Hi Lykkers! If you're a book lover looking for your next great read, you've probably come across BookTok—one of the hottest trends on TikTok right now!

Curious about how it all started and how it has evolved? Let's dive in!

The Evolution of BookTok

BookTok originated in 2020 in the United States, where content creators began sharing their passion for books and discussing their literary tastes.

The use of short videos describing a book quickly, often leveraging emotions, led to the rapid expansion of this trend. In 2021, the trend spread globally with the use of the new hashtag "BookTok," which introduced millions of people to this trend, allowing them to engage with it as visitors or video content creators.

The popularity of hashtags like #booktokrecommendations and #bookish facilitated the organization of catalogs through hashtags, enabling users to filter out only the most relevant content. Recently, the significance of this trend led the best bookstores in Italy and around the world to create sections within their online and offline stores where the most talked-about books of the moment can be found.

The tremendous interest in this type of content has fueled the trend's organic and steady growth without experiencing negative spikes. This progress is attributed, in large part, to the BookTokers who have continued to evolve their content over the years, enhancing all aspects and introducing new formats into their videos.

Popular BookTok Formats

What made this trend famous were undoubtedly some hashtags and formats that garnered success over time, attracting tens of millions of views and interactions. But what are they?

#BookRecommendations: BookTokers created short videos recommending books based on specific themes, such as "books for summer reading" or "books that make you laugh."

#BookReview: BookTokers shared their reviews, offering an overview of the plots, characters, and their personal opinions on the books read.

#BookHaul: BookTokers enthusiastically showcased the latest books they had purchased or received, creating a sort of literary "unboxing."

#BookTokChallenge: Challenges could be directed at both BookTokers and their followers, initiating a challenge with their favorite influencer. One of the most famous challenge formats is "How many books can I read in 24 hours."

Advertising on BookTok

With the increased visibility and influence of BookTok, the publishing industry and marketing professionals began to recognize the importance of promoting books through this trend, starting to collaborate with BookTokers. To efficiently advertise a book on TikTok, trust must be established between BookTokers and their followers. This is crucial to ensure that sponsored content has a high conversion rate.

The advertising content created falls mainly into two categories:

Stories: BookTokers are tasked with creating a 1-minute video narrating the plot of the advertised book in an engaging and suspenseful manner, urging followers to purchase the book to find out how the story unfolds.

Interviews: In this type of content, advertising is done through conversations between the BookToker and the author of the promoted book, focusing on the book's themes and its meaning.

The Impact of BookTok on the Publishing Sector

BookTok has had a notable influence on the publishing world, with positive signals that have not gone unnoticed.

Let's examine some key aspects of the BookTok phenomenon's impact on the publishing sector:

Increase in sales - Compared to the first five months of 2019, sales in 2023 have grown by 16.7% in market value and 15.3% in the number of copies sold (Italian Publishers Association). Small and medium-sized publishers have benefitted the most, as this trend shift has enabled them to compete with larger publishing houses, despite having a smaller budget for promoting and distributing new releases.

Discovery of new titles and authors - Thanks to BookTok, book enthusiasts have had the opportunity to discover new titles and authors that might have otherwise escaped their attention. Through recommendation videos and reading discussions, BookTok has diversified reading choices and brought niche books or emerging authors to light.

Innovation in book promotion - The advent of this trend introduced a new method for promoting books, moving away from traditional written reviews that had caused younger audiences to drift from the world of books before the pandemic and the trend explosion.

BookTok and Criticisms

Despite the tremendous success and increased interest in reading brought about by BookTok, criticisms have emerged. Let's explore the two main criticisms directed at the trend:

Superficiality in brief reviews - The creation of short video reviews condensed into a few seconds has led many book enthusiasts to shy away from this type of content, considering them mostly superficial and incomplete. Need for critical evaluation - Videos often appealing to the emotions of the BookToker have prompted critics to express concerns about the influence of personal taste on book choices. Critics caution against allowing others' preferences to unduly sway individual preferences.

Overall, while critics acknowledge that this trend is not entirely detrimental, they highlight mechanisms within it that might distort the outcome of a good reading experience. They recommend approaching such content as inspiration rather than definitive judgement.

Final Thoughts

This trend is all about book enthusiasts creating short, engaging video reviews to help fellow readers discover new favorites. Over time, these passionate creators have even earned their own title—BookTokers. What makes BookTok special is its strong, tight-knit community, united by a shared love for reading.