X-factor of bookstagramming

You love books and all things related to it. Be it updating your GoodReads every time you pick up a book to read, submitting requests on NetGalley and Blogchatter Book Review Program for the latest books to review, taking your Kindle wherever you go, or listening to Audible on your next flight home. 

But did you also know there is a world of bookstagram out there too where you can share pictures of the books you have been reading, your bookshelf, libraries, and bookshops you’ve been exploring?

Yes. Welcome to Bookstagram!

We are here to take you to the wonderful world of bookstagram while explaining all the nitty-gritty of starting a book Instagram account and the X-factors you need to stand out.

Let’s begin.

1. Choose a bookstagram handle

First things first. As soon as you set up an Instagram account, choose a book-related account name. Many popular bookstagram accounts include words such as books, novel, literature, bookworm, bookshelf, library, read, bookish, etc. Alternatively, you might be inspired by a favorite quote, character or place, or words like young adult, thrillers, romance, bookshops, fiction, or historical which could be some of your favorite genres or tropes.

Do not forget to write a bio where you can write the genres you read, the name of your current read, how many books you read this year, etc. You may also set up an account on sites like Linktree or Smartbio which will help you add a list of links in a single page though Instagram is currently working on having an in-built option for the same.

2. Types of Bookstagram content

Bookstagram is a very generic term in reality. You have all manners of book dragons out there including book reviewers, authors, publishing houses, booksellers, libraries, and more. There are many who like to follow a cohesive theme of book photography.

But in this era, you can create many types of content on Instagram other than photos; namely reels, carousels, lives, and guides. So, you will have to dwell on all this content if you want to grow on Bookstagram.
One way to write book reviews is to make use of the caption. Pro tip: If, however, you are into writing long-form reviews, you may also choose to write part of your reviews in the comment and use the Pin it option.

3. Bookstagram Photography

You will be surprised to find that there are many ways to click photographs of books. Flatlays, book stacks, bookshelves, and making use of bookish props, are some ways to go about it. You needn’t burn a hole in your pocket buying fancy bookish props like funko pops, book sleeves, bookish tote bags, candles, or posters though.A cup of coffee, newspapers or a flower will do too. Similarly, you can check out plenty of items around your house that will work well for bookish photos.

4. Editing

It all comes down to editing if you want to maintain a theme or consistent look for your bookstagram feed. This can help build your brand and image style. There are many editing software you can use like Adobe Lightroom Mobile, Snapseed, VSCO, or Canva. They have got free filters too which you can choose to apply and adjust according to your liking.

5. Planning

There are many planning apps that will help in curating an aesthetic feed. Planoly, Preview, Later are a few examples. Upload the edited pictures and simply use your finger to drag the images to rearrange and move them into a new order. You can then use Instagram Creator Studio for scheduling your posts. Use basic and minimum hashtags related to your post.

6. Interact

As with any social media account, to grow followers and for people to notice you, always engage in others’ posts. Be genuine when you comment on a post, reply to a DM, or interact on stories. Leave meaningful comments instead of writing “nice picture”. Tag the author and publisher when you leave a positive review of the book you have read. Once you establish a good rapport and build a brand, you will also be contacted by publishing houses to send you free review copies in exchange for a review.

We hope you loved these tips on creating a bookstagram and you now have the confidence to start one. Let us know in the comments if you would like to know more about bookstagram and we would love to help you.