BookTok is one of the fastest-growing niches on TikTok, and it has completely reshaped the publishing landscape. You can’t walk into a bookstore today without finding a table or display dedicated entirely to BookTok and the titles you see creators crying, screaming, and worshiping over. And from personal experience, it has not only changed the industry; it has changed my entire life.

I started posting on TikTok in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. I had recently lost my job, and for the first time in years, I had an abundance of free time. I have always loved books, but before then, I struggled to balance reading with the demands of daily life. Suddenly stuck at home, that love came rushing back. Around the same time, I downloaded TikTok and had a gut feeling that with the world on pause, the platform was about to explode. As someone with a creative background, I knew I had to be part of it.

I consumed videos as quickly as I was consuming books, but I spent far too long debating what kind of content to make. Everyone kept saying “niche down,” but I did not know what niche I belonged to. I asked myself if I wanted to post about my life, but I never thought I was interesting enough for that. I wondered if I should make relationship content since gay couples always performed well, but I did not want my creativity to rely on anyone else. Then one day, I stumbled across a book recommendation video. I was stunned. I had never gotten into Bookstagram or BookTube, so it had never occurred to me that people actually wanted content about books. Reading had always felt like such a solitary experience that I did not think of inviting people into it.

That one video sparked something in me. I picked up my phone and filmed my first book recommendation video. I shared LGBTQ+ books that had helped me when I was coming out, hoping I might help someone else in the same way. After I posted it, I closed the app and had dinner with my mom.

The next morning, I woke up to over 50,000 views.

My world shifted overnight. From there, I kept posting consistently, kept experimenting, and kept showing up. That journey eventually led me to where I am today: a full-time content creator, an author, and the publisher of my own imprint, Violetear Books.

My journey has not always been easy, but yours does not have to follow the same path. By sharing what has worked for me and what has not, I hope to help you create content and collaborate with creators in ways that genuinely support your goals.

Tip 1: Lead with Emotion, Not Marketing

Yes, the goal is to market your book, but there is a way to do it that does not feel like an ad being shoved in someone’s face. This is a mistake many indie authors make. They push and promote a book that readers do not yet know or care about. In a world where you have only a fraction of a second to get someone’s attention, the most effective approach is genuine emotion. Give people a reason to care. Passion is contagious, and when you are excited about something, others will be too.

Tip 2: Followers Do Not Equal Reach

TikTok is designed to push content to new viewers, which means the people who follow you may not actually see your videos. When you create content, assume this is someone’s very first time seeing you. It helps keep your messaging clear, engaging, and welcoming to new readers.

A lot of brands and publishers assume that working with larger creators guarantees views, but that is not always true. Big accounts can absolutely flop—trust me, I have. And small accounts can have videos take off and reach hundreds of thousands of viewers. Do not discount smaller creators when looking for influencers for your book. In many cases, you are better off splitting your budget across several smaller accounts rather than putting it all into one big creator.

Tip 3: Engage, Engage, Engage

This is something most people do early on, but it is also something many start to slack on as time goes on. I know it can be difficult and overwhelming, but engaging with your audience truly matters. Comment back, share, repost, and comment on other creators’ accounts, too. If you want to be part of the BookTok community, act like an engaged member of it. People want to feel that you care about them. Do not treat people like fans. Treat them like a community. And honestly, the best way to boost your content is to keep engaging.

Tip 4: Have a Good Hook

Like I mentioned in Tip 1, you have only a fraction of a second to get someone’s attention. It is annoying, I know, but it matters. We live in a world where people are bombarded with content, and you have to find a way to stand out in all the noise. A strong hook pulls people in before they scroll past you.

Hooks can be a strong reaction, a bold statement, a callout, or something emotional. For example, instead of saying “Here are some books I recommend,” you could say, “These books absolutely wrecked me.” Same concept, same video, just a different hook. And if you saw both, which one would make you stop?

On-screen text can also work as a hook. Write something that will make someone stop scrolling. For example, whenever I share bookish news or gossip, my on-screen text always reads: Bookish Drama! It gets the point across before I even say a word.

Tip 5: Consistency Is Key

This is a tip I struggle with myself. It is easy to fall into the comparison trap. It is also easy to let your views or engagement discourage you from posting more or trying new things. Do not let it. Some videos will do well, and some will not. Every creator has flops, no matter how big their following is.

I remember once asking a group of creators, all of whom had anywhere from 100,000 to several million followers, what they personally considered a flop. Every single one of them gave a different number. And to be honest, what they called a flop, I would have called a success. It is all subjective. Keep showing up and keep posting. Eventually, something will hit.

Tip 6: Learn What Works for You, and Repeat It

Repeat and repost your most viral content. When something you post is getting reactions and a lot of engagement, lean into it. This is what creators call having a “series.” A series is simply a repeating format or topic that your audience connects with. For me, I have found success with my Bookish Drama videos and the PowerPoint-style presentations I make.

Most recently, one of my most successful videos was a PowerPoint about the book covers I disliked the most. That video earned over a million views and turned into its own series where I talked about more covers I did not like, the ones I did like, and so on. Study your analytics and learn from them. They will tell you everything from your retention rate to the exact moment someone decided to like your video.

Find what works for you and keep using it. And if you are ever stuck on ideas, look at what other creators are doing and imitate the format in your own voice.

Tip 7: Stop Thinking Like a Publisher and Start Thinking Like a Reader

What I mean is this: Create content that you would actually want to watch. Do not just throw out talking points or sound like a robot. When I promote books from my own imprint, I always do it in a way that feels natural. I include them in a recommendation list with other titles, use them as props in my videos, or have them facing out in the background of my content.

And if you are a publisher working with creators, please do not give them a script. Let them talk naturally, and in the style they typically use on their own channel. There is nothing more obvious than when someone abandons their usual format to deliver an infomercial. It feels forced, and audiences can tell within seconds.

All of this said, there is no one-size-fits-all formula for being successful on BookTok. Of course, there are outliers who seem to have it all figured out, but truthfully, a lot of it comes down to luck, timing, and a dozen other factors that would require an entirely separate article. What you do have control over is yourself and how you choose to show up. And if you take anything away from this, let it be this: Be authentic, have fun, and keep posting.

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