Publishers are paying influencers to promote books on TikTok. Learn about how BookTok works, how much it pays, and see if you should check it out.
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If you’re an avid reader, getting paid thousands to read probably sounds amazing. My Kindle goes with me everywhere, and I wouldn’t definitely mind some extra cash to talk about my favorite books.
Thanks to a TikTok trend called BookTok, that’s no longer just a wild dream. Some content creators who talk about books, known as BookTokers, are earning $1,000, $2,000, or more per video, according to Vox. Whether you’re interested in getting some new book recs or becoming a BookToker yourself, here’s what you need to know.
How BookTok works
BookTok is a community on TikTok and a relatively new form of influencer marketing. Book enthusiasts build followings on TikTok with reviews, commentary, and reactions to what they’re reading. If a publisher wants to promote a new release, it can hire a BookToker to discuss it on their channel.
For publishers, BookTok has proven to be an effective method for selling books, and that’s hard to come by. In its article on BookTok, Vox reported that the U.S. book market generally grew by about 3% to 4% per year before the pandemic. There was a surge in book sales from 2019 to 2021, but in 2023, book sales had declined by about 1%, according to Circana.
The exception to that decline is the authors who have been promoted on BookTok. They’ve seen an increase of 43% compared to their 2022 sales figures. Booksellers have jumped on the trend, with Barnes and Noble highlighting popular titles from BookTok online and in stores.
Because of how useful BookTok is for promoting books, popular content creators can earn quite a bit of money. Multiple BookTokers told Vox that they’re normally paid about $2,000 per video. One said she charges $2,000 per video and $4,000 if publishers want usage rights, meaning the option to use the video as an ad or repost it on their channels. BookTok has definitely been valuable from a personal finance standpoint, at least for creators whose channels have taken off.
The good and bad of BookTok
The general consensus on BookTok is that anything that encourages people to read is a good thing. Many readers like that they’re able to find books they otherwise wouldn’t through BookTok, such as titles by indie or self-published authors. It has clearly benefited those authors, as well, bringing them far more exposure and sales.
BookTok has also been huge for booksellers and the publishing industry. From Barnes and Noble to small bookshops, the increase in sales has helped booksellers of all shapes and sizes.
Not everyone loves BookTok, though, and it does have its downsides. The biggest issue is one that comes up with just about any form of influencer marketing. Does that influencer really like what they’re promoting, or are they doing it for the cash? Most BookTokers are probably honest about this, but it’s fair to assume that some of them promote books for the money, whether they’ve read them and liked them or not.
Members of book communities on sites like Reddit have also voiced criticisms of BookTok’s influence on publishers. Specifically, they’ve mentioned how it now has a significant impact on which books get published and which don’t, and that it’s causing publishers to gravitate toward books with the right tropes to go viral.
There have also been complaints about how the same books and authors tend to get recommended often, so it becomes an echo chamber. However, this depends in part on which BookTokers you follow.
Is BookTok a good way to make money?
It’s certainly possible to make money and pad your bank account on BookTok, but like any type of influencer marketing, it’s not nearly as simple as it appears on the surface.
Successful BookTokers aren’t just reading, posting a quick video about the book, and raking in the cash. There’s much more work involved, and quite a bit of it isn’t related to reading. You’ll need to research ways to attract viewers, such as hashtags, sound effects, and the latest video trends. You’ll also need to spend a lot of time creating and curating your content. That includes producing it, posting new videos often, and interacting with followers.
Keep in mind also that just because BookTok is hot now doesn’t mean it will stay that way forever. It could be a flash in the pan, in which case publishers would stop paying as much. TikTok could start losing popularity, or the app could even be banned in the United States.
If you want to share your passion about reading, then being a BookToker may be worth a try. Go in with the understanding that building a successful channel isn’t easy, and that there’s no guarantee BookTok will continue to be this profitable in the future. Since it isn’t the most reliable way to make money, it’s only something you should get into if you’re truly passionate about the subject.
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