6 Mistakes Authors Make with Their Websites

Updated September 22, 2026

No matter the industry, the tech you use everyday requires regular maintenance. You take your car in every few thousand miles, the office copier gets monthly visits from the service tech, and the software you're using to write your next book gets regular updates from its developer.

But what about your website? 

Your website deserves a little attention, too. When was the last time you checked to make sure everything still works, looks the way it should, and feels up to date?

Most people don't spend much time on the public-facing side of their own site, so small issues can build up before even you notice them. If it's been a while since you gave yours a once-over, here are six common mistakes often found on author websites and a few simple ways to fix them.

1. Advertisements on a Free Site

New authors are often told they don't need to spend money on hosting, a domain, or design, and technically, that's true. You can set up a free site on WordPress.com or a similar platform and get started quickly.

The tradeoff is that free sites usually come with advertisements. Those ads can show up in your sidebar, inside blog posts, or even next to your book description, which can make your site feel less polished.

Solution: Consider moving to a paid hosting plan or a low-cost personal plan that removes ads. A small monthly investment can go a long way toward making your site feel more professional and credible.

2. Broken Links

Links are what make the web work, but the pages they lead to don't always stay the same. A site you linked to last year may have moved, rebranded, or disappeared altogether. Even Amazon updates book page URLs when titles are relisted or reissued.

Solution:  GIve your site a quick check with a tool like BrokenLinkCheck.com once or twice a year. Then update or remove any links that no longer work so visitors don't run into dead ends. 

3. No Contact Info

Some authors leave off an email address, a contact form, or even links to their social media accounts. That can make it hard for readers to connect, and it also creates a hurdle for agents, media contacts, or event organizers who may want to get in touch or book you.

Solution: Make sure visitors have at least one easy way to reach you. If you are writing under a pen name or prefer to limit direct contact, a simple contact form or your agent’s contact information can still do the job nicely.

4. Not Mobile-Friendly

Most web traffic now comes from phones, so your site needs to look good and work well on a smaller screen. But plenty of author websites, including some from well-known authors, still fall short. Text can spill off the page, menus can stop working properly, or the site can take too long to load.

Solution:  Test your site on both a phone and a tablet. If anything looks off or doesn't work the way it should, consider switching to a modern, responsive theme that's designed to look good on any screen size.

5. No Email Signup

A social media following can be helpful, but it's not something you fully control. Platforms decide who sees your posts, and a single algorithm change can shrink your reach overnight. Your email list, on the other hand, is an audience you can reach directly.

If your website doesn't include a signup form, it misses the chance to turn a one-time visitor into someone who hears about your new releases, sales, and events. It's a common oversight, but thankfully, it's also a simple one to fix.

Solution:  Add a signup form to your homepage using a tool like Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or MailerLite. To encourage more readers to join, consider offering a small incentive, such as a free short story or the first chapter of your book. And if you want ideas for what to send after someone signs up, take a look at our guide to email marketing for authors.

6. No Website At All

Some authors rely only on a Facebook page or their Amazon author page and never create a website of their own. That can feel like enough at first, but it isn't the best long-term approach.

Your website is the one place online that truly belongs to you. Amazon can remove a title, and social platforms can change or suspend accounts, but your site remains yours as long as you keep it active. Even a simple one-page site with your bio and book information is far better than having no website at all.

Before You Publish Changes

Before any major update goes live, ask a few trusted friends to take a look at your site. A fresh set of eyes can catch placeholder text, missing images, and typos that are easy to miss when you've been staring at the same page for too long. Have them check it on both desktop and mobile so you can spot any issues before your readers do.

Your website is one of the few marketing assets you truly own, so it's worth giving it a quick check from time to time. And if you've ever updated a site, you already know how easy it is for a small error to slip through, no matter how carefully you review it yourself.