How to Create Branding That Lasts

Creating a brand that lasts can be a bit of an intimidating process. As a writer/author, you want to reflect your writing well, while also doing so in such a way you can keep up with your brand.

Your brand likely encompasses some, if not all, of the following: Running multiple social media accounts, a website, writing books, public speaking at conferences, interviewing on podcasts and TV, attending writing conferences, updating followers with book promotions, talking with editors and publishers, engaging with fans, etc. Doing all of this well could easily become exhausting.

If you create a brand that does not reflect who you are naturally, but is more of a highlight reel or façade, you could easily burnout. Building a lifestyle brand can not only help you avoid burnout, but engage your fans more than other types of branding might.

Even if you are a credible professional but want to build a lifestyle brand, you can do so.

Think of a lifestyle brand as simply focusing more on your life than your products. Instagram doesn’t only need to be inspiring quotes from famous authors, going live about your creative process, and posting stories about your writing deadline. Those are all great to share, but what happens when you’re not on deadline or you don’t have anything writing related to post?

Enter, the lifestyle brand.

Fans love connecting with the person behind the brand. The humanity behind the celebrity. The personality behind the grid. So how do you build a brand you can maintain long term?

Base your brand on your personality.

Search through different social media platforms to find authors using their own personality as the platform for their brand. If you don’t have a specific author in mind, search hashtags such as #WritingCommunity or the genre you write to help you get started.

Once you find 10-15 authors, browse their social media sites, website, and Goodreads to see how they engage with their followers and what they post. Take note of what type of content they don’t post as well.

Then step back, assess your own writing goals, your personality, and what you feel excited to share. Choose different aspects from the different authors, add in your own, and do a trial run for two weeks. Assess your analytics on all social media platforms. Choose the platform that’s done the best and continue working on it. Consider trying new things on the platforms not doing as well.

As you grow, don’t worry if you need to fine tune your brand. This is healthy and allows your fans to grow with you.

Put the time and effort in, but don’t take yourself too seriously. Enjoy the process. You are a writer, and this is your journey.

Have fun with it!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Creator and writer. She helps authors build their platform through branding and copywriting. With a BA in Strategic Communications, Sarah equips writers to learn how to communicate their message through personal branding. She writes fiction and nonfiction and offers writers behind-the-scenes tips on the publishing industry through her blog itssarahrexford.com. She is represented by the C.Y.L.E Young Agency.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com