For many authors, marketing is quite a challenge. Thankfully, social media is one of the effective marketing tools you can use. Today, one of the renowned and popular social media platforms to use is TikTok. The platform contains billions of active users and there are definitely tons of authors and book lovers (mainly YA and MG) that are making a great impact on the platform. TikTok book marketing – or Booktok effect as we usually call it in marketing – entails creating awareness about your book(s) through posting content, especially videos, on the platform.
Jeneva Rose, the author of The Perfect Marriage is a TikTok buzz. Her story is the perfect example for the effectiveness of TikTok book marketing. Jeneva used the platform to eventually promote her book to the 3rd best seller on Amazon. She posted a video and in six hours, over a million TikTok users had viewed it. This made the book skyrocket to the 45th best seller on Amazon. Later, she followed with another post to share her disbelief. Her book had gotten to the 8th position, right next to Barack Obama’s. About a week later, unbelievably, the book had hit the 3rd position on Amazon. Her book also earned the 26th position on Audible, 34th on Kindle, and on Barnes & Noble, it attained the 51st position.
Just like Jeneva, you can create your own story by effectively using TikTok. In this article, we give you details on how you can use this platform to promote your book.
Tell a Compelling Story
This is a genius move that was used by Jeneva. Before revealing her book’s plot, she decided to first tell a compelling story. This move had her video gain thousands of likes, comments, and shares. You can use a storytelling touch as a gateway into later revealing your book’s plot. Creatively use this tactic based on your book’s synopsis. Use text in telling your story. Just like a movie trailer makes viewers anticipate the actual debut, a compelling story can be a teaser to make your potential readers want to read the actual book. You will ultimately gain a lot of free exposure. Remember, facts tell, but it’s the stories that sell.
Who are Booktokkers?
Everyone can use Booktok as hashtag to share an interesting book, but Booktokkers are content generators that make videos connected to books and not just occasional recommendations. Several weeks ago we looked up some Booktokkers in our Book Influencer list and we found that the trend of Booktok is unstoppable on Tiktok. We found 22 popular influencers at first glance. For example Isabellagerli or Kaitlin Tracy.
How to use your bio on Tiktok?
Your bio tells users what you are and what you are about. TikTok provides only a few characters or lines for you to create your bio. Obviously, you will want to use this space wisely and effectively to market yourself and your books. The advantage of this small space is that it allows you to get creative and be concise. Use this limited space to fully enlighten users and readers.
Posting Videos
TikTok content is mainly video-based. There is very little text involvement. Those that use the app are mainly not looking to read. Therefore, as you post your video, be creative. You can post an unboxing video for your book after arrival to excite your readers and followers for them to know about its availability. You can also post a book cover reveal video. To give your followers and readers a snippet of what your book is about, you can post a short video that features the book’s synopsis.
Using sounds and songs
On TikTok, songs and sounds are key elements. They greatly determine the ability of your posts to go viral. TikTok users post videos that have similar themes, songs, and sounds. If you discover that a certain sound or song is popular and has been used on most videos, go ahead and use it to boost your views.
You can find out the most popular sounds and songs by clicking on their hashtags or music symbols. This takes you to pages where users have used the exact song or sound. To use the song or sound, click on the “use song or sound” icon in the bottom right corner. Match a particular song with your content.
Maximize the use of TikTok trends
You will have to spend time on TikTok to understand how to use the platform’s trends. These are popularly referred to as “challenges.” Take advantage of such trends as you promote your book. Make use of the most popular and trendy hashtags by conducting a hashtag research for the best ones. Choose a hashtag wisely since you also have limited space.
Trendy hashtags that are relevant to book marketing and those that relate to your genre are what you need to use. Get more creative by even starting your own challenges and hashtags to spread the word.
Popular hashtags for books:
- Booktok
- Bookkish
- Bookratings
- Newbooktoker
- Booktokbooks
- Bookworm
- Bookrecs
Topic relevant books:
- Romancebooktok
- Fantasybooktok
- YAmystery
- Fantasyrecs
Followers and Your Target Audience
Social media effectiveness is highly determined by your followers. It is not different for TikTok. For example, having a certain number of TikTok followers is what allows you to include a link on your bio. Once you have that link, then you can strategically use it. Set it up for viewers to be able to access it. You can also create a link that directs users to all the links relevant to your book. Evidently, you will be required to work towards earning followers for your account.
To gain followers, you need to create content inclined to your target audience. Once you know them very well, then you can upload other content that will help you in being discovered. If what you post appeals to them, it is more likely that they will dig deeper and see what you are about.
Switch up your content
Even though your main goal is to market your book on the platform, it is an established fact that no one will want to hear you promote your book all through. You will need some sort of variance. Promoting the book once in a while is great but, it can also easily bore your followers if done to its extremities.
Post content related to your writing, but creatively switch it up a little bit. For example, you may post tips about writing to help other aspiring writers. Such posts help you gain credibility.
Post your content consistently
Your goal on the platform is to create bonds with TikTok users for them to be propelled towards purchasing and reading your books. You therefore have to ensure that you regularly post to build up followers. Do not relax once your video goes viral and disappears from the platform for some time. You can lose some followers. Remember, you are looking to grow the number of followers and not lose them. Followers on TikTok are drawn to consistency.
Connect with the book community- Authors, Booksellers, and Readers
TikTok is a platform for almost everyone associated with books. You will need to be aware about what other authors are doing on the platform. Find out the readers available as well. Actively look for and connect with this community. You will need to follow them, view their videos and interact with them.
Following and viewing is not all there is to it. You need to engage. Like, comment, and share their videos. It is more likely that they will reciprocate. Being proactive will immensely grow the community as well. Connect and engage with booksellers on TikTok as they now give recommendations from the BookTok’s best titles.
Make use of reviews
Reviews are excellent tools that can prompt people into buying your book. Ask your fans to promote your content and tag you. It is likely that they have several platforms with many followers, probably not on TikTok. To encourage them, you can offer free signed copies for the best mode of promotion; video, caption, hashtag, and so forth.
To give your site more traffic, post appreciative content about the reviews you have received. You could also request a book reviewer on TikTok to read and review your book. They can post and share their reviews. TikTok offers hashtags that you can use to find book reviewers. #BookReview, #BookTok, and #TikTokBookClub are some of them.
Post some of the book scenes
To use this tactic, you will need to post specific scenes in second person. It is an effective tool to use, especially for those that are eager or aspiring to read your book. For example, you can act in a particular scene that you consider intriguing, add a sound to it, and switch it up to second person. This will allow the reader(s) to feel like they are part of the action and to also relate with the scene. Use a hashtag like #scenefrommyupcomingbook or even a caption that implies the same.
Final Thoughts on Booktokkers
Marketing a book is a difficult task for many people. However, using social media can go a long way in helping you. Using Booktok can help you to excellently promote your book and even get it up the charts. If you enjoy TikTok and haven’t explored it yet for promoting your book, it is time you did so. You can successfully promote a book on TikTok.
One fact is that, even using TikTok requires effort, hard work, and most importantly, creativity. These aspects, accompanied with the tips provided and discussed above, may make you hit the best-seller list.
