If you’ve visited a bookstore recently, you may have stumbled upon a book display titled “TikTok made me buy this“. TikTok, you may ask yourself – isn’t that where tweens and teens go to waste away their time? What does that have anything to do with reading?
On the contrary, it has very much to do with reading. For the uninitiated, #BookTok is a genre of TikTok videos in which creators share more about the books they’re reading and provide book recommendations. Currently, the hashtag has canvassed 61.1 billion views. That staggering number becomes even more astounding when you realise that #BookTok only took off in 2020.
Since its inception, BookTok has been named responsible for reviving many older books, particularly during the pandemic. A notable example: although it was published in 2016, #BookTok propelled Colleen Hoover’s ‘It Ends With Us’ to the top spot on the New York Times Best Seller list. As TikTok adoption continues to sky-rocket, it’s time to consider how this social media platform can affect reading and, perhaps, the future of publishing.
First, what is #BookTok?
It may be easier to jump on the app and look around the #BookTok hashtag.
A typical #BookTok video features an aesthetically taken video of the book of choice (usually with a brimming bookshelf in the background) set to a soft-pop backing track. Overlaying the video are text captions detailing the creator’s opinion about the book or providing a summary of the book’s plot.
Alternatively, a #BookTok video would feature a creator reacting to a book they’ve just finished. Extreme emotions work best: think crying at the ending of a heart-wrenching novel or celebrating the moment two characters kiss in a romance book.
What impact has #BookTok made?
As with the advent of any new social media platform, #BookTok will undoubtedly disrupt how things were done traditionally. However, change doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. #BookTok seems to be creating a more open and democratic space for reading and publishing.
#BookTok has made reading social.
For one, many readers have credited #BookTok for reviving their interest in reading. It’s easy to see why #BookTok has attracted so many people. The videos are a fun and easy way to introduce new books.
More than that, #BookTok has turned reading into a social activity. Instead of finishing books alone, you have an online community you can reach out to after you’re done. The comments sections are rife with the discussion between users around the featured books. That, perhaps, is one of the critical attractiveness of #BookTok and why people keep coming back for more.
Publishers may need to consider how #BookTok fits into their marketing strategy.
According to a study by Nielson Books in the UK, 14% of book buyers used TikTok . This number almost doubles when you look at book buyers aged 16 – 19. It’s clear where #BookTok has the most influence, and as these book buyers age and gain more purchasing power, they may continue to use #BookTok as a reference for book recommendations.
With # BookTok’s influence in pushing books into the best-seller lists, publishers should consider including TikTok in their book launches. Perhaps this would mean working closely with #BookTok influencers, sending them advanced copies of the book, or enlisting the author’s support in posting certain types of content on #BookTok. There are endless creative possibilities to capitalise on #BookTok; however, one has to keep authenticity at the core of the content they produce.
#BookTok may bring about the rise of self-published books.
Beyond traditional publishers, #BookTok may also put power back into the hands of the self-published author.
For example, a #BookTokker with a significant following could tap on their audience and announce that they’d be writing a book. Given the array of online self-publishing options, it wouldn’t be a complicated process. Their following also gives them the advantage over other self-published authors in that they are assured of a certain percentage of attention and sales from this group.
Overall, #BookTok forces us to think more creatively about how we read and talk about books. This perspective shift helps us to grow as readers and thinkers, especially if we feel like we’ve been languishing amidst the books we’ve been reading.
Another way to gain greater perspective is to read outside your comfort zone. Want a peek at more exciting reads? Check out the NexPage app, which is available on both Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Access a wide variety of summaries from books around the world on your phone (when you need a break from scrolling through #BookTok!).