> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cabinspress.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Getting Started with your Website > A step-by-step walkthrough of the CabinsPress website builder — what it includes and how to get your author site live. Your CabinsPress website is the public home for your author brand. It pulls together your profile, books, blog, shop, events, and mailing list into one place you control — no separate website builder required. You can build everything privately and turn sections on when you're ready. This guide walks you through the setup in order, with links to deeper docs for each feature. [Work on your Website here!](https://app.cabinspress.com/website) ## Step 1 — Decide what's live Start on the **Website** author profile page. IMG 1288 Three master switches control what readers can see: * **Public Website** — your homepage, book pages, link-in-bio, contact form, and mailing list signup * **Ecommerce** — products, cart, checkout, and buyer accounts. You’ll need to complete the seller onboarding to enable this feature. * **Blog** — blog index, posts, comments, and subscribe Leave everything off while you configure, then flip the switches when you're ready to go public. → [Website / Shop / Blog Toggles](/website/website-shop-blog-toggles) ## Step 2 — Set up your author identity Your **Author Profile** is the persona readers see everywhere on the site. Fill in your display name, URL slug, tagline, bio, portrait, social links, and up to five custom call-to-action buttons (e.g., "Pre-order Book 4" or "Join my ARC team"). Add **Featured In** links for press mentions — CabinsPress generates preview cards from the URLs automatically. → [Author Profile](/website/author-profile) ## Step 3 — Brand your site Use **Website Theme** to match your visual identity: background, text, accent, button, and border colors, plus Google Fonts for headings and body. A live preview shows changes before you save. The theme applies consistently across your homepage, book pages, blog, shop, ARC pages, and link-in-bio. → [Website Theme](/website/website-theme) ## Step 4 — Configure your books for the public Each book has its own website settings, separate from the manuscript. Set the public URL slug, visibility (hidden, coming soon, or active), sort order on the homepage, public description, and SEO overrides. Drag books to reorder them on your homepage book list. When a book is active, readers see a **Public Book Page** with cover, description, retailer links, aggregated reviews, content descriptors, and — if your shop is on — a buy button or redirect to the shop product. → [Per-Book Website Settings](/website/per-book-website-settings) · [Public Book Page](/website/public-book-page) ## Step 5 — Add optional content These features are ready when you are: | Feature | What it does | Learn more | | ------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Blog** | Write posts, import from Substack or Beehiiv, notify subscribers on publish | [Blog Management](/website/blog-management) · [Blog Post Editor](/website/blog-post-editor) · [Blog Import](/website/blog-import) | | **Events** | List signings, launches, and virtual appearances on your homepage, link-in-bio, and a dedicated events page | [Event Management](/website/event-management) | | **Link Tree** | A compact `/links` page for Instagram, TikTok, and other "one link" platforms | [Link-in-Bio Page](/website/link-in-bio-page) | ## Step 6 — Polish discovery and sharing Before you share your site widely: * Set default and per-book **SEO & social sharing** images and descriptions so links look good on Twitter, Facebook, iMessage, and in search results. * Connect a **custom domain** (e.g., `janedoeauthor.com`) instead of the default `cabinspress.com/authors/your-slug` URL. CabinsPress walks you through DNS setup and provisions a security certificate automatically. * Add **URL redirects** on your custom domain for stable short links (e.g., `/arc` → your current ARC signup page). → [SEO & Social Sharing](/website/seo-and-social-sharing) · [Custom Domain](/website/custom-domain) · [URL Redirects](/website/url-redirects) *** ## What readers see Once your toggles are on and your content is configured, here's the public experience: * [**Author Homepage**](/website/author-homepage) — hero with portrait, bio, and CTAs; published works; upcoming events; featured press; footer with social links, contact, mailing list signup, and blog link * [**Public Blog Index**](/website/public-blog-index) and [**Public Blog Post Page**](/website/public-blog-post-page) — searchable archive with tag filters * [**Public Events Listing**](/website/public-events-listing) and [**Event Detail Page**](/website/event-detail-page) — searchable upcoming events with local times *** [Your shop](/shop/overview), [ARC signup pages](/arc/overview), and [mailing list signup](/audience/overview) are covered in their own sections — the website builder connects them into one cohesive author presence. ## Next steps * [Website / Shop / Blog Toggles](/website/website-shop-blog-toggles) * [Author Profile](/website/author-profile)