Building Your BookTok Presence: A Guide for New Authors
So you've just published your first book and you're seeing advice everywhere about building a "BookTok presence" to promote it. If you're feeling overwhelmed by this advice or unsure where to start, you're not alone. Let's break down what BookTok really is and how you can authentically build a presence that actually helps your book reach readers.
What is BookTok, Really?
BookTok is the book-loving corner of TikTok where readers share reviews, recommendations, and bookish content. It's become a powerful force in publishing, with BookTok recommendations driving significant book sales, especially for young adult fiction, romance, and fantasy genres. However, it's important to understand that successful BookTok creators are primarily readers talking to other readers, not authors promoting their own work.
The Reality Check: Author Self-Promotion on BookTok
Here's the honest truth: direct self-promotion on BookTok is challenging and often ineffective. The most successful BookTok creators build their following by:
- Sharing genuine book recommendations
- Creating relatable content about reading experiences
- Building authentic connections with other book lovers
- Focusing on community rather than sales
When authors jump straight into promoting their own book, it often feels inauthentic to the BookTok community, which values genuine reader enthusiasm above all else.
Authentic Strategies for Authors on BookTok
1. Lead with Your Reader Identity
Before promoting your book, establish yourself as a genuine reader and book lover. Share content about:
- Books you're currently reading and loving
- Your reading journey and how you became a writer
- Bookish habits and reading nooks
- Genuine reactions to books in your genre
2. Build Genuine Relationships
BookTok thrives on community. Engage authentically by:
- Commenting thoughtfully on other creators' videos
- Duetting or responding to book-related trends
- Collaborating with other bookish creators
- Supporting other authors in your genre
3. Create Value-First Content
Focus on providing value to the BookTok community:
- Share writing tips and insights from your author journey
- Discuss craft elements that readers might find interesting
- Create content about your genre that helps readers discover new books
- Offer behind-the-scenes glimpses of the writing process
4. Time Your Book Promotion Strategically
When you do share about your book:
- Wait until you've established a presence and following
- Focus on the story and characters, not just "buy my book"
- Share your inspiration and writing journey
- Be transparent about it being your work
- Make it one piece of varied content, not your only focus
Alternative Approaches to Consider
Connect with Established BookTokkers
Instead of building from scratch, consider:
- Sending advance reader copies to established BookTok creators in your genre
- Building genuine relationships with book reviewers and influencers
- Participating in BookTok trends and challenges as a reader, not just an author
Cross-Platform Strategy
Don't put all your eggs in the TikTok basket:
- Build an email list of interested readers
- Engage on Instagram, Twitter, and Goodreads
- Consider starting a newsletter or blog
- Participate in author communities and events
Focus on Your Strengths
Consider whether your time and energy might be better spent on:
- Writing your next book
- Building relationships with bookstores and libraries
- Engaging with your existing reader community
- Traditional marketing and PR efforts
Managing Expectations
Building a meaningful social media presence takes time, often months or years. Many successful BookTok creators started as passionate readers long before they had large followings. If you're hoping for immediate book sales from TikTok, you may be setting yourself up for disappointment.
The most sustainable approach is to focus on building genuine connections with readers and fellow book lovers, with book promotion being a natural extension of those relationships rather than the primary goal.
Tactical Tips for Growing Your BookTok Audience
Now that we've covered the strategic approach, let's get into the practical mechanics of building an audience on TikTok:
Posting Frequency and Consistency
Aim for 3-5 posts per week minimum. TikTok's algorithm favors active creators, and consistency is more important than perfection. Many successful BookTokkers post daily, but quality should never suffer for quantity. It's better to post 3 well-thought-out videos per week than 7 rushed ones.
Batch content creation can help maintain consistency. Spend one day filming multiple videos, then edit and schedule them throughout the week.
Hashtag Strategy
Use a mix of hashtag sizes:
- Large hashtags (millions of posts): #BookTok, #BookRecommendations, #Reading
- Medium hashtags (100K-1M posts): #BookReview, #BookwormLife, #BookLovers, #YABooks, #FantasyBooks
- Niche hashtags (under 100K posts): #BookTokMadeMe, #BookishContent, #IndieAuthor, #NewRelease
Create branded hashtags for your specific content or book series, but don't rely on them alone.
Research trending hashtags in the book community and jump on relevant trends early. Use hashtags that match your content's actual theme, TikTok's algorithm can detect mismatched hashtags.
Optimal Posting Times
Generally, evenings (6-10 PM) and weekends perform well for BookTok content, when people have time to browse and engage. However, test different times and track your analytics to find when your specific audience is most active.
Video Length and Format
15-60 second videos typically perform best for discovery, though TikTok now supports longer content. For book content:
- Quick book reviews: 15-30 seconds
- Book hauls or recommendations: 30-60 seconds
- Storytimes or deeper discussions: 60+ seconds
Content Hooks and Engagement
Lead with a strong hook in the first 3 seconds:
- "If you loved X book, you need to read..."
- "Unpopular book opinion:"
- "Books that will make you cry:"
- "POV: You're looking for your next obsession"
Use trending sounds and music but make sure they fit your content. BookTok has its own popular sounds – save audio from successful book videos and adapt them to your content.
End with clear calls-to-action:
- "What should I read next?"
- "Have you read this? Let me know in the comments!"
- "Follow for more book recs!"
Engaging with Your Community
Respond to every comment in your first hour after posting if possible. High early engagement signals to TikTok that your content is worth showing to more people.
Ask questions in your captions to encourage comments. The more comments your video gets, the more TikTok will push it to new audiences.
Use TikTok's features: Duets, stitches, and going live can all boost your visibility and help you connect with other creators.
Analytics and Optimization
Check your analytics weekly to see:
- Which videos performed best and why
- What times your audience is most active
- Which hashtags drove the most views
- Your audience demographics
Don't delete videos that underperform immediately. Sometimes videos gain traction weeks later. However, if a video gets very low engagement in the first 24 hours, consider why and adjust your strategy.
Content Planning
Follow the 80/20 rule: 80% valuable content for readers, 20% about your own work. This might look like:
- Monday: Book recommendation
- Tuesday: Reading aesthetic/vibe video
- Wednesday: Writing tip or behind-the-scenes
- Thursday: Book review
- Friday: Bookish humor or trend
- Weekend: Personal reading updates
Stay flexible and ready to jump on trends, but maintain your core content pillars around books and reading.
BookTok can absolutely be part of your book marketing strategy, but it works best when you approach it as a genuine member of the reading community rather than solely as an author trying to sell books. Lead with authenticity, provide value to other readers, and be patient with building your presence.
Remember, the goal isn't just to sell your current book, it's to build lasting relationships with readers who will be excited about your future work too. Focus on being part of the conversation about books and reading, and the promotional opportunities will follow naturally.
Your book deserves readers, and those readers are out there. Building a BookTok presence can help you connect with them, but it's just one tool in your marketing toolkit, not a magic solution that will instantly transform your book's success.