How to establish yourself as a brand: from author websites to social media.

Defining Your Author Brand

Now, this can seem daunting at first but we’ve broken it down into bite-size questions that will form the building blocks of your brand.

• What are the aims of your writing, books and brand?
  Are you a horror writer aiming to build an entire book and movie empire? Do you write self-help books to support corporate millennials? Do you want to educate the masses on travelling safely? Maybe, you want to entertain and provide escapism. 

• Who is your target market?
  Defining your target market is essential as it will inform the many aspects of your brand. Such as your brand voice, design style, image choices and even which social media platforms to prioritise. For example, a target audience of teenage boys would need a different approach to a brand aimed at middle-aged business professionals.

• What do existing readers already think?
  If you already have existing readers or customers (well done!), you can utilise their insight to understand your brand from an outside perspective better. By asking what existing customers think about your books or what words they associate with your brand, you can see whether that aligns with your aims.

• What qualities do you want consumers to associate with your brand?
  This may seem similar to the aims of your brand. However, this goes beyond the literal brand itself and focuses on how you want your brand to be perceived by the wider public. As your brand grows, it is essential to understand its position and how those values are communicated through messaging, connections and actions.

Developing Your Author Brand

After defining the basics of your author brand, it’s time to consider the tone of voice, brand messaging and tagline line. These key areas should begin to emerge from understanding your target audience, aims and objectives. If you get stuck on this, don’t worry; our creative team is here to ensure that all aspects of your brand come to life to reflect your values and aims.

Now, let’s talk about assets. This is the stage where your brand and ideas come together visually. From understanding your brand building blocks, you can ensure that all aspects of the design, messaging and marketing align with them. To gain traction and establish your brand, we would recommend these essential assets:

• A stand-out, unique logo
• A well-designed, comprehensive website
• Social media marketing strategy 

Beyond this, it is important to remember that to continue growing your brand, consistency is critical. Without consistent posting, activity and marketing strategies, all the hard work of defining and designing your brand can go to waste. 

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