More and more, scholars are being asked to connect to wider audiences through digital platforms like professional websites, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Having a page on your department’s website is not enough—just ask your publisher. It limits the space you have to showcase the breadth of your research interests and expertise as an original thinker in your field. Plus, it tethers you to a single institution.

A professional website is an effective and simple way to establish your online presence and build your author platform outside of your immediate field and university. It offers an opportunity to connect your research interests to current debates outside of your field—thereby broadening your audience—and make your scholarship visible to potential readers. And there are a number of additional benefits for when you publish a book or article. (Read more about the benefits of having an author platform here and here). 

The downside? Effective website are voracious time-eaters and even the simplest designs demand some technical knowledge of website development. Writing for a website also differs pretty drastically from academic prose.