5 Proven Ways to Build Your Author Brand on Instagram

Being an author is one of the most rewarding and impactful things you can do. It’s not just about writing books—it’s about sharing your unique knowledge, experiences, and insights in a way that educates, inspires, and influences others. Through your work, you become a guide, a teacher, and even a thought leader. However, while writing a book is an incredible achievement, many authors struggle with the next step: building their personal brand.

This struggle often intensifies when it comes to social media, particularly instagram, which is visually driven and can feel overwhelming for authors who are more comfortable with words than images. Yet, Instagram is a powerful tool to promote your work, engage with readers, and build a loyal audience.

In this article, I will show you 5 proven ways to build your author brand on Instagram, and how you can use this platform to not only showcase your work but also create a lasting impact on your audience.

1. Define Your Unique Brand Message

Before you start posting on instagram, it’s crucial to define what your author brand stands for. This is your core message, the one thing you want to be known for as an author. Are you focused on educating your readers on a specific topic? Do you write to inspire or entertain? Do you want to establish yourself as an expert in a particular niche?

These are vital questions to ask yourself as you decide to build an author brand on instagram.

Here’s how to define your brand message:

• Know your audience: Understand who your readers are and what they care about. What are their pain points, interests, and aspirations? This will help you tailor your content to meet their needs.
• Identify your niche: Are you a fiction writer who transports readers to different worlds, or are you a non-fiction author with deep expertise in a particular field? Make sure your Instagram content reflects your writing style and the type of books you write.
• Develop your tone: Your tone should align with your brand. Are you authoritative, friendly, or motivational? Keep this consistent across your posts, captions, and stories.
• Set your brand values: What principles guide your writing? Whether it’s authenticity, creativity, or knowledge-sharing, these values should shine through in everything you post.

Note: Use your Instagram bio to clearly convey your brand message. In just a few lines, let visitors know who you are, what you write about, and why they should follow you.

2. Create Engaging and Valuable Content

Content is the lifeblood of your social media strategy, including instagram, and the key to building an engaged audience is to post valuable, interesting, and relevant content regularly. Your followers should see your account as a go-to source for inspiration, education, or entertainment, depending on your niche.

Types of content that work well for authors:

• Behind-the-scenes: Share glimpses of your writing process, including your workspace, research, and even the challenges you face. This humanizes you and builds a deeper connection with your audience.
• Quotes from your book: Post powerful or thought-provoking excerpts from your writing. Pair these with visually appealing images to capture attention.
• Book recommendations: Recommend books that inspire you or relate to your niche. This shows that you are a part of the literary community and can encourage interaction with fellow book lovers.
• Writing tips: Share writing advice, especially if you have expertise in the craft. Your readers or aspiring authors in your audience will appreciate the tips and may start seeing you as a mentor.
• Engaging questions: Encourage conversations by asking your followers questions about their favorite books, what they’re currently reading, or thoughts on themes in your books. Engagement is key to building a community.

Looking for help in creating engaging content that builds your brand? At TEBEBA, we offer content creation services that ensure your message reaches your audience. Get in touch with us today.

3. Use Instagram Stories and Reels to Connect with Your Audience

Instagram Stories and Reels are some of the most effective tools to engage your audience and showcase your personality as an author. While your regular posts stay on your profile, stories allow you to post more casual, real-time updates, at the same time, reels can help you tap into new audience using short-form video trends.

Why Stories and Reels matter:

• Stories: They create a sense of urgency since they disappear after 24 hours. This makes them perfect for short updates, polls, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and time-sensitive announcements like book releases or promotions.
• Reels: These short videos (up to 90 seconds) allow you to showcase your creativity in fun and engaging ways. Use Reels to share quick writing tips, discuss your favorite books, or even create mini book trailers to promote your latest release.

Here’s how to make the most of Stories and Reels:

• Get personal: Show the person behind the books. Whether it’s a quick check-in, a day in the life, or a behind-the-scenes look at your writing process, stories allow followers to see a more personal side of you.
• Use polls and questions: These interactive tools in Stories encourage engagement. You can ask your audience what they’re currently reading, what they want to see in your next book, or even opinions on your latest cover design.
• Create shareable content: When creating Reels, think about content that is shareable. Book-related humor, writing tips, or book recommendations are types of content that readers are likely to share with their friends.

P.S. Highlight your best stories so they remain visible on your profile, even after 24 hours. This ensures new visitors can see key moments from your journey.

4. Collaborate with Other Authors and Influencers

Collaboration is one of the excellent ways to increase your visibility and reach a wider audience. Infact, in this age and time, it is highly recommended. By working with other authors or influencers in your niche, you can tap into their follower base and introduce yourself to new readers who may not have heard of you yet.

How to collaborate effectively:

• Author takeovers: Partner with a fellow author to take over each other’s Instagram stories for a day. You can share insights about your books, answer questions, or even host a Q&A session.
• Instagram live events: Host a live session with another author, influencer, or even a book blogger. Discuss books, writing, or a shared passion that aligns with both your audiences.
• Cross-promotions: Mention each other’s books in your posts or stories. You can run giveaways together where both of your books are prizes, encouraging your followers to engage and share.
• Shoutouts: Share posts or stories that feature other authors or book-related content you admire. They might return the favor, bringing your brand in front of their audience.

At TEBEBA, we help authors grow their online presence with their published assests. Contact us today to see how we can elevate your brand.

5. Consistency is Key: Stick to a Posting Schedule

Consistency is one of the most important aspects of building a brand on Instagram. Posting sporadically will not only confuse your audience but also hurt your chances of showing up in their feeds. To build momentum, you need to maintain a regular posting schedule that keeps your audience engaged and eager for more.

Here’s how to stay consistent:

• Create a content calendar: Plan your posts at least two weeks in advance. This will save you time and ensure you always have content ready, especially during busy writing periods.
• Post regularly: Aim to post at least 3–5 times per week. This keeps your audience engaged and signals to Instagram’s algorithm that your content is worth showing.
• Vary your content: Mix up your posts with a combination of photos, videos, and carousels to keep things fresh. Don’t forget to regularly use Instagram Stories to connect with your audience in a more spontaneous way.
• Engage with your followers: Respond to comments, engage with other accounts, and actively participate in the community. This not only builds relationships but also helps with Instagram’s algorithm.

Note: Use analytics to track the performance of your posts. This will give you insights into what type of content resonates best with your audience and when they are most active.

Consistency builds trust with your audience, and when they know they can expect regular, high-quality content from you, they’ll keep coming back.

P.s. Building your author brand on Instagram takes time and effort, but with the right strategies, you can turn this platform into a powerful tool for your writing career.

Ready to take your personal brand to the next level? At TEBEBA, we specialize in helping founders and CEOs like you build personal brands that resonate with their audience through the process of writing and publishing their books. Let us help you grow your authority brand. Contact us today.