How to Set Up a Facebook Page for Your Author Brand with SEO in Mind
Creating a Facebook page for your author name is a smart way to connect with readers, promote your books, and build your online presence. But if you want your page to be effective, you need to think about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) from the start. Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up your page for maximum visibility.
Create a New Page
On your main Facebook Profile, click the nine-square icon in the top-right of the browser window to open the “Create” menu and select “Page.”
Name Your New Facebook Page: Your Facebook page name should be your author name as it appears on your books or the name readers will search for. For example:
- Good: Jane Doe – Author
- Better: Jane Doe – Award-Winning Sci-Fi Author
Avoid clever or obscure names that don’t clearly identify you or your genre.
If you want to rename your author page navigate to “Settings & privacy,” then “Settings,” then “Page setup,” “Name,” and “Edit.”
Choose Your Category: You can choose “Author” and/or “Writer” as a category, as well as any other applicable categories.
Add a Short Bio: Add a short bio that includes relevant keywords. Keywords can include the genre you write in, the tropes you favor, and even the names of your most popular book and/or series. Don’t forget to have fun with this – it should represent you as an author as well as your brand.
Click “Create Page.”
1. Add Contact Information
Filling out your profile is an important part of building out your Facebook page as an online author asset.
- Add Your Website URL: Make sure you’re adding the correct version of your URL. Learn more about URL differences.
- Add a Phone Number: Most authors don’t feel comfortable adding their own personal phone number. It’s perfectly fine not to include it on the Facebook page. However, if you have a business line or if you’re creating a Facebook Page for a business, then you’ll want to include your business number so people have a way to contact you.
- Add an Address: If you have an address that you’re comfortable sharing then you can add it here. However, as an author, this is the same as with the phone number. You don’t have to share it if you’re not comfortable. Some authors have a separate mailing address for their author business and that can be used here as well.
- Hours: Most authors don’t keep specific business hours. Thankfully, Facebook allows you to select “No Hours Available” or “Always Open” if you don’t want to list specific hours on your Facebook Page.
Click “Next.”
2. Add Images & Action Button
Add a Profile Picture: Add a profile picture to your page. This picture may show up on your Google Knowledge Panel or in Google Search Results. It’s best to use a profile picture that represents you as an author, your brand, or your books. You can also use your logo if it fits within the circular frame. It’s best to use a JPG file for photos and PNG files for logos or images containing text. This image should be at least 170×170 pixels.
Add a Cover Photo: Next you’ll want to add a cover image. Cover images are sized differently for desktop versus mobile views. People who are on a computer will see an image sized 820×312 pixels, while mobile users will see images sized at 640×360 pixels. It’s important to consider these different aspect ratios for a consistent user experience. We recommend designing an image that is 820x360px. On that image, add a template box that is 640×312 pixels and ensure all readable content fits within that template box. This ensures that your one image will still show what you want it to show on both desktop and mobile. You can add additional design elements outside the 640×312 inner box if you’re not a fan of the blank space. If you don’t want your text to go all the way to the edge, you may want to adjust the inner template to be slightly smaller than 640x312px.
Add an Action Button: If you wish, you can add an action button to your Facebook Page as well. The action you select really depends on your business goals. For authors who offer services, they may consider choosing “Book now” to connect a scheduling tool. They could also select “Sign up” if they offer something that readers can sign up for. “View shop” or “Buy now” is a great option to help people find your products either on Facebook or through an integrated tool. If your goal is to connect with people directly, then you might consider “Send Message,” “Send WhatsApp message,” “Send email,” or “Contact us.” You can also keep it simple with “Learn more” which opens a website.
3. Connect WhatsApp Phone Number
Next you have the option of connecting your WhatsApp account and add buttons on your Facebook Page for viewers to contact you through the app.
4. Build Your Page Audience
The next step is to build your page audience. It’s generally considered poor form to send invites out to everyone on your friends list. However, Facebook does allow you to select specific friends if there are some that you know will be happy to follow your page. It’s always best to reach out to people first before inviting them as the blind invite can create a negative first impression for many people.
5. Turn on Notifications
We recommend turning on Facebook Page notifications so you can see when things happen while you are signed into your personal account. You can also turn on Marketing & Promotional emails if you want Facebook to send you these emails about their products and services.
6. Set Custom URL
Facebook does allow pages to set a custom URL. However, it isn’t always obvious how to do this. When you access Facebook through a desktop, go to the page itself. You should see a “Manage Page” menu pop up on the left side of the screen. From there, you’ll click “Settings,” then “Page setup,” and then “Name.” This will take you to the “General Page settings” section for your Facebook Page. It will likely say that you have not set a user name. To correct this, click “Edit.” Now you can add a user name relevant to your author page. This should be your author name, but you can also include a genre or the word author, writer, or whatever you prefer. Once done, verify that the updated URL works before including it in your linking strategy. Also, be mindful to update any other links that may have been pointing to your Facebook account so they now go to the URL with the custom name.
Adding Additional Links to Your Facebook Page
At this point, the page is set up and ready to go. However, there are some other things you can do for additional optimization. Under the page’s “About” section you are able to add additional website links. If you have an online store, community, subscription or subdomain, this is a great place to include that link. You can also add social links for just about any social media platform.
This section also has a place to add diversity info, what services (if any) you offer and the price range, languages, and a birthday or founding date.
Utilizing Your New Author Facebook Page
Facebook pages are great for sharing updates with followers and giving insight into you as an author. But they also have a practical use when it comes to SEO. Any time you update a page on your website or make a new blog post, you can share it on social media. Not only will this help get eyes on your content, but it also helps Google find and index the changes more quickly. Here are some other ways to utilize your Facebook author page:
1. Share Evergreen Content
While promoting your latest blog post or book release is important, don’t forget to recycle and share evergreen content. For example:
- Posts introducing your author journey
- Popular articles or interviews you’ve been featured in
- Writing tips or behind-the-scenes insights
Linking back to older, high-quality content on your website helps keep it visible to search engines and new followers alike.
2. Create a Content Calendar
Consistency is key for keeping your audience engaged and helping your page perform well. Develop a content calendar to post a mix of:
- Announcements (book releases, signing events)
- Blog links (reviews, guest posts, or updates)
- Interactive posts (polls, questions, or fun challenges)
- Reader-focused content (quotes, teasers, or character artwork)
By including website links in your posts, you’re effectively encouraging both readers and search engines to explore your website.
3. Use Visuals to Drive Engagement
Posts with visuals—like book covers, infographics, or videos—tend to get more likes and shares. These interactions improve your page’s reach and enhance the likelihood of your content being seen by potential readers.
- When sharing a blog post or update, include a compelling image from the post to draw attention.
- Ensure your visuals have alt text or captions for accessibility and SEO benefits.
4. Cross-Promote with Other Platforms
Don’t let your Facebook page work in isolation. Cross-promote your posts on other platforms like Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn, and link back to your Facebook page. This not only drives more traffic but signals to search engines that your content is relevant across multiple platforms.
5. Build Engagement Through Reader Interaction
Encourage comments, shares, and conversations by asking open-ended questions or creating content that sparks curiosity. For example:
- What’s the best opening line you’ve ever read?
- If you could live in any book world, which would it be?
Every interaction on your page sends positive signals to search engines, reinforcing the relevance and activity of your author brand online.
6. Leverage Insights for Strategy Adjustments
Facebook’s built-in analytics tools help you see which posts perform well. Use this data to refine your strategy by focusing on content that resonates with your audience and drives traffic to your website.
By actively using your Facebook page to share website updates, engage readers, and cross-promote your content, you’ll create a hub for both fans and search engines, boosting your online visibility and SEO efforts.
Other Facebook Tips
- As always, with everything you share on social media, make sure you’re utilizing keywords in your captions, tagging, and relevant hash tags.
- Ask readers to share photos of your books, post reviews, or create fan art.
- Use the metrics to your advantage: see what your followers respond to best and create more content that they’ll enjoy.
- Your posts could find their way onto your Google Knowledge Panel – so make sure you’ve claimed yours.
Setting up a Facebook page for your author brand with SEO in mind is an important step in building your online presence. By following these steps, you’ll create a page that not only connects with readers but also helps boost your visibility on search engines.
If you have questions or want to learn more about using social media and SEO to grow your author brand, please explore our other author SEO resources and courses.
