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Nov 13, 2024
By: Alisia Houghtaling
Courtesy of The Silver Streak
I was always a big reader as a kid, but once I got busy in middle and high school, I stopped reading for fun. My freshman year of high school was when COVID hit, and I found myself sitting in my room — and on my phone — for months with no end in sight. Even though I had stacks of books on my windowsill, I never thought to turn to them as a way to keep my sanity during the lockdown.
What is BookTok?
BookTok is a trend on TikTok that gained popularity during COVID, as people, like myself, turned to their phones with few other outlets. BookTok became a space where readers create content based around books — from recommendations to reviews to cover redesign and collage. BookTok sparked a surge in book sales and reignited interest in reading, especially among young adults. For example, the young adult genre saw a significant increase in sales post-2020, and adult fiction sales rose by 25% following BookTok's peak in 2021. Additionally, several titles even returned to bestseller lists after going viral on BookTok, whose popularity contributed to a 9% increase in the U.S. print book market. James Daunt, the CEO of Barnes and Noble writes how over the last two years, they have seen tremendous growth in sales at Barnes and Noble, and they “could not be more optimistic. And [he] thinks it’s just that our stores are fun now.”
BookTok Influencers
BookTok has successfully boosted readership through its unique approach to influencer marketing. There are “BookTok influencers” who have built loyal followings and eagerly take their book recommendations, which continues to drive up book sales. My personal favorite BookTok creator is @loverofpages, who documents her life as a bookseller and lover. She does reviews, day in my lifes, and recommendations among other things. From viewing her videos you can tell she genuinely cares about the books she is talking about, which builds up a strong fanbase who take her recommendations to heart.
Courtesy of TikTok
What makes BookTok unique is that it gives non-influencers a platform to be heard. Most people on BookTok aren’t paid for their promotions nor do they have thousands of followers — they are simply sharing their interests and reading journeys online. It is also a form of organic marketing among all the paid ads on TikTok. This type of marketing and the strong online community it fosters is rare, especially as social media often leans toward negativity. BookTokers market — whether intentionally or not — through creating aesthetically pleasing videos of book covers, themselves reading, or two sentence summaries that get readers excited. BookTok feels genuine in that most people are not trying to sell you a product — they just want to share their thoughts on it. This authentic feeling in itself is great marketing because consumers do not feel as if this product is getting shoved down their throats, they feel like they are consciously making the choice to purchase something that they will like. The beauty of BookTok is that it has completely changed the trajectory of book marketing. Now, rather than having an email list and hoping for a Goodreads review, you just need to make sure someone on TikTok is talking about it. It also puts smaller authors on a more even playing field with their large-scale counterparts, since they all have a chance at going viral on the platform
In real life…
However, BookTok is not exclusive to TikTok — every Barnes and Noble I’ve been to in the past three years has had a BookTok section, and some independent bookstores have followed suit. They recognize the high demand for these books and are adapting the same marketing strategy in order to get higher sales.
Courtesy of WHNT
Many names have become synonymous with BookTok fame, Colleen Hoover being one of the most notable. Colleen Hoover has amassed almost 4.5 million followers on her social media platforms and sold more than 35 million books worldwide. Since the fall of 2020, her novels have surged in popularity, with the #ColleenHoover hashtag amassing over 2.4 billion views on TikTok. Numerous BookTok videos reviewing her books went viral, often fueled by controversies surrounding her novels, prompting people to buy her books and share their opinions. Hoover’s fame — and now her movie adaptations — can largely be traced back to BookTok users.
Courtesy of Mayple
Now what?
The future of bookstores and physical book sales lie in the hands of social media. While social media was originally seen as a threat to reading rates, it has now become a partner in promoting them.
Alisia Houghtaling is a sophomore studying Applied Psychology. She enjoys reading, drawing, and walking on the Piers for hours on end.
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