How To Start A Bookstagram (7 Beginner Friendly Steps)

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How To Start A Bookstagram (7 Beginner Friendly Steps)

Wondering how to start a bookstagram? The whole idea of starting something new that may take up your time and commitment can be overwhelming. 

I know this because I was once just like you googling on how to bookstagram and if I should invest time and effort in something that has become saturated in the past couple of years.

This is why i’m writing this article, to put all my knowledge in one place for you to decide if this is something you want to start! 

Is starting a bookstagram worth it? 

In my opinion, yes.

Bookstagram has connected me to many like-minded people. Not only that, I’ve met people online that have very different interests in book genres and they have opened my eyes to a whole new world of books! 

If you’re really driven, this can also become a source of income and yes, you can get free books too (more to learn in this article)!

Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. They are of NO EXTRA COST to you. Thank you for supporting my blog and I hope this informations helps you!

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Bookstagram Tools And Resources

Canva (free editing app with thousands of templates for bookstagram posts and stories!)

Tailwind (free scheduling tool so you can schedule all your posts and get on with your busy day!)

VSCO editing app (all my photos on my blog and bookstagram is edited using VSCO)

Lightroom Presets (if you don’t want to purchase VSCO, you can get affordable presets for the FREE lightroom app)

FREE Bookstagram Templates (to help with engagement)

More Bookstagram Tips

What Is Bookstagram And Why Start One?

For those of you who are interested in how to start a bookstagram you’ve probably already heard about what a bookstagram is, but to put it into simpler words a bookstagram is also known as a “book instagram”.

It is basically Instagram for book lovers and bookstagrammers are essentially book influencers.

However, the #bookstagram community consists of more than just book influencers (book reviewers). They also consist of publishers, book distributors, authors, book sellers, online bookstores and physical bookstores.

So if you’re passionate about books and want to share book related content (we will explore some bookstagram post ideas in this article), this is a perfect creative outlet for you.

You may want to start a bookstagram because reading and collecting books is a hobby of yours.

You can also turn it into a serious business and make some money by being a book influencer that reviews books. 

Remembering your WHY is important as at times bookstagramming can demand a lot of mental strength as you may have to keep up with reading and posting. 

Either way, the platform is free for you to start your account anytime you’re ready! If you never try, you’ll never know if bookstagramming is for you. 

Can I Start A Bookstagram Using My Existing Personal Account?

Yes you can. 

This is something I did because I did not mind letting go of my personal account. I hardly post on it anyway, might as well start posting on books that I read about.

Step-By-Step Guide on How To Start A Bookstagram

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I recommend you saving or bookmarking this for you to refer to when starting your bookstagram account. 

This guide only consists of 7 steps but they are detailed. I’m also going to be including tips as a social media manager on ways you can efficiently maximise your bookstagram reach.

1. Pick A Bookstagram Niche

How to make a bookstagram? You should first consider what your bookstagram niche is.

You can niche down to specific genres, such as a romance bookstagram or a fantasy bookstagram. The benefit of doing this is that you will attract like minded readers.

For example, there are loads of YA fantasy readers on bookstagram and if you niche in that genre, it might be easier to grow you bookstagram. 

Meanwhile, niching in an uncommon bookish genre such as historical fiction romance (I am a huge fan but I don’t see many accounts niching in this until Bridgerton Netflix became a thing and now no one can stop talking about it!) may not be as popular.

Do you really need a bookstagram niche?

No, as long as you love books and consistently post bookish related content (step 2), that will do too. But the growth of your account may not be as fast as you would like it to be.

Either way, please do not force yourself to create a bookstagram in a niche you are not interested in. It will drain you and might lose your WHY in the first place. 

Talk about what you love. The bookish community on Instagram is large enough and it will be possible to find people that resonate with you.

2. Brainstorm Bookstagram Post Ideas 

how to start a bookstagram
Image from Brewing Writer

So once you’ve found your niche, it is time to think about bookstagram ideas.

Many guides would recommend you to pick a username or bookstagram handle first. 

But I do not recommend that. 

It would be more effective to brainstorm post ideas first to see if they are achievable before you commit to creating a whole account. 

To not overwhelm you, here are:

5 Easy Bookstagram Post Ideas To Get You Started

First Bookstagram Post Idea

A great way to introduce yourself would be to post a “meet the bookstagrammer” post.

If you need more bookstagram ideas, here are 20 more ideas.

Now that you’ve got ideas out of the way, let’s talk about bookstagram themes. 

Themes are important because they influence your post ideas.

It is not necessary to have one, but the majority of the bookstagram accounts have a theme. Mine has a lot of coffee in it! I love reading books while drinking a good hot latte. 

Having a bookstagram theme is a great way for you to showcase your personality!

Do not waste too much time thinking about themes! You can always change your theme in the near future. 

Too many people (including myself) spend too much time thinking about bookstagram themes and not actually creating the content which really delays you from starting a bookstagram.

5 Bookstagram Themes For Beginners (Checkout these accounts to inspire you)

Checkout these popular bookstagram presets to level up your post edits!

3. Choose A Bookstagram Name

People don’t think much about choosing a bookstagram name, but it is actually one of the most important steps in creating a bookstagram account.

A few bookstagram name idea tips:

  • Do not settle with the first name (do some research)
  • Do make sure the name is easy to spell and remember.
  • Do make sure the name is available on other social platforms (twitter, booktube, booktok) so that you have consistent branding across all platforms.
  • Do not change your bookstagram name too often (people might remember you by your username and not your actual name, you don’t want to lose followers)
  • Do make sure your bookstagram name is also available as a domain in case you’d like to set up a book blog in the future.

If you cannot find a good bookstagram name, try out bookstagram name generators to help you out.

Don’t want to make the same mistakes I did when I first chose my bookstagram name? Checkout this post. Here’s also 70 bookstagram name ideas for you.

4. Optimise Your Bookstagram Bio

bookstagram bio ideas

Your bookstagram bio is important because besides your posts, it gives the first impression to anyone who comes across your profile.

What should be in your bookstagram bio? Anything that reflects on what your bookstagram is about.

You want to make sure you give people a quick gist about your profile so they don’t bounce from your profile to another. 

You can see I included a quick one liner on my bookstagram, they’re also keywords so if anyone searches for writer, reader or coffee lover – there’s a chance i’ll be in the search results (this is called SEO).

In my case, I used my personal account so I added my blog/brand name beside my actual name (my blog name was taken on instagram, this is why I stress it is so important to pick a bookstagram name the right way.)

Make sure you go to settings and choose to be a creator account. This is important so you can have tools like analytics to dive into post and profile insights. 

It’ll really help you understand what’s working and what’s not working on your profile.

What are some other things you can include in your bookstagram bio?

  • Name
  • Age
  • Location
  • Book Goals/ Yearly Reading Count
  • Linktree (for multiple links, eg: to your blog, booktube and more)

For more ideas, checkout these bookstagram bio examples you can take inspiration from.

5. Start Taking Photos and Posting Them

how to start a bookstagram
Image from Brewing Writer

Obviously, because instagram is a photo and video sharing platform – you will need to know how to take bookstagram photos as it will be the main content of your bookstagram.

Once you’ve gotten good at taking photos, you can dive into other content formats such as reels, IGTVs and guides.

How To Take Bookstagram Photos (Things You Need)

how to start a bookstagrammer
Image from AMomentOfWhimsey Etsy

Besides taking photos, you can also use canva to design carousels (FREE) with information related to your book review, book influencer tips, or anything you think that is going to be more text focused. 

If you don’t want to make a carousel post, you can edit your image with some words/pointers like this post!

If you’re busy as a bee and you’re looking to schedule posts for your bookstagram, Tailwind is a FREE scheduler you don’t wanna miss out on.

6. Use Bookstagram Hashtags 

Do not underestimate the importance of hashtags for your bookstagram account. 

By using the right hashtags for each post, you’re allowing your post and profile to be discovered as they’re exposed to thousands of readers in the community.

Some bookstagram hashtag tips:

  • Use 30 hashtags (maxmise how many hashtags are allowed per post)
  • Use hashtags to find bookish friends where you live.
  • Use hashtags of different sizes to get noticed by big and small communities.
  • Use some local hashtags (your city/country)

Are you sick and tired of thinking of 30 hashtags on the spot for your bookstagram post? Here’s some ready-to-go copy and paste hashtags that you can use in batches! Hope it helps!

7. Build A Supportive Bookstagram Community

Finally, you’ve created your account and started posting! Now, you gotta make some friends in the community.

I know, it can be intimidating to be friends with people on the internet – especially if they’re established bookstagrammers. 

But don’t worry, I have a few tips and tricks to help you out with building a bookstagram community of your own.

Why do you need to build a bookstagram community?

If you’re wondering how to grow your bookstagram account – the most effective way to grow would be to build a bookstagram community.

Of course, if you’re starting a bookstagram just for fun, for yourself or to track your reading. Then by all means, go ahead.

Here are a few ways to grow your bookstagram account:

  • Use localized hashtags to find bookstagrammers in your country or city and start of by making friends (eg: #malaysianbookstagrammer #bookstagrammerindia)
  • Once you’ve got some friends, try buddy reading. It’s a great way to not only expose your content to other people’s followers but grow as a reader.
  • Use bookstagram story templates and tag other readers!
  • Join a virtual bookclub.
  • Share posts from others (most of the time they’ll share your posts on stories too)
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FAQ: How To Start A Bookstagram For Beginners

Can You Make Money From Your Bookstagram?

Yes they do. 

But how much money really depends on your quality of audience, NOT SIZE.

A bookstagrammer with 1000 followers can make more money than a bookstagrammer with 10,000 followers.

Also, will it be enough to sustain a living? Yes but with the medium of other content creation (maybe blogging). But it is definitely a side hustle that can bring you some extra dollars every month.

Can Bookstagrammers Request For Free Books?

Yes you can. You can request books for free from local publishers or distributors in exchange for an honest review.

For a digital copy, netgalley is well-known in proving advanced reader copies (ARCS).

Is It Too Late To Start A Bookstagram?

No it is not too late.

The bookstagram world is saturated but so is almost any other niche on instagram. It is never too late to start. 

I only started late 2020 and I’ve been performing pretty well on bookstagram. I’m able to monetize my instagram as well as receive complimentary books in exchange for an honest review. 

Should I Start A Bookstagram? 

If you want to be a book influencer, bookstagram is not the only option. There is booktube, booktok and book blogging. 

Which one of these platforms suit you best? You can find out in this guide on how to become a book influencer.

If you’re still unsure on how to start a bookstagram, I recommend you checkout these resources on my blog!

How To Start A Bookstagram (7 Beginner Friendly Steps)

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