The Five-Platform Author Brand
simplify your efforts and strengthen your presence
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As an author, fashion stylist, CEO, chef, you all have one thing in common: you’re building a community around your name, aesthetic, and expertise. The options for doing so can feel endless, which often leads to the logic that casting a large net stacks the odds in your favor. That’s when you end up with a presence on eight social channels, a podcast, a live workshop series, a YouTube channel, all of it existing, very little of it working in your favor.
We often talk about your ‘author brand,’ but what we’re really discussing is your personal brand. ‘Author’ is one component of it.
The goal of this post is to shift your thinking and help you simplify your efforts. Start with a strong foundation, build consistency there, and expand when you’re ready. Trying to be everywhere at once fragments your energy and dilutes your impact.
Here are the five components you need to bring your author brand to life with structure, intention, and a clear path forward:
A dedicated website
Your website is the only place online that you fully own and control. Social media platforms can change algorithms, shut down, or limit your reach at any time. Your website is yours—no algorithm decides who sees it, no platform can take it away from you.
A website supports your book marketing and sales by giving readers one place to find everything: details about your books, links to purchase, your bio, press mentions, and upcoming events. It also helps new readers discover you through search engines, and makes it easy for journalists, bloggers, and event organizers to find the information they need about you.
I recommend using Tertulia, a website builder designed specifically for authors. You import your books, reviews, and author photo by entering your ISBN, and you can customize the design with your own branding on top of their templates. It’s built for authors, which means it already does what you need without unnecessary features.
Whether you’re starting a website from scratch or updating an existing one, go through the website self-audit in this post to make sure your site is doing its job:
An active email list
Your email list is the most direct line between you and your readers. Unlike social media, where algorithms decide who sees your posts, your emails land directly in your readers’ inboxes. You control the message, the timing, and the audience.
Start by collecting emails through your website and social channels. Set up a welcome email flow for new subscribers, and send a regular newsletter on a cadence you can sustain—whether that’s weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Consistency matters more than frequency, especially at first!
Many website hosts like Tertulia have email capabilities built in, which is great when you’re getting started. As your list grows, I recommend switching to an email-specific platform like Flodesk. Flodesk is designed for creators, has beautiful templates, and makes it easy to design emails that feel like you without needing design skills.
A strong landing page
You’ve heard people say link in bio, and you’ve probably wondered why your website can’t just be that link. Here’s why: a landing page is one link where all of your news and calls-to-action live together. If you only link to your website, you’d have to say link in bio, then click the ‘books’ tab or scroll to the bottom of my website to subscribe. A landing page removes all of that friction.
Coreli is a tool built for personal brands to create landing pages that look like a website, but function as a map for your audience. Your page can include links to buy your newest book on multiple retailers, a link to subscribe to your newsletter, your latest Substack essay or podcast interview, your social handles, your website, and your events schedule. It’s one link that does all the work.
I switched to Coreli last month, and absolutely love it. I recommend viewing my page on mobile, because the Directory feature is currently only available in that format.
One bite-sized place to connect with readers
Choose one social media platform to start with. I recommend Instagram because it has the largest demographic reach of all the platforms, but the principle applies to any platform you choose.
Here’s how to build a presence without burning out:
Study the platform. Spend time understanding what type of content is being shared, how people communicate, and how often they post. Don’t just scroll—pay attention to what works.
Figure out where you fit. Set a goal for the platform. How can you enter the conversation as a thought leader through your content, and as a participant by engaging with the community?
Don’t overcommit. Be present for 30 minutes, twice a day for a month. Use that time to research, post on your page, comment on others’ content, connect with readers via DM, and use the platform as a networking tool.
Assess your efforts. At the end of the month, look at your results. How many posts did you share? Check your analytics to see how many new followers you gained (make sure they’re real, not bots), and evaluate whether you’re closer to your goal. If yes, keep going and maybe increase to three times a day. If this one platform is giving you the success you’re looking for, double down instead of spreading yourself out. If no, maintain your baseline of twice a day and start researching your next platform to test.
One long-form place to connect with readers
Social media is great for daily connection, but you need to balance it with a long-form counterpart. This is where readers get to spend real time with you, not just a quick scroll. Long-form content could be a Substack, a podcast, a YouTube channel, or even a live workshop series.
This type of content gives readers a deeper experience with you. It’s where they get to know your voice, your process, your perspective beyond a caption or a reel. The bonus is that most long-form platforms also collect subscribers, which means you’re building your email list from multiple angles, while you create content.
Choose the format that fits how you already communicate. If you love writing, start a Substack. If you’re more comfortable speaking, launch a podcast. If you thrive in real-time conversation, host live workshops. The format matters less than the consistency and the value you provide.
There you have it. Start here, build consistency and expand when you’re ready. Less is more!
This post contains affiliate links. 100% of the affiliate revenue I earn from shoppable links is donated on a monthly basis.
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Jessica Sorentino specializes in branding and marketing for authors, helping them connect with readers and position their work for agents and publishers. With over a decade in publishing, she transforms stories into lasting brands through strategy, connection, and visibility.
