TikTok as a social media platform has gained attention from people of all ages. Popular videos on TikTok typically include dances, recipes, storytimes or humorous situations. However, another popular section to emerge on TikTok is the hashtag #BookTok, which is used to tag videos of people sharing their favorite books, or reactions to books, with others. The hashtag grew into a “BookTok” community of TikTok users. BookTok is powerful for authors and readers, since individual people are promoting authors’ books for free and a community of book lovers are given an outlet to share and discuss with others. BookTok is also encouraging more young people to read, which is important for strengthening brain function, growing one’s vocabulary and reducing stress. Therefore, publishers and authors should utilize TikTok as a tool to promote books, as there is a clear connection between BookTok and sale trends. In this way, BookTok has had a positive impact on the book industry at a time when many other industries have struggled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
I first came across BookTok when I was exposed to the author Colleen Hoover, a name I had previously never heard before. While Hoover was already a best-selling author at the time, I had never read her books myself. The first book of hers that I saw on BookTok was “It Ends with Us: A Novel.” I saw people raving about how captivating her writing was in the comment section, and how her stories always kept readers on their toes. I instantly became intrigued by the number of likes these videos received, as many of them were in the hundred thousands. After buying the book, I realized that many of my friends had also seen the same TikTok videos as I did. Because of this, I found that we were all reading books by the same author — Colleen Hoover. I even realized my mother had read most of her books, and found myself stealing the ones from her that I hadn’t yet read. Because of BookTok, I began bonding more with friends and my family over books. I get excited when a friend tells me they have started a new one of Hoover’s books, or when we debate which is our favorite so far. In this way, I am grateful that this social media exists to promote books that I otherwise may never have been exposed to. I also appreciate how the platform gives ordinary readers an outlet to express their take on the books as well as talk about the different symbols they might have dissected further than I did. Specifically, BookTok allows individuals to pose potential theories about certain plotlines in a book, which provides people with a new way of understanding or thinking about what happened. Personally, this has made me question more as I read, and has forced me to pay closer attention to what would seemingly be small details. Mostly, I have begun doing this as I read because I want to be able to join in on the BookTok conversation.
Aside from creating a space for readers to communicate, BookTok has also contributed to book sales, which major bookstores have begun to notice. For example, many previous best-selling authors beyond Hoover have seen revivals in their book sales, including Kathleen Glasgow’s 2016 novel, “Girl in Pieces.” In addition, even older books like “Pride and Prejudice,” which was originally published in 1813, have increased in sales due to BookTok. BookTok, therefore, emphasizes the timelessness of many books and reintroduces why they are so important. BookTok emerged as people began sharing videos discussing their favorite authors and books at the time, and the intention of those creators was not to promote undersold books for bookstores or publishing companies. Instead, BookTok has served as a way for people to recommend books to others in the same way you would lend a friend a book you loved simply to share the experience.
As of March 11, the hashtag #BookTok had received 43 billion views, a number booksellers cannot ignore. Barnes & Noble now has a section on its website dedicated to books currently trending on TikTok. On this Barnes & Noble webpage, popular books are listed and divided into different genres. While these are mostly fiction, the selections range from thrillers to romance to fantasy. Barnes & Noble has embraced BookTok as it has drastically contributed to physical book sales, with Shannon DeVito, Barnes & Noble’s director of books, saying the company was on track to see much stronger sales in 2022 compared to the past few years. DeVito also noticed that two books that trended on BookTok had only sold a few hundred copies before trending, but said that “suddenly we were selling tens of thousands of copies every two to three weeks.”
This increase in sales shows how BookTok is causing more young people to read in general during the age of technology. Specifically, Amazon has also noticed the influence of BookTok on book sales, and has started including the label “TikTok made me buy it!” under book descriptions. This is a smart tool for Amazon to employ, as it connects potential buyers on Amazon with a huge community of readers. In this way, people may feel more inclined to buy a book with a description that emphasizes how it has been heavily discussed on TikTok. Therefore, it is clear that BookTok is reaching viewers that publishers previously were not able to. Specifically, this platform is important in that it provides a space for young readers to urge other young people to read. The success of it all also shows how young people are more likely to take a suggestion from someone of a similar age rather than through traditional advertisements. This is forcing publishers to change how they promote books. For example, some publishers like Penguin Random House have even started to collaborate with BookTok creators to promote books. I wonder, as more publishers do this, if BookTok will remain as influential and honest.
The attention Hoover and other authors have received is a testament to the power of social media. BookTok presented individuals with a community of other people who were passionate about reading during a time when people were struggling as a result of the pandemic. It allows people to take what is usually a solitary activity and turn it into a way to connect with people from all over the world. These videos not only expose people to new worlds, characters and feelings, but also provide them with a space to discuss them afterward. BookTok is taking over in terms of book advertising. As more publishers and authors begin to notice the power of TikTok as a forum to promote their books, it will be interesting to see how BookTok changes. I wonder if BookTok will begin to feel like scripted commercial advertisements, or if people will continue to trust the recommendations given. In any case, BookTok has undoubtedly provided a new platform for readers to share books that have impacted their lives, and has contributed to a reading revival among young people.
Kathleen Lion is a senior majoring in history.