Instagram has proven to be an unexpectedly powerful resource for promoting self-published content. A community of book lovers – or “bookstagrammers” – gather to talk about their love of reading and communicate with readers and their favorite authors. Because of this, bookstagram can be an excellent place to get reviews from readers and generate interest and exposure for newly published books.
To start, look at the profiles of bookstagrammers who have indicated they are willing to read and review new work. Many popular bookstagrammers receive too many requests to read, so authors shouldn’t get discouraged if their first offers are rejected. One way to decrease the chance of rejection is to target bookstagram accounts that are a good fit for you. If a bookstagrammer accepts, send them a complimentary copy to read and review. Since Instagram is a primarily visual platform, reviewers take a photo to post with their review! Paperbacks are ideal for this, so most bookstagrammers would prefer one of those. If they enjoy the book, they’ll post about it on their Instagram profile for all of their followers to see. Depending on the number of followers a bookstagrammer has, their post could potentially reach thousands of people.
Authors can also create their own Instagram accounts for bookstagramming. Readers love to interact with their favorite authors by commenting on their books, asking questions about existing or upcoming works, or hearing about what those authors are reading. Gaining a following by bookstagramming also gives authors a group of existing fans to draw for future books. Posts made by authors can also be sent between users, further growing the interest in an author or one of their titles.
Participating in social media platforms like Instagram is the perfect jumping-off point for authors looking to promote their self-published books. Because of the dynamic, shareable nature of these platforms, interest in an indie author’s works has the potential to grow far beyond what would have been possible just a few short years ago.
