Are Author Web Sites Obsolete?

Jeff Cohen

My dear and wonderful friend E.J. Copperman is now putting together a web site to help "educate the public" on the upcoming (June 1) release of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEED, the first in the Haunted Guesthouse Mystery series. And in discussion with E.J. and the fantabulous Lorraine Bartlett, an interesting question came up:

Do readers even care about author web sites anymore?

As a sales tool, web sites were never exactly what you'd call a wild success, anyway. Readers come looking for information, probably about an author they've just discovered. They either scan the home page, immediately become disenchanted, and leave, or they look for more detail. Upcoming signings, a quick bio, books other than the current offering, links, and so on.

But with the rise of social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, and blogs like, you know, this one, have web sites become less relevant? Are they archaic little artifacts now, good for a quick peek, but not where the real communication is happening?

As a reader, I rarely check out author web sites. As an author, I'll look at some to see what I can learn (ie. steal) from them. I've never been great at thinking of innovative uses for the site, which could be why the bulk of my visits are from bots trying to see if I've given up the ghost (that's an allusion to E.J.'s book) and forgotten about the site yet.

The trick with a web site is driving traffic toward it. I don't know where one falls in this chicken v. egg argument, but does a well-planned, easy-on-the-eyes, interactive web site naturally attract visitors? I don't think so--I can say my web site is very well designed because I didn't design it, but it's not rivaling stephenking.com for hits. 

Let's hear from the DEAD GUY faithful (and even the unfaithful): What do you want in a web site? Do you look at them for authors anymore? What makes you look? How are you driven there?

Are those enough questions for you?

By the way, our delightful Designated Blogger Deni Dietz's equally delightful STRANGLE A LOAF OF ITALIAN BREAD is among the finalists for the Lefty (Best Humorous Mystery) award at the upcoming Left Coast Crime convention in Los Angeles! Brava, Deni!

For those who want a look at the contending book, go here.

And now, the weekly update on my ongoing project (converting all my vinyl LPs to digital formats): An entire week spent with Bill Cosby albums. Cosby taught me about standup comedy, from a very early age (I was maybe eight), and what's especially striking, beyond the fact that the early albums were genius and the rest were the work of an excellent craftsman, is how much Cosby's comedy is like music. The tempo, the pitch, the way it's built and the way it plays--all signs that the man was and is an artist who understands exactly what he's doing. Try to listen to "Go Carts" on the Wonderfulness album and not be struck with how he builds it like a very short symphony. Brilliant.

Back to music now: Converting Jim Croce's work took a very short time. He only released three original albums before a plane crash cut his life short at the ridiculously young age of 30. Perhaps the most underappreciated artist of the 1970s, Croce constructed wonderful short story songs that could be funny ("Roller Derby Queen") or tragic ("These Dreams"), with a novelist's sense of humanity for his characters. The hits like "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and "You Don't Mess Around With Jim" don't tell the whole story. Songs like "Recently," "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues" and "Time in a Bottle" do.

Next up: Crosby, Stills, Nash and occasionally Young.

Comments

[Lance C.]

If an author has a series character, his/her website may tell me the order the books in the series were published. Then again, a decent Wikipedia page will tell me the same thing. All else is puffery and BSP, and there's already quite enough of that in the world, don't you think?

From the author's standpoint, trying to come up with a scintillating website, constantly refreshed with unique eyeball-drawing content, is just another time-suck. Wouldn't it be better if that time was spent on something useful, i.e. writing?

[Sue T.]

As a reader, I like a site that gives some idea of the writer's personality, more information about the author than I can glean from the dust jacket, and perhaps some supplemental material -- Rhys Bowen, for instance, has present-day photos of the locations used in her Molly Murphy books. Not too corporate, but not amateurish. One of the cleverest sites I've seen recently was Michael Zadoorian's (michaelzadoorian.com) -- you have to wait for a flash intro page to load, which is a pain, but once you're in, it's got a delightful visual motif.

However, the key thing for authors to keep in mind is that these sites are not simply intended for fans or to win over potential book buyers. They are also -- perhaps primarily -- for reviewers, bookstore owners, people who put together literary festivals and library events, book club moderators, etc. (In my own book club, our leader always prints out information from the author's web site to share with the group.) Those folks need information that is well-presented and sites that are easy to navigate. A good "media kit" page with high res photos, a good bio and review quotes is a must. For a good example, see http://www.williamkentkrueger.com/press.html

[Sam D.]

As a bookstore owner and event planner I use author websites everyday. They can give much more info about an author (like those above said) that is useful to us in promoting author visits, picking book group reads, contacting authors to plan events, and helping customers find books. If I had one thing to say to any author contemplating their current or new website... Don't use the evil river empire as the ONLY link to selling your books.... give your readership non-corporate options via Indiebound and Powell's!

[Tonya Kappes]

I have replaced the website with the blog site. As a writer, I like to follow and interact with my fellow peeps and commenting on their blogs is the way to go for me.

[carl brookins]

I find websites very useful as sources for authors coming to town, more info on authors of books I'm reviewing, people I may want to interview on my tv series or my blog, and to generally keep a "finger on the pulse of the community." In passing, I note that a web site recording 50-60 daily visits and now approaching one million visits (not hits)(www.MinnesotaCrimeWave.org) must be doing some good for the authors.

[Dana King]

I like to read author's web sites, with a caveat of "it depends on what's on them." Googling an author often brings up his website at the first or second hit. I usually look for interviews with that author, articles written by him, tour dates, book chronology, and other general information that may not be available elsewhere. The problem is, it's not always available on the author's web site.

If the site is too wholly dedicated to flogging a book or books, I'll probably drift away. If I can get other things about that writer, it's a keeper. George Pelecanos has a great web site for my taste, though the material is a little old now.

[Kim Malo]

I'm not so sure a lot of readers, especially younger ones, differentiate so strictly between websites, blogs, facebook pages etc. To them they're all websites. How obsolete they are in general I think has more to do with what's on them (and how accessible they are - it really is possible to overdo the flash, which will amongst other things, keep google from indexing things) and how the author uses them. I do know that excerpts are very popular amongst any readers' group I've been on.

[rosemary]

I agree with Sue that the website is valuable not just for readers, but for reviewers, bookstore owners, librarians etc. It's an instant cheat sheet on who you are. I don't have a lot of bells and whistles on mine, but I do have some fun stuff if anyone wants to know more about me or see pix. If facebook and social networking are the front of the store, the website is the back of the store. And if you're not treating it as a store...um...why are you doing it at all?

[Nettie Daum]

The fact that you are putting up a website under a fictional name goes against the transparency desired by social media users. I was disappointed when I saw your website is outdated, glad to find this blog from the Amazon author page, happy to wishlist your new book (and tag it "Jeffrey Cohen"), but not happy about the name change.

Are you going to blog under a different name? I know, you explained about the name change; it still annoys me. I'm not going to "friend" you on FB, but I like seeing an author's photo on the book and thinking of them as a real person, keeping up with their work.

Websites can contain static information and feeds from interactive media. It doesn't have to be one or the other.

[Kerrie Flanagan]

As a conference planner, I rely on an author's website or blog to provide me with insight and information about the author. I will not invite a presenter to the conference if they don't have a current website or blog.

[Sue T.]

Oh Nettie, I don't think anyone is unhappier about the name change than E.J., uh, Jeff.

I would remind authors with Facebook accounts that they use primarily to connect with fans to keep your user settings public, for the benefit of those of us who don't use FB but enjoy peeking in from time to time.

[Joanna Campbell Slan]

I can't tell you how many people tell me, "I checked out your website." Not "your Facebook page or your Twitter feed", but "your website." I think that today a website is like a business card and it confers some sort of instant reliability. Rather silly, really, but there it is.

My readers go to my website for recipes. Check them out at www.JoannaSlan.com and for book club questions, quizzes they can do at crops, and to sign up for my free newsletter.

But they read my blogs (http://KillerHobbies.blogspot.com and http://JoannaSlan.blogspot.com) to keep in touch with me on a more frequent basis. I think it's all a way to build community.

[bookwitch]

I want everything from authors' websites, but they have to be good, i.e. have the information I need and also to be updated often. If they can manage to be funny in a corner somewhere, I'll be even happier.

Facebook is for talking to my 'friends', and I don't find Fb pages much use at all.

[Ramona]

Very encouraging post, plus helpful comments.

I agree with the comments that it helps to see the author as a real, rounded person, not just a product maker.

[Terri Parsons]

I check out authors websites, blogs, facebook, twitter - all to get info. Latest releases. I like to sign up for newsletters when that is an option to know whats coming out. It all gives me different input about the author and their personalities

[Lisa]

Author web sites should be a single hub resource for readers, reviewers, etc. -- for all the reasons everyone has already mentioned so well.

As a web designer, I advise my clients to host their own blog. WordPress is free and it can be used to run a whole web site. This means people looking for information on an author don't have to go to more than one destination.

As far as Twitter goes, it's easy to embed a Twitter feed on a web site -- also keeping a visitor on your site for as long as possible.

For Facebook, there is that transparency issue that has been mentioned. A Facebook fan page might be more useful than actually friending readers etc. You can also feed blog posts to Facebook, but those posts should often direct visitors back to an author's web site with extra material (character bios, maps, deleted scenes, giveaways etc.).

The same use can be made of enewsletters to push out new information to readers when new books become available or for publicizing signings/appearances, for instance.

Here are the three main rules I use when designing an author web site:

(1) Don't make visitors click more than they have to. Host your own blog on your main web site.

(2) Be everywhere (Twitter, Facebook), but push visitors back to your web site.

(3) Provide changing content whether that's through a blog or appearances calendar or extra content related to books. If your site remains static, visitors won't return.

[Jeff Cohen]

Thanks to everyone for the terrific comments! Youve given us a lot to think about.

[Stuart Clark]

I agree with Lisa - As an author, I have a presence on Facebook, Twitter and Myspace and have them all linked - but I use them to drive traffic to my website.

As a reader, I think I'm "old school" when it comes to looking up authors. I'll always go directly to an author website rather than look up their facebook or twitter pages. Usually it's because I've read a book and I want to find out more about that author's bibliography and/or what order I should read other books in.

When designing my website I tried to cater to everyone I thought might be visiting. I therefore supply a downloadable press pack, free sample chapters and short stories for first time visitors who might want to try my work and more information about my book(s) for those that may have read them. I also have author interviews, FAQ's, a (semi) regularly updated news page and a page that details how my cover art was developed.

I also tried to keep the site simple by keeping each page on one page (ie, little or no scrolling). That way it's just a simple matter of clicking around. (I hate scrolling ;-))

[Carradee]

I love author websites!

Allow me to rephrase that: I love author websites where I can easily find what they've written, synopses and (preferably) excerpts of their books so I can know if I want to research them further. If the author has free fiction, writing tips, fun articles or games, all the better—those will bring me back to the site for repeat visits.

The ideal author website is simple (X)HTML and CSS. If an author site has Flash, I tend to flee.