As an author myself, I can really appreciate the value of an online brand. Whether you choose to self-publish or go with a publisher, a strong personal brand online is a must.
Your online brand is how you present yourself – when fans search for you, what do they find? Do they find something that confirms that you are an expert or are they left wondering if you really knew what you were writing about.
If you haven’t published a book yet, your personal brand and social media can help you promote your book and build an audience.
Since I work in social media, my social media and online presence comes very naturally to me. For many people it doesn’t – and that can cost you opportunities. I have generated a number of benefits as an author from building an online brand. When my first book came out I generated business directly from connecting with readers through social media. My website and blog help me connect more deeply with the target audience. I now have a group of followers that I can build relationships with over time.
Why Your Online Brand Matters
Building an online brand as an author has a number of benefits:
- Drive Book Sales – When you launch your book, you have one goal = SALES! Perhaps you want to drive bestseller status on Amazon, or maybe just raise awareness. Building networks on social media means that you’ll have an audience of people already interested in your message. This is a great way to launch your book and start spreading the word.
- Create a Community of Fans – Connecting with people who are passionate about what you do can add value over time. You probably aren’t in this for the short-haul. Chances are you’ll write another book or do something else that you want to promote. Building fans, friends and followers online means that you’ll have a community of fans for whatever you do next.
- Spread Word Of Mouth and Generate Referrals – The more people that are exposed to you and the more times those people are exposed to you, the more they will remember you. The more people remember you the more they recommend you. Social media is a great way to drive top of mind awareness with your target audience.
- Build Deeper Connections – Someone bought your book. They loved it. Now what? Even if you aren’t trying to sell them something, deepening that connection has value. A social media presence online means that people will build a deeper connection with you which gives you an additional opportunity to share your message.
- Generate More Business – When I wrote my first book The Social Media Field Guide I was amazed at how many people googled me and sent me messages through social media. Many times these messages created more business. If you don’t have a strong presence online, people won’t be able to find you and the WOW factor will be lost.
How does your brand stack-up? Check out our Personal Brand Assessment or Join our LaunchYourself! Personal Branding Workshop.
