I absolutely love the corner of Instagram that is Bookstagram. It’s the most welcoming online space I’ve found and packed to the brim with book enthusiasts and bookish content creators. I’ve had a number of questions about it as a platform recently including what it is and how to get started as well as how to grow on the platform so I’ve put together a complete guide to Bookstagram Playbook series. This series will cover everything from getting started and finding your niche to branding and influencer partnerships (how to get free books from Bookstagram).
This blog is your starting point with a one-stop guide to what ‘Book Instagram’ is and how to get started. So without further ado, here we go!
What is Bookstagram?
Bookstagram is a section of the popular social media platform Instagram that primarily focuses on books and book-related conversations as well as the publishing industry as a whole.
Similar to Tiktok’s Booktok, there are countless Instagram accounts devoted to a love of book and talking about them. You can find recent posts using the #bookstagram hashtag. The best Bookstagram accounts incorporate book reviews and themed stacks and open a wider discussion on reading as a hobby.
Do I Need a Bookstagram Instagram or Can I Just Post on My Normal Instagram Page?
The good news is, it’s up to you! Your Instagram page for books can of course be fed through your own personal Instagram, a number of content creators pivot their own pages into a bookish lifestyle aesthetic and it works great for them!
However, many Bookstagrammers choose to create a dedicated bookstagram account which will allow them to niche down their focus and share unashamedly book-related posts without spamming family members or filtering down their core focus. For example, check out my Bookstagram grid in the image below. I’m over at @travelling_pageturner, my dedicated Bookstagram page.
How to Get Started On Bookstagram
Getting started on Bookstagram is simple! Once you’re on the platform you’ll realise what a lovely community it is and as long as you know generally how to work Instagram, you’ll be fine getting setup. I’ve popped a quick Bookstagram Account Setup Checklist to get you started below. I’ve also popped together a quick free downloadable Bookstagram start checklist.
1. Choose Your Niche. Yes we know you love books or why would you be here? However, the best pages share their personal passions without a one-size-fits all approach. Are you a classic fan or are you obsessed with thrillers? Do you fall for enemies to lovers every time or are you a Romantasy girlie? Your preferences will change but if you have a think about what you love before you get started, it will help direct your content and generate ideas once you’re up and running.
2. Choose a Handle. Your handle is how everyone on the platform will see you and find your page. There are plenty of tools out there to help you find a social media handle name and I’ll be covering how to find Bookstagram name ideas and build your brand in an upcoming blog. You’ll also need to choose your profile image and upload this to your new profile once you’ve chosen your handle.
3. Brainstorm a Few Bookstagram Post Ideas. You know your niche, now comes the idea-generating. I’ll post a full guide to generating Bookstagram post ideas later on but jot down some initial ideas such as themed book stacks, top book recommendations or books that have stuck with you to get some initial post ideas fleshed out that fit your niche. Have a look at other top Bookstagrammers out there to see the type of things they are posting and try to find a way to make them your own with your own spin.
4. Now you have an idea about who you are an what you’ll be posting, it’s time to Optimise Your Bookstagram Bio. Make sure your name is front and centre and include what viewers should expect from your page in your Bookstagram bio. Try to avoid weird fonts or overloading on hashtags and keep it fun!
5. Create a Link to Important Links from Your Bio such as a blog you might have or your Amazon wishlist (a must for Bookstagram competition wins). You can host a page on your blog if you have one but I use Lnk.Bio as it’s super easy to manage. Here’s what mine looks like. There are plenty of other options out there though so choose one that fits your needs.
6. Create Your First ‘Introduce Yourself’ Post for your new page. Create your very first post on Bookstagram including a bit about yourself and what to expect from your page. You can include facts about yourself such as what genres or hobbies you love and invite other book-lovers to join your journey. Use hashtags such as #newbookstagrammer so people can find you but don’t overload your post with too many Bookstagram hashtags to avoid Instagram seeing your post as spammy. Once you’re happy, set it live!
7. Find Some Friends. It’s time to follow some Bookstagrammers! Find some bookish feeds you love and pop them a follow, if you have any friends on the platform, give them a follow and show their posts some love. Please avoid following to unfollow to build your account followers numbers, this is a bug-bear of mine and isn’t great for the community!
8. Engage! Building a Bookstagram is all about angaging with other creators and sharing book recommendations and reading goals. If you don’t engage with other Instagrammers, you will probably not get much engagement on your own posts so comment on posts you love, start a conversation in the comments and share ideas you’ve loved!
Growing Your Bookstagram
There is no single-track way to building an online community and growing an instagram page for bookish content. However, I’ve picked up some tips and tricks along the way and will share some ways to grow and engage with the platform in the next few blogs in this series as well as some Bookstagram post ideas for when you need inspiration about what to post and how to get collabs as a creator.
Travelling-Pageturner 
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