There was a gathering at Digital Book World’s Marketing and Publishing Services conferences in 2013. Attending the conference in New York were many heavy hitters like Open Road, Penguin Random House, McCarthy Digital, and others.

Many of them had the same opinion as Brian Parsons who said, “Facebook has replaced author websites.”

Rachel Chou said, “I don’t believe in author websites for most authors. I’d rather them spend time on social media.”

McCarthy said, “Author websites don’t often help you get to the first page of Google.”

Leaders in the marketing and publishing industries seem to say that authors don’t need websites. They advise authors to spend their time and money on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and others instead.

Why do authors need a website?

Jim: With a myriad of social platforms available, why do authors even need a website anymore?

Thomas: When we build websites for authors, they usually rank at the top of Google. If the author’s last name is Smith, it may take a little more work, but I find it crazy that those professionals say that authors would rank better on Google with a Facebook or Twitter account.

The real reason author websites are critical is because a website allows you to leverage the most effective marketing tool: email.

Emails convert ten times better than Facebook posts. I’d rather have ten email subscribers than 100 Facebook fans. And I’d rather have ten email subscribers than 250 Twitter followers! That’s how much more effective email is than social media.

Social media does not convert nearly as well as email.

Most of what authors do on social media does not help them sell books. Typically, authors chat with friends and share photos of their kids on Facebook, which doesn’t move books.

To be fair, many author websites are so terrible that they don’t compel people to buy books. To make an even stronger case against social media, I’d say you don’t even need social media if you have an amazing Amazon.com page. Even that will rank for you as an author.

But you don’t really want only an Amazon page because you need to own your own brand.

You don’t own Facebook. Some authors have been banned or deleted from Facebook or Twitter and have no recourse when trying to regain their followers or content. But you own your website and your email list that your website helped you build. It’s nice to have that home base of a website.

Facebook, Twitter, and email are all spokes on a wheel, and your website is the hub. Regardless of how people get to your website, a good author website dramatically increases sales of your current book and every subsequent book because the website helps you build your email list.

Jim: The hub is the center of the wheel. Anyone who’s ridden a bike knows that spokes can break. Consider the fate of MySpace. All the current and hot social platforms are vulnerable to deteriorate and disappear from popularity just like MySpace did.

Thomas: Authors can control their websites and adapt them to the changing technological landscape. Some authors have had the same website for 15 years. Over the years, the authors have been able to update their websites to become mobile responsive, integrate with social media, and include an integrated blog. Ten years ago, authors didn’t have any of those things on their websites.

If you print a website address in the back of your book, you can know that web address will still be good 15 years from now. Social networks come and go, but the internet isn’t going anywhere.

Caveat Alert!

However, I don’t believe every author needs a website. Websites are useful but not for everyone.

Why you should have a website.

Nonfiction authors need a website. In fact, if you write nonfiction, you needed a website two years ago. Websites help nonfiction authors sell books, particularly if they’re blogging their books ahead of time, establishing expertise, and building a following.

You can give out bits of information on your blog throughout the years, build a huge following, and become a New York Times bestselling author.

But novelists have a challenge. No one wants to read your story piece by piece on a blog, especially if readers have to read 467 previous posts to get up to speed.

I’ve never seen it work for a novelist to sequentially post their novel as a blog. If you’re an unpublished novelist, you have less of a need for a website right now.

However, if you do have one, there are some benefits, even while you’re unpublished.

One of the metrics Google uses to rank your website is the age of your website. All things being equal, old websites outrank newer websites. You want to start that timer as soon as possible, so creating a website now might not be necessary, but it’s still a good idea.

You also want to start building your email list. By placing an email sign-up form on your website, you’ll have a place to direct people to stay in contact. If you’re talking about your book, and your friend wants more information, you can say, “Just go to MyName.com and sign up with your email address, and I’ll send you an email as soon as the book is ready to buy.

That’s a great way to build a following and prime the pump for selling your book.

Why you shouldn’t have a website if you’re unpublished. 

A website can be a distraction. You’ll have additional monthly costs for a website you might not be ready to use.

I don’t necessarily think unpublished novelists writing a first draft need a website. There are benefits if you can afford it, but it’s not necessary at that point in your career.

Jim: However, if a novelist is close to getting a contract or if they have a quality book readers would be willing to pay for, they do need a website.

A website is an expensive business card. Agents, editors, and strangers you meet will look for your website. They won’t think you’re serious about being a writer if you don’t have one. It’s a necessity for looking professional.

Thomas: Your website, or lack of one, says a lot about you. If you’re not professional enough to have a professional website, you give off the scent of an amateur.

Once you’re ready to start submitting your manuscript to agents and publishers, you absolutely need a website.

A website also demonstrates your financial commitment to your own platform. When a publisher sees you don’t have a website, they know you’re not committed to growing your own platform.

On the other hand, when they see an excellent website, they know you’re serious and will be a partner in marketing the book.

Jim: A professional website can also show your creativity and writing skills. While most novelists aren’t great at writing marketing copy or web copy, the website is still an opportunity to showcase your writing skills to editors, agents, and readers.

They can’t see your writing in a 15-minute meeting at a conference, but when they see compelling writing on your website, they’ll know they need to keep an eye on you.

Thomas: It’s also an opportunity to show social proof. Likes or retweets show editors, agents, and readers that you have a following and people like your writing.

Ultimately, a good website is worth it. A poor, homemade website can be counterproductive and hurt your chances of getting an agent or publisher.

Jim: I’m all for saving money, but don’t go cheap on your website.