analytics can tell you so much information even at a glance. If you are new to Google Analytics here's a little overview to help you get familiar with the data you can collect and review. Google Analytics 101 Number of visits

Your number of visits is the number of times someone comes to your site. If the same person comes back more than once, that’s tracked as two visits.

Unique Visitors

The number of new people coming to your site....

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by Fauzia Burke

If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. Or, what isn’t tracked can’t be improved. If you have a website, you have to know if it’s working for you. It’s important to know what specifically is working well so you can do more of it. It’s great if your mom is visiting your website, not so great if only your mom is visiting your website. The easiest and most effective way to track your website progress, and discover what’s resonating with your visitors is connecting your site to Google Analytics with a little bit of tracking code. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of tracking your site’s Google Analytics.

Benefits of Google Analytics It’s free. Works well as...

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by Fauzia Burke

I heard there's a rumor going around in book publishing that authors don't need websites. I kid you not, in 2014 I still hear people saying authors don't need a website. If it was a true rumor, many authors would exhale with relief. Who has the time to get a great website up, keep it updated with fresh content and still have coveted writing time? If you are an author, you may view getting your website up as a time-suck or annoyance, but that doesn't mean you don't need one. Authors without websites, your careers are like houses without foundations. Not convinced? Here are five reasons why you've got to get your author website up.

1. Your readers want to learn...

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by Fauzia Burke

Social media is sexy, but the real power of your relationship with your fans is in email newsletters. The people on your mailing list are your "Super Fans." They are the ones who have given you permission to show up in their inbox. That invitation is very valuable.

Think about it, when was the last time you signed up for a newsletter. Probably not for a while. Once I asked an author that question and she said, "oh I don't do that." She's right we don't do that, unless we are Super Fans or the author/company is providing something of value.

Super Fans are the people who pre-order your books, are the first in line to buy your products, and recommend you...

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