What Bridgerton Teaches You About Your Author Website

May 13, 2024 Pauline Wiles

Dearest Gentle Reader, Season 3 of Bridgerton releases later this week. So I’m seizing this tenuous excuse to bring you some light-hearted website advice, inspired by my favorite Regency drama.

While I liked season 1, I loved season 2, and I’m looking forward to some indulgent screen time as the story of Penelope and Colin’s romance develops.

And I can even pretend I’m “working” by drawing these comparisons between our friends of “the Ton” and your author website!

So, what can Bridgerton teach us?

Location matters

Obviously, Bridgerton is a visual feast (and no, I don’t mean those steamy scenes from season 1 that drew all the headlines). I’m talking about the stunning historical locations chosen for filming, and the sumptuous additions brought in by the film crew. You could easily create a 2-week itinerary of Bridgerton filming locations in England, and personally I love reading about how the same venue often pulls double or even triple duty.

For your website: location matters, too. Pick the place (platform) where you’ll create your online home carefully. Different website tools have different strengths and features. Ease of use and maintenance requirements will have a dramatic impact on your willingness to keep it fresh. Few authors make serious money with a stale, dated website. You want to feel proud to send visitors there, and it needs to be strategically configured to get the results you want.

Know the outcome

In season 1 of Bridgerton, it was clear from the outset that Daphne and Simon would end up together (too bad for the Prince!). In season 2, much as I loved Edwina, it was always a question of how, not if, for Anthony and Kate. Fans of Bridgerton love seeing the tale will unfold, but the eventual outcome of the main love story is not in doubt.

We can enjoy a few subplots, like relishing the next sneaky plan that Portia Fetherington and Mrs. Varley will cook up. Or hoping that this is the season when matriarch Violet Bridgerton finally gets a cuddle from a new man. But the main love story stays center stage.

For your website: get crystal clear on the outcome you’re aiming for. In other words, what is the key action a reader should take, when they’ve viewed one or more pages? Don’t confuse your visitor with too many options, and make sure that your main Call to Action is obvious and easy.

Your website subplots — or secondary Calls to Action — might include joining your email list, or reading a relevant article that shows your expertise. But they’re your second choice, if a website visitor is not yet ready for the primary action you want.

Color palettes are powerful

Photo thanks: Elena Kloppenburg

Nothing that appears on screen in Bridgerton is accidental. Fans have long been aware that each family has a preferred color palette (often Wedgwood blue for the Bridgertons) and that every ball has a color-coordinated theme. And nobody with even half an eye open will miss the beautiful change in wardrobe colors for Penelope in the upcoming season.

The Bridgerton production team is so hawk-eyed, that the makeup team swooped in to add more color to the faces of dozens of actors, when it was realized the light reflecting off white paving stones at Hampton Court Palace was making everyone look washed out.

For your website: Color has meaning, conveys an instant message, and your palette must be cohesive. Your website visitors will form an impression of your work in just a few seconds, and your colors are a big player.

For first-time authors, I always recommend we use the book cover as the main inspiration for colors. Assuming you love your book cover (and I hope you do), this sets the tone for the right brand and initial impression. Two great examples of this on websites I’ve designed: Patrick Hurley and Lisa Manterfield.

It’s okay to make an occasional splash

In season 2, the Bridgerton writers included a favorite romance trope: a leading man in a lake in a wet shirt. Fans of the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice were delighted by this scene, which, for the record, also shows up in several other screen classics.

Now, obviously, this isn’t a plot device that can be used more than occasionally. But it’s hugely effective when done carefully, especially with perfect comic timing (which, for the Viscount’s lake tumble, was artfully pulled together in post-production).

For your website: the splashy equivalent for a website designer is a carefully placed pop-up. You should only use one on your site, it should be timed to allow the visitor to explore first, and don’t inflict it on the visitor every time they visit. Even though most of us find pop-ups a little annoying, they do actually work.

Your book is the diamond of the season!

Photo thanks: Diogo Nunes

Each season, Queen Charlotte nominates one young lady as her favorite, the so-called Diamond of the First Water. Suitors then flock to her side, which no doubt is most helpful for the plot. (But I also love that Eloise points out how daft this whole debutante ritual is. More pearls from Eloise.)

For your website: as an author, your book needs to take a starring role. Your author business might be primarily focused on book sales, or, as a service provider, your book is a business card that demonstrates your authority and expertise. Either way, you’ll get better results from a large, clear, book image, with prominent buy buttons and praise from readers. Definitely don’t go hiding your book on your About page, or mention it in passing. Don’t give it a tiny image in the corner, as though you’re apologizing for it. Your book is your diamond.

Details are vital

You only need to glance at a ballroom scene in Bridgerton to know there is a lot going on. Freeze the frame, and the details are incredible. Dozens of actors, hundreds of props, thousands of flowers. The crew, apparently, includes a few hundred people. We’re told a carpenter spent four months making fireplaces and windows. And did you notice that Benedict always ties his tie on one side? Even without the script, the plot, and the fabulous acting, the visual experience of Bridgerton is breathtaking.

For your website: I’m not advocating that you cram your website as full as the average Bridgerton party!

These days, effective, modern websites that get business results are more restrained. I’m fond of saying, your website should not be the Wikipedia of everything you’ve ever written. But nonetheless, details matter. Do all of your links work? Do images load quickly? Are your menus logical? Is the next step for your visitor always clear? There are dozens of details that all contribute to a professional quality website.

Your work isn't for everyone

Photo thanks: Shayna Douglas

If you’ve read this far, I’m guessing you might be a Bridgerton fan. But this is not a drama that tries to appeal to everyone. For each viewer who is gleefully clearing their calendar for the season 3 release date, there are just as many people giving the on-screen Grosvenor Square a wide berth. Bridgerton knows what it’s aiming to be: you either love it, or it’s emphatically not for you. This “attract or repel” principle is essential for strong marketing today, and it’s one of the reasons the show consistently shows up in the most-watched Netflix titles.

For your website: Too many authors tell me they want “everyone” to read their book. Sorry, that’s not the path to major success. Your website should send a vibrant, precise message to your ideal readers and ideal clients. Everyone else should move right along. This way, you’ll get rave reviews from readers who love your book and are thrilled to share it. And you’ll get more inquiries from great-fit clients who are ready to work with you.

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If, like me, you’re eagerly awaiting Bridgerton season 3, I completely understand if your author website is not top of mind while you watch. But in that most vexing gap between the first half of the season, and the second half release date (June 13), perhaps, gentle reader, these tips might offer you a productive way to fill the wait.

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Would you like me to design and build your Squarespace website?

Once I’ve binged the first few episodes of season 3, I will be delighted to chat with you about creating an author website worthy of Queen Charlotte’s approval.

As a professional specializing in strategic websites for authors and solopreneurs with books, I’m an expert in the features you need for a website that connects with your audience and gets business results. If you’d like niche expertise, top quality design, and your technical headaches solved, consider hiring me.

After careful preparation together, I’ll design, build and launch your site in a highly efficient focused project. Learn more, and then schedule a complimentary conversation.

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