The ‘BookTok’ community on TikTok is transforming the publishing and book industry.
The hashtag #BookTok has amassed around 203.9 billion views and 19 million posts on TikTok, with additional huge presence on Instagram and YouTube, according to a report in legacy media outlet news.com.au.
BookTok users share their personal book collections, recommendations, and love for certain authors through videos, teasers, memes, and artwork.
This community has notably influenced book sales and reader engagement. For example, the novel Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros went viral on BookTok, leading to its prominent ranking on bestseller lists and becoming Dymocks’ 2023 book of the year.
Similarly, the series A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) by Sarah J. Maas has buried itself among BookTok’s most popular books, with the hashtag #ACOTAR gaining nearly eight billion views on TikTok alone.
BookTok’s influence extends beyond just promoting books; it has also contributed to film and TV adaptations. The popularity of certain books on BookTok has led to adaptations, including a potential Hulu series for ACOTAR and a film adaptation of Alex Aester’s Lightlark.
@aymansbooks no wonder he literally goes by Envy #throneofthefallen #jealousyscenes #booktropes #bookishtropes #romantasy ♬ original sound – ﾒ૦
BookTok’s impact has now become evident in the marketing strategies of bookstores and publishers, with platforms like Barnes and Noble, Dymocks, Booktopia, and Penguin featuring pages dedicated to BookTok-popular books. Even retail stores like Kmart and Big W have created pages for BookTok-related searches.
@aymansbooks YA Dark Fantasy #theprisonhealer #thegildedcage ♬ if you have read this series – Kat
