Today nearly all forms of communication lead back to the internet, and for authors, it means their websites anchor book promotion activities. Even if you pitch the media for coverage using snail mail, the people who read your letter and press release will eventually go online to check a website. Therefore, your author's site must be well developed (not overdone). It needs to provide information and images about you and your book(s) that target readers, reviewers, and the media will find of interest. If you're tempted to publish a book without launching a personal website first, think twice because it will hurt.

In book marketing, the author's websites are the home bases for PR campaigns with many other components. Your site can provide additional information and details, and it can let people click links to further media coverage; it can show your bio and offer downloads of your headshot. Because every writer today has a site, people are accustomed to the convenience, and unless your image is quirky, you'll appear unprofessional without one. When you put time and thought into your site content, it can become considerable assets to your career. You can update them with news of future projects.

As you're developing your site, there are essential pages to include. They include one for each book, a media page with a downloadable headshot and links to past coverage, and a page directing people to online sellers carrying your book. Helping people buy copies or downloads is a chief function of your site. It's wise to consider launching a blog to go along with your site and post several times a month – and even one or two times a week is fine if you have helpful posts. Over-posting is never a good idea and turns people off. Try to collect emails from site visitors to build a mailing list.

Something else that works but is unique for every author is content showcasing expertise. If you've authored articles or papers on your book's topic or a related one, you can post them to a website page. Target readers and the media will be favorably impressed by your expertise and want to learn more. If you've written a book to build your credibility or promote your business, these additions can also support your marketing objectives. Once your site is up and people begin using it, you'll hear feedback about what they found useful or not. You can fine-tune it over time to improve its user experience.