Recommended Resources

PREFER TO DIY? HERE ARE OUR FAVORITE WEBSITE GOODIES...

Newsletters

Bookfunnel. The best way to grow your newsletter numbers? A lead magnet! Giving away a free eBook (or eBooks) for subscribers is great in theory, but how do you do it? With Bookfunnel, duh! Their constant stream of innovations and group bundles make Bookfunnel the top service of its kind. We consider it an absolute MUST for authors.

ActiveCampaign. If you want a newsletter that can do it all, then you need ActiveCampaign. With the most sophisticated automation, segmentations, and even direct Facebook and website analytics tracking, data nerds like us will find Active Campaign to be a dream come true! It's pricier than other options, but worth every penny.

Mailchimp. We like Mailchimp so much, we've become officially recognized experts. It's reliable, affordable, and easy. Sure, it doesn't have as much automation power as our other top newsletter picks, but for some authors, that's a good thing. Mailchimp is great for those who want a newsletter program without a steep learning curve.

Giveaways

UpViral. Holy smokes, this giveaway platform is amazing! It offers custom everything, along with multiple integrations for your website, newsletter, ads pixels, and more. Grow your list fast and meaningfully. There is no better way.

Gleam. Do you want to run a giveaway that commands attention? Gleam is a visually stunning platform that offers varying levels of membership (including a free version), making it one of the most author-friendly giveaway services available. If you're looking for ways to grow your network while giving back to your readers, then Gleam can help you do that.

Riddle. Craft super cool quizzes for your readers to promote your book while capturing leads and just having fun. Riddle's developers understand the modern marketing game and are constantly releasing innovative updates. If you want to do something different for your readers, you need this tool! Plus, save 50% with  AUTHORSITERIDDLE

DESIGN

BookBrush. Create gorgeous 3D covers and marketing graphics for all your social media advertising needs. With over one-million stock photos to choose from, customizable text options, and more, you'll love this new design tool made with authors in mind!

Canva. Ready to tell the world about your books? Believe us, it's vital that you present a consistent look and feel when communicating your new author brand. If you have a good eye for design, try using this free software to make your own graphics.

FontBundles.net. Why stick to the same fonts everyone else is using? Make your branding special by adding in some gorgeous custom fonts! We love FontBundles.net for their unbeatable prices and frequent package deals. Go find your own fave font today!

Deposit Photos. Grabbing random photos from the web to use on your site is a huge no-no. That's why you really need a stock photo plan. DepositPhotos offers the best deal. Grab some credit, and download to your heart's content, then modify in Canva or Photoshop to add your own unique brand twist!

Websites

Thrive Themes. Our #1 recommendation for authors is definitely Thrive Themes. Whether you purchase the full package or just pick up a copy of their Content Builder, you definitely can't go wrong. We use Thrive as the core for all our author sites, because it is easy to learn and easy to use, which means our authors feel comfortable updating their own sites whenever needed!

Elegant Themes. Want a kick-butt website theme, but can't afford Thrive Themes? Then your very next step should be Elegant Themes. With highly adaptive layouts and a range of aesthetic choices, the Elegant Themes suite provides an affordable and effective web design solution for those who are willing to put in the time to learn. Their Divi theme is a great place to start.

ThemeForest. Want a theme for your site that you don't see a million other places? If you can't afford to hire a pro to create that coveted look for you, try browsing Theme Forest for a solution, but be careful because not all themes are created equally! Our tip for finding a good fit? Check out RedExp's portfolio. You can also find fun plugins, video and audio clips, and other fun things here.

SiteGround. Looking for a fast, simple, and affordable web host? Then look no further than SiteGround! We like SiteGround, because their dashboard is easy to use, their costs are low, and you can easily host everything you need all in one place. They also have better support than the other budget host options.

My Book Table. This is a great DIY option for building out beautiful, functional book pages that are easy to shift around at your leisure. We also adore the My Book Progress widget for updating readers on your current WIPs!

WooCommerce. Looking to sell directly from your website? Then you can't beat the cost and ease of Woo Commerce. With dozens of integrations and cool add-ons, if you can dream it, Woo can do it!

Gravity Forms. Why have a simple contact from when you can have so much more? Gravity Forms does it all from newsletter integration, to eCommerce, and even quizzes, polls, automation, and a million other things.

Pretty Link Pro. Ever wonder how authors get their Amazon or iTunes links to display with their name in it rather than the default jumble of letters and numbers (like theauthorsite.com/amazon for example)? Pretty Link is how. We recommend the slight upgrade to PRO for the added reporting and tracking features.

Soliloquy. Make beautiful sliders, carousels, and other custom widgets with Soliloquy. They provide a great way to showcase your books, blog posts, and even your social media feeds. We're huge fans!

MORE

Connectio. Find targets that work for your Facebook ads AND find out how well each individual keyword performs even if it's part of a big group of interests you've mashed together. There is simply no better tool for getting the most out of your Facebook ads!

KDP Rocket. KDP Rocket is a fantastic tool when it comes to creating a huge list of AMS ad keywords quickly and effectively. I wouldn't be able to run Amazon ads without them. The savings in time is totally worth the expense of purchase. Happy advertising!

MeetEdgar. We love MeetEdgar, because it makes sure that nothing goes to waste! Whether it's your time or that great graphic you created to promote one of your back list titles, Edgar makes it easy and effective. That's why it's our fave scheduling tool!

Zoom. Zoom is the ultimate for online conferencing. Once you try it, you'll never go back to Skype. You can share screens, video, even access to your computer. You can also record your entire meeting to review later.

Freedom. Ever feel like you're a slave to your email and social media accounts? It's time to be free! This handy Internet blocker helps cut off your favorite procrastination source at the quick. No more messing around until you hit those word count goals!

Reveal. Want to automate your Facebook ads? Nothing beats Reveal. Set your goals and decide when ads are turned off or their budgets changed. If you run lots of Facebook ads, this nifty program will save you loads of both time and money!

Sparkle Hustle Grow. This subscription box for female entrepreneurs is the best business expense ever! If you love office supplies and planners, motivational reads, and free monthly marketing courses, then you seriously cannot afford to miss this monthly reminder to live your best life as an authorpreneuer!

Draft2Digital. D2D is our favorite eBook distribution service for oh-so many reasons! They have a sleek, easy-to-use interface, excellent customer support, and a beautiful book designer with the option to prep your title for print as well as digital. Definitely check them out if you need a one-stop publishing shop!

Kabbage. You know what they say--money makes the world go around! If you need a bit of help funding your author business, Kabbage Loans is definitely worth checking out. They're fair, flexible, and fast. Believe us, a well-timed business loan can make a huge difference in your bottom line!

AutoCrit. While it's not technically a  design resource, AutoCrit definitely deserves a spot on our top list of recommendations. I've been using it since 2011, and it's safe to say that AutoCrit played no small part in making me the writer I am today. Perfect for self editing and learning to correct your own mistakes, we just can't recommend it enough!

Udemy. Okay, so you want to do it yourself, but do you even know where to start? Udemy is a fantastic resource for learning how to do pretty much anything you can imagine via bite-sized video instructional modules.

Dropbox. You've heard horror stories about files disappearing from computers, for whatever reason. Maybe it's even happened to you. It's every author's nightmare, including mine which is why I use Dropbox for cloud storage. Not only can I safely store my files, but I can quickly and easily maintain them and share them with others on my team.
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