Using Socal Media To Build Your Author Brand

If there's one thing an author needs to have in their tool belt - other than an idea for a story and the drive to write it - it's the ability to spread their words as far as the eye can see. 

Since shouting that you wrote a book from your tallest available rooftop might only end with a charge of trespassing or a few firetrucks showing up concerned about your mental wellbeing the next best place to turn to is right here in your hands. 

Social media. 

Sure social media is one of the worst things for authors when you log on to check one simple notification and suddenly hours have been lost as you scroll on and on past cat videos and hacks to make your pool look more blue (even if you don't have a pool.) 

On the other hand, social media is an invaluable tool for an author's need to tell the world about their book and build their brand as an author. 

Ready to start shouting into cyberspace? Here are a few tricks to building your author's brand and making the most of your online presence. 

Choosing Platforms 

Like all things - not all social media is created equal. 

While some sites are used for short-form content (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Short) others prefer short text or images (Threads, X/Twitter, Pinterest) and then you have long-form content in the form of either videos or text (Facebook, Youtube.)

While it's good to place yourself in as many places as possible to be discovered, you need to work with your strengths. Do you enjoy spending time filming and editing videos? Do you prefer to write out text posts? 

The platforms you choose to use should be ones you are familiar with or that you can become familiar enough to post effectively without just throwing things out into the air and hoping they land in front of your target audience. 

Consistent Branding 

Now that you have your list of platforms to build your brand on, it's time for the most important part - building your brand. 

Just like when you're watching commercials on whichever streaming service of your choice or when you see a billboard as you drive down the highway, you know from that first two-second glance exactly what is being advertised because of the branding. 

You are building your online identity and the best way to make sure that your audience recognizes you is with consistency. Use the same profile picture, use consistent coloring, and be who you are. Building a consistent brand builds trust with your audience and makes it easier for an audience to find and follow you. 

Engagement 

Social media is not a one-way street. You're not just throwing things out there and then never circling back to them. 

Those who follow you are going to engage with you - you're not a billboard, you're a person and should engage as such. Respond to comments, participate in discussions, and show appreciation for support. 

You should be doing this not only on your posts but on your fellow writers and authors as well. 

Yes, you're building an audience, but at the same time, you are also building a lifelong community.

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While some authors may think that they don't need social media to find an audience for their book - these authors most likely have connections to places we everyday writers don't have access to. 

Social media is going to play a crucial role in building your author's brand and connecting with your readers, but there is one important thing to keep in mind. 

Be respectful. Playground rules are in place here. If you have nothing nice to say - don't say anything at all. Starting fights (or even engaging in them) can only come back to hurt you.

Best, 

B. - 

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This story was originally posted on Medium.

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