A bookstore site launches best when the events calendar for the next month and a handful of staff picks are already written. Those two things show readers why your shop is worth a visit.
How the launch unfolds
Day 1-2: You send hours, events and picks, and we set up the home page to show events and recommendations first.
Week 1: We build the events, staff picks and special order pages and link your online shop if you have one.
Week 2: You review the details and test the order form.
Launch: The site goes live, and a 48-hour launch is possible for eligible projects with content ready.
What to gather before you start
- ✓Hours and location — Opening hours, parking and any holiday closures in one tidy place.
- ✓Upcoming events — Dates, times and descriptions for readings, clubs and kids sessions.
- ✓Staff picks — Short, personal notes about books your team loves, with covers where possible.
- ✓Special order method — How a customer asks for a title and how you let them know it has arrived.
- ✓Photos of the shop — Shelves, the reading nook and the staff make the place feel real.
The first month after launch
In the first month, add new staff picks every week or two and keep the events page current. Photograph new displays and add them to the site, and ask readers to share a note about a favorite visit through review channels. Update holiday hours well in advance of the busy season.
Mistakes to avoid at launch
- ✓Skipping an events calendar — customers do not know what is happening and visits drop
- ✓Making special orders hard to request — readers buy from a large online seller instead
- ✓Putting hours deep in the site — people call to ask and get frustrated
One example of what your site could look like
This is one sample we designed. Yours is built around your business, your photos and your words, and we have more examples if you want to compare directions.
What it costs
Websites are priced one-time by size, plus Website Care at $30/month for hosting, HTTPS, backups, weekly checks and A/B testing. Every package includes a consultation, mobile-friendly design, copy we write for you, a contact form, essential search setup and 10 revision rounds. Monthly SEO is an optional add-on when you are ready for it.
Optional add-ons, billed separately
The prices above are for your website. These two are separate monthly products you can add now or later. Neither is part of the website price.
Monthly SEO, from $50/month: new pages published on your site every month. See Monthly SEO →
Business Spotlight, from $30/month: articles about your business, labeled as paid, published on The Company Chronicle. See Business Spotlight →
How it works
1. Consultation
We learn your services, customers and goals, in English or Spanish.
2. We write and design
We draft the words and build the site around your business.
3. 10 revision rounds
You review and request changes until it is right.
4. Launch and care
We launch, then Website Care keeps it hosted, backed up, checked weekly and A/B tested.
Keep reading
Websites for bookstores · What a bookstore website costs · What to send your designer · Plan your website
