The Best Web Hosting Sites to Create a Website to Publicize your Book

Having a website to advertise your work is essential!


You should be able to tell the visitor the following:


1) About Yourself (who are you? what inspired you to write? your writing experiences? etc.)
2) About the Book (e.g. like the description you would put on the back cover of the book)
3) Maybe a sample of a chapter
4) A Forum (to get reviews on your sample chapter)
5) Where the customer can buy the book?
6) A Contact Form


However, if you are not a web designer or feel confident making your own website from scratch, which are the best website's to help you make your website?


Remember your website represents you, your work and the image you want to sell to your readers!


I have seen so many website's which overload the visitor with:

• Too much information on each page
• Jargon
• Cluttered and too many images

These three things above are what you need to avoid (I have experience in web design and I have also looked at a few author's web pages and am just giving my opinions not trying to say I am an expert in this department).

Even though I have experience in web design, I chose to go with a web hosting company for a number of my ventures and found the pro's and con's very quickly.

YOU DON'T GET ANYTHING FOR FEEL IN THIS WORLD SO IF YOUR EXPECTING A FREE, FANTASTIC LOOKING, FLASH WEBSITE...GOOD LUCK!

I have had experience with the following three websites and will tell you my experiences with each:

• 123 Reg
• 350 Pages
• Mr Site

123 Reg

The Pro's: 

1. It is easy to register, 
2. Finding a domain name and; 
3. Linking it to your website is easy and they offer a email hosting service.

The Con's: 

1. In 2011, there were not that many templates for me to choose from (even though they advertise they have a vast selection), 
2. Placing your text, headings and images are restricted (e.g. if the template you have chosen shows that you can place an image in the top left hand corner of the page then you cannot move it) and;
3. Transferring a domain name away from 123 Reg took weeks for me to do (even with my constant emails checking for updates more than three times a week and checking with my new web hosting company).

350 Pages

The Pro's: 

1. Simple layout (you can find everything you need easily), 
2. Easy to add HTML code into (e.g. if you want to gain extra money from your website and advertise 'Affiliate companies' on your site); 
3. You can edit the templates quickly and easily (although if you need help their customer support is fantastic and reply to your 'contact us' forms and emails within a day.

The Con's:

1. There could be a wider choice of templates on the Standard Package, 
2. The e-commerce facility is limited for the paying packages and;
3. They do not include a web hosting facility

Mr Site

The Pro's: 

1. It provides a blank canvas for you, 
2. They provide a nice range of additional products included in the price for your website (e.g. blogs, forums, guestbooks, etc.) and; 
3. A decent range of gallery photographs to choose from.

The Con's:

1. The templates are too basic and you need to invest a bit more time into editing and creating your own unique looking website as the templates do not offer enough, 
2. In 2010, they could not provide me with 'Sub menu's' from the navigation bar which I found strange as the basic package is not cheap and; 
3. I found it difficult to get support within a reasonable amount of time (a maximum of a week is long enough to wait for an answer to a simple enough question).

Conclusion

Obviously, these are my ideas and experiences, so please do not be put off or rule out any of these websites.

Please leave your own comments if you agree or have had different experiences with these three sites and I hope the 'website promoting your book' is helpful to you!

xoxo