It's common for authors to think of marketing as something that begins once the book is printed. In practice, the groundwork for a strong launch usually starts months earlier, with the development of a clear author brand.
At its simplest, author branding means presenting a consistent, professional identity: a clear author bio, cohesive visual presentation across your website and social profiles, and a clear sense of what your book is about and who it's for. This isn't about manufacturing a persona — it's about presenting your genuine voice clearly and consistently.
A dedicated book landing page gives readers, media and potential reviewers a single place to learn about your book, read an excerpt, and find purchase links once the book is live. It also gives you something concrete to share as you build anticipation before launch.
Social media presence matters less for follower counts than for consistency and authenticity. Sharing your writing process, your research, or the story behind your book helps readers feel invested before they've even read a page.
None of this replaces the marketing push around launch day — social campaigns, advertising, press outreach and review campaigns still matter. But an author brand built ahead of time gives that launch-day push something real to amplify, rather than starting from zero.