9 Best Website Builders for Authors and Writers in 2023
Websites are no longer a luxury for authors; they’re now a necessity. A well-designed author website can be a powerful marketing tool, helping you to connect with readers, promote your books, and build your brand.
But if you’re not a web designer, the prospect of building a website from scratch can be daunting. Fortunately, there are now many easy-to-use website builder platforms that allow you to create a professional-looking website without any prior experience.
In this article, we will round up the six best website builders for authors in 2023, taking into account features, ease of use, price, and customer support. So if you’re looking to build an author website, read on!
What we look for in the Best Website Builders for Authors and Writers
Choosing the best website builder for you can be a difficult task. There are so many to choose from, and each one has its own set of features that may be perfect for your needs. To help make the decision easier, we’ve put together a list of factors to consider when choosing the best website builder for authors and writers.
Cost and time efficiency
When considering which website builder to use, the cost is certainly an important factor. Some builders are much more expensive than others but may offer greater time efficiency in terms of creating your site. Others may be more affordable but may require more time to set up and use.
Customization options and flexibility
When choosing a website builder, it’s important to consider the customization options available. Many builders offer great flexibility in terms of designing your site exactly the way you want it, with no restrictions. Others may have preset templates that are easy to use but lack a lot of customization potential. It’s important to choose the builder that will allow you the most flexibility in terms of how your site looks and operates.
Ease of use
When deciding on which website builder to use, it’s important to consider the ease of use. It’s frustrating enough trying to create a website from scratch, and adding another task into the mix (such as using a website builder) can make things even more difficult. Choose a builder that is easy to navigate, with user-friendly features that will make creating your site quick and painless.
Quality templates
One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a website builder is the quality of the templates. Many builders offer great templates that are easily customizable, but it’s important to make sure that these templates are up to par in terms of quality and functionality. If you’re looking for a template that will look professional right out of the box, then be sure to choose a builder with high-quality options available.
Ecommerce
When choosing a website builder, it’s important to consider the builder’s ability to create an e-commerce site. Many builders offer great e-commerce features that make selling your products easy and fun. Not all builders have this capability, so be sure to choose one that will allow you to create a professional-looking online store.
User support
One of the biggest benefits of using a website builder is the ease of access to user support. Many builders offer great customer support resources, so if you have any questions or problems with your site, you can usually find help quickly and easily. Make sure that the builder you choose offers quality support options, as poor customer service can really wreak havoc on your online business.
Extra author features
Many website builders offer great author features that make creating your site easier and faster. These features can include user profiles, social media sharing capabilities, and more. Make sure to choose a builder with these features available if you want to create a site that looks professional and easy to use.
Why you shouldn’t use a Dedicated Website Builder for Writers
There are a few reasons why writers shouldn’t use dedicated website builders.
Limited features
Most dedicated website builders are designed for business owners and not writers. This means that the builder’s features are likely limited in terms of how they can help you create a great site. If you’re looking for features specifically geared toward writing, then be sure to choose an alternative builder.
No room to grow
Dedicated website builders are often designed with a one-size-fits-all approach. This means that the builder won’t allow you to grow your site as you need to, which can lead to frustration and limited opportunities. If you’re looking for a builder that will allow you to customize your site however you want, be sure to choose an alternative option.
Best Website Builders for Authors in 2023
1. Wix: An Easy-To-Use Builder That Can Foster Your Creativity
Wix is one of the most popular website builders on the market today. It’s easy to use and can be tributed to fostering creativity in users. With Wix, you have a lot of control over your site’s look and feel, which allows you to create a site that looks professional and sleek. It offers you maximum design freedom which is perfect for writers who want to create a unique and personal site. The Wix also offers 800 high-quality templates to choose from, so you can easily create a site that reflects your unique brand.
What’s more? The drag-and-drop editor makes website creation straightforward. In addition, the versatility of Wix makes it optimal for creating blogs, e-commerce stores, and even a business website. It also offers features and apps for developing your site further, so you can create a platform that supports your work as an author. Wix is definitely one of the best options for writers who want to create a professional and unique website.
Who is Wix for?
Wix is perfect for anyone who wants to create a professional and unique website. It’s easy to use, versatile and comes with a lot of features and apps for further development. It is also perfect for people looking for the most customizable option out there.
Features
Extensive app market: This website builder offers users a wide range of features and apps for further development, such as drag-and-drop site building, an app store for developing your website further, and more.
800+ high-quality templates: With over 800 high-quality templates to choose from, you can easily create a site that reflects your unique brand and style.
Variety of themes: Wix offers users the ability to choose between different theme options, so you can find the perfect one for your project.
Personalized SEO: With Wix’s personalized SEO features, you can ensure that your site is easily found by potential clients and customers.
Outstanding contact forms: With Wix’s contact forms, you can easily communicate with your readers and followers.
Separate mobile editing: With Wix’s separate mobile editing, you can create sites that work great on both desktop and mobile devices.
Pros
- Generous free plan
- Highly customizable
- Integrated store for selling books
- Affordable paid plan for more features
- Lots of third-party integrations and plugins
- Great contact forms
- Separate mobile editing
Cons:
- Some templates are not well designed
- Low-quality editing experience
2. Squarespace: Stylish Templates and Outstanding Marketing Tools
Squarespace is a website builder that is perfect for people who are looking for a stylish and professional option. With tons of trendy and polished templates to choose from, as well as powerful marketing tools, Squarespace is sure to suit your needs. It also boasts author-friendly features including e-commerce, blogging, and marketing tools, which means you can easily create and sell your products.
The marketing tools also allow you to attract new clients and followers, which is a huge plus. It is also easy to create marketing campaigns, which is a key feature for any online business. This means you can announce events, promote your books, and contact potential clients all with one platform. What’s more?
Squarespace offers the best SEO tools on the market, which help you rank higher in search engines. The best part? The 14-day free trial ensures that you can try out the platform before making a decision. With its easy-to-use interface and plethora of features, Squarespace is the perfect choice for anyone looking for a stylish and professional website.
Who is Squarespace for?
Squarespace is ideal for writers, artists, and independent entrepreneurs looking forward to transforming their online presence. The platform offers a sleek and professional design that is sure to impress. The intuitive user interface makes creating a website a breeze, and Squarespace offers the best SEO tools on the market. Overall, Squarespace will take care of your online presence and help you stand out from the competition.
Features
- Powerful analytics: Squarespace provides detailed information about your website’s performance, including, monthly visits, pageviews, and unique visitors.
- 14-day free trial: Try out the platform before making a decision to purchase it.
- Powerful Ecommerce: Squarespace offers an easy-to-use e-commerce platform that makes selling your products a breeze.
- Variety of templates: Choose from up to 140 varieties of templates to create a website that is stylish and professional.
- The newsletter features: Add a newsletter sign-up box to your website and let potential clients know about your latest updates.
- Social media integration: Share your website’s content on social media with ease.
- Built-in blogging platform: There are functional and customizable blog features that make it easy to share your ideas with the world.
Pros
- 14-day free trial
- Great SEO tool and marketing
- Built-in blog features
- Variety of templates
- Social media integration
Cons
- Few design options
- Limited customization
3. Zyro: Powerful AI Tools to Help You Build Your Site
Zyro is a powerful website builder that offers a variety of tools to help you create an online presence. The platform’s AI capabilities make it easy to customize your website, and the intuitive user interface makes creating websites a breeze. Zyro also offers great SEO features that will help you target potential customers.
The best thing is that it brags a huge collection of AI tools that make it easy to automate website tasks, such as email marketing, social media management, and data entry. The platform offers an easy-to-use e-commerce platform that makes selling your products a breeze. Additionally, automated marketing tools make it easy to promote your business on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Finally, Zyro offers traffic analysis tools that let you track the performance of your website over time.
Who is Zyro for?
Zyro is perfect for entrepreneurs and business owners who want to create a website that reflects their unique brand and offers Excellent SEO features. It’s also great for small businesses that need a simple, affordable platform to manage their online presence.
Features
- AI heatmap: This feature tells you where your site’s users are spending the most time on your website.
- Email Signature Builder: This tool allows you to easily create and customize email signatures for your website subscribers.
- AI content builder: This tool allows you to easily create and customize articles for your website.
- Social media management: Zyro offers easy-to-use tools to manage your social media accounts.
- Intuitive blogging tools: This feature allows you to easily create and publish blog posts on your website.
- Plenty of integrations: Zyro offers a wide range of integrations that let you easily connect with different services like Google Analytics, Shopify, and Instagram.
Pros
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Easily create and manage your website content
- Wide range of integrations
- Intuitive blogging tools
Cons
- Lacks author-exclusive templates
4. WordPress.com: Best Blogging Tools for Connecting with Your Audience
WordPress.com is a web-based platform that lets you create a website or blog with ease. It’s widely regarded as one of the best blogging platforms available, and for good reason: it offers plenty of features and integrations to make creating, managing, and publishing content easy peasy.
Some of the most important reasons to use WordPress.com include its wide range of features (including both author-exclusive templates and premium themes), abundant customization options, robust security measures, fast loading times (thanks in part to its caching feature), excellent SEO capabilities (thanks to its built-in SEO tools), and wide range of integrations (including social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+). Overall WordPress.com is a one-stop solution builder that allows you to manage all of your website content and social media presence in one place.
Who is WordPress.com for?
WordPress.com is perfect for anyone who wants to create and manage their own website or blog. It’s also a great platform for businesses that want to easily connect with their customers online. It is the best choice if you’re looking for an easy-to-use platform that offers plenty of features and integrations to make your content creation process hassle-free.
Features
- Blog and site monetization: With WordPress.com, you can easily monetize your website or blog by offering paid subscriptions, advertising opportunities, and other forms of revenue sharing.
- Integration options: WordPress.com offers a wide range of integrations with various social media platforms, making it easy to connect with your audience on a variety of channels simultaneously.
- Third-party everything: WordPress.com is a comprehensive platform that offers everything you need to create and manage your website or blog, including user profiles, comment systems, and more.
- Advanced content manager: Whether you’re an experienced user or just starting out, WordPress.com provides an easy-to-use content manager that lets you create, manage, and publish your website or blog content with ease.
- Blog and site monetization: With WordPress.com, you can easily monetize your website or blog by offering paid subscriptions, advertising opportunities, and other forms of revenue sharing.
Pros
- Full ownership of content
- Ease of use
- Wide range of integrations
- Comprehensive platform
- Several template options
Cons
- Needs hosting provider services
5. Site123: For Authors Who Wish to Get Online Quickly
Site123 is a fast, easy-to-use platform that offers plenty of features and integrations to help authors get their websites up and running quickly. With Site123, you can create a website in 3 simple steps, including logging in, choosing the type of website you’re looking to create, and editing your website content. Plus, Site123 offers round-the-clock customer support so you can get your site up and running without any problems.
What’s more? The platform offers a wide range of templates with up to 160 options to help you get started quickly. The amazing thing is that the editor is also mobile-friendly, so you can create a website on the go without any problems. Moreover, the intuitive blog manager will allow you to easily manage your blog, from creating new posts to setting up RSS feeds. Overall, Site123 is a quick, easy-to-use platform that offers a lot of features for authors looking to get their websites up and running quickly.
Who is Site123 for?
Site123 is perfect for authors who want to get their websites up and running quickly, with an easy-to-use editor that’s mobile-friendly. It is also great for authors who want to have plenty of features and integrations to help them get their website done quickly.
Features
- Plugin extensions: Site123 offers a wide range of plugin extensions to help you customize your website exactly how you want it.
- Easy contact forms: With easy contact forms, you can easily get in touch with your readers.
- Affiliate marketing options: Site123 offers several affiliate marketing options to help you monetize your website.
- Advanced language features: Site123 offers a wide range of advanced language features to help you write fluently and precisely.
- Integrations: Site123 has several integrations, so you can easily add features like social media, email marketing, and more.
Pros
- Can blend and match templates
- Mobile-friendly
- Intuitive blog manager
- The easy website creation process
- Multilingual websites
Cons
- Limited design flexibility
- Lacks specific templates for writers/authors
6. IONOS Website Builder: A Business Website on a Budget
This fast-loading website builder is perfect for budding business owners who want to get their websites up and running without breaking the bank. IONOS offers an affordable pricing model, with a wide range of features that will help you create a website that looks professional and cohesive.
The good thing is that its editor is ideal for developing professional-looking single-page websites as well as larger and more complex sites. There is a simple section editor that makes it easy to add content, and a built-in search feature makes it easy to find what you are looking for. What’s more, IONOS offers an amazing range of integrations that will help you connect with your readers and customers in the most efficient way possible.
Who is Ionos for?
Ionos is perfect for business owners who are looking to develop a cohesive website on a tight budget. Its simple design makes it easy to customize, while its extensive set of features makes it ideal for businesses of all sizes.
Features
- Free business email: Add your own email address to be automatically sent business-related emails, such as product launches and updates.
- Performance checker: Compare your website’s performance with the rest of the world and make adjustments as needed.
- Integrations: Add social media, email marketing, lead capture forms, and more to easily connect with your readers and customers.
- Affordable for beginners: IONOS is affordable for beginners, with a wide range of features and an easy-to-use editor.
- Professional designers available: Ionos is designed with professional designers in mind, and they are available to help you customize your site as needed.
Pros
- Mobile-responsive
- Cost-effective for beginners
- Wide range of features
- Great for connecting with readers and customers
Cons
- Not great for complex designs
Dedicated Website Builders for Writers
If you are a writer who wants to develop your own website, then you may consider a dedicated website builder. Here are a few dedicated website builders for writers:
7. Journo Portfolio
Journo Portfolio offers a range of features that make it ideal for writers. It includes tools to manage your blog, social media accounts, and content. It also has an advanced editor that makes it easy to create high-quality websites.
8. Clippings
Clippings is another great dedicated website builder for writers. It offers a range of themes to choose from, as well as a wide range of features to help you create a website that reflects your unique style. It also has an easy-to-use editor that makes creating websites quick and easy.
9. Book Launch
Book Launch is a great dedicated website builder for writers. It offers a range of features to help you create a website that showcases your work. You can develop unlimited pages, email mailing lists, and social media accounts. There are also books’ ISBN numbers and barcodes you can add to your pages.
Conclusion: Which are the best website builders for authors?
Authors and/or writers have different demands when it comes to website builders. There are author-focused website builders that offer a wide range of features, but lack advanced tools or creative freedom. If you’re considering an option with creative freedom, then a Wix builder may be best for you. If powerful marketing tools are more important to you, then Squarespace may be a better option. Alternatively, if flexibility and simplicity are key, you may want to try Zyro website builder, which boasts powerful AI tools to help you create a good-looking website in minutes. Overall, whichever website builder you choose, make sure to test it out and see if it meets your specific needs.
FAQs
Should an author have a website?
Yes, an author should have a website. A website can help you promote your work, connect with readers and followers, and gather feedback. Additionally, having a website lets potential agents or publishers know about your work and allow them to contact you easily. The website also serves as an online portfolio. So, if you haven’t already created one, consider starting today.
What is the best website builder for beginners?
The best website builder for beginners is Wix. It’s a simple and easy-to-use platform that will allow you to create a website in minutes. If you’re not sure if Wix is the right builder for you, then try out some of the other options listed here first. But remember when choosing the right website builder, it’s important to test out the platform and see if it meets your specific needs.
You should also consider factors such as your budget and the features you need. The best website builder for you will vary depending on your specific needs. So, it’s important to try out a few different options and find the one that best meets your needs.
Can I sell my books on my website for free?
Yes, you can sell your books on your website for free. However, if you want to make money from your books, then you’ll need to set up a sales page and start charging people for access to your book.
Alternatively, you could also offer bonuses or other incentives when people purchase your book. So, whether or not to charge for products and services on a website is something that will largely depend on the niche that you’re in and how popular the products/services are within that niche.
How can I build my author website on my own?
You can build your author website on your own by using a free or paid platform. The best platforms for building an author website include WordPress and Wix. WordPress is a popular platform that’s used by many bloggers and small businesses, so it’s perfect if you want to create a simple, yet effective website.
However, if you want more features and control over your site design then you should consider using Wix instead. Both platforms offer user-friendly interfaces that will allow you to easily create a website without any coding experience.
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