[bluepod4]

Yeah, I can definitely believe that TikTok is changing the way that books are being recommended. But I’m not sold (haha) that TikTok is changing the way books are being sold.

There are quite a few stories of books going viral through BookTok, Bookstagram, and BookTube. But it does feel like slightly different. On TikTok, a random user can make an unknown book go viral. But on Instagram, it’s usually an already established influencer that makes a book go viral and often it’s their own book lol. YouTube is more for longform discussion and the level of virality has changed. But some influencers do still sell books similar to what the influencers on Instagram do.

Related to books being sold in Britain, I wonder how the demographics of these communities affect the stats. Most of the members are white teenage girls and women that live in the United States.

Also, related to books being sold in general, many of the members of the various book communities have similar opinions to HN’s users. They don’t like ads or affiliate links. They’d prefer to go to the library or buy from a local/indie bookstore. They’re anti-Amazon. They discuss overconsumption. On YouTube, they really dive into the ethics of it all.

I do believe that TikTok has gotten people to read more. But that’s different than recommendations and selling.

(I’ll admit that I started reading Cain’s Jawbone due to TikTok. I had heard of it before for years but never bothered to try it out.)

[yojo]

I follow what independent authors are trying for marketing, and some of them are having great success with TikTok. For them it absolutely is changing how books are sold, as before finding success on TikTok, they literally weren’t selling much of anything.

As the article mentions, romance authors are doing the best, but there are authors like AP Beswick (writes dark fantasy retellings of popular legends) who have gone full time indie off the back of TikTok sales.

Maybe they would have been successful without TikTok, but right now it’s how they find an audience.

[bluepod4]

That’s good to hear!