Author Website Worksheets

Improve Your Website

• Does your current site design and architecture work or do you need a redesign?
• Does the design look professional?
• Is it easy to navigate?
• Does it clearly list the benefits that you offer?
• Are you proud of your site and feel confident that it impresses site visitors?
• Do you have the ability to update your site yourself?
• Is it mobile-friendly/responsive? (Google is penalizing websites that don’t auto-adjust for mobile devices.)
• Is it social-media-friendly? Does it include social media sharing buttons?

If you answered “No” to any of the above, consider whether you need to make some changes to your site or if a redesign is in order.

Web Pages for Authorities:

• About the Book (if applicable)
• About (bio)
• Speaker (overview of speaking topics)
• Media (includes short and long bios, list of media outlets where you have appeared, archived press releases, professional headshots, etc.)
• Contact (include mailing address, phone, and email link—not just a contact form)
• Store (for products, if applicable)
• Services (if applicable)
• Blog

Essential Website Elements:

• Professional site design (ideally in WordPress.org)
• Links to your social media profiles including: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, and YouTube in header or upper sidebar and across all pages
• Mailing list sign-up box with bonus for subscribers (I use and recommend Constant Contact)
• Professional headshot(s)
• Blog
• Social sharing buttons on blog post pages
• Powerful website copy that lists the benefits you offer with your products, services, and books
• Shopping cart system for selling books or products
• User-friendly navigation
• Clear, compelling message (tagline)
• Testimonials and endorsements
• List of any previous media appearances

Call to Action

Once visitors land on your website, what action do you want them to take? Do you want them to fill out an online form? Send you an email? Call for more information? Sign up for your mailing list? Make an immediate purchase?

Each page on your site should ask the user to take action, usually at the bottom of the page. Your call to action might look something like this:

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Website Review

Go through each page on your existing website while you review the criteria from this section. Note any improvements that need to be made and write a call to action for each page.

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