Sage Journals Information

Brand building blocks 

Once you have defined your brand, you can start to build it – but you’ll need the right tools and materials. Below are a set of building blocks that will provide you with a good foundation as you grow your brand. 

1. The bio
   Think about all the places where you have to provide a biography, or bio – your website, your social media accounts, ‘about the author’ descriptions, institution profiles, speaker/presenter profiles, etc. Use the work you did in defining your author brand to, write two bios – a long version (300-500 words) and a short version (100-250 words, think social media post size!). 
   You now have a consistent, clear and go-to bio! 
2. Your website
   Consider creating a website or online portfolio, so people can see what you are offering. Think about the look and feel of your website as well as the language and messaging on it, ensure it encapsulates the work you've done to establish your brand. Consider color schemes, tone of voice, photos and graphics. What impression do you want to create? What story do you want to tell? Your website should be reflective of your brand and the message you want to share.
3. Your social media presence
   Take a look at all the social media channels you have and be clear which ones you will be using for professional purposes.  It’s a good idea to focus on the platforms where your target audience is most active. Take a look  at our social media guides, think about the impression you want to create, and consider which social media channels are worth your time and energy.
4. Headshots and visuals
   As you establish yourself in your field, it is likely that you will need headshots or other images for your professional bios, book pages on publisher sites and retailer sites, social media, and so on. Be intentional about the photos you use here. What do you want to convey? Again, whether you're seeking out a photographer to take headshots or selecting images to illustrate your work, think about the impression you want to make.
5. Consistency across your content
   As you develop your career, consider how your content communicates with your audience. Maintain consistency in your brand across all touchpoints. This might mean taking stock of what you're currently doing and if this successfully engages your target audience. For example, do you write a blog? Do you have a monthly newsletter? Do you run workshops? Do you speak at events? Whatever you do, are you maintaining a consistent author brand? Make updates where appropriate to ensure a unified message across all touchpoints. 

If you have taken all the steps above – congratulations, you now have your own author brand! Below are some of the ways you can put your new author brand to good use. For more ideas on how to promote your research, visit promote your article & maximize your impact.

Social Media 

1. Choose the right social media platform/s for you – you don’t need to be on every platform, so carefully choose the one(s) where your peers and target audience are. Once you’ve made the choice, it’s important to commit to posting and engaging. It’s important to be consistent so ensure you maintain a schedule that works for you. 
2. Make sure you use your new headshot and bio on all the social media platforms you use professionally. Whether it’s Twitter or LinkedIn, it’s important to keep it consistent (and up to date!). 
3. Promote your work to your followers, yes – but it’s also vital to engage with others to ensure you are not only pushing your content onto them. Check out our social media guide for more tips. 

Check out our social media guides at Promote your article & maximize your impact 

Academic promotion websites 

The following websites exist to raise the profile of academics and their published work. All give excellent guidance on how you can promote your work, and all of them are free. 

1. Registering a profile on ORCID makes it much easier for people to find you and everything you publish, even if there are other authors who have the same name. 
2. Register for a Web of Science profile. Being on this international citation network makes your work more discoverable. 
3. Kudos exists to help academics promote their work and reach a broader audience. 
4. Rising Scholar is a pioneering global network that supports over 25,000 researchers in low- and middle-income countries to build their confidence, knowledge and skills in publishing and communicating their research. It includes online  mentoring, training courses, resources and toolkits in research communication skills, and a  discussion group. 

Conferences & networking 

Attending and presenting at conferences can be daunting, but it is a great way to build your brand and amplify the reach of your research. Here are some tips for making the most of these networking opportunities: 

1. Check the delegate list ahead of time: Before you set off to attend or present at a conference, identify the names of those who you would like to connect with regarding your (and their) research and reach out to them. Always make sure to add some information about yourself and your work if you’re requesting a follow, so they know you’re not a bot! Connecting with others before the event helps make the experience less stressful. You could even propose to meet for a coffee on the day. 
2. Monitor conference hashtags: Another great way to find other delegates is to check the hashtags being used across social media to promote the conference. Interact with others using them and make sure to post about sessions you may be running or attending. 
3. Continue engaging on social media after the event: Keep the conversation going by connecting with people you met on social media, posting about your experiences, and interacting with the hashtag. You could also email those you connected with and follow up on any discussions privately.  
4. Connect with presenters: When attending a conference, make sure to select the sessions that are most useful to you – check who the presenters are and identify those you would like to meet. Try to speak to them afterwards to discuss any aspects of their research that connect with you. 
5. Maintain a virtual presence: Although it can be harder to network in virtual conferences, it doesn’t mean that it can’t be done. Check what tools are available in the conference platform for chatting and discussions and make full use of them.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions and share your thoughts with others. Look out for virtual social events at conferences too – they can be a great way to meet other researchers! 

Societies/associations

Whether you are an Open Access scholar, a managing editor of a journal, or are passionate about research integrity, connecting with societies and associations is a great way to grow your network and become equipped with new scholarly tools: 

Consider these societies and associations:  

• International Society of Managing and Technical Editors (ISMTE)
• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
• Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA)
• Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society (ALCS)