Content creators on TikTok have created a hashtag to get the attention of all book lovers. BookTok is a largely growing community on TikTok for authors, readers and editors.
On BookTok, users create and share videos about books with the hashtag. Whether the videos are recommendations or reviews, the hashtag has created a way for the TikTok algorithm to categorize the content for users who have expressed interest in those types of videos. The more you like, comment, or share book-related content, the more book-related content the algorithm puts in your TikTok feed.
“#BookTok has accumulated 370 billion views, with over 52 million creations jumping on board–skyrocketing bestsellers, reviving backlist titles and informing reading habits worldwide,” an article published by Forbes said.
BookTok started gaining popularity in 2020, right after TikTok saw its largest follower growth due to the pandemic. During COVID-19, people all around the world sought online entertainment and a way to stay connected with friends and family. With all the new users, the TikTok algorithm saw an increase in book-related videos, which led to the creation of the Booktok community.
Content creators started adding the hashtag in their videos about book summaries, cover reveals, book hauls, reading updates and opinions on popular books.
Authors have found BookTok helpful for promoting their books to potential readers and publishers.
“Poet and author Shelby Leigh built her TikTok presence by creating engaging content for people dealing with mental health issues. When she first joined, she had self-published two poetry books; her bestseller of the two was re-published by Simon & Schuster in July 2022 because of her sales track record,” an article by Jane Friedman said.
“We Were Liars” by E. Lockhart was published in 2014, but gained popularity around 2021 due to the influence of #BookTok. The book became a New York Times Best Seller and received Amazon’s #1 Young Adult (YA) novel of 2014. All the attention of the book got it picked up by Prime Video in Dec. 2022 to be adapted into a TV series.
“Let me start off by saying that “We Were Liars” was one of the best books I read last year and probably one of the best I’ve ever read. It took me a while to get the words of just exactly how I felt before I could contemplate understanding the book itself,” a review from Pretty Little Memoirs said.
On May 2, 2023, “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros was published. Almost instantly, the book was all over BookTok and was on the Amazon bestseller list in June 2023 and on The New York Times Best Seller list in late 2023.
“It’s [Fourth Wing] probably my favorite book I’ve ever read and I think the trope plays such a big part of why it was so good. I also think she [Yarros] handled the fantasy aspect of the book very well and balanced the romance in the plot well too,” Faith Konopka, sophomore, said.
Another famous author, Colleen Hoover, wrote many bestselling books, like “It Ends with Us” and “Verity.” Hoover received lots of attention on BookTok, but around 2023, many creators of TikTok posted about Hoover mis-marketing her books, lacking effort throughout the story and making it seem like she promotes abuse and violence – a common theme displayed in almost all of her books.
Hoover is still a top-selling author and has had books adapted into films, but as of now, many readers refuse to read or support her work. This has led many users of BookTok to not use BookTok as a source for getting recommendations because not every book is popular for a reason, or author is worth supporting.
“I’ve bought books that were recommended on BookTok but were nothing like I was expecting, so I think it [BookTok] can be really good for finding books to read, but I also think, from my experience, it can be very misleading,” Lily Narut, sophomore, said
The power of BookTok has brought back attention to stores as well. From 2012-2018, Barnes & Noble saw a decrease in foot traffic, struggling to compete with online book retailers like Amazon.
In 2021, trends like #BookTok on TikTok helped drive new interest in going to physical book stores and reading overall. With all the new business, the company has announced plans to open over 60 new locations by the end of 2025.
Barnes & Noble has dedicated sections in the store and on the website to the top trending books on BookTok.
“I always buy my books from Barnes & Noble,” Caitlyn Bailey, sophomore, said.
BookTok has been a place for people all over the world to connect with others who have a similar interest in books and authors. The hashtag allows people to share recommendations, opinions and their predictions on what might happen in the following book.
“I recently just finished reading the “Shatter Me” series by Tahereh Mafi and it was so exciting to be able to go on TikTok and see all of the content posted surrounding the characters and the plotlines. It made me feel more engrossed in the story and see that the series affected other people as deeply as it did myself,”an article written by Hanna Zabski said.
