When someone lands on your blog, one of the first things they notice isn't always the content—it's who you are.

Before diving into your articles, readers want to know: Can I trust this person? What's their background? Why should I listen to them?

That's where your author profile comes in. It's more than just a name and photo. It's your credibility. It's your connection to your readers. And on Jottings, building a strong author profile is one of the most underrated ways to grow an engaged audience.

Why Author Identity Matters

I've watched hundreds of blogs launch with great ideas but weak author presence. The pattern is always the same: readers stick around longer when they know who's writing.

Psychology backs this up. We're social creatures. We trust people more than logos. A face, a story, a voice—these things make all the difference.

When you put yourself behind your work, you're:

• Building authority: Readers see you as a real person, not a faceless algorithm
• Creating accountability: Your name on the work means you stand behind it
• Establishing connection: People follow people, not publications
• Differentiating yourself: Your unique perspective becomes your moat

Think about the blogs you read regularly. You probably follow them because of the author, not in spite of them.

What Goes Into Your Author Profile

On Jottings, your author profile lives in your site settings and appears across your entire site. Here's what you can customize:

Your Name — This is the first thing readers see. Make it clear and memorable. Use your real name unless there's a good reason not to (like privacy concerns or pen names). Authenticity builds trust.

Your Bio — Keep it short (2-3 sentences max) and focus on what makes you interesting to your readers, not a resume of every accomplishment. What problem do you solve? What's your unique angle? Example: "I write about remote work culture and how to stay sane while working from anywhere."

Your Photo — This is crucial. Use a real photo of yourself, not a logo or illustration. A professional headshot works best, but a clear, recent photo of your face is what matters. You want readers to recognize you when they see you elsewhere (Twitter, LinkedIn, speaking events).

Your Website — Link to your personal site, portfolio, or other online presence. This gives readers a way to learn more about you and follow your work across platforms. It also signals that you're established and reachable.

How Your Profile Appears on Your Site

Your author profile doesn't just live in one place. It appears throughout your site:

On every jot — Your name, photo, and username appear above or below each post. This reinforces your identity with every piece of content.

On your info page — Your full bio, photo, and links appear on a dedicated page about you. This is where readers go when they want to learn more.

In social shares — When someone shares your jot on Twitter or LinkedIn, your profile information appears in the preview. This is your chance to make a great first impression.

In your site header — Depending on your theme, your author photo might appear in navigation, making you visible at all times.

The cumulative effect is powerful. Your readers start to know you.

The Verification Badge

You might notice an option for a verification badge in your author settings.

Here's what it means: A verified author is someone you trust. It could indicate that you're officially representing an organization, or that you've been verified by Jottings for some reason.

This is for future features and special cases—if you see this option and you're wondering when to use it, the answer is: probably not yet. But it's there if you need to signal something specific to your readers.

Writing a Bio That Works

Your bio is your sales pitch. Not in a pushy way—in a connection way. It should answer one question: "Why should I keep reading?"

Here's what works:

Be specific — "I write about productivity" is weak. "I help bootstrapped founders build profitable businesses without burning out" is strong.

Show your personality — Your voice matters. If you're witty, be witty. If you're thoughtful, be thoughtful. Let your writing style shine through.

Focus on the reader — It's not "I have 20 years of experience." It's "I help people who are stuck figure out their next move."

Make it skimmable — 2-3 sentences max. People scan. Make every word count.

Example bios that work:

• "I document what I'm learning about building startups in public. Mostly failures, occasionally wins."
• "Writing about design, technology, and what happens when they collide. Based in Berlin."
• "Obsessed with helping teams move faster. Previously led product at [Company]. Now consulting."

Your bio should make someone want to read your next post, not just learn your credentials.

Connecting Your Other Presences

Your Jottings site shouldn't be your only home online. Most writers have:

• A Twitter/X account for conversations
• A LinkedIn profile for professional networking
• A personal website or portfolio
• A newsletter (on Substack, Beehiiv, etc.)
• GitHub or Medium if applicable

In your Jottings settings, you can link to all of these. When you do:

You own the center — Your Jottings site becomes the hub. Everything else points back to you. This is important for building an audience that follows you, not any single platform.

You give readers options — Some people prefer Twitter. Others want to follow your newsletter. Let them choose how to keep up with you.

You diversify risk — If one platform changes or disappears, your audience still knows how to find you.

You build authority across networks — When your bio links to your Twitter and your Twitter bio links back to Jottings, you create a web of trust and consistency.

Set up all your links in your site settings. Make it easy for readers to follow you wherever they're most comfortable.

The Long Game

Here's the thing about building an author profile: it's not a one-time setup.

Your bio evolves as you grow. Your photo might change. Your focus might shift. Your verification status might change.

What matters is that you're consistently you across all your platforms, and that you're approachable and real.

The authors I know who've built the most engaged audiences did it by being genuine. They showed up, they shared real thoughts, and they let readers get to know them over time.

Your Jottings site is the perfect platform for this. You own it. You control it. There's no algorithm deciding who sees your work—just your readers, choosing to come back because they want to read what you have to say.

So spend time on your profile. Use a real photo. Write a bio that matters. Connect your other presences. Make it easy for readers to know and trust you.

Everything else—the content, the audience, the opportunities—flows from there.

Ready to build your profile? Jump into your Jottings dashboard, go to Site Settings, and fill out your author information. A few minutes of work now will pay dividends as you build your audience.

If you have questions about setting up your profile or want to share what you've created, reach out on Twitter. I read every message.