Author? How to Grow Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn

If you're an author and not leveraging LinkedIn, you're missing a powerful platform to build your personal brand, connect with readers, and attract publishing opportunities. LinkedIn is no longer just a digital resume hub — it's now a thriving space for thought leadership, storytelling, and community building.

Whether you write fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or business books, here’s how you can grow your personal brand on LinkedIn and stand out in the literary world.

Why LinkedIn Matters for Authors

With over 1 billion users globally, LinkedIn offers a professional yet personal space to:

- Share your author journey
- Showcase your books and writing expertise
- Build a loyal audience of readers, publishers, and fellow writers
- Attract speaking gigs, interviews, or media features

Unlike other social platforms, LinkedIn rewards meaningful content over viral trends — perfect for authors with depth.

1. Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for Discoverability - Your profile is your landing page. Make it count.

2. Professional Headshot - Use a clean, high-resolution photo where you look approachable and confident.

3. Headline That Tells a Story - Instead of just “Author,” use something keyword-rich and personality-driven:

For example: Thriller Author | Exploring the dark side of tech through fiction | TEDx Speaker

About Section (Tell, Don’t Sell)

1. Write in first person. Share your author journey, what drives your writing, and how people can engage with your work.

Pro Tip: Sprinkle in keywords like author, writing coach, self-publishing, book marketing, etc., to boost SEO.

2. Share Consistent, Valuable Content. To grow your personal brand on LinkedIn as an author, content is king. Aim for 2–3 posts per week.

Types of Posts That Work for Authors

Behind-the-Scenes: Share your writing process, book launch journey, or writer’s block struggles.

Snippets & Excerpts: Tease content from your book with a story or lesson.

Tips & Insights: Offer writing tips, publishing hacks, or lessons from your author journey.

Reader Engagement: Run polls (e.g., “Do you prefer ebooks or print?”), host AMAs, or ask for title feedback.

Thought Leadership: Comment on publishing trends, AI in writing, or literacy movements.

Best Formats for Reach

- Text posts (with a strong hook in the first 2 lines)
- Carousels (for tips, lists, or book summaries)
- Native videos (for personal updates or book promos)
- LinkedIn Articles or Newsletters (for deep dives)

3. Build and Engage Your Network Strategically

The key to growing your personal brand isn't just content — it’s community.

Connect with other authors and editors, publishers and literary agents, readers in your genre, and book influencers and reviewers

Comment meaningfully on posts by others in the writing/publishing space. Like and share content that aligns with your brand. Respond to every comment on your own posts.

Remember engagement tells LinkedIn’s algorithm that you’re valuable — and it boosts your reach.

4. Use LinkedIn Features to Elevate Your Brand

Featured Section: Showcase your books, podcasts, interviews, or author website.

Creator Mode: Turn this on to highlight relevant hashtags and unlock features like newsletters.

LinkedIn Newsletter: Share a weekly writing tip, serialized content, or updates from your author life.

Custom URL: Edit your LinkedIn URL to something clean and memorable (e.g., linkedin.com/in/YourNameAuthor)

5. Showcase Social Proof and Credibility

Don’t be shy about your wins — let the world know.

- Book awards or reviews
- Testimonials from readers
- Speaking gigs or podcast appearances
- Milestones (e.g., “Sold 5,000 copies!” or “Finished my third draft!”)

Pro Tip: Turn every milestone into a mini-story post with a lesson or reflection. These get more engagement than plain announcements. 

6. Track What Works and Iterate

Keep an eye on which posts get the most likes, comments, and shares. What drives profile views or DMs. Who’s engaging — readers, authors, publishers?

Double down on what resonates and evolve your content accordingly.

LinkedIn Is Your Author Stage

In a noisy digital world, personal branding isn’t optional — it’s how readers and opportunities find you. LinkedIn allows you to control your narrative, showcase your work, and build a reputation that opens doors.

So start showing up. Be real, be generous with your insights, and remember: the story of you is just as powerful as the stories you write.