So how do you get started on BookTok? The platform has a steeper learning curve than some, but it’s accessible if you break it down into manageable steps. If you’re serious about specifically having a BookTok, rather than just having a fun TikTok account that also features books (and there’s nothing wrong with that!), you’re going to want to avoid interacting with anything non-bookish. One quick way to train the algorithm is to find some BookTokers to follow. It’ll also give you an idea of what trends and sounds people are using to post about books. If you come across a sound you like and want to try using, hit the round icon at the very bottom of the screen and then “add to favorites.” That way, when you go to add a sound of your own to a video, it’ll be one of the ones available to you. It’s a great way to hop onboard trends and also to get ideas for what to post.
Hit the + sign at the bottom of the screen. Add a sound at the top. Press the big red button to record yourself talking, dancing, or lip synching (yes, that’s still a thing). Hit “next”. Add a caption and a hashtag or two (opinions vary and trends come and go as to whether #booktok is the best one to use; it can’t hurt to use something more targeted, liked #romancereaders). Tap on “select cover” to choose the most flattering freeze fame, since that’s what will show on your grid.
At the bottom of the screen, there’s also a way to add text (which is also a useful way to cover up your face if, like me, you sometimes find that none of the freeze frames are all that flattering, actually). Click “save”, and then, down at the bottom, click “post.” Congrats! You’ve just posted your first BookTok video!
Bookshop.org is, of course, a recognised brand, so I don’t want to promise you’d get the same result if you’re a little known author or bookish influencer. But if you have the time and the bandwidth, I highly recommend giving their technique a try — and maybe even giving yourself some time to learn until you do have that bandwidth as well as a bank of drafts that you can use so you can get started with a bang. Is BookTok Changing the Way We Talk About Books? The Most Popular YA Books on TikTok
