The publishing industry will always be a diverse and booming industry, with over a million books published each year within the United States. As these publishers and book retailers become more and more competitive, a lot of them are now moving over to TikTok in order to better promote their books. In turn, a new genre of influencer marketing known as ‘BookTok’ has become prevalent within the last two years. But what is this new genre and who are the influencers associated with it? Netinfluencer dives deep into the most popular BookTok influencers on TikTok.

How is TikTok increasing book sales?

During August 2020, many prolific authors such as Adam Silvera and Madeline Miller, saw a noticeable spike in book sales, despite their books being published a few years earlier. It seemed that many influencers were turning to TikTok to discuss their favorite books with their fans, creating a virtual book club that would soon become a successful trend.

Creators then began using #BookTok to recommend a selection of older books, helping them gain a new lease of life. In fact, some stories such as Adam Silvera’s ‘They Both Die At The End’, reclaimed their spot on the New York Times Bestseller List, four years after it was first published.

Even large book retailers such as Barnes & Noble have seen the impact of BookTok. When they noticed an increase in sales due to TikTok, the retailer decided to create an in-store section dedicated solely to BookTok recommendations. This monumental trend proves that TikTok is a very influential marketing platform, helping to blend the rapid growth associated with digital marketing with the long-lasting popularity of published texts.

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Popular BookTok Influencers

The BookTok hashtag has amassed an incredible 12.6 billion views, proving that this is a dedicated and engaging community. As new areas of TikTok begin to blossom, a new generation of influencers follows along with it. Here are the most popular BookTok influencers on TikTok.

jack_edwards

Jack Edwards has built up a plethora of popular social media platforms since the age of 18. Now at 23, he is using TikTok to share his love of literature as well as promote his own endeavors. Edwards reviews an array of contemporary novels such as ‘Transcendent Kingdom’ by Yaa Gyasi, rates them out of five.

This influencer also has his own stationery brand called Ink Outside The Box, where he sells unique academic planners and study materials. Despite only posting his first video in December 2019, Jack Edwards has managed to gain an amazing 176,000 followers and an additional 867,000 subscribers on YouTube.

@jack_edwards so I bought Cain’s Jawbone and tried to solve it #booktok #cainsjawbone ♬ original sound – Jack Edwards

maevebooks

This influencer enjoys a wide range of books, helping her 40.6K followers find their next best read. maevebooks recommends books based on genre, writing style and even recommends texts based on popular TikTok sounds. Their bookshelf seems to span for miles, holding a selection of books from an assortment of authors. maevebooks has managed to build a strong sense of community within her comment section, allowing followers to ask questions about a selection of books.

Moreover, they also include a collection of trigger warnings associated with each book, ensuring that their followers remain comfortable when viewing their content. This creator also uses GoodReads to give a more in-depth review of particular books for their followers to enjoy. 

sophiareadstoomuch

This BookTok influencer is on a hefty quest to read 100 books in one year. sophiareadstoomuch connects with her 53,000 followers to discuss some of the most popular books on the market. Instead of giving a straightforward review of each text, this influencer discusses which type of reader the book is most suited for.

For example, they recommend texts such as ‘Conversations with Friends’ by Sally Rooney for those who ‘always love the books that people either love or hate.’ sophoareadstoomuch first started making videos in January 2021, within a year she built up an expansive collection of books and is one of the most successful BookTok influencers. They also have a Depop shop, where they sell their unwanted books to their avid followers.

@sophiareadstoomuch i want to make one of these for every one of my favorite books #booktok #sadbookrecs #favoritebooks #literaryfiction #favbook ♬ original sound – lauren📚

oatmilkleader

oatmilkleader, also known as Mary Steven, is a London-based influencer who uses TikTok to document the ups and downs of her daily life. In between her daily gym sessions and coffee shop hunting, Steven enjoys reading the latest novels and sharing her thoughts with her 166,000 followers. Most recently, she shared her praises of the acclaimed novel from Colleen Hoover, ‘Verity’.  Mary also has a successful podcast called ‘Life Gets Weird’, where she gives more in-depth book reviews as well as discusses a range of topics. 

@oatmilkleader

♬ original sound – mary steven

lexis_bookshelf

lexis_bookshelf is not afraid to show every emotion when reviewing her latest book. With over 12,000 followers, this BookTok influencer shares her favorite quotations from books and blends them with popular sounds on the app. Lexis_bookshef also makes humorous videos mocking cliche tropes and reenacts various scenes for her followers to relate to.

Even with a slightly smaller follower count, this influencer is still able to connect with them on an intrinsic level, partaking in giveaways and other discussions through the comment section. This influencer is dedicated to shining a light on novels with a same gendered romance such as The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder.

@lexis_bookshelf Velaris’ citizens;🧍#lexisbookshelf #booktok #fyp #reading #booktoker #bookworm #bookish #fypシ #acotar #feyreandrhysand #romance #plot #smutt ♬ original sound – carlos ♚

raynaslibrary

Rayna enjoys delving into the nuances of each book, using an array of tabs and highlighters to annotate her texts. She uses TikTok to promote books that are part of a series, diversifying herself from other BookTokers. raynaslibrary uses high-quality video effects to create a more immersive experience for her 75,000 followers.

For example, she often places a collection of transparent black and white video clips over videos of her flipping through a book. This allows for a variety of images to come alive as the pages are being turned. They also use Instagram to comment on books such as ‘Most of All’ by Mia Sheridan and share a more in-depth review with their fans.

@raynaslibrary in my opinion 🤍 #rayslibraryy #booktok #booklover #books #bookish #bookworm #bookrecs #bookseries #series #bookrecommendations #booktokfyp #fyp ♬ оригинальный звук – speed songs in my heart 💌

shopcatalog

shopcatalog is an online retailer that draws upon an abundance of creative minds in order to produce a variety of original books, clothing, and stationery. This brand uses TikTok to show off their products in more detail and offer a more interactive space for creatives to grow in. shopcatalog recommends books based on their readers’ emotional state, helping their 36.3K followers find just what they need.

For example, they suggested ‘What I Wish I Knew About Love’ by Kirstie Taylor and ‘Your Heart Will Heal’ by Chrissy Stockton for those who are going through a breakup. Shopcatalog’s success within the BookTok community shows that the platform is a suitable place to promote unconventional books that would otherwise be overlooked by widespread retailers.

@shopcatalog you are meant to read this. 🤍 #thisisyoursign #messageforyou #trustyourjourney #inspiringquotes ♬ gymnopédie no.1 – Edits

literarylola

This BookTok influencer loves to buy the latest novels as soon as they hit the shelves, creating various book haul videos. literarylola has nearly 68,000 followers, giving her a suitable platform to share her love of reading.

Each month, this influencer completes a reading wrap-up, where they give summaries and reviews of all of the books that they read that month. literarylola also has a budding YouTube channel with nearly 2,000 subscribers. Here she shares how she balances her love of reading with her busy schedule as a student. She also gives reviews of books such as The Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham.

@literarylola_ Spice without tension is useless \ud83e\udd23 (also my voice is 95% back \ud83e\udd73) #booktok #spicybooks #theravenhoodseries #thesinnersduet #ter ♬ original sound – Literarylola

As BookTok continues to positively impact book sales across the world, we must not forget how influential TikTok can be for many creatives. This platform has helped a variety of influencers and brands reach untapped markets and unlimited potential. To discover more about how TikTok can boost your influencer marketing strategy, visit our website.