Brand Basics – 2 Considerations For Writers

We’re familiar with a brand as it relates to corporations. When we think of Coke, McDonalds, and Nike these logos appear in our minds:

Coke – red background with white letters.
McDonalds – golden arches.
Nike – swoosh.

These corporations have spent millions (billions?) of dollars over the years with marketing groups and design teams to develop brand recognition. Few writers have the resources to invest in that kind of brand development but a personal brand is an important part of a solid platform.

Two important considerations for branding that every writer must consider are Content and Look.

CONTENT

Do you have a clear writing focus?

Perhaps you’re a novelist. Do you write mysteries for young adults? Romance geared toward women?

Maybe you’re an inspirational writer. Do you write devotions? Parenting articles? Bible studies?

Editors, technical writers, agents, etc. each have a special niche in the writing industry. Determine your focus, create content, and share on social media’s Big 3—Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Remember to be generous and share quotes and links from a variety of sources. Edie Melson recommends sharing only 20% of your own material. Find other writers and industry professionals who have a similar focus and share their content as well.

Don’t hesitate to share occasional random posts, but be sure to keep it kind and clean. Tweeting at your favorite sports team or sharing a funny meme on Facebook makes you a more interesting person to follow.

LOOK

Do your social media accounts have the same (or similar) backgrounds and headshots?

Develop a background and format it for each social media account. Profile dimensions change on a regular basis, so check a reliable source like Mashable for the most recent image sizes. Select a headshot that is both current and suitable for your writing.

A writer with brilliant branding is Steven James. He wears several hats: writing & speaking instructor, keynote speaker, poet, master storyteller, and suspense writer. His social media profiles and his website represent him well, reflecting his friendly yet somewhat mysterious personality.

Your website’s About Page should include the same content focus, headshots, and background images (if possible). A consistent online image will help establish your personal brand and help lay a solid foundation for your platform.

Shareables:

Sites to check out:

Steven James
Mashable: Your social media cheat sheet for perfectly sized images