Do You Need a Website If You Sell on Amazon?

Amazon handles sales, but it does not build your author career. Learn why successful authors invest in their own websites even when Amazon is their primary sales channel.

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70%

Amazon Royalties

Customer Data

100%

Platform Risk

10x

Email vs Ads ROI

The Hidden Costs of Amazon-Only Publishing

Amazon KDP is a remarkable tool that has launched thousands of author careers. You can publish a book today and have it available to millions of readers tomorrow. But relying entirely on Amazon creates risks that most authors do not recognize until it is too late.

When you sell only through Amazon, you never learn who your readers are. Amazon keeps all customer data. You cannot email them about your next book. You cannot build a relationship. Every new release starts from zero, competing against millions of other titles for attention.

Amazon also controls your visibility. Algorithm changes happen without warning. A policy update could affect your listings overnight. Authors have had their accounts suspended for reasons they did not understand. When your entire business exists on someone else's platform, you are always one decision away from losing everything.

Your own website gives you something Amazon never will: ownership. You own your audience. You own your brand. You own the relationship with your readers. That ownership becomes increasingly valuable as your author career grows.

7 Reasons Authors Need Their Own Website

Build Your Email List

Amazon readers belong to Amazon. When you capture email addresses on your own site, those readers belong to you. An email list of 1,000 engaged readers can reliably generate sales for every book you publish, without paying for ads or hoping algorithms favor you.

Higher Profit Margins

Amazon takes 30-65% of each sale depending on your pricing and distribution choices. Selling directly from your website through platforms like Gumroad, Payhip, or Shopify lets you keep 90-95% of each sale. Even selling a few books directly each month adds up significantly over time.

Search Engine Visibility

People search Google for topics your book addresses. A website with relevant content can rank for those searches and bring readers directly to you. Your Amazon listing competes with millions of products. Your website can target specific phrases your ideal readers actually search for.

Professional Credibility

Readers, media, and potential partners expect authors to have websites. When journalists look for experts to quote, they search online. When podcast hosts research potential guests, they check websites. An Amazon listing alone signals hobby author. A professional website signals serious author.

Launch Future Books Better

Your first book builds an audience for your second book. But only if you can reach that audience. Email subscribers from your website become your launch team. They leave reviews, share with friends, and buy on day one. Without that list, every book launch starts cold.

Platform Independence

Amazon rules change. Accounts get suspended. Categories disappear. Authors who built their entire presence on Amazon have watched their businesses evaporate overnight. Your website is insurance. Whatever happens on any platform, you still have your site, your list, and your direct relationship with readers.

Share Your Full Story

Amazon gives you 4,000 characters for your author bio and limited formatting for your book description. Your website lets you share your story properly - your background, your expertise, reader testimonials, sample chapters, bonus content, and everything that helps readers connect with you beyond the transaction.

When Amazon Alone Might Be Enough

To be fair, not every author needs a website right away. If you are publishing your first book as an experiment to see if writing is for you, Amazon alone is fine. If you have no plans to write more books and do not care about building a lasting author career, the investment may not make sense.

Some authors also publish in extremely commercial genres like short romance where readers buy based purely on tropes and covers. In those markets, Amazon advertising and Kindle Unlimited page reads drive most income, and websites play a smaller role.

You Probably Need a Website If:

You plan to write multiple books over time
You write non-fiction where expertise matters
You want speaking, consulting, or media opportunities
You sell premium formats like signed copies or courses
You want to reduce dependence on any single platform

How to Add a Website to Your Amazon Strategy

Start With Email Capture

Your website's primary job is building your email list. Create a lead magnet like a free chapter, bonus content, or related resource. Set up email capture forms prominently. Even a simple one-page site that collects emails delivers more long-term value than social media followers.

Link Your Amazon Presence

Add your website URL to your Amazon Author Central page, your book descriptions, and your author bio. Use your website to drive traffic to Amazon for sales while capturing emails for future direct communication. The two channels should work together, not compete.

Build Over Time

You do not need a complex website immediately. Start with the essentials: homepage, about page, book page, and email capture. Add more over time - a blog for SEO, direct sales for higher margins, multimedia content to showcase your expertise. Let your site grow with your career.

Get Your Author Website Built Professionally

Book Website Builder creates conversion-focused author websites that complement your Amazon presence. Built-in email capture, professional design, and SEO optimization included. Starting at just €349.

Every Book Website Includes:

Email capture with lead magnet delivery
Links to all your retail channels including Amazon
SEO optimization for your genre and topics
Mobile-responsive professional design
Author bio and book pages that convert
Ready in 7 days with your content

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will a website actually increase my Amazon sales?

A website increases sales indirectly by building your email list, improving search visibility, and establishing credibility. When you launch a new book, you can email your list and drive immediate Amazon sales. That launch momentum helps Amazon algorithms recommend your book more widely.

Should I sell directly or send people to Amazon?

Do both. Amazon sales boost your ranking and visibility on the platform. Direct sales give you higher margins and customer data. Many authors use their website to capture emails first, then give readers the choice of where to buy. Some readers prefer Amazon; others appreciate buying direct.

Does Amazon penalize authors who have their own websites?

No. Amazon actively encourages authors to have websites and drive traffic to Amazon. They even allow you to add your website URL in your Author Central profile and book descriptions. Amazon only restricts putting non-Amazon purchase links in book content itself.

What if I only have one book?

Single-book authors benefit from websites too, especially if you plan to write more. Start building your email list now so your second book has an audience ready and waiting. If you never write another book, a website still gives you professional credibility and a way to connect with readers.

How do I drive traffic to my website if I am new?

Start by mentioning your website everywhere: in your book's front and back matter, on your Amazon author page, in social profiles, and when guesting on podcasts or blogs. Create useful content related to your book topic that can rank in search engines. Build traffic gradually rather than expecting overnight results.

Is an Amazon Author Page enough instead of a website?

Amazon Author Central is useful but limited. You cannot collect emails, you cannot control the design, you cannot add custom content, and Amazon can change or restrict features anytime. Think of Author Central as your profile on Amazon, but your website as your home base that you own and control.