If you are an author of any kind and want to get online and create a website that will emphasize and showcase your talent and work, you have come to the right place. In this article, we will share our top 10 picks for the best website builders for authors for 2022 and go into detail about what makes each of them an excellent choice for you. Thus, you will be able to pick which one you like best and create a website that will genuinely showcase and spread the word about your work to billions of people.
You can see our complete list of the best website builders for authors via our conversion chart below and learn more about each of them and how they compare with each other by continuing to read this article further. So, without further ado, let’s jump in and see which are our top 10 best authors’ website builders!
Check our Top 10 Best Authors Website Builders:
- Wix Website Builder – best for its extensive collection of templates
- Pixpa – Best for Creating Design-Centric Author Websites
- Zyro – best for its AI features
- Squarespace – best for selling books and other content online
- Weebly – best for authors on a budget
- SITE123 – best for beginners
- WordPress.org – best for customization
- Jimdo– best value for money
- Webflow – best for its online visual editor
- Ghost – best for authors who want to sell subscriptions
How Do We Test and Rank?
Choosing the website builders that offer the best services and features from a large pool of options is not as easy as one might think. A lot of research and testing goes into the process, and not everyone has the time to do it. That is why we have developed our own ranking system, which we used to develop our list of the best website builders for authors for 2022.
Our ranking system involves putting each builder through a series of tests and buying plans from each provider to see firsthand what each provider offers and test out their plans.
Also, each builder is ranked based on five factors that our experts see as the most important for building a great authors’ website. Each factor is assigned a specific percentage that indicates how important each factor is in building a website fit for authors. The factors include:
- Template Design (20%): are the templates the builder offers suitable for authors, does the builder offer attractive designs, are the designs mobile-responsive, does the builder offer any templates designed specifically for authors;
- Customization (25%): can you edit and personalize your website, what kind of customization options does the builder offer, the level of customization freedom you will get;
- Ease-of-use (15%): how easy it is to use the builder’s tools and dashboard, is the dashboard easy to navigate, is the control panel easy to navigate, does using the builder require coding skills, is the builder suitable for beginners, does the builder have a steep learning curve;
- Features (30%): what kind of features does the builder offer, does the builder offer any features suitable for authors, can authors sell their work with the builder;
- Pricing (10%): is there a free plan, is there a free trial, are the builder’s prices generally affordable and are the features the builders provide worth the price of the plans.
How to Choose the Best Website Builder for Authors?
When choosing which is the ideal website builder for you, you need to take into consideration what you need from it first. So, first, you need to decide what your priorities are – do you only want to show snippets of your work via a blog, do you want to sell books or stories, do you want to sell subscriptions or all of the above.
However, there are a few other things you should look for from your website builder, including:
- Well-designed and high-quality templates – since your website will represent you as an author and will be a direct gateway between you and your readers, it needs to look good, to say the least. Thus, it would be best to always look for a builder that offers the highest quality templates. Also, some builders offer designer-made templates, so you should keep an eye out for those as well.
- Extra features – another thing you need for your website are some author-specific features like the ability to add a blog, reader reviews, comments, etc.
- Support – choose a builder that is available to you in case you have any issues, and that can be easily reached at all times. It would be best to look for a builder that offers 24/7 live chat support, phone support, email support, or a ticketing system.
- Pricing – make sure that the prices you will pay suit your budget. Also, make sure that you will be able to afford the plan long-term since you will be maintaining your website for years to come.
- eCommerce functionality – choosing a provider that also allows you to create and add an online store to your website is another essential factor you should look out for when picking a website builder. Even if you don’t want to sell now, you might want to later, and having that option available is always a plus.
- Marketing tools – when it comes to marketing tools, you should look out for builders that offer tools like SEO guides, SEO optimization, keyword optimization, email marketing, and social media integrations.
The Top 10 Best Authors’ Website Builders
- Overall Score: 4.9
- Template Design: 5.0
- Customization: 4.9
- Easy-to-use: 5.0
- Features: 4.9
- Pricing: 4.9
Wix is a popular website builder that offers affordable prices, excellent customization options, an intuitive drag-and-drop builder, ADI functionality, and more. It has been around for more than a decade now and has amassed a large customer base with millions of satisfied users.
No matter if you want to build a business website, an author’s website, a blog, an online store, or any other kind of website, Wix is an excellent choice regardless.
Pros:
- 800+ high-quality templates
- Excellent customization options
- Great marketing tools
- Wix ADI
Cons:
- Templates cannot be changed once your site is live
Plan | Connect Domain | Combo | Unlimited | VIP |
Price | US $4.50/month | US $8.50/month | US $12.50/month | US $24.50/month |
Number Of Products | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Free Trial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Additional Feature |
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Wix is best known for its high-quality, designer-made templates. It also offers numerous powerful features suitable for all kinds of websites.
Unique Features:
Templates
Wix’s templates are fully customizable and suitable for all kinds of businesses. Wix’s template collection is one of the largest on the market, and users can choose from hundreds of templates suitable for all kinds of purposes, including:
- Business & Services – including consulting & coaching, services & maintenance, advertising & marketing, technology & apps, real estate, finance & law, automotive & cars, farming & gardening, pets & animals, health & wellness websites, beauty & hair, fashion & style, travel & tourism websites, restaurants & food, professional CV, etc;
- Online Store – including stores for fashion & clothing, jewelry & accessories, arts & crafts, home & décor, beauty & wellness, food & drinks, sports & outdoors, electronics, kids & babies, books & publishers, and more;
- Creative – including templates for photography websites, design, music, creative arts, portfolio & CV, video, etc.;
- Blogs – including personal blogs, food & travel, news & business, arts, fashion & beauty, sports & wellness, podcasts, etc.;
Marketing Tools
Everyone needs powerful marketing tools for their websites so that they can promote their business and grow it online. And Wix offers precisely that. Some of the marketing tools that Wix offers include:
- A personalized SEO plan – with Wix’s personalized SEO plan, you will be able to get an SEO setup plan, index your site on Google, and more;
- Advanced SEO tools – with Wix’s SEO tools, you can customize your website’s meta tags, structured data, .txt file, and more;
- Email Marketing – Wix’s email marketing features include an intuitive email editor, email automation, advanced data analytics, and more;
- Visitor Analytics – with Wix’s analytics tools, you can get insights into your website’s traffic and how your visitors behave;
- And more.
Wix is an excellent website builder and is one of the best ones in the market. With it, you will get all the features you might need for your author’s website and create a website that suits your needs best. If you want to learn more about Wix, you can do so by reading our expert review on the builder.
- Overall Score: 4.8
- Template Design: 5.0
- Customization: 4.9
- Easy-to-use: 4.9
- Features: 4.8
- Pricing: 4.8
Pixpa is an all-in-one website builder suitable for those who want to build a design-centric website where they can promote their books. It offers excellent templates and allows you to integrate eCommerce features to sell digital prints, downloads, subscriptions, and other products.
All Pixpa sites are mobile-responsive and work great on both mobile and desktop devices. You can create all kinds of websites with Pixpa, from one-page sites to creative, content-driven portfolios and author’s websites.
Pros:
- Beginner-friendly
- 15-day free trial
- 100+ templates suitable for many purposes
- Advanced SEO features
Cons:
- Slightly limited storage options compared to other platforms
- No eCommerce capabilities with the entry-level plan
Pixpa is best known for its portfolio templates and photo gallery apps. It offers all the features one might need to get started and create the website of their dreams.
Plan | Basic | Creator | Professional | Advanced |
Price | US $6/month | US $12/month | US $18/month | US $25/month |
Number of Products | None | Five | 50 | 1,000 |
Free Trials | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Additional Feature |
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Unique Features:
Templates
All of Pixpa’s templates are fully customizable and mobile-responsive. You can switch your template whenever you want and change the design of your website if you want to. You can choose from more than 100 templates, including templates for:
- Photography templates;
- Creative templates – including design, art & illustration, graphic & web, architecture, and music & performing arts templates;
- Fashion & Style templates – including templates for fashion, models & actors, beauty & style, and health & wellness;
- Personal – including templates for personal & CV sites, blogs, travel & lifestyle sites, and wedding websites;
- Business & Services – including templates for consulting & coaching, food & restaurants, and real estate & property websites;
Marketing and SEO Tools
You can promote your services on your website with marketing pop-ups, via which you can announce sales, promote events & book signings, showcase blog posts, capture email addresses, and more. Also, you can drive newsletter signups, promote offers & discounts, and much more.
With Pixpa’s advanced SEO tools, you can increase your site’s Google ranking and drive more visitors to it. Some of the SEO tools Pixpa offers include:
- SiteMap.xml;
- Automatic Robots.txt generation;
- Site-wide SEO metadata, including page titles, descriptions, and keywords;
- Specific SEO metadata for individual pages and galleries;
- SEO alt tags;
- Search engine-friendly URLs;
- And more.
Pixpa is a powerful website builder that authors can use to promote their work & events and attract new readers. With it, you can sell merch, digital downloads, newsletter subscriptions, and more and grow your business online.
- Overall Score: 4.8
- Template Design: 4.7
- Customization: 4.9
- Easy-to-use: 4.7
- Features: 4.9
- Pricing: 5.0
Zyro is an easy-to-use website builder that offers unique AI features to its users. Also, it offers very affordable prices, and all of its AI features and tools are free to use for all its users. Even though it has not been around for a long time, Zyro has established itself to be a serious competitor and an excellent solution for all kinds of websites, including websites for authors.
Pros:
- Powerful AI tools
- Affordable prices
- Beginner-friendly
- High-quality templates
Cons:
- It does not offer templates specifically designed for authors
Zyro is best known for its excellent AI tools that users can use for free no matter which plan they get.
Plan | Website | Business | Online Store | Advanced Store |
Price | US $2.90/month | US $4.90/month | US $8.90/month | US $15.90/month |
Number of Products | None | Up to 100 | Up to 100 | Up to 2,500 |
Free Trials | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Additional Feature |
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Unique Features:
Unique AI Tools
As we mentioned, Zyro uses state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence in its AI features. Individuals and businesses can use Zyro’s AI tools for all kinds of purposes, including:
- AI Logo Maker – with the Logo Maker, Zyro users can design a free, professional logo for their businesses. Also, creating a logo with Zyro’s AI Logo Maker will only take you a few minutes to complete.
- AI Slogan Maker – with the Slogan Maker, Zyro users can design a memorable slogan for their business in four easy steps:
1. Enter a keyword
2. Generate slogans
3. Choose a slogan
4. And you’re done - AI Content Generator – with Zyro’s content generator, you can generate all kinds of texts, including texts for restaurants & food, health & living, sports & entertainment, beauty & cosmetics, events & weddings, agriculture & farming, fashion & apparel, sustainability, art & design, music & entertainment, hotels & travel, small business, gaming, and professional services.
- AI Website Heatmap – with the Website Heatmap, you can find out what your visitors do and which pages they visit the most on your website.
- AI Background Remover – with Zyro’s Background Remover, you can remove the background from your photos with one simple click and get a transparent background for any photo.
- AI Image Upscaler – with Zyro’s Image Upscaler, you can enhance photos and upgrade low-resolution snaps.
- AI Business Name Generator – with this tool, you can generate ideas for your business with just a few clicks.
- AI Blog Title Generator – with Zyro’s Blog Title Generator, you can generate blog titles for numerous topics, like fashion, food, DIY, fitness, travel, music, auto, movie, lifestyle, and more.
Other helpful tools you can get with Zyro include an image resizer, privacy policy generator, refund policy generator, terms & conditions generator, domains, Titan email, and more.
Zyro is a newer edition on the website-building market that has already proven to be a serious competitor to the old-timers. It offers affordable prices, high-quality templates, and unique AI features that serve all kinds of purposes. If you want to learn more about Zyro, you can do so by reading our expert review on the builder.
- Overall Score: 4.7
- Template Design: 4.8
- Customization: 4.7
- Easy-to-use: 4.6
- Features: 4.7
- Pricing: 4.6
Squarespace is another popular user-friendly website builder. It is a builder that is primarily focused on design and provides design-centric templates that are both unique and professional. The builder was explicitly made for creatives, so it is an ideal fit for authors looking to get online.
Pros:
- Professional, high-quality templates
- Easy to use
- Excellent SEO and marketing tools
- Advanced eCommerce features
Cons:
- There are no author-specific templates
Thanks to its advanced eCommerce features, Squarespace is best for creating an online store. It is an ideal fit for authors who want to add an online store to their websites where readers can buy books, merch, and other products.
Plan | Personal | Business | Commerce (Basic) | Commerce (Advanced) |
Price | US $19/month | US $33/month | US $36/month | US $65/month |
Number of Products | None | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Free Trials | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Additional Feature |
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Unique Features:
eCommerce Features
Squarespace offers numerous high-quality templates designed specifically for online stores. The templates are fully-customizable, and you can change them whenever you want, even after you launch your website.
With Squarespace, you can showcase your products in the best light, allow your readers to browse your merch, add products to their carts, and check out quickly. You can also sell services with Squarespace, sell digital content like e-books, sell subscriptions, and more.
Users can also schedule appointments and manage checkouts, payments, and taxes all in one place. Building an online store with Squarespace is pretty straightforward and involves six steps:
- Browse Squarespace’s template collection, choose the one you like best and start your free trial or purchase a plan from the get-go;
- Register or transfer a domain name;
- Set up your online store by adding your books and other products and connecting a payment processor;
- If you want to sell services, you can set up appointments via Squarespace scheduling;
- Customize your store by adding elements and categories;
- Use Squarespace’s marketing and SEO tools to grow your online business.
Templates
As we mentioned, Squarespace is built specifically for creatives and offers numerous high-quality, design-centric templates, including templates for:
- Art & Design;
- Photography;
- Health & Beauty;
- Personal & CV;
- Fashion;
- Professional Services;
- Local Businesses;
- Community & Non-Profits;
- Food;
- Entertainment;
- Travel;
- Restaurants;
- Media & Podcasts;
- Events;
- Weddings;
- Real Estate & Properties;
- Home & Décor;
- Nature & Animals.
Overall, Squarespace is an excellent website builder that offers plenty of powerful and valuable features. It is best known for its online stores, so it is ideal for creating a unique online store where you can sell books, merchandise, and other kinds of products and services. If you want to learn more about Squarespace, you can do so by reading our expert review on the builder.
- Overall Score: 4.6
- Template Design: 4.5
- Customization: 4.5
- Easy-to-use: 4.7
- Features: 4.6
- Pricing: 4.7
Weebly is one of the most affordable website builders on the market. It offers a great free plan and affordable prices for its premium plans. Also, it is easy to use and beginner-friendly and has all the necessary features and tools an author might need to build a website. In addition to all of that, Weebly also has a large App Center where users can find and add all kinds of useful apps to their websites.
Pros:
- Free plan
- Beginner-friendly
- Extensive App Center
Cons:
- It does not offer as many customization tools as other competitors
Weebly is best known for its free plan and affordable premium plans. Also, it offers excellent integration options with numerous useful third-party apps.
Plan | Free | Connect | Pro | Business |
Price | US $0 | US $5/month | US $12/month | US $25/month |
Number of Products | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Free Trials | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Additional Feature |
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Unique Features:
Weebly App Center
You can find many useful apps in Weebly’s App Center, including apps that can help you boost traffic, spike sales, integrate your website with social media, and more. Also, you can find many apps made by Weebly in the App Center, including G Suite by Google, FAQ, Code Block, Promote Forms, Team Cards, Tabs, Eventbrite, Price Chart, Accordion, Counter, Simple Table, and more.
Other helpful apps that Weebly’s App Center offers include:
- Advertising apps – Google Ads by Kliken, Notification Bar, Job Board, Traffic Booster, SearchBoost, Boost Sales, AdPixel, and more;
- Apps for Email Marketing – Promote Forms, Poptin, Email Signup Form, Welcome Bar, Privy, MailMunch, Promo Bar, and more;
- SEO – H1 Tag, Site Booster, H+ Tag, MarketGoo, MightyTags, KeywordMate, rankingCoach, Positionly, Breadcrumb, RabbitSEO, and more;
- Social Apps – Facebook Like, Social Media Stream, Instagram Feed, Comments App, Social Buttons, Twitter Feed, and more;
- eCommerce Apps – Printful, Price Chart, Donorbox, Donation Button, Price Table, and more;
- And other useful apps.
Weebly is best for those who are on a tighter budget. It offers affordable prices and more than enough powerful features even though its prices are lower compared to its competitors. If you want to learn more about Weebly, you can do so by reading our expert review on the builder.
- Overall Score: 4.5
- Template Design: 4.4
- Customization: 4.4
- Easy-to-use: 4.6
- Features: 4.5
- Pricing: 4.5
SITE123 is an excellent website builder for beginners due to its beginner-friendly interface, excellent support, and low prices. With SITE123, you can build all kinds of websites, including blogs, an online store, and websites for authors.
Pros:
- Extremely beginner-friendly
- Round-the-clock support
- Mobile-responsive templates
Cons:
- Limited design flexibility
SITE123 is best for beginners and those who have no prior experience with building a website. Also, you do not need to have any prior coding or programming skills to use the builder and create a website.
Plan | Free | Premium |
Price | US $0/month | US $5.80/month |
Number of Products | Unknown | Unknown |
Free Trials | Yes | Yes |
Additional Feature |
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Unique Features:
Features for Building a Website
SITE123 offers all the necessary features one might need for building a fully-functioning and responsive website, including:
- An intuitive website editor;
- Mobile-friendly and responsive websites;
- Free hosting;
- SEO tools;
- Free domain registration;
- eCommerce functionality that allows you to add an online store to your website and sell your products;
- Integration with Social Media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and more;
- Integration with Google Analytics;
- 24/7 customer support via live chat, social media, and email;
Templates
Even though SITE123 does not offer any templates designed specifically for authors, it still offers a great collection of templates of all kinds, including:
- Business websites;
- Blogs;
- Restaurant & food;
- Photography;
- Music;
- Creative arts;
- Events;
- Technology & web;
- Handyman services;
- And more.
SITE123 is an ideal fit for beginners who have never created a website before. It requires no coding knowledge and offers excellent support throughout the whole website-creation process. If you want to learn more about SITE123, you can do so by reading our expert review on the builder.
- Overall Score: 4.4
- Template Design: 4.4
- Customization: 4.5
- Easy-to-use: 4.4
- Features: 4.5
- Pricing: 4.4
WordPress.org is an open-source platform on which you can download and install the WordPress software for free. However, WordPress.org does not offer web hosting or domain names, so you will have to buy that separately for your website. With WordPress.org, you can create stunning WordPress blogs and websites and customize them as much as you want.
Pros:
- Thousands of plugins are available
- Excellent customization options
- High-quality WordPress themes
Cons:
- Not as easy to use as other website builders
WordPress.org is best for creating a WordPress blog or website. It is also known for offering high levels of customization freedom and excellent customization opportunities to its users.
Plan | Free |
Price | 0$ |
Number of products | Unlimited |
Free trials | Yes |
Additional feature |
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Unique Features:
Plugins
If you want to have access to thousands of plugins with which you can add extra functionality and customize your website as much as you want, WordPress.org is the right solution for you. No other website builder can compare to its extensive plugin library, which includes all kinds of plugins, like:
- Classic Editor;
- Akismet Spam Protection;
- Jetpack;
- Classic Widgets;
- Gutenberg;
- Yoast SEO;
- Contact Form 7;
- Elementor Website Builder;
- WooCommerce;
- All-in-one WP Migration;
- Yoast Duplicate Post;
- Wordfence Security – Firewall & Malware Scan;
- LiteSpeed Cache;
- MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress;
- Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed;
- Autoptimize;
- WooCommerce Shipping & Tax;
- The Events Calendar;
- Co-Authors, Multiple Authors, and Guest Authors in an Author Box with PublishPress Authors;
- Simple Author Box;
- Starbox – the Author Box for Humans;
- Co-Authors Plus;
- Authors List;
- WP Post Author;
- Authors Posts Widget;
- One-Click Demo Import;
- And many more.
As you can see, WordPress.org offers all kinds of plugins, from SEO and eCommerce to author-specific ones. Thus, it is the best option out there for authors who prioritize customization above all else. If you want to learn more about WordPress.org, you can do so by reading our expert review on the builder.
- Overall Score: 4.3
- Template Design: 4.2
- Customization: 4.2
- Easy-to-use: 4.3
- Features: 4.4
- Pricing: 4.4
Jimdo is not only a website builder, but it is also an all-in-one hosting solution based in Germany. It was specifically designed for users who have no web design experience and offers excellent ADI functionality to back that up. Since it is an all-in-one solution, it offers everything you need in one place and great value for money.
Pros:
- ADI functionality
- Beginner-friendly
- AI-powered website builder
Cons:
- Limited customization options
Jimdo is best for those looking for an all-in-one website-building solution and excellent value for money. It is also suitable for creating blogs and portfolios.
Plan | Play | Start | Grow | Unlimited |
Price | US $0 | US $9/month | US $15/month | US $39/month |
Number of Products | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Free Trials | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Additional Feature |
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Unique Features:
Website Builder
By building your website with Jimdo, you will be able to take advantage of the following features:
- Free custom domain for the first year;
- The ability to add galleries;
- The ability to add videos;
- Tips on how to rank better on Google;
- A ticketing system where you can ask questions and receive help from Jimdo’s Customer Support team;
- Help Center;
- A Legal Text Generator;
- A Logo Maker;
- The ability to promote your business on Instagram and Facebook;
- Jimdo Dolphin – Jimdo Dolphin is Jimdo’s ADI builder that is powered by Artificial Intelligence and allows users to create a whole website by simply answering a few questions about it. Based on the answers, Jimdo Dolphin will create the whole website for you in a matter of minutes;
- Jimdo Creator – using Jimdo Creator is another way to build a website with Jimdo. Namely, Jimdo Creator allows you to create your website by yourself without using ADI functionality. It is still suitable for beginners and only involves three simple steps that you need to complete to create your website.
Jimdo is an excellent all-in-one solution with which you can create a website and sell your books and products in one place. It offers excellent features and an overall great value for money. If you want to learn more about Jimdo, you can do so by reading our expert review on the builder.
- Overall Score: 4.2
- Template Design: 4.3
- Customization: 4.2
- Easy-to-use: 4.3
- Features: 4.2
- Pricing: 4.1
Webflow is a website builder that also offers web hosting services. It was founded in 2013, and ever since then, it has been the website builder of choice for more than three million individuals and businesses. With Webflow, you can create, collaborate on, and scale stunning websites without knowing how to code. Thus, anyone can use Webfow to create a visually-stunning website and showcase their writing skills.
Pros:
- Simple editor
- Great customization options
- It offers more than 100 hours of tutorials for its users
Cons:
- No live chat or phone support
Webflow is best known for its excellent visual editor and powerful customization options. It allows users to have complete control over their websites without having to know how to code or having prior experience in web design.
Plan | Starter | Basic | CMS | Business | Enterprise |
Price | US $0/month | US $15/month | US $20/month | US $45/month | Custom |
Number of Products | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Free Trials | Yes | No | No | No | No |
Additional Feature |
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Unique Features:
Templates
Webflow offers more than 1,000 responsive website templates users can choose from, including templates for the following categories:
- Design
- Business
- Technology
- Blog
- Marketing
- Photography & Video
- Entertainment
- Food & Drink
- Travel
- Sports
- Medical
- Education
- Non-profits
- Beauty & Wellness
You can also choose templates based on several languages, including Spanish, Italian, French, and German.
Webflow also allows users to choose their templates based on the style they want, including:
- Sidebar
- Illustration
- Organic
- Elegant
- Casual
- Luxurious
- Dark
- Minimal
- Clean
Other features that Webflow offers include:
- Hosting
- eCommerce features
- SEO
- CMS
- The ability to build website interactions and animations visually
All in all, Webflow is an excellent builder with which you will get complete customization freedom and excellent tools to design and personalize your website. If you want to learn more about Webflow, you can do so by reading our expert review on the builder.
10. Ghost – Best for Authors Who Want to Sell Subscriptions
- Overall Score: 4.1
- Template Design: 4.1
- Customization: 4.2
- Easy-to-use: 4.0
- Features: 4.1
- Pricing: 4.2
Ghost is a website builder made explicitly for writers and authors. It is a non-profit organization that focuses explicitly on journalism. It was founded in 2013, and ever since then, it has served more than three million customers worldwide. Also, when you create a website with Ghost, you own 100% of your content, email subscribers, customers, designs, and the code for your website.
Pros:
- Made specifically for writers
- Excellent customization opportunities
- Great customer support
Cons:
- Not as easy to use as other website builders
Ghost is best for authors who want to build an audience and sell subscriptions. It is trusted by many authors worldwide and allows you to have complete control over your website.
Plan | Starter | Creator | Team | Business |
Price | US $9/month | US $25/month | US $50/month | US $199/month |
Number of Products | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Free Trials | 14-day free trial | 14-day free trial | 14-day free trial | 14-day free trial |
Additional Feature |
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Unique Features:
Ghost Themes
Ghost offers all kinds of free and paid themes that you can use for your website. In its theme library, you can find the following collections of themes:
- Blog
- Changelog
- Documentation
- Magazine
- News
- Newsletter
- Photography
- Podcast
- Project
- Travel
Integrations
Ghost allows its users to integrate all kinds of apps, plugins, and tools to their websites that serve numerous purposes, including:
- Automation
- Utility
- Analytics
- eCommerce
- Members
- Marketing
- Community
- Content
- SEO
- Surveys & forms
- Social
- Card
- Writing
Some of the most popular third-party apps which you can integrate into your website include YouTube, Google Analytics, Zapier, Stripe, FirstPromoter, Viral Loops, Slack, Unsplash, Twitter, PayPal, MailChimp, Google AMP, Pinterest, Shopify, Disqus, and many more.
Ghost is an excellent solution for authors who want to build an audience online and sell subscriptions to their most loyal readers. If you want to learn more about Ghost, you can do so by reading our expert review on the builder.
Next Steps in Building the Perfect Authors’ Website
After choosing a website builder that best suits your needs, there are a few other essential things you need to do before publishing your website. Those steps include:
- Register a domain name – a domain name is what readers will type into their browsers to find your website. Essentially, a domain name is the name of your business. If you already have a domain name, most website builders usually allow you to transfer it to them either for free or for an additional fee. When registering a new domain name, you should aim to include your website’s name in it or your own name if you are using it for your website. Also, avoid using book titles as your domain name because it will not make sense when you write and publish a new book in the future. You should also avoid using dashes in your domain name because it does not look good and may come off as unprofessional.
- Choose a theme – building a website with most website builders usually involves these two steps – registering a domain name and then choosing a theme for your website. Make sure to choose a theme you like and feel like it represents your brand and values.
- Customize your website – this step involves editing your theme and customizing it with your own content like a logo, photos, and other elements.
- Add pages – if you want to build a one-page website, you can skip this step.
- Edit your menu – some themes will automatically add each page you create to your menu. However, you can edit the menu and rearrange everything the way you like through your builder’s dashboard.
- Set up your email list – setting up an email list can help you a lot as an author. Through it, you can send automated emails to readers via which you can promote new content, sales, and many other things. Also, you can use it as a newsletter and update your readers about upcoming releases or events.
What Should an Authors’ Website Include?
Before getting into what kind of content an authors’ website should include, we would like to mention that everyone is free to add whatever they want to their websites. However, there are a few standard pages that all websites should include, like:
- Home Page – The homepage will be the first thing readers see when they click on your website. Sure, you can always skip adding one and have your blog be the first thing readers see, but having a home page is a bit more professional. Your home page can include elements like a featured book photo, email signup list form, endorsements, a link to your blog, etc.
- About Page – An About Page is an essential part of every website, regardless of whether it’s an author’s website, business website, or any other type. Here you can share a little bit about yourself, your work, your vision, goals, etc. However, make sure to keep it short and exciting, and avoid writing your whole life story.
- Contact Page – Here, you can share ways via which readers can contact you, like email, social media, etc.
- Books Page – another great page you can add to your website is a page dedicated to all of your work. Here, you can add photos of your books and links where readers can buy them. Also, you can add a short description of each book so that readers have a feel of what the book is about.
Final Remarks
Promoting and putting your work online can reach billions of people at the same time. Putting your work online is the best way to spread the word about it in this day and age. Of course, not all authors have the technical expertise to build a website on their own. Fortunately, website builders exist and can easily help you get online and showcase your content. Also, website builders are usually affordable and won’t put a big hole in your pocket.
You can use our recommendation system to choose a website builder for your website since we have already conducted all the necessary research and testing needed to determine which builders are the best of the best. So, if you want to avoid spending hours and hours researching which builders are better than others and you want an expert opinion, you can use our recommendation system and choose a website builder in a matter of minutes!