TikTok is one of the fastest growing social media platforms ever, so it's no surprise that literature lovers have carved out a niche there. If you're involved in any book community, you've probably heard about BookTok.
But what is BookTok? It's a community of book lovers creating book reviews and other bookish content. It's a vibrant space for readers, and it can be a powerful marketing tool for authors.
What Is the Origin and History of BookTok?
Posting book reviews on social media isn't a new concept. Book bloggers have been linking their reviews on Facebook and Twitter for years.
Instagram has a thriving Bookstagram community, and there are many YouTube book vloggers. TikTok is the latest social media to be taken over by book lovers.
It's hard to figure out exactly when BookTok began. Young book lovers were interacting on the app back in 2019.
In 2020, book account @caitsbooks had a video go viral. Since then, BookTok videos have increased in popularity.
TikTok videos are short-form videos, no longer than three minutes. This is the perfect amount of time to give a quick review of a book without getting into spoilers.
BookTok creators don't just review books, though. Bookish memes, book aesthetics, and reading challenges are all part of the BookTok world.
Booktok users are often young readers, specifically young women. But that doesn't mean it's all young adult books on the platform.
As TikTok gains an older user base, the BookTok community is expanding to include millennials and Gen X readers, as well.
The Growing Popularity of BookTok and Its Creators
BookTok creators, called BookTokkers, are quickly becoming powerful influencers, and the publishing industry is excited to connect with these young content creators.
BookTokkers are making books go viral, which is cause for writers and publishers everywhere to rejoice.
Followers snatch up the latest book recommendations from their favorite BookTokkers and often post their own reviews on social media.
The BookTokker with the highest following, Ayman Chaudhary, posted a review of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab in late 2020.
Her review spread like wildfire, and Schwab's novel hit the New York Times' Bestseller List in a matter of weeks.
BookTok also launched Colleen Hoover's It Ends with Us to the top of the New York Times’ Bestseller List.
Only Hoover's novel wasn't a new release as many bestsellers are. It had been out for four years. The book had gone viral on TikTok.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is another book that had been out for years before it hit TikTok. It's been topping bestseller lists since BookTokkers began raving about it.
Still not convinced that BookTok is a force to be reckoned with?
ProWritingAid conducted a study recently to find the top BookTokkers.
It can be a challenge to figure out top creators on TikTok because the app doesn't release the same level of analytics as other social media sites.
We looked at the creators with the most followers and most likes and created a ranking on these factors. Check out our data in the table below.
Top 10 Most Popular BookTok Influencer Accounts
| Rank | Name | Username | Followers | Likes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ayman Chaudhary | aymansbooks | 748,100 | 68,700,000 |
| 2 | Pauline Juan | thebookisloved | 538,600 | 23,700,000 |
| 3 | Abby Parker | abbysbooks | 429,200 | 29,800,000 |
| 4 | Jaysen Headley | ezeekat | 499,500 | 20,700,000 |
| 5 | Jenna Starkey | jennajustreads | 370,900 | 13,300,000 |
| 6 | Munny (Kelsey) | munnyreads | 351,800 | 14,100,000 |
| 7 | Cait | caitsbooks | 279,900 | 14,600,000 |
| 8 | Selene | moongirlreads_ | 223,100 | 18,500,000 |
| 9 | Amy Jordan | amyjordanj | 275,300 | 8,300,000 |
| 10 | Penguin Books | penguin_teen | 262,500 | 8,300,000 |
More Notable BookTok Creators
BookTok has hundreds of thousands of accounts, and it's easy to feel lost.
Whom you follow will largely depend on the type of books you like to read and whether you like an influencer's particular social media personality.
Here are 10 more BookTokkers you might enjoy following:
- 24hourlibrary
- montse_reads
- thebookishmuslim
- treofpaperbacks
- theboywhoreadsbooks
- literarylesbian
- chronicallybookish
- thechloegong
- the.sequel.nobody.wanted
- anya.reads
If you want to get involved in the BookTok community, you can create a TikTok account and search the booktok hashtag (#booktook) to find videos and creators to follow.
You can also search hashtags by genre or by trope (e.g. enemies to lovers, or chosen one).
The Impact of BookTok
BookTok has had some major effects on book sales, so publishers are joining in on the fun.
Many publishers, like Penguin, have their own BookTok presence. Other publishers reach out to BookTokkers and offer free books in exchange for honest reviews.
Marketing is an important part of the writing process. Most authors must do their own marketing, whether they are traditionally or independently published.
Many publishers want to see authors with a social media following, even a small one, before they'll offer a book deal.
TikTok is a free marketing tool for both aspiring and established authors. It's a way to connect with readers in an engaging and authentic way.
TikTok allows users to leave comments on videos and send private messages.
Gone are the days of hoping your favorite author gets your letter—now you can just send them a direct message.
BookTok is a great way to build a following before you even publish.
Chloe Gong started as a BookTokker. She created content about what she was reading and about her writing process.
She became a bestseller as soon as her debut novel came out thanks to her BookTok community.
You don't just have to review books, either. Authors can give writing and publishing advice, share their writing processes, and offer giveaways to connect with readers.
Interact with BookTokkers authentically to build a rapport. Then you can offer to send them an advanced reader copy (ARC) to review before your book comes out.
Even if your target audience lives on other platforms, it's free to tap into the community of passionate, voracious readers on the app.
Plus, TikTok is quickly expanding to include a more diverse user base. At this point, it just makes sense for authors to be on BookTok.
Conclusion on BookTok
TikTok isn't going anywhere anytime soon. The app is growing exponentially, and people are always looking for great content. BookTok videos are similarly growing in popularity.
But don't be scared of the BookTok phenomenon. It's refreshing to see that there are still so many young people who are passionate about reading.
It's common to hear people bemoan the idea that no one reads anymore (countless people have said this to me when they find out I'm an author), but BookTok proves that simply isn't true.
Book lovers and authors should be excited by BookTok. And with BookTok, you'll never wonder what to read next.
The only real dangers of BookTok are how much money you'll want to spend on new books and how tall your to-be-read pile will get.
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