How do best publishing websites come to life? Each publishing house or an indie author carving their path needs a website, that will serve them as a digital storefront, a brand outlet, and will connect them to the readers.
However, crafting a publishing website that will satisfy all the desires of writers can be daunting. So where do you start? What elements make a publishing website exceptional? Take a look at this list of best publishing websites and you will find out.
What to consider when planning publishing website design?
Planning the best publishing website demands attention to both form and function. Understanding your audience and brand identity sets the stage, while intuitive navigation, compelling visuals, and accessible design ensure a smooth user experience.
Engaging content, community features, and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) draw readers in, while e-commerce functionality and analytics help turn discovery into sales. It is important to regularly update and maintain your site to cater to evolving needs and maintain a thriving online presence for your literary offerings.
Best publishing websites
Explore the latest design trends in publishing websites with our curated selection below, offering inspiration for crafting your site. Chosen from a multitude of best publishing businesses, each website showcases distinct features tailored to meet the needs of modern users.
Let’s discover what sets them apart.
1. Lulu Press
Website: lulu.com
Lulu is an online platform for self-publishing and print-on-demand services. They enable individuals and businesses to upload their content, create printed and digital books, and sell them directly to consumers or through Lulu’s distribution channels.
Lulu’s website gives a modern and professional vibe, with a perfectly matched color palette of different shades of blue. The website also uses a lot of unique features and tools, like the Book Pricing Calculator, to improve users’ experience and get new clients.
What we love: The website is very successful in presenting information through graphs, images, and other visual elements.
2. HarperCollins Publishers
Website: harpercollins.com
HarperCollins is one of the “Big Five” English-language publishing companies, publishing printed and digital books across various genres for adults and children. They also offer a variety of services to authors, such as editing, design, marketing, and distribution.
The design of HarperCollins’ website balances visual engagement with intuitive navigation, creating a welcoming experience for book lovers of all kinds. High-quality visuals like bold images and carousels grab attention, while clear typography ensures readability.
What we love: The website uses a very convenient search system, users can search for books by title, author, genre, or keyword.
3. Penguin Random House
Website: penguinrandomhouse.com
Penguin Random House is one of the world’s largest trade publishers, publishing books across all genres and formats for adults and children. They own and operate a diverse group of imprints, each with its editorial focus.
The website captivates with high-quality visuals like author photos and book covers, guiding users through clear navigation and diverse browsing options. Modern yet approachable, the design invites users to immerse into the literary world with ease.
What we love: The site is very skillful in promoting books to users. For example, on the home page, there is a section with “Today’s Top Books”.
4. Book Publishing
Website: bookpubco.com
Book Publishing Co. specializes in publishing books within specific categories like healthy living, natural health, alternative lifestyles, and cookbooks. Their focus seems to be on niche topics related to well-being and alternative approaches.
The website has a classic and somewhat dated design. While it’s functional and easy to navigate, it looks less modern compared to other publishing websites. Maybe it’s because Book Publishing prioritizes displaying titles and information over visual appeal.
What we love: The navigation is straightforward, with clear categories and subcategories listed in the top menu bar.
5. Springer Publishing
Website: springerpub.com
Springer Publishing specializes in educational and professional reference materials, particularly focusing on healthcare, nursing, social work, behavioral and health sciences. They offer textbooks, ebooks, exam prep tools, instructor resources, journals, and clinical reference books.
Springer Publishing’s website prioritizes professionalism and clarity, presenting an image-focused layout with ample white space and clear typography. Each product page provides detailed information about the content, author, and target audience. Some products even offer sample chapters or additional resources for potential buyers.
What we love: The website includes blog posts, author interviews, and event listings to engage with the professional community.
6. Best Publishing
Website: bestpub.com
Best Publishing specializes in publishing books related to hyperbaric medicine, wound care, diving, and underwater exploration. They cater to professionals and enthusiasts in these fields, offering both physical and digital publications.
Best Publishing Company’s website evokes a sense of clean professionalism, prioritizing clarity over visual flair. While efficient, the design leans conservative, relying on standard fonts and stock photos, leaving a slightly dated impression. Modernizing the color palette, typography, and visuals could transform this functional platform into a truly engaging web experience.
What we love: The website has a large number of options for communicating with company representatives: mail, phone, fax, social networks, directly through the website, and others.
7. Dorrance Publishing
Website: dorrancepublishing.com
Dorrance Publishing is a self-publishing company that assists authors in publishing their books, offering services like editing, design, printing, and marketing. They cater primarily to first-time and independent authors across various genres.
Their website has a unique classic design with retro-stylized pictures and black text on a white background. It also has a large variety of visual media, such as videos, photo carousels, and simple animations.
What we love: The website uses a lot of quotes from both its employees and clients, which increases the level of user trust.
8. Turner Bookstore
Website: turnerbookstore.com
Turner Bookstore is an award-winning independent publisher focused on titles across various genres, including history, biography, sports, etc. They offer services like editorial development, design, marketing, and distribution for authors and businesses.
The website’s design focuses on showcasing book covers and high-quality images alongside clean typography and navigation. The home page is very straightforward, at the top there are links to the company’s partners, and just below you can immediately see a huge catalog of books at discounts and other special offers.
What we love: The website has a sector with its Instagram account promotion, where users can find interesting content, memes, and book recommendations.
9. IngramSpark
Website: ingramspark.com
IngramSpark is a print-on-demand and self-publishing platform that empowers individuals and businesses to publish and distribute their books globally. They offer services like editing, design, printing, and marketing support, catering to authors of all experience levels.
The website’s design is clean and modern, with a white background and a blue header. It uses simple navigation with few tabs and does not overwhelm users with tons of information, focusing on a minimalistic and user-friendly design.
What we love: All pictures and videos are made in the same style, which makes the website feel holistic.
10. The Garbely Publishing
Website: garbelypublishing.com
The Garbely Publishing Company is a small, independently owned and operated publisher specializing in short-run books and affordable web design. They primarily publish books related to railroad history, catering to enthusiasts and researchers in the field.
The website has a modern and professional design, which can be easily noticed by the arrangement of graphic elements, fonts, and colors. The website concentrates user’s attention only on the most important parts without distracting their attention with something unnecessary.
What we love: The website presents its publishing services and areas of expertise very clearly.
How do I create a publishing website?
- Start with defining your goals, such as promoting authors or selling books, and think about what will differentiate your company from the rest. What sets you apart?
- With the next step you will need to choose a platform, that will make your website dreams come true. Evaluate your budget and technical comfort level.
- Now for the designing part. Prioritize clear and easily navigable menus categorized by genre, author, or series. Implement a prominent search bar to facilitate effortless book discovery. Utilize eye-catching book covers to visually captivate visitors, and remember to include clear calls to action – whether it be prompting purchases, subscriptions, or contact.
- End up with adding content and some interesting features. Compose detailed book descriptions enriched with excerpts, reviews, and award mentions. Craft compelling author profiles that illuminate their expertise and personality. Share industry insights, interviews, and literary event happenings through an engaging blog.
With these steps, you’ll construct a website that resonates with your audience and brings your literary offerings to the world stage.
Publishing website not right for your company?
You can explore other kinds of websites in these overviews:
Contact us to launch your best publishing website
If you want an amazing publishing website that stands out from the competition, professional designers from Fireart will gladly help you. Our skilled designers and web developers can make your vision come to life. Check our case studies and please do not hesitate to reach out, should you have any questions at all.
