Short video/talk advising authors that AI and automation won’t build their author brand—human connection will. Julie Broad outlines practical steps: know your reader, define what your brand stands for, package and share content consistently, engage and build community, and measure results to optimize. Emphasizes vulnerability, empathy, trust, and community over follower counts or raw oversharing.
Chapters
Everyone is saying the same thing right now. Be more human. And I've said it too. But what the heck does that even mean? If you think being more human means showing up messy, chaotic or oversharing on social, that's not it. Being human is about real connection, but it's not about raw, unfiltered sharing of all the things. It's about sharing your journey, the good and the hard parts. It's about vulnerability and empathy. And most importantly, it's about building trust and community in a world increasingly filled with automation and AI generated noise. So let's break that up into things that you can actually do to be more human as you build your brand, shall we? First of all, know your reader. People are skeptical and they're questioning whether anything they read or see is AI. You need to know your reader and their heart and their soul, because otherwise how are you going to talk to exactly what they care about? Because you really have to connect with them right away so they know you get them. Once you know your reader, what does your brand stand for? Start by asking yourself what makes you and your brand unique? What values do you stand for and who are you trying to reach with those? Your author brand starts with understanding the problem you solve for your reader and how your lived experiences gives you the credibility and the lens to help them with it. Then it goes into how you'll package it up and share it. The final step is to show up as the defined you online for your reader. Consistently optimize your website and social profiles. Share valuable content that feels like a conversation. Collaborate with others in your niche. Now for the supercharged bonus piece. Engage with the community you're building. The true impact and brand building is in community, not follower count. Final thing to consider is adjusting and measuring what you're doing. It's a data driven world and the more you measure, the more you'll be able to lean into what's working and what connects. Be curious. Stay current. Your book has the power to change lives, but only if readers can see and feel you in it.
