I often get questions about how to get started with Booktok. Personal questions like how did I begin my own channel: where my main focus is Dutch literature and young adult books, as well as more general questions. In this blog post I will share my best advice on how to get started with Booktok. In my opinion, the most important thing is staying true to yourself.

#1 Now is the best time to get started on Booktok

I started on Booktok during one of the first lockdowns during COVID-19. Tiktok was at his highest peak and everyone needed to stay inside most of the time due to quarantine. We all know what happened then: people started picking up new hobbies. And for a lot of people that was reading. I was lucky at the time when I started my channel: it was the perfect time. But because we can’t turn back time (thankfully, when we look at Covid times), the best advice about how to get started with Booktok is: start now. The perfect time will not come, the only perfect time is now.

“The best advice about how to get started with booktok is: start now”

Create an account dedicated to books and start creating content. It’s scary, but if you want to start a Booktok account that’s the best, and first, step. Still a bit too scary at first? You can also start with videos where you don’t show your face yet. Once you’ve settled in a bit, you can make it more personal. It’s your channel and it’s your choice.

#2 – Stay true to yourself

One of the biggest pitfalls of novice Booktokers is that they only make videos about the most popular titles. And that makes sense, because videos about Twisted Love and It Ends With Us will probably also fill your own For You page. Booktokers get a lot of likes with those types of videos.

Still, my best advice is to stay true to yourself. Share what you really read, look at titles that you don’t often see online and make a video about them. I have noticed that people really appreciate it when you recommend books that you genuinely are enthusiastic about, even if they don’t know that specific book yet. They get to know it through you! And because of all your original tips (and enthusiasm about it), they will start following you. TikTok is about personal connections and if people trust you and like your taste in books, they will come to you.

#3 – Find your own niche on Booktok and interact

Let’s be real: nothing is more fun than receiving an original book recommendation instead of yet another lyrical video about the most popular fantasy book of the moment. Although combining both is perfectly fine, my personal favorite Booktokers are people that will share original titles and have their own taste. I also love to explore niches like Booktokers who read literary fiction, because yes: literary fiction is also a part of Booktok.

“Interact with smaller accounts, help each other grow and just have fun”

My advice? Dive into Booktok before and as you start your Booktok account. Find Booktokers who read the same books as you. That’s how you can find your niche, from fantasy to thrillers or manga – everything is on Booktok. If it’s not on your FYP yet, it’s time for another deep dive! Interact with smaller accounts, help each other grow and just have fun. Niche-ing down doesn’t mean you can’t post about manga if you normally post about romance books, it’s about finding out what you stand for. I personally combine YA and Dutch literature on my account and that works well. If you are someone who reads manga and romance, make your channel about both genres and put this in your bio. On Booktok there are so many accounts, it’s nice to have an account where it’s clear what to expect.

#4 – Try different forms of content

First it was all about short videos on TikTok, nowadays gallery posts and longer videos are also popular. When you start, it’s important to try different forms of content. Try things out and find out what feels good for you and what works. A combination of gallery posts and videos is a good thing to start with! For longer videos it’s important that you are strict with editing and make it worth watching. A long talking video or vlog can be fine, as long as you cut out the parts where you might talk too long about the book. Keep in mind: would I watch this kind of video if this was on my FYP? Keep it catchy.

#5 – Quality over quantity

When I see Booktokers talk about their ways of how to get started on Booktok, it’s always about posting every day or multiple times a day. They say that will help you grow. I think that’s a misconception. It’s way better to have one video of high quality than 10 videos where you just jump on a trend or use a popular Capcut template. Remember that you don’t have to post all the time. Have fun on TikTok, make a video whenever you want. 2 to 3 times a week is fine if you are just getting started, just make sure that the video screams what you want to express with your account.