Xio Axelrod is a USA Today bestselling author. She writes different flavors of contemporary romance and what she likes to call “strange, twisted tales.” She grew up in the recording industry and began performing at a very young age. When she isn’t working on the next story, Xio can be found behind a microphone in a studio, writing songs in her bedroom-turned-recording-booth, or performing as her fictional band, the Lillys. Xio lives in Philadelphia in complete denial of the last five minutes of Buffy with one very patient, full-time, indoor husband and two part-time, supremely pampered, outdoor cats.

Author Branding in the Age of Social Media

The social media landscape for authors frequently shifts, with platforms rising and falling in popularity.  You do not need to be on every single one. Find the one or two where you feel comfortable, or where your specific audience seems to congregate, and stick to them. If your style is more visual, TikTok (#BookTok) and Instagram (#Bookstagram) are perfect for mood boards, character portraits, and short videos.  If you prefer text-based posts (while still using some imagery), Threads has a rapidly growing book community and is great for networking with other authors. Bluesky is another option. (X still exists, but…) LinkedIn is better suited to non-fiction and memoirs, and YouTube is great for authors who like to provide tips about writing and publishing. 

Your posts should vary between promotional and personal content. It’s a good idea to meet your readers at another point of shared interest. For example, if you’re into knitting, post about your progress. If you love to travel, talk about your experiences. Adopting the “Content Pillars” framework could help. Instead of constantly posting “Buy my book!”, you can rotate between some core pillars. There’s a great article about this at Sprout Social: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-content-pillars/

If you want to do text-based promo, write captions that read like movie loglines.  Instead of saying “I wrote a book, here is the cover…” try “If you love enemies-to-lovers but wished they were in a hotel with only one bed available, you’ll love this book.”

For short videos and reels, make sure your opening 5-7 seconds are strong. People have short attention spans these days. TikTok likes spontaneity, while Instagram tends to be more curated.

Don’t spend all of your time creating content. Designate one morning/afternoon/evening per week and compile several posts. Take care to manage your time, and don’t be afraid to use shortcuts. A large piece of content—like a chapter or a podcast you were on—can easily be chopped up into smaller bites. One five-minute clip can be spread out over multiple posts and platforms.

In the end, the idea isn’t actually to sell books directly. It’s to get people interested in who you are (as an author) and what you write. Use your posts to spark interest. Finally, don’t forget to invite your followers to join your email newsletter. It’s the only place you actually own the relationship with your readers.

Above all, don’t forget to have fun! This is where your personality can really shine through.