As a children's book author, your brand is your identity. It's what sets you apart from other children's book authors and gives your readers a reason to choose your books over someone else's.
And today, social media is one of the most important ways to establish and maintain visibility. (Which leads to engagement and book sales! 🥳)
In this blog post, I'm going to break down...
✔️ why social media branding is so important to your author marketing plan
✔️ how to get started with building your author brand
✔️ other tips and tricks so you can stand out!
So let's get to it.
Why is social media branding yourself so important for children's book authors?
Reason #1 - Social Media Branding Builds Trust with Your Audience
Your social media presence is a reflection of who you are as a person and a writer. When you establish a strong author brand on social media, you're building trust with your audience. You're showing them that you take your writing seriously and that you're committed to creating quality content. This trust can translate into sales and loyal fans.
Reason #2 - Social Media Branding Increases Your Visibility
Social media is a powerful tool for increasing your visibility as an author. When you have a solid brand, people are more likely to share your content and recommend your books to their friends and family. This increased visibility can help you reach a wider audience and ultimately sell more books.
Reason #3 - Social Media Branding Helps You Stand Out in a Crowded Market
There are a lot of children's book authors out there, and it can be tough to stand out in such a crowded market. But when you have a brand, you're more likely to catch people's attention. A well-branded social media presence can help you differentiate yourself from other authors and make a lasting impression on potential readers.
How to get started with your author brand
If I name-drop a few brands, I'm sure I can guess the first things that come to your mind.
McDonald's? Golden Arches and red.
Nike? A white check symbol.
I could go on but you get the idea. It should be no different when it comes to building your own social media branding! Yes, you're an author, but what else are you providing your community of followers? Are you spreading awareness for a cause? Educating about a topic? Sharing your love for cats?
What is your niche?
Step 1 - Decide on your niche
Your social media cannot just be "buy my book" on repeat. You do not want to be known as a walking billboard - it's icky and it doesn't attract people. So what does your target audience care about? What do they search? What do they like? What gets them talking?
Experts say you should post about content 80% of the time and your product 20% of the time. The same goes for children's book authors. If your social media is JUST your book, why would your community follow? Plus, if they've already bought your book, what would they gain out of following you?
To see growth, you need to start by figuring out your niche and determining what those people care about so that it shapes your content and your brand.
Step 2 - Pick your color palette
For your color palette, you'll need 4-5 main colors plus a light and dark color option for your text. Think about the vibe you'd like to give off and use that as a guide.
For example, Vicky's target audience is music teachers so in addition to posting about her books, she shares tips, tricks, and funny reels about being a music teacher. She is constantly engaging and providing content to her ideal target audience.
Because of this, she chose bright primary colors for her palette - her inspiration was a music rug that you can find in ANY music classroom.
Step 3 - Choose your fonts
Next comes your fonts, you will want to stick with 3 options.
A bold, noticeable header font
What I like to call a "fancy" font. I personally use a script, but you want something with personality that matches the vibe you're trying to create.
Body text. Should be clean and easy to read as this will be the content of most of your graphics.
Step 4 - Log into Canva
I cannot praise this design platform enough! With Canva you get the graphic designer approach without needing to be a graphic designer.
Not only do they provide thousands of graphics that you can easily tweak to fit your author brand, but it also has presets so you always have the correct size for each social media platform.
Trying to make an Instagram post? Instagram story? Or maybe a Facebook ad? Gone are the days of stressing to find the proper sizing. Canva has it for you with editable templates in each size. (Or if you're design-savvy, you can start from scratch!)
One of my favorite features is that I can physically make a Brand Kit within Canva. I can house all of my fonts and brand colors, which makes creating my designs go that much faster.
Step 5 - Start creating!
Now you'll want to head on over to Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and any other social media platforms you plan on using to upload your brand colors. Then, you'll want to plan out your content and use Canva to create content that will excite your target audience!
Check out how to showcase your brand on Instagram in this video:
Quick Tips for Creating Your Author Brand
Be Authentic
Your brand should be an authentic reflection of who you are as a writer and a person. Don't try to be someone you're not and don't try to copy someone else's brand. People can tell when you're being genuine...and when you're not.
Be Consistent
Consistency is key when it comes to branding yourself on social media. Use the same profile picture, handle, and bio across all platforms. This consistency will make it easier for people to find and recognize you. And while you're at it, make sure you're posting consistently too!
Post Engaging Content
Your social media content should be engaging and relevant to your audience. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses into your writing process, give sneak peeks of upcoming projects, and share content that your target audience cares about. Need some post ideas? Click here!
Interact with Your Audience
Social media is all about building relationships. Take the time to interact with your audience by responding to comments, asking for feedback, and participating in discussions. This interaction will help you build a loyal fanbase and strengthen your brand.
What it comes down to is this: branding yourself well on social media is crucial for children's book authors. By building trust, increasing your visibility, and standing out in a crowded market, you can establish an author brand that will help you sell more books and build a loyal fanbase. So take the time to establish your brand on social media and watch your audience start to grow!
Leave a link to your social media in a comment below! ⬇️ I'd love to take a look.