I’ve been in the Bookstagram space for over a year at the time of writing this and when I tell you, the Bookstagram community changed my life, I’m not being dramatic. Bookstagram is one of the best and most welcoming corners of the internet. So how do you start a successful Bookstagram account?
In recent years, the popularity of books has sky rocketed. With the communities of Booktok and Bookstagram each receiving 165 billion hits and 93.5 million hits respectively at the time of writing this blog.
So is it even possible to start a successful Bookstagram account in 2024 with the market being so saturated? By the end of this blog you’ll find out exactly why it’s not only possible, but an absolutely great time to start. You’ll also be able to curate your feed like a pro and build a community you love.
If you’re not following me on Instagram already, check out my account @starsandvellum where I post about books and witchy related stuff!
What is Bookstagram?
Bookstagram is a niche area of Instagram where book lovers come together and share their love for books. This can be through posting book recommendations, book reviews, book stacks, book memes and just generally everything bookish.
It’s not just book lovers who are in this community, there are authors, book sellers, small businesses, large companies. Of course, special mention to masked men and hockey players who also frequent this space!
Fun fact, the first use of Bookstagram dates all the way back to 2014! So why is it that only in the last few years has it really become popular?
I could link so many actual studies done by professionals on this, but I’m going to give my own opinion. Booktok has a lot to do with this I feel. Booktok started a few years ago, and short form content is way more accessible to people. You can’t exactly sit down and watch a 15-20 minute Youtube video on your short work commute or inbetween tasks. So people sharing their love for books in such a short amount of video time made it accessible to a wider audience. Which means more people get interested, which equals more popularity!
I’m not a professional in economics or psychology but that’s just my two cents.
How to start a Bookstagram
Let’s get into why you’re here! There are so many ways to start a Bookstagram account but I’ll break it down step by step here.
Pick a bookstagram handle
This is probably the hardest step of them all. There is nothing worse than picking a Bookstagram handle that you absolutely love and finding that it’s already taken! So I recommend taking your time with this step, find one that fits what you like and a Bookstagram handle that you feel reflects your style and aesthetic.
Many Bookstagrammers opt for handles that contain book related words such as reads, reading, library, bibliophile, bookshelf. Or ones that contain references to their favourite books. Or you could go like me, and just pick a name that resonates with you. Sure, Vellum is book related, but no one searches Instagram for “Vellum”!
While you want to have a Bookstagram handle that reflects your niche, I also wouldn’t put too much weight on it. It has to feel like you above everything else.
If you really want a Bookstagram handle that someone else has taken, I would highly suggest NOT using a variation of that handle. For example if you really wanted the handle “libraryoflaura” but found that it was taken, don’t use “library.of.laura”. You want to make yourself stand out, especially if you’re looking to build a brand and grow your audience. Find a different handle.
Write a Bookstagram bio
This is the part I always struggle with! Instagram give you a very limiting 150 characters to write your bio with.
As of the time of writing this, Instagram also use user’s bios as a way of identifying the type of content that they produce. So you really want to get your Bookstagram keywords in there. But I cannot stress this enough, make it human. There are so many bot accounts in the Instagram and Bookstagram space that it can sometimes be difficult to discern which accounts are real and which are fake. Add in emojis, quotes or anything that resonates with you and your target audience.
I like to refresh my bio every few months. The beauty of this is, unlike your username, you can change it as much as you want! I think in my year of being on Bookstagram, I have changed my bio about 6 times!
Pro Tip: Have “Bookstagram” in your “name” field to help the Instagram algorithm know you’re a Bookstagram account!
Posting to Bookstagram
Okay, you’re all set up. Now is time to start actually posting. I want to stress the point that there is no pressure to create beautiful photos straight from the get-go. Use what you have. Some Bookstagrammers don’t even take book photos, they use Canva to create book-related content! I’ll break down the steps that go into posting here.
Find your Bookstagram style
There are so many styles of Bookstagram out there. As I said earlier, some accounts don’t even take book photos but use Canva to create their content. Others have beautifully curated aesthetic flatlays or lifestyle images. Some accounts don’t exclusively post about books but also travel or personal content. There is no limit, so curate your account in a way that feels authentic to you and not by what is popular.
It’s completely okay to change your style over time. Just look at how my Bookstagram has evolved over the year! And I’ll probably change it still over the next year.
November
April
November
Bookstagram post ideas
It can be a little daunting coming into the Bookstagram space as a “newbie”, but I promise you it doesn’t have to be. Browse the Bookstagram community and see what others are posting to get an idea of the types of posts you can make. You can start off with book reviews, book lists, shelfies or anything else and grow from there.
If you get really stuck, you might find this post I created on Bookstagram content ideas handy!
Instagram offers so many ways to make content and you should experiment with all of them. Static posts, carousels, reels, lives, stories and guides!
RELATED: 30 Days of Bookstagram Content Ideas
Editing your Bookstagram photos
One of, if not the best way to grow sustainably and successfully on Bookstagram is to have a cohesive feed.
You want to be using the same, if not similar editing techniques on all of your photos. This applies to Canva as well, you want to be using the same colours, style and typography on your Bookstagram photos. What this achieves is memorability. You want people to see your post in their feed and know straight away who that post belongs to.
What you don’t want is to have a light and airy photo, and then a dark and moody photo, and then a photo that looks like it was snapped in the heat of the moment. If you’re looking to just share your love for books without caring about growing your audience, that is absolutely fine! But if you’re looking to grow organically, having an aesthetically pleasing Bookstagram feed is important.
For a comprehensive guide to taking Bookstagram photos, check out my post How to Take Aesthetic Bookstagram Photos.
Marketing tips for a successful bookstagram
I’ve worked in marketing as a day job for almost a decade. So I wanted to give you some tips and tricks to help you grow your Bookstagram organically and be successful.
Use Hashtags
Hashtags are one of the oldest ways Instagram has to detect content. While they’re becoming less relevant over the years, they’re still a valuable way to gain attention to your Bookstagram account. Around 7-10% of engagement on each of my posts comes from hashtags.
Check out my post on Hashtags for Bookstagram for a comprehensive guide. But a rule of thumb, is no more than 25 hashtags per post, ideally around 10-15 per post.
Utilise music on posts
This is such an under utilised feature! One thing I get complimented on a lot is the music I choose for my posts. My feed is dark, moody and witchy so I utilise dark, moody and witchy music on my posts. It is an extension of my branding and a way to extend my aesthetic to auditory as well as visual. It is something people remember me for.
Engage
Instagram is a social platform. You won’t be able to grow your Bookstagram account without engaging with other Bookstagram accounts in the community. Build authentic relationships, like, comment and share other users’ content. I’ve actually made some real life friends through Bookstagram and I wasn’t engaging with the mentality of using them for growth. Be authentic and open to new friendships.
Stay consistent
The Instagram algorithm is like a plant, you need to feed and water the plant for it to give back to you. In my experience, it doesn’t matter how many times a week you post, so long as you’re consistent and active. If you can only post twice a week, make sure you’re posting at consistent times and days so the algorithm knows when to expect content from you.
In the same vein, keep your posting subject consistent. If you’re posting solely about books and suddenly you post about crochet, be prepared for a drop in engagement because that’s not what your audience expects from you and it may not resonate with them.
Is it possible to be successful on bookstagram in 2024?
Okay, time for my two cents! I believe it is absolutely possible. Not only is it possible, but it’s a fantastic time to start. Bookstagram continues to rise in popularity at the time of writing this with new accounts popping up all the time and really winning.
Sure, the space might be saturated, but there is no one else like you in the world. I believe so long as you’re making content you enjoy and that feels authentic and sustainable to you, growth will come. If you want to start a Bookstagram account purely for romantasy books, do it! But put your own spin on your account.
Good luck! If you have any questions, I’m always available to email at hello@starsandvellum.com
