Author branding can seem complicated but it is actually quite simple. A brand is how people feel when they interact with you.
Figuring out your brand as an author is very straightforward. Just ask yourself, how do I want my readers to feel when they are reading my book?
You probably answered three or even four separate emotions. There are also things you'd like people to think about while reading your book or incorporating those lessons into their lives. These are all part of your brand.
Colors influence emotion. Find photographs or book covers that make you feel those emotions and put them into a color picker like Coolors. You need to pick out two main brand colors, two accent colors, and at least one neutral color.
You should also pick at least two fonts, no more than three. One can have some personality and one should be very readable, even when it's quite small. San serif fonts look sleek and modern, serif fonts look trustworthy and traditional while script fonts can be fun or feminine. A great place to start is Google Fonts, but there are also large free sections on many font sites. Try to always use your fonts so your brand is as consistent as possible.
But a brand isn't for you, it's for your audience. Which of your friends would love your book, even if it wasn’t written by you? Tina? Okay, Tina is your target audience. Pick things Tina would love when you are choosing colors, fonts, and topics. If you aren’t used to marketing, picking things that are appealing to a friend is easier than pleasing a faceless profile. Double-check that Tina would like your choices.
The last task may take a little brainstorming. Come up with 20 topics related to your book. If you have a historical romance you might include: love, history, battles, swords, English kings, carriages, ballgowns, duels, the Corn Act, spying, gin, servants, Parliament, the Season, hats, hounds, garters, necklaces, quill pens, marriage. Now circle the subjects that align with your brand emotions. (I’m guessing Parliament didn’t make the cut.) Please star everything you know Tina adores. You should have 3-5 topics that are circled and starred. Those are the focus of your social media platform. If you post about those topics consistently your ideal audience will find you.
Now you have identified your ideal audience, know what your audience should feel, created a brand kit that includes colors and fonts and started your social media plan. Congrats! You're on your way to building a strong author platform.
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