When it comes to author websites, the key is standing out from the competition. Every website needs to a unique design and presentation that’ll both draw readers in and encourage them them to stick around.
Yes, you’ll need a professional design, quality content, contact info, working social media links, a clear call to action all wrapped up in SEO friendly content.
But if you’re looking to make your author website stand out from others, creating your content ideas into downloadable PDFs is one way to do it.
Use Content Extras to Help Your Website Stand Out
In a sea of author websites, how can you make yours shine and glow?
By offering content extras.
Content extras are pieces of content that supplement your existing website content and help you connect with readers on a deeper level. They can be anything from graphics to blog articles to audio excerpts to downloadable PDFs.
For the purpose of this article, let’s dive into how downloadable and even printable PDFs can help your website be more engaging and interesting enough to convince readers to not only stick around but also to sign up to your email list.
What Are Content Extras and Why Do You Need Them
Content extras are the key to making your author website stand out from other authors. You can provide readers with a deeper level of engagement while offering a richer user experience. Extras are the “thing” that allows your website to be more than just text or your book cover.
Content extras also increase your website’s performance enabling your site to rank higher in search engines. When done right, a well-designed and optimized website can take your author business from basic to awesome!
Typically an author website is a static website, meaning that it doesn’t change very much. When you add extra things for your readers to read, see, and watch, your site becomes dynamic.
Content Ideas that’re Ideal for Downloadable PDFs
PDFs are a common upgrade to anyone’s content marketing strategy. But not every idea should be turned into a PDF. Take a look at this list of content ideas you can make from your book’s story elements, book details and your authors notes.
Content Ideas Ideal for…
…Your Book Page
- Author Booklist
- Story Outline
- Inspiration Pics
- Community Map
- Family Tree Chart
…Your Author Blog
- Character Profile
- Cast of Characters
- Character Roles Chart
- Characters Names Chart
…Your Email List
- StoryBook Guide
- Book Recipes
- Deleted Scenes
- Another Story Excerpt
Let’s dive into each one to see how it can help you while helping your readers.
Content Ideas Ideal for Your Book Page
Let’s dive into each of these content ideas:
Author Booklists
As an author, one of the best things you can do to support your work is to create a booklist on your website. This is a great way to let potential readers know what you’ve written, and it’s also a helpful marketing tool.
A booklist can help to build buzz around your work, and it can also be used as a way to sell books directly to readers. In addition, a booklist can be a great content extra for your website. It can help to provide valuable information for visitors, and it can also be used as a way to generate traffic and build links.
Having your Author Booklist as a dedicated page on your website benefits you huge!! (Click the link to read more about that) but when you offer it as a downloadable one AS WELL, you take your site to the next level. Watch for the popup to sign up to get your own content template to upgrade your author booklist!
Story Outlines
How about a valuable resource to help your readers understand your storyline and plotline.
Give your readers your story outline.
This behind-the-scenes look can be a great way for you to connect with your readers!
Click the graphic to see what’s included.
Inspirational Pictures
Entertain your readers with your inspiration pics!
Uploading the pictures that inspired your characters and your story is a great content idea that every single reader will LOVE!
It might even inspire another aspiring author!
Click the graphic to see what’s included.
Community Map
A community map of your neighborhood or rural community is a great content ideas to add to your website.
This helps your readers to visualize your book’s setting while giving them a fun resource that they can keep to use again and again.
Click the graphic to see what’s included.
Family Tree Chart
When you give your readers your family tree chart, they’re going to love you!!
This type of chart is a valuable tool to help your readers understand the family dynamics and connection within your book series!
Click the graphic to see what’s included.
Content Ideas Ideal for Your Author Blog Page
Let’s dive into each of these content ideas:
Character Profile
Giving your readers your character’s profile a way to not only endear them to you but also make them fall in love with your characters all over again.
This can also show off your creativity and skills in creating a character!
Click the graphic to see what’s included.
Cast of Characters
Including your cast of characters is a great way to give your readers a quick overview of your story while being a ton of fun!
This type of content can be extremely useful to your readers as they’re reading your book.
Click the graphic to see what’s included.
Character Roles
Give your readers a deeper understanding of your characters by explaining the roles they each play in your storyline.
This content idea is a marvelous resource they can refer to anytime they’re reading or rereading your story.
Click the graphic to see what’s included.
Character Name Chart
A fun and often overlooked content idea would be a name chart.
Your readers are gonna love you because this resource becomes a useful tool to better understand your characters. This can also be a great conversation starter to engage your readers.
Click the graphic to see what’s included.
Content Ideas Ideal for Your Email List
Let’s dive into each of these content ideas:
StoryBook Guide
Need a guide to help your readers understand your story?
This type of resource can be a pronunciation guide, or a story dictionary – a guide to help your readers.
Whichever you choose to give your readers, they’ll sure appreciate it!
Click the graphic to see what’s included.
Book Recipes
Many romance stories have wonderful, delicious recipes right in them.
Help your readers out and give them our recipes.
Not only is this a fun resource, it’s also a useful one!!
Click the graphic to see what’s included.
Deleted Scenes
Entice your readers with scenes you were forced to delete during your writing process.
It’s a fun way for your readers to “see” into your story and where it might have gone.
Click the graphic to see what’s included.
Another Story Excerpt
Yes, an excerpt is a standard piece of content that most authors add to their author websites.
But what would you say to adding another story excerpt, a funnier one, a sexier one, an explicit one, that your readers would be willing to sign up to your email list to get?!?!?
Hook Your Readers with More than One Story Excerpt! Click here to learn more. It’s a FREE downloadable template.
Conclusion
As a writer, offering extra content to your readers is a great way to not only help them out, but also endear yourself to them. Not only does it show that you’re knowledgeable about your subject matter, but it also demonstrates that you’re generous and helpful.
In addition, offering extra content can also help to build trust between you and your readers. After all, if you’re willing to share valuable information with them for free, they’re likely to believe that you’re a credible source of information.
So, if you’re looking for ways to help your readers and build relationships with them, consider offering extra content. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved!
What’s Next…
Get the Essential Website Content Checklist here, FREE!!
Looking for even more ideas to add to your author website, check out the Build Your Own Content Library and pick a content template that fits your readers.
Check out the Ultimate Guide to Building your Content to get tips on how to do-it-yourself!
