Academic Branding: A Step-by-step Guide to Increased Visibility, Authority, and Income

Become a thought leader in your postgraduate field—and make money while doing so, with this step-by-step guide from an academic who has been there.

Academic Branding gives academics and scholars the tools and strategies they need to position themselves outside of academia so they can reach the masses and make an impact—without the expense of a publicist. With the practices in this book, readers will build a powerful brand, become a public intellectual, and grow their audience with guidance from Sheena C. Howard, PhD. She’s been where you are now, and she’s ready to help you grow beyond what you imagine.

With Dr. Howard’s unique and thorough approach to success in the age of social media, you’ll learn how to:

Reframe the way you think about self-promotion

Identify your brand archetype and create a brand statement

Reach an audience beyond academia

Build multiple revenue streams

Get your ideas (and content) to spread

Create a movement around your expertise

Land major media spots and speaking engagements

In a world where anyone who is savvy online can turn themselves into a subject matter expert, it’s important that we lift up and amplify the voices of actual subject matter experts. This guide will teach you how to reach the audience that needs your expertise most, building a brand and achieving financial freedom along the way.

Dr. Sheena C. Howard is the first Black woman to win an Eisner award at San Diego Comic-Con for her first book, Black Comics: Politics of Race and Representation (2014). The Eisner is considered the ‘Oscars of Comics.’ Howard has published comic books for both Marvel (Illusion of Fairness, 2023) and DC (Fresh Air in Philly, 2021, and others) comics. She has written a graphic novel and stage play for DMC (from RUN-DMC), published with Bloomsbury (Black Comics: Politics of Race and Representation, 2014), Chicago Review Press (Encyclopedia of Black Comics, 2017), BenBella Press (Why Wakanda Matters, 2021), and more. In addition, her work has received numerous book awards, including an American Library Association’s Outstanding Reference Sourcebook award and more. Her books have been featured in Good Morning America, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and more. She is also the subject of an Emmy-nominated episode of State of the Arts. Finally, Dr. Howard writes and ghostwrites for celebrities, CEOs, and social impact companies that seek to empower, inspire and motivate.