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From a trend during the Covid-19 lockdown to a thriving community, #BookTok has come a long way on TikTok. Launched in early 2020, the community has seen an explosive growth of book-related content as users of all ages showcase their love for literature through innovative and captivating short-form videos.
The popularity of #BookTok is evident from the staggering increase in the number of posts, which rose by over 38 times, and total view count, which skyrocketed by 30 times, between 2020 and 2022, according to data from affable.ai, which scanned through 0.8 million TikTok profiles.
Aspiring authors, publication houses, and bookstores globally can leverage this trend on World Book Day to gain traction. A case in point is the collaboration between Penguin Random House and TikTok in September 2022, which enables users to link their favorite Penguin Random House books with their videos, connecting with people at a deeper level.
Gen Zs can attest to the power of social media in shaping their perspectives and interests. The generation has revitalized the world of books, once considered an antiquated and isolated space, on TikTok. Among the highly active are those under 19-32 years who use their voices on social media to shape the conversation around literature.
Data shows that over 813 TikTok influencers (19-25 years) and 899 (26-32 years) have widely interacted with #BookTok. With their collective creativity, passion, and knowledge, they have inspired and influenced others on social media to actively talk about books. Their creativity, innovation, and passion for books shape the conversation around literature in a way that has never been seen before.
The trend has seen a massive growth of 1052% between 2020 and 2022 — showing how #booktok dug deep into the hearts of book lovers everywhere, its branches reaching out to connect them all. It was as though the hashtag had taken on a life of its own, spreading its influence far and wide. In 2021, it bloomed into a full-fledged phenomenon, with over 36,844 posts and 2.9 billion views.
But the story didn't end there. The following year, #booktok reached new heights, with over 78,820 posts and 3.7 billion views, raging in a realm of pure literary bliss. And so, the hashtag became more than just a trend or fad. It was a reminder that in a world of noise and distraction, there is still magic in the pages of good books.
The increasing popularity of Booktok can be gauged from Penguin Random House's collaboration with TikTok in 2022, enabling users to tag book titles in their videos. This new feature made it easier for users to share their favorite books with their followers and promote reading and literary culture on the platform. By tagging book titles, users recommend books to their followers and create engaging and informative content about their favorite reads.
To outdo the competition, Instagram has introduced Bookstagram to cater to book lovers.
What I found was fascinating. BookTok's short-form video format, which allowed users to share their thoughts and opinions on books dynamically, was one reason for its success. Using prevalent challenges and hashtags like #BookTokChallenge and #BookRecs also kept the platform fresh and entertaining, encouraging users to spend more time on the platform.
On the other hand, Bookstagram relies heavily on visually stunning photos of books and bookshelves, which may attract more passive engagement in the form of likes and follows, but may not necessarily encourage users to spend as much time on the platform. While a beautiful photo can capture a viewer's attention, it may only sometimes translate to meaningful engagement beyond a quick like or comment.
BookTok's dynamic video format, engaging challenges and hashtags, and popularity among younger generations may all contribute to the higher views generated by the platform, making it a rising star in the marketing world.
But it wasn't just the content format that made BookTok successful. The platform's popularity among younger generations, particularly Gen Z, who are known for their love of social media, may also be a contributing factor. Using popular music and trends on the platform may appeal to a broader audience, leading to higher views.
BookTok has undoubtedly impacted the publishing industry, with many books featured on the platform skyrocketing to the top of bestseller lists. One of the most notable examples is the book "The Song of Achilles" by Madeline Miller.
Initially published in 2011, the book gained new life on BookTok in 2020, thanks to a surge in popularity after several BookTok creators shared glowing reviews of the book. As a result, "The Song of Achilles" shot up to the top of The New York Times bestseller list seven years after its original release.
It Ends With Us, a novel by Colleen Hoover, is a perfect example of BookTok's influence on the literary world. After being recommended on the platform, the book became a New York Times bestseller, selling over a million copies in just a few months. In addition to user-generated content, the book's publisher and author also used TikTok to promote the book. They created official accounts and posted videos that showcased the book's cover and quotes from positive reviews. They also utilized popular TikTok trends and challenges, such as the "BookTok Made Me Buy It" challenge, to spread the word about the book.
"If you're like me and love books that challenge your perspective and leave you thinking long after you've finished reading, then 'It Ends with Us' is the book for you. I was blown away by the honesty and depth of the story, and I can't recommend it enough."
The rise of these book influencers on TikTok has opened up new opportunities for publishers, authors, and other players in the book industry to reach a wider audience and generate buzz around their titles. Through creative and engaging content, these influencers have turned the world of books into a vibrant and dynamic community on TikTok. The future of BookTok looks bright with the continued growth of the platform and the influence of book influencers in shaping the conversation around literature.
If you're seeking appropriate #booktok influencers to collaborate with, affable.ai is an excellent resource. affable.ai is an all-encompassing influencer marketing platform employed by over 100 brands and agencies to discover skilled creators, oversee entire campaigns, and monitor performance using automation tools. The platform reduces human effort and campaign run time by offering advanced features to detect counterfeit followers and trends in the market.
Jayden Kouli is a book influencer on TikTok who has gained a significant following for his engaging and informative book reviews. He shares videos about various books, from fiction to nonfiction, classics to contemporary bestsellers generating over 0.94% engagement rate with his followers. He also shares his love of reading by recommending books to his followers and creating content such as book hauls and reading vlogs. Jayden’s passion for books shines through in his content, and he has become a valuable voice in the book community on TikTok. His estimated reach and impressions are 48.15k and 72.22k, respectively.
Julienne on Tiktok is an influencer who shares her love for books and reading through vibrant and creative booktok videos. She produces content mostly on book reviews, recommendations, and aesthetically pleasing videos of books and reading spaces, generating over 9.67% of engagement rate. Her account is a popular destination for book lovers on TikTok and a great example of how influencers can share their passion for books and connect with readers in the digital age. Julienne estimated reach and impressions are 25.36k and 38.04k, respectively.
Livros is a popular booktok influencer on TikTok who creates content related to books, reading, and writing. She is known for her creative and entertaining videos, including book reviews, recommendations, bookshelf tours and writing tips. Her content is informative and engaging and often features a mix of humour and personal anecdotes, generating about a 5.79% of engagement rate. In addition to her book-related content, she posts videos about her life and travels, further adding to her appeal and relatability. Livros estimated reach and impressions are 10.12k and 15.17k, respectively, according to affable.ai.
Lauren is a well-known booktok influencer on TikTok who creates content related to book reading and writing. She has gained a significant following on the platform for engaging and informative videos that include book reviews, recommendations and discussions, generating over a 1.08% engagement rate. Her videos often feature aesthetically pleasing visuals and background music, making them enjoyable. Lauren is a respected and influential figure in the booktok community on TikTok, and her content has inspired many people to read more and discover new books and authors. According to affable.ai, estimated reach and impressions are 42.76k and 64.14k, respectively.
Clarie is a highly regarded booktok influencer on TikTok who creates content related to books, reading and writing. She is known for her captivating content generating over 1.28% engagement rate. What sets Clarie apart is her unwavering passion for literature and her vast knowledge of different literary genres. She has been lauded for her positivity and for highlighting diverse authors and stories in her content. Additionally, she often shares personal stories and experiences, which makes her relatable and inspiring to many of her followers. Her estimated reach and impressions are 1.03k and 1.55k, respectively.
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