Harnessing "influencer" culture to get young people reading

[KateESal]

We had a thread a month or two back about the rise of "Booktok": booklovers using the TikTok platform in innovative ways to share their book passions...and promote them to other readers at the same time.

This is an interesting extension of the trend, with a YA author using BookTok and reader interaction to massively bump up interest in her forthcoming title.

Given that publishers and their publicity depts need to think outside the box to capture and hopefully grow a shrinking market (readers!) I hope they're paying attention....

 

[Hannah Faoileán]

We had a thread a month or two back about the rise of "Booktok": booklovers using the TikTok platform in innovative ways to share their book passions...and promote them to other readers at the same time.

This is an interesting extension of the trend, with a YA author using BookTok and reader interaction to massively bump up interest in her forthcoming title.

Given that publishers and their publicity depts need to think outside the box to capture and hopefully grow a shrinking market (readers!) I hope they're paying attention....

Now, let me see. If I age ** years younger, drop a smash-hit song and/or lypsync dance to say, Duolipa, then I have a good chance!!

 

[Jonny]

What about an ageing Irishman in a string vest and Y-fronts howling at the moon and waving my manuscript around? That could go viral? Yeah?

 

[KateESal]

Now, let me see. If I age ** years younger, drop a smash-hit song and/or lypsync dance to say, Duolipa, then I have a good chance!!

Piece of cake!!

Or, you could hire a bona fide young person to do it for you....

What about an ageing Irishman in a string vest and Y-fronts howling at the moon and waving my manuscript around? That could go viral? Yeah?

I actually think that WOULD go viral

 

[Jonny]

I actually think that WOULD go viral

**Downloads TikTok - prints off manuscript - waits for nightfall**

 

[Emily]

Full moon approaching, @Jonny...

 

[Jonny]

Full moon approaching, @Jonny...

Arh arh arh arhoooooooooooooooow!

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

We had a thread a month or two back about the rise of "Booktok": booklovers using the TikTok platform in innovative ways to share their book passions...and promote them to other readers at the same time.

This is an interesting extension of the trend, with a YA author using BookTok and reader interaction to massively bump up interest in her forthcoming title.

Given that publishers and their publicity depts need to think outside the box to capture and hopefully grow a shrinking market (readers!) I hope they're paying attention....

I've just spotted this thread. Funnily enough, my daughter has been badgering me to get involved in TikTok (we hadn't heard of BookTok then). She's just started putting stuff (watercolours and/or animations) up for herself and is getting thousands of views. TikTok
I'm not keen on being seen on any social media (I might break it, besides, I'm not prepared to get botoxed). I think it'll only really work for my YA stuff (not the memoirs... young people don't want to hear from an old fart like me on TikTok).

In general, like with all platforms, some content is really very good, but you have to search for specific things, not get caught up in the flotsam and jetsam that generally muddy the waters of the social media oceans.

 

[KateESal]

She's just started putting stuff (watercolours and/or animations) up for herself and is getting thousands of views.

I can see why! Her stuff looks great