Last week, I discussed what you needed to get started with Bookstagram. This week, I wanted to give you some advice or I should say, 5 things you should keep in mind to grow your Bookstagram. Again, a Bookstagram is an Instagram account dedicated to books. So let me explain what you should keep in mind when you’re starting a Bookstagram.

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#Bookstagram 101

5 things you should keep in mind on a daily basis to grow your Bookstagram

 

 

 

Bookstagram – What is it?

 

Bookstagram, as mentioned before, is a (usually public) Instagram account dedicated to your love for books regardless of the genre. The idea behind this creative outlet is to connect with other book lovers.

This is a fantastic opportunity to share book recommendations, find out about book trends, and discuss your passion for a specific genre, a particular book, or even an author with like-minded individuals. If you want an example, here is my Bookstagram.

 

What are the 5 things you should keep in mind to grow your Bookstagram?

 

Quality over quantity – Be patient!

Instagram is well-known for being a different kind of social platform. The growth is usually slower than anywhere else. One fundamental aspect of Instagram is that this is a picture-based platform. I know this sounds like, “Dah, why would you even say that?”

Because a bookstagram is not only about taking a picture of a book. It could be, but chances are you won’t see much of a growth. It’s a little harsh, but that’s the truth. Your picture doesn’t have to compete against award-winning pictures in any way, but they need to be nice to watch.

Go to the discovery page, and look at what other influencers do. It’ll give you an idea. It does take some trial and error to make it work, so take your time. Not everyone has a creative mind. I know I can’t compete with some bookstagrammers, and I don’t try. I’m not interested in it. I only take pictures I feel strongly about. It’s my style, and you need to find yours. You need to take a picture you’re proud to show off.

It won’t happen overnight. Be patient with yourself! Sometimes, it’ll take 10 or 20 pictures to get one right. Some days, you’ll be inspired, and some, it will be an epic fail. The number of likes doesn’t matter. Focus on getting pictures out there that you genuinely love.

 

Be consistent with your pictures

One of the most important aspects of Bookstagram is consistency. Having a theme does help. It could be a color, a season, being outside, or including a book in your daily activities. Whatever works for you, but when you start with a theme, it’s better to stick to it. It’s nice to look at a feed that is coherent. They all have their own style. You need to find what works for you.

Here are a few examples:

 

Publish consistently

All marketers out there will tell you that depending on the social platform, there is a certain amount of posts you need to publish a day to ensure growth. For Instagram, it’s once a day. 

I know, I know! “This is too much!” And it might be for most of you. It is for me most of the time. What I would recommend is to take pictures in batches. Maybe take 7 pictures over the weekend. You can even edit them, prepare the caption, and save them in your drafts. The only thing you’ll need to do over the week is to press Publish.

 

Don’t forget Hashtags!

Hashtags are very important. They are your backlinks and will bring visitors interested in the topic to your feed. With the new algorithm, make sure to include your hashtags in the caption, not in the comment section.

Don’t know what hashtags to use? Look up similar pictures and look at their hashtags. Are you into mystery, thrillers, YA, MG? I would say use between 11 to 20 hashtags, no more, no less. Marketers said 11 was the minimum to optimize your picture’s broadcast.

Keep in mind that with the new algorithm, you may have pictures that perform well or not at all. Don’t think too much about it. I had a picture this week that blew my feed away, and I have no idea why. Like any social media, make sure to be consistent. It’ll pay off over time.

 

 

Optional: Use an app to add your Instagram handle on your pictures

This is optional, but as your pictures are seen by more people, you are also more exposed to individuals who will repost your pictures without proper credit. This is stealing! There are no other words. Whether it’s intentional or not, someone else taking credit for your work is never ok, so make sure to protect your work.

I personally use Canva. If you take a look at my feed, all my most recent pictures have my name on it. After learning this part the hard way, I decided to make sure that none of my pictures goes out with it anymore.

 

 

Do you have a Bookstagram? Drop a link to your profile in the comment, and I will follow you. This community is about sharing and reciprocation. I usually like and comment on anyone’s page. You take the time to do it for me, so I will too.

 

For authors, Instagram is a great platform to promote your books. Here are 35 ideas.

 

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The most important part is to have fun and make friends. This is a fantastic community and they are worth getting to know. I’ve read great books thanks to them. You can vent if you need to, they’ll be here to listen (as long as you’re doing it in a respectful manner). BE YOU! 

 

Happy Reading all!

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