to refresh, reset and revitalize your author instagram account

10 simple stepsto refresh, reset and revitalize your author instagram account

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No matter what stage you’re currently at with your author Instagram account - whether you’re excited to start, just figuring it out, in a rut, or you’ve totally lost the plot - these simple steps will make sure your account stands out for the RIGHT reasons.

It’s the perfect time to refresh, reset and revitalize your author Instagram account.

Let's go!

Lara and Laura x

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choose the perfect name

personalize your profile picture

Your username should be as close to your real name or pen name as possible whilst being short and memorable (ideally not difficult to read or spell). If your name is already taken, try using something like ‘author’ or ‘writes’ before or after it.

Your name field is the only searchable part of your profile (little known fact)! So don’t waste it repeating your username - use it to describe very clearly what you do, in words your readers would use (e.g. YA Sci-Fi Fantasy Author).

And be confident! Boldly claim the title of author - even if you don’t feel like you’ve ‘earned’ it yet!

That’s right, it’s time to show your face to the world! Choose a head and shoulders photo (of you!) in which you’re either smiling directly at the camera or looking up and to the right (drawing attention to your username).

Resist the temptation to use a logo or a book, as they're a bit too impersonal for your author account. And remember:

keep the background simpledon’t include anyone elsedon’t add text

Pro tip - use a photo editing app to remove an unwanted background and fill it with one of your brand colors instead.

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write a clear bio3

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Make it easy for people to spot:

who your target audience iswhat they can expect if they follow you (i.e. why they should follow you)

Add some personality too! Share what sets you apart or what you might have in common with your followers (things like hobbies, fandoms or obsessions).

If you have a website or a page where readers can sign up to your mailing list, include the link here to make it easy for readers to tap through.

Pro tip - if you are sharing your website or sign-up page, offer an incentive for tapping through. What will they get in return?

identify your audience & purpose

Firstly, get clear on who you are posting for.

What kind of person do you want to attract?

Be specific about your ideal reader and write to that one person as if you're already friends. You may also need to get comfortable with putting off other people!

Secondly, clarify why you're posting - what is your goal?

Everything you do should be to move you closer to that goal (whether it's to sell your books, build a community, or sell a different product or service). It takes time for this to become habit, so why not scribble your goal on a post-it and stick it somewhere prominent so you can keep reminding yourself to stay focused!

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let your individuality shine

This is how you attract your kind of people!

What makes you different is what makes you special. Identifying those differences is going to help you stand out and attract the right followers:

Is there anything you enjoy that other people think is weird? Have you ever had to struggle through or overcome anything?Do people ever compliment you on being able to do something you think is easy?

Find more of these useful question prompts and read the amazing array of author responses in our Instagram post about individuality.

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Using content themes will save you planning time AND help you create really engaging content for your followers. We have created these six author content themes to help get you started:

behind the scenes (your writing process and workspace)

work in progress (sneak peeks into your story)

get to know me (insights into you and your life)

conversation starters (ways to get to know your followers)

community building (recommendations and shoutouts)

wider world (seasonal inspiration and current events)

choose your content themes

discover your aesthetic

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6This is a big one, and it's a tough one to get right when you're just starting out. Our top tip is to close your eyes and imagine your perfect writing space. What colors and textures are surrounding you? What sort of artwork, furniture, stationery, decorations and lighting would you choose?

Use your answers to: choose your color palette make a mood boardchoose 2-3 contrasting fonts pick similar filters for your imagesplay around with grid layouts

use the 'highlights' feature

Highlights are a great way to organize your Stories into themes or topics and make them visible to your followers for more than 24 hours (they'll stay there forever unless you choose to take them down).

For example, you could highlight:

each of your books/projects quotesreviews fan art book recommendationsyour tattoos writing inspiration.... or anything else you want

Choose cover images that match or complement your chosen color scheme.

Pro tip - free Instagram Highlight templates on Canva make this so quick and easy.

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curate your feed

Instagram shows you what it thinks you want to see, based on your behavior patterns. So make the most of your newly refreshed and revitalized author account by telling Instagram what you want! If that's...

writing tips - search for accounts that share valuable advice and save particularly useful content encouragement - follow uplifting people who inspire and motivate you then leave comments on their postscommunity - engage with other writers or hashtags like #thewritercommunity by following and starting conversations

Then declutter your feed by unfollowing all accounts that no longer serve you.

When you curate your feed in this way, you'll surround yourself with a constant stream of creativity, passion and expertise that will inspire you daily.

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(re)introduce yourself10

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Now that you've given your account a makeover, it's a good idea to (re)introduce yourself. Remember to:

keep it short (you don't have to share everything at once!) be confident about what you domake it clear what you offer (i.e. why they should stick around)put some of the focus on them and start a conversation

No matter how long you've had your account, or how fast you're growing, reintroducing yourself periodically is a good idea. Need inspiration? You could tell a short story about yourself, list some fun facts or even play a game like 'two truths and a lie'.

Which will you try next?

© 2021 Lemon Friday. All rights reserved.

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT!

We hope you found these tips useful. Enjoy revitalizing your author account and let us know how you get on @lemon.friday

Lara and Laura x