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Hi Toby and thanks for the comment! Yes, I truly believe that keywords are our starting point for everything we do. I learned that way back in sales and marketing for soul-sucking Pharma and it’s still absolutely true today.
thanks for commenting
Reply[…] sexual abuse, date rape, suicide, and difficult relationships? It definitely wasn’t my normal ‘brand,’ that much is true, though, as a nonfiction writer already, I felt I could pull it off with some […]
ReplyBranding is in itself a ‘key’ keyword. As an avid reader with a Twitter account that chokes on new book links, I’ve noticed how short my concentration span is when I find myself at a writer’s blog or reading a book blurb on Amazon. If the first couple of sentences won’t give me a clear idea as to what category the book falls under, I’m gone more often than not. I’ve seen indie writers start the blurb with poetry (or something close) in an effort to show they’ve honed their craft. It doesn’t work this way, right?
Btw, I’ve started reading Broken Pieces; I admire how you open up in such a raw yet engaging way. Thank you!
ReplyThank you for the feedback on the book — I’m honored — and also on branding. Sometimes I feel like I’m a one-woman ‘stop the repeated, constant links’ show — and it seems like those who get it, get it. Too many don’t.
I so appreciate your insights about blurbs and poetry — no, it doesn’t work that way. There’s nothing wrong with sharing an excerpt, but not in a blurb! You’re right on there.
Reply[…] a bit of myself through that, but soon I came to my senses. Actually, Rachel Thompson and her Branding 101 for Authors blog post helped me, so I recently revamped this site, focusing on my genre’s keywords (romance, […]
Reply[…] Branding 101 For Authors […]
Reply[…] Badredheadmedia’s “Branding 101 For Authors“ […]
Reply[…] My ‘formula,’ if you will, for social media, is to share visual quotes (from my books and others), text quotes, videos, curate articles, and occasional promotion, yes – all based on the 1) keywords I mentioned above, as well as 2) keeping in mind my ideal reader and 3) my branding. […]
Reply[…] a post on Medium the other day by a poet who rejects the notion of ‘buzzwords’ like branding and book marketing completely, saying it’s all bullshit. People should just inherently know […]
Reply[…] Badredheadmedia’s “Branding 101 For Authors“ […]
ReplyExcellent as always. Will save and reread and think about the branding thing.
ReplyA fantastic post – thank you for posting this, Rachel. As serendipity would have it, I stumbled upon it at the right time, just as I’d started to realize I needed to make changes in my brand as I’ve been emitting the wrong message. Thank you for helping me understand even better what my next steps should be 🙂
ReplyI’m so glad you found it helpful Effrosyni! thanks for the feedback 🙂
Reply[…] first thing I suggest is getting your list of keywords that you created for your author brand. Create boards based on those and add relatable […]
Reply[…] Not sure what to tweet/post/blog about? It’s really easy: what interests you? Share that, even if it’s not at all about your book. So what? Unclear about your branding? Read more here: Branding 101. […]
Reply[…] you have goals for your social media? What’s your branding, keywords, topics of interest? Identify all these and you will know exactly the kinds of […]
Reply[…] make sure that my author brand is clear and […]
ReplyHow diverse can we be in our branding? I have two sites–a more personal site where my brand focus word is “eclectic.” That suits me; it’s not a cop-out. I am a right-brain and left-brain motivated, like a dual personality. Physics is my true love, but arts are my passion.
My author site reflects this as well. My last project was a science fiction action move screenplay for some folks in Hollywood, but I’m completely focused on my children’s book right now.
So… my Twitter feed combines the multiple layers of my book: nature (trees, forests, mountains, gardening, rock-climbing–yes, they are all in the book) and social emotional learning to help kids develop the strength to endure hardship and failure, because, sorry, you don’t always win just because you tried hard enough. It’s a lie we tell ourselves and kids. My ultimate goal is to reduce child suicides by helping them learn they can make it through all kinds of bad times, and they’ll be fine however they turn out, even if they feel broken. That’s a lot, huh?
So my tweets are about parenting and bonsai and peaceful mountain rivers and letting kids fail and giant trees and rock climbing as a metaphor for perseverance and how to be a friend when your friend wants to give up.
What a brand, huh? I’m throwing it against the wall to see what sticks and trying to learn the tools to be able to tell. In your professional opinion, do I have a chance?
ReplyI believe everyone has a chance, Diana. You clearly have a vision, so you’re already ahead of most authors who are flailing about.
Be consistent in your posts, but also in sharing articles on those topics, snippets of your work, quotes, and anything else that addresses those keywords and topics. That’s what builds out your brand. Your branding is the foundation for EVERYTHING you do and it’s what you build your platform on. See what resonates the most with readers and if something doesn’t stick, change it up a bit. Nothing is set in stone.
Reply[…] about your author brand and your keywords. Focus on them to create content. What interests you? Write about […]
Reply[…] No One Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday. Her fun title and simple cover design became the basis for the branding of her website, social profiles, and events. Anyone who visited her website or saw a tweet from […]
Reply[…] back, I wrote an article, Branding 101, which detailed the basics for writers what branding is all about. Read that first if you […]
Reply[…] died out a while ago). It’s a super powerful way to establish yourself as a thought leader and to build your brand. For a step-by-step on how to enable this nifty tool, visit Mike again and read his […]
Reply[…] you need somewhere to start with her, since we’re talking about branding, her Branding 101 article is really great, as is her The Reasons Branding Confuses You and How To Fix That Right […]
Reply[…] back, I wrote an article, Branding 101, which detailed the basics for writers what branding is all about. Read that first if you […]
Reply[…] creating your author branding. For more great information, and to find out what branding is, read this crucial article from Rachel Thompson of BadRedheadMedia! If you aren’t sure why having keywords or branding […]
ReplyGuest posting seems like the best option when promoting your own blog
ReplyI once last a chance of working with an author because I didn’t know how to do branding for an author. Now, I have got a starter guide to it. I hope I get to work with an author soon and implement what I learnt.
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