Set up your Indie Author Instagram account for success.

 

Your Indie Author Bonus Career: Book Marketing

 

Did you realize when you decided to become an indie author that you were getting a bonus career in marketing?

 

If not, I’m sure it didn’t take you long to realize it (and maybe even panic a bit). 

 

You finished writing your book, got to work revising, hiring editors and cover designers, doing more revisions, researching all the publishing options available, more editing… 

 

After piles of more unforeseen work, you realize your launch date is rapidly approaching…a little too quickly for your liking because your cover designer has ghosted you.

 

And it hits you… people need to have an awareness of your book in order to read it. And it’s on you to make that happen, too. Yayyyyyyy.

 

I see you and admire you, my friend. (Seriously, you are my HERO!)

You are also the reason I do what I do. 

I may not write books, but I have years of experience successfully marketing them, and teaching others to do the same. 

 

And I want to support you, too! Your beautiful book deserves to find the readers out there just waiting to scream, cry, and throw up over how much they love it.

 

An Intro to Your Instagram Author Profile

My goal is to help you ditch the overwhelm and take the shortest path possible to attract your target reader. Where you will convert followers into readers who leave (hopefully) 5 star reviews, create fan art, refer your books to friends, and make countdowns on their phones for your next book’s release. 

Because those are the readers you deserve.

So, let’s get started finding them!

First things first… Whether you’ve already created your Instagram account or are just about to take the plunge, we need to talk about your Instagram Name and Bio. 

 

 

You want to quickly grab your reader’s attention and clearly communicate who you are, what you write, how they can connect with you (website, email list…), and where they can find your books. Oh, and include SEO keywords so you can be easily searched.

 

 

I know it sounds like a tall order. But just stick with me. I promise it’s not as complicated as it sounds. We are about to unpack an easy step-by-step guide to doing just that. 

 

(For tips on how to build a stand-out author brand, look no further than this blog.)

 

Start With Your Instagram Name

 

Choosing the right Instagram name is crucial for your Instagram SEO (search engine optimization). When your name is fully optimized, you’ll not only increase your searchability on IG and Google, but you’ll make it very clear who you are and what you do to anyone who visits your account or sees your name pop up in comments and search engines. 

 

Optimizing your name goes beyond just your handle (@authorelizabethanne for example) and continues into the name field on your profile. (Elizabeth Anne | Romance Author)

 

 

The name field holds enough characters for you to include your name AND SEO keywords, so use those up and make sure they are clear and concise. As you’ll notice, with Elizabeth’s name, she includes the word “Romance” and “Author”. This is important for attracting romance lovers looking for new books to read and authors to follow.

 

Your Instagram Bio

 

Your Instagram bio should be optimized to quickly convert a profile lurker to a follower. Be clear and concise so your readers know the kind of books you write and how to get them. The idea is to remove as many barriers between your reader and your book.

 

Here are a few things to think about as you craft your Instagram bio:

 

Who are you? Does your bio clearly communicate that you are an author and what genre you write?

 

Are you relatable? Is your bio engaging and relatable to your target audience? Don’t be shy… show the people who you are here.

 

Hide your category. This may sound counterintuitive, but hiding the “writer” category that IG provides actually makes your bio look cleaner and doesn’t hurt your searchability at all. (You’ve already made it clear in your name that you are an author, so this field is a bit redundant.)

 

SEO Keywords. Did you include SEO keywords pointing to your genre in your bio? Just like with your name, it is important to include this in your bio for your searchability. This is also a great place to get a bit more specific than you can in your name (Examples: dark romance; horror sci fi; spicy romantasy; cowboy romance…).

 

Formatting matters. Keeping your bio as clean and concise as possible while still adding a dash of personality allows your readers to get the right first impression. Stick to 3-4 simple lines. Avoid the dreaded “more” button because the truth is that most people won’t take the time to press it to expand your profile to its full length.

 

Craft a Bio That Converts

 

• Start with your author tagline (line one). Make it short and snappy and full of personality.

 

• Include a credibility statement if you have one. (Examples: bestselling author, Amazon chart ranking, book title, and release date.) Even if you are a debut author, or haven’t released your book yet, you can make a statement here about where you are in the process.

 

• Add a clear CTA. Be sure to include one clear CTA that drives traffic to your book/email list/website. This can change depending on what part of the launch/ writing phase you are in. (Example: ARC applications, preorder [book title] here)

 

• Stick with one (2 tops) Link in Bio. Your link can be used to drive traffic, promote sales and offers, or share important content with your followers. But try to stick to one since having more than one lowers the likelihood of either being clicked. (This is where link landing pages come in handy).

 

 

 

You are ready to start making a first impression that lasts (in a very good way). Once you get your name and bio refined, there are so many more ways to optimize your profile that I want to share with you. 

 

Download my FREE IG For Indie Authors guide today to get all the juicy details. 

 

And if you need a little extra encouragement, feel free to shoot me an email!