To use a link page for a book launch, build one short page around the new title, put the cover and a single main buy or pre-order link at the very top, and point every channel you control (social bios, email signature, event slides, bookmarks) at that one address. Below the main link, add only the actions that matter during the launch window: other formats, a review or "want to read" prompt, event details, a press page and a newsletter signup. Tag the links so you can see which channels work, and change the page in planned stages rather than on impulse.
What follows is a launch-specific playbook. It assumes you already have a basic link page (on your own site or through a link-in-bio service) and want to turn it into a working tool for the months around publication day. The advice is tool-neutral; check your own platform's documentation for how each feature is implemented.
Why one launch page beats scattered links
A launch generates attention in short bursts: the cover reveal, the pre-order announcement, publication day, the first reviews, the launch event. Each burst sends people to whatever link you happen to be sharing at that moment. If those links differ from channel to channel, some readers land on an out-of-date retailer page, some on a press release, and some on a profile with no mention of the book at all.
A single launch page fixes that. You update one place and every bio, signature and printed card stays correct. It also matters because of where people look. In eye-tracking research summarised by Nielsen Norman Group in its article on scrolling and attention, users spent about 57% of their page-viewing time above the fold and 74% within the first two screenfuls. On a phone, the first screenful is small, so whatever sits there is the launch page's real message.
Plan the page around the publication timeline
A launch page changes shape as the book moves from announcement to backlist. Planning those stages in advance stops you making rushed edits on the busiest days.
Announcement and pre-order. The top link is the pre-order. If you self-publish ebooks through Amazon, Kindle Direct Publishing's pre-order rules allow a release date up to 18 months ahead for pre-orders created on or after 2 September 2026, require the final manuscript to be uploaded at least 72 hours before release, and limit you to 10 active pre-orders at a time (checked October 2026). Traditionally published authors should ask their publisher which retailer links and dates are confirmed before adding them.
Publication week. Swap "Pre-order" for "Buy now", move the launch event up if it is imminent, and add the first quotes from reviewers you have permission to use.
First months after publication. Review prompts and event recordings rise in importance; the press section can move down.
Backlist. Once the launch window closes, the page should hand over to your general link page or author website, with the book as one item among others.
Write the copy for each stage before launch, so the switch on publication morning takes minutes.
Choose what goes at the top
The top of the page needs four things and nothing else: the cover, the title, a one-line description of the book, and one primary action. Resist the temptation to offer three equal buttons. One clear action, labelled with what happens next ("Pre-order the hardback", "Buy the ebook"), outperforms a row of logos in clarity, and it also meets the accessibility principle in WCAG 2.2 that the purpose of each link can be determined from its text or context.
Which retailer gets the primary slot is your decision, and it may depend on your contract, where your readers buy, or where you want sales to register. Some authors favour an independent bookshop route such as Bookshop.org; others use a universal link service. Books2Read, developed by the indie-publishing service Draft2Digital, offers free "Universal Links" that let each reader choose a preferred store, which is one way to avoid ranking retailers yourself.
Below the main action, list the remaining formats. Each format of a book normally has its own ISBN: the UK agency's ISBN guidance explains that paperback and ebook editions need a different ISBN for each version and each format. That is a useful check. If a link takes readers to the wrong edition, the ISBN on the retailer page will tell you.
Add the supporting actions in order
After the buy links, add only what supports the launch. A sensible order for most titles:
- Other formats and retailers: hardback, paperback, ebook, audiobook, as each becomes available.
- A "want to read" or review prompt: the Goodreads Author Program lets authors claim their profile, fix book listings, run giveaways and take reader questions through "Ask the Author"; a link to the book's listing gives readers an easy way to shelve it.
- Events: date, venue and a booking link for the launch and any readings. Remove each event once it has passed.
- An excerpt or interview: one link, not a list of every podcast.
- Press and media: a link to a press page with the cover file, author photo, short biography and a contact address.
- Newsletter signup: for readers who want to hear about the next book.
If you collect email addresses, follow the law on consent. The Information Commissioner's Office guidance on electronic mail marketing states that you must not send marketing emails to individuals without specific consent, with a limited "soft opt-in" exception for previous customers. A signup form that says plainly what readers will receive is the simplest way to stay clear.
Label affiliate links honestly
Many authors use retailer affiliate schemes on launch pages. That is legitimate, but it carries a disclosure duty in the UK. The Advertising Standards Authority's guidance on online affiliate marketing explains that Rule 2.1 of the CAP Code requires marketing communications to be obviously identifiable, and that placing an identifier such as "(Ad)" before affiliate content is likely to be acceptable. The ASA has ruled against a blog whose affiliate links were not labelled with an identifier such as "#Ad".
On a launch page, a short line near the buy links ("Some links are affiliate links; I may earn a small commission") is easy to add and keeps readers' trust. If you are unsure whether a particular scheme counts, read the ASA guidance in full rather than guessing.
Track which channels send readers
A single page does not mean single-source data. Campaign parameters let you tell traffic from your newsletter apart from traffic from a social bio or a printed bookmark, even though they all reach the same page. Google's help page on URL builders and campaign data describes the main parameters: utmsource for the referrer, utmmedium for the marketing medium and utm_campaign for the campaign name, and says you should always use those three together. Google also recommends one unique source value per platform, such as distinct values for Facebook and Instagram.
In practice, give each channel its own tagged version of the launch page address, keep a small spreadsheet of them, and use a consistent campaign name (for example the book's short title plus the year). Your link-in-bio tool may also report clicks per button; check its documentation for what is counted.
Read the numbers weekly, not hourly. If the review prompt gets no clicks because it sits below five event links, move it up. If the audiobook link barely registers, leave it in place but lower down. Small, deliberate changes protect the people who have already shared or screenshotted the page.
Bring the page into the real world
Launch events, bookshop displays and festival tables are where a QR code earns its place. The format was released in 1994 by DENSO WAVE, then a division of DENSO Corporation, and the name stands for "quick response", according to the company's history of the QR code. Print it on bookmarks, the final slide of a reading or a small card at the signing table, with the plain web address printed underneath for anyone who prefers to type.
People are rightly cautious about codes. The National Cyber Security Centre's guidance on spotting scams notes that criminals increasingly use QR codes in phishing emails, while codes in places such as pubs and restaurants are usually safe. Point your code at an address on your own domain or a well-known service, and print the destination next to it so readers can see where they are going. Avoid putting QR codes in launch emails, where readers can simply tap a link.
Test before every switch
Test the page on a phone before each stage goes live, not just before launch day. Tap every link, including from inside the in-app browsers of the social platforms you use, and check that each retailer page shows the right edition.
Speed matters on mobile data. Google's web.dev guidance on Largest Contentful Paint says a good score is 2.5 seconds or less, measured at the 75th percentile of page loads. On a launch page, the cover image is often the largest element, so export it at a sensible size and compress it. The companion article on optimising LCP explains the main causes of a slow load if your page fails that test.
A short checklist for each stage:
- Main link label matches the stage (pre-order or buy)
- Every format link opens the correct edition
- Past events removed
- Review quotes are ones you have permission to use
- Affiliate disclosure present if affiliate links are used
- Tagged links recorded in your spreadsheet
After the launch window
When attention settles, fold the launch page back into your permanent setup. Keep the book's address working (redirect it to the book's page on your website if you retire it) so that printed bookmarks and old posts still lead somewhere useful. Note what worked: which channel sent the most visits, which actions people took, which stage felt rushed. That record is the most valuable thing a launch page leaves behind, and it makes the next launch easier to plan. More tool-neutral guides on author websites and link pages are collected on uniblog.org.
