We thought it was time that we did a book marketing podcast episode on TikTok because while we realize it’s not a new-new platform per se, as social media sites go it’s relatively young, and it’s gotten such great buzz. Especially with the #BookTok hashtag building so much interest for books- which we always love!
How TikTok Impacted The Book Industry
What really got me really interested in the #BookTok hashtag was when I started seeing specific #BookTok tables at major book retailers like Barnes & Noble. And what was happening (or what IS happening) was these retailers were curating content from TikTok via the #BookTok hashtag, which helped to drive author interest to the platform.
Essentially, retailers and other platforms with a big reach are excited about tapping into TikTok because they feel it’s a great way to stay on top of trends in certain demographics – instead of only relying on costly market research.
Should I Be On TikTok?
We say it all the time, everything you put out there is your brand. You don’t want to promote something you’re not proud of. And you don’t have to be everywhere, just everywhere that matters. So while TikTok has carved out a unique niche for itself, you have to understand that like every other social platform, you will be judged based on your content – so you want to be really smart about how you plan to use and more importantly, you need to do your research to ensure that’s really where your people are hanging out, otherwise you can funnel a lot of time into something that won’t give you a realistic return for your efforts.
If you feel your demographic warrants exploring your options on TikTok, you definitely want to start by using the platform the way your readers would. So find hashtags that are relevant to your genre or topic, and start following accounts that are performing really well for those hashtags. Get to know the kind of content that’s working. This is your market research and your TikTok education in action.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this episode of our book marketing podcast and gained some insight into all things TikTok! Make sure to follow me @Iamtherealbookgal! I will be trying my hand at some of these recommendations as well!
New episodes of our book marketing podcast go live every other Friday! You can stream full episodes from our website or wherever you listen to podcasts. Plus, you’ll want to follow us on your preferred podcast platform to catch our helpful- and often hilarious- minisodes!
Resources and Free Downloads
6 Strategic Benefits to Self-Publishing an eBook
The Real Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing a Book: Book Marketing Podcast Episode
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