A website contact page isn’t just a necessity for authors — it’s an opportunity. Done right, your contact page can help turn your casual readers into engaged superfans. But how do you make it easy for real readers to reach you while keeping spammers and unnecessary distractions at bay?
Here’s everything you need to know about crafting the perfect author contact page.
Why you need a contact page
You already know it’s important to have a website, with each element in its rightful place. Your website is your digital home, a hub where readers can immediately find you. So knock, knock: Think of the contact page as the front door. If readers, media professionals, or potential collaborators want to reach you, make sure they can actually reach you — and without jumping through all the hoops.
A well-designed contact page encourages meaningful interaction, strengthens reader relationships, and can even help grow your mailing list.
Elements of an effective contact page
Most authors want to make it easy for readers to reach them, but at the same time, you don’t want to be bombarded by spam. The key is balancing accessibility with smart spam prevention.
Your contact page should offer multiple ways for readers to reach out in the way they’re most comfortable. Here’s what you should include:
- Contact form: The easiest way for readers to reach you without exposing your email to spam bots.
- Keep it simple: Name, email, subject, and message fields are usually enough.
- Avoid excessive required fields (like asking for a website address).
- Your email address (optional): If you display an email address, make sure to format it as “yourname [at] email [dot] com” to reduce spammers.
- Phone number (optional): Some authors choose to include a Google Voice or even a Zoom phone number that directs to voicemail, so readers can leave messages without exposing their personal numbers.
- Mailing address (optional): Yes, snail mail is still a thing! A P.O. box or UPS box can allow readers to correspond with you the old-fashioned way without compromising your privacy.
- Social media links: Include only the platforms where you’re active so readers can reach you in real-time. If you’re not engaging on a platform, leave it out.
- Other professional contacts: If you have a publicist, literary agent, or publisher, this is a great place to list their details for business-related inquiries.
Keeping spammers out of your inbox
To protect your inbox (and your sanity) make sure to:
- Use spam filters like Akismet or built-in form protection tools.
- Enable CAPTCHA, but avoid overly difficult ones that frustrate real users
- For instance, ask them to enter a number or something similar instead of all the boxes that contain streetlights.
- Regularly test your contact form — at least once a year if possible —to ensure it’s working properly. You might forget you got a new email address and all the sudden that form is broken and you’re no longer receiving submissions.
Make your contact page easy to find
Don’t bury your contact page. Instead:
- Place it in your main navigation menu labeled clearly as “CONTACT”
- Consider adding a short, friendly message like, “I love hearing from readers! Reach out using the form below.”
- If you’re including multiple contact options, organize them in an easy-to-scan format.
Bonus tip: Grow your email list
Your contact form is also a great way to expand your mailing list — just be transparent. If you offer an email signup option, make sure users can opt-in rather than being added automatically. (Because we’ve all been automatically added to an email list and gotten annoyed and then had to unsubscribe.)
A well-structured contact page fosters connection while protecting your time and privacy. By implementing these best practices, you make it simple for people to reach you in a meaningful way. Take a few minutes to check your contact page — because the next message you receive could be from a superfan ready to champion your work!
Looking to update your website or build one from the ground up? Contact us (on our contact page of all places) to get started!
Jennifer Vance is a publicist at Books Forward, an author publicity and book marketing firm committed to promoting voices from a diverse variety of communities. From book reviews and author events, to social media and digital marketing, we help authors find success and connect with readers.
Interested in what’s possible for your book sales and building readership? Check out our services, tell us your goals, and get a customized publicity campaign tailored just for you.
