Have you completed the steps I’ve outlined in the last four blog posts? 1) Picked your official author name and purchased the domain? 2) Decided on your internet service provider and webhosting, and ready to install WordPress? 3) Put together a list of your design preferences? 4) Prepared the text and images for the pages on your new site? If so, then it’s time to install WordPress.org. Login to your webhosting service provider and follow their instructions for the installation of the WordPress software platform. For most webshosting companies it is a one-click installation. WordPress recommends BlueHost as a webhosting company for their easy one-click version. Be aware when using one-click installations: you may experience attempts to attach a lot of bloatware, or unnecessary third-party programs, to your installation. You do not need to install Jetpack or Mojo Marketplace. Depending on your webhosting company, the instructions for installation of this free open-source code software varies. You should not have to pay any additional charge to your webhosting company for this program. Read what you are doing, pay attention, and look for any check boxes that are automatically clicked before you hit install. The only program you want to install is WordPress. WordPress’ tutorials offer a quick and efficient way to set up a basic design and utilize important features by familiarizing you, the new user, with dashboard commands and operations. We recommend that you follow the tutorials before installing the software. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with WordPress for Beginners and…

If you’ve been following this blog the past month as you build your new author website, you’re almost ready to launch! Now that you’ve uploaded your text and images into your new Pages, you can see what each one will look like when it goes live if you click on the Preview button as you are customizing the Page. When you are satisfied, hit the “publish” button. I recommend you install a Contact form on your Contact Page. If you plan to use MailChimp for delivery of your blog and/or your newsletter, use Easy Forms for MailChimp as your widget. Once you’ve customized the look of your Pages to fit you and your book, it’s time to finalize the navigation bar. In the dashboard under Appearances, you will find the item “Menu.” Here is where you can determine the structure and order of each of your Pages. Drag each item into the order you prefer.  Home, Author, Book, Blog, Contact. Then click the blue button “save menu.” Now the Navigation Bar on your new website will appear. You’re almost finished. You will want to activate the plugins for MailChimp, Askimet Anti-Spam, Google Analytics, and Facebook Open Graph, Google + and Twitter Card Tags. MailChimp will automate the delivery of emails from your site. Askimet blocks spammers. Google Analytics will import your metrics into your dashboard so you can see them when you sign in. The Facebook Open Graph widget helps your website links load an image and pop up when…

The past two weeks I’ve described how to determine your author name, purchasing your domain name, finding an internet service provider, determining who will host your site, and what web-site building software you will use. You may recall I strongly recommended WordPress to build your site. One of the reasons I like WordPress for author sites is because it IS possible to Do-It-Yourself with their excellent tutorials and online forums. Even if you have never built a website before, WordPress provides a novice with the tools to create a professional site. If your goal is to keep your expenses low, then the DIY option is best though it is a trade-off between your time and the bottom line.  If you would prefer help building your website, most designers today are familiar with WordPress and can quickly set up a site that will be easy for you to administer and manage yourself. Now let’s talk about design. But before picking out tiles and swatches for your new electronic home, look at your neighbors’ houses. Do some window shopping. Compare yourself to the Joneses by scouting out other authors’ websites. And get to know your author-neighbors. First, make a list of the authors who have written books in your subject area or genre. Add to this list some authors whose work you enjoy. Then search online for their websites and click through every page. Look. Read. Browse. Pay attention to where your eyes wander. Find at least three examples of author sites…