My Heart is Booked Blog

Hello, fellow book enthusiasts! I’ve decided my next blog series will be all about Bookstagram. Now, you may be wondering what is Bookstagram? In the simplest terms, Bookstagram is a book-focused Instagram account. There are similar niche communities within Twitter (booktwt) and Tiktok (booktok), as well as numerous Facebook groups/pages, but this series will focus solely on Instagram.

I have just recently celebrated 2 years as part of the Bookstagram community. While that by no means makes me an expert, I have been around the block a few times and will hopefully be able to provide some insight and tips for making your Bookstagram experience more successful and fulfilling. If you’d like to check out my account for reference click here.

Here is what you can expect from this series:

• Part 1: Creating a Bookstagram Account
  • Opening a New Instagram Account
  • Choosing a Handle
  • Account Types
  • Your Profile
  • Your First Post
• Part 2: Types of Posts
  • Feed Posts
  • Stories
  • Reels
  • Live
  • IGTV
• Part 3: Photography and Editing
  • Camera vs Cell Phone
  • Lighting
  • Props and Backdrops
  • Other Useful Equipment
  • Editing Apps
  • Filters and Presets
• Part 4: Boosting Your Engagement
  • Solidifying Your Brand & Style
  • Personal Engagement
  • Hashtag Use & Popularity
  • Engagement Pods/Accounts/Hashtags
  • SFS/F4F/Follow Trains
• Part 5: Extras
  • Rep/Influencer Positions
  • Book Tours
  • Book Clubs
  • Read-A-Thons, Read-Alongs, Reading Challenges
  • Giveaways

I hope you find this series to be informational and helpful as you start or build your Bookstagram.

Creating a Bookstagram:

Let’s start at the very beginning. Some of you may have established Bookstagram accounts already, but, just in case you don’t, I’m going to go over some of the basics of starting one.

First, I highly recommend creating a separate account from your personal Instagram. This is completely optional, BUT consider your goals for Bookstagram before deciding. If you want to have a more “professional” looking account that will appeal to industry professionals, bookish businesses, other book accounts, I suggest you keep separate accounts. If none of those things are important to you, by all means merge them. Just be aware that this could lead to more of a lifestyle blog appearance than a true Bookstagram. (Just an FYI switching between accounts on Instagram is as easy as a click of a button AND you can have up to 5 accounts registered to you).

Choosing a Handle:

Let’s assume you’ve decided to create a separate Bookstagram account. Now, you must choose your username or handle. I recommend selecting a name that is book/reading related and memorable. This, of course, is your own prerogative, and you can always change it later. **Do remember that you are essentially creating a brand and changing it down the line could mean alienating or confusing followers.**

Availability is also a factor when it comes to selecting a handle. Maybe you happen to have a unique name, but @danireads was definitely not an option by the time I got around to joining Instagram. I’d also avoid adding random numbers to the beginning/end. If you have to be @danireads27, it’s not as professional (let’s face it, it looks like an AOL screen name from 1999) and there could be 26 other danireads that could be confused for your account. NOT GOOD. Stick with simplicity.

My handle @my_heart_is_booked came about after several failed attempts at finding an available name. It eventually grew on me, but I still regret the 3 underscores I have to type out every time I share my account. I could change it to match my twitter @MyHeartIsBooked, but the undertaking of fixing it everywhere is too daunting for me at the moment.

Don’t repeat my mistake. Keep it SIMPLE!

Account Types:

So, you’ve selected a username. Next, you must decide if you want a “personal”, “creator”, or “business” account. I originally started my account as a “personal” account. I later switched to “business” as I cleared 1000 followers so I could gain the use of insights. (This was before “creator” was an option for me as it was still in the beta stages of testing). At the start of 2020, I switched it to a “creator” account. This account type was created for those who would benefit from access to insights, but weren’t actual businesses, such as bloggers, celebrities, and influencers. For me, it is the perfect fit. Here is an info graphic about the key differences in each account type to help you select the best choice for yourself:

After selecting your account type, you may be prompted to select a category. I chose “Blogger”, but you can pick what you feel fits you best. This category will be displayed in your “creator” or “business” profile.

Your Profile:

• Photo- This is a personal preference. Mine is currently set to my blog logo. I like that my profile matches across all of my social media accounts. I don’t find that profile photo affects much, so make it what you want. Try not to change it frequently as this is another thing by which people will come to recognize you.
• Name- You’d think this part would be straight forward, but it’s not. You can put your full name, your nick name, or your blog name. You can also include emojis, pronouns, age, location, etc. When I started, mine was Dani | 30 | USA or something of the sort. Now, it is Dani with an American flag emoji. Your name is what will appear in direct messages and group chats.
• Website- You can only have one link included in your profile. I recommend your blog address if you have one. You can leave this blank if you don’t have a website. Some people will use Linktree or Carrd to include multiple links. However, if you DO have a blog, I recommend creating a landing page that lists all your links ON YOUR BLOG. This way, you are always driving traffic to your blog. You can view my links page here.
• Bio- You have 150 characters to say anything you’d like about yourself. Here is another place you can include your pronouns. Many Bookstagram accounts will include their Goodreads goal progress, current reads, and fandoms. This is also where you will want to list rep codes if you participate in brand influencing. My current bio directs people to check my blog for review policy as well.
• Contacts- not available on “personal” accounts, I have elected to have mine hidden. This means that my profile does not include an option to call, text, or email me. I prefer people to either direct message (DM) me or to use the contact info on my blog (which I link in my bio).

Creating Your First Post:

Like blogging, I recommend creating your first post before you do anything else. Your first post can be anything you like, but it will set the tone for your account going forward. I recommend a feed post that showcases a book or series you like. This will help others with similar interests find your account. You can do a #meetthebookstagrammer post, but I recommend waiting until you have at least a few hundred followers.

Your photo should be a clear, high quality image. It can be taken with a camera or smart phone, but make sure the lighting is adequate. I also recommend doing some basic editing or adding a filter. You can use the editor that comes on your phone or the one included with Instagram. I will cover photo editing more comprehensively in the third post of this series.

Your caption can be brief. You probably want to mention something about starting a Bookstagram, or why you like the book/series pictured, and invite people to interact with you. I often find it most helpful to post a question of the day, or QOTD, such as what are you currently reading? Or what was your last 5-star read? This encourages engagement, which I will also discuss in more detail at a later date.

Finally, make sure you include hashtags. You can use up to 30 hashtags per post. Some people will post theirs in the comments to keep their captions “clean”, but there is conflicting evidence suggesting that may not be the most effective practice. Do so at your own risk. You can use Google or Pinterest to find some great hashtags to use. Always include ones that refer to the subject of the post (title of the book/series) and avoid overused ones like #bookstagrammer. Some hashtags have been banned due to overuse/misuse. You can Google these as well. I try to vary what I use daily, but here are some that I use frequently: #bookbloggerlife #bookishlove #bookreview #fantasybooks #ireadya #igreads #bookobsessed #bookaesthetic #bookspines #bibiliophile #bookaddict #booksfordays #allthebooks #ireadromance #bookstoread #readin2020 #currentlyreading

Tips For Your First Weeks:

Avoid commenting or messaging people asking them to follow you. It is desperate and often results in them ignoring or worse, blocking you. Rely on your content to gain followers and you’ll have much more genuine engagement.

Share your Bookstagram on your other social sites. I have found many followers by connecting through Facebook groups and Twitter. Invite your book loving friends and family to follow you too.

Post consistently! I cannot stress this enough. You do not need to post daily, but do set up a routine. Followers want to see that you are active, not to mention you’re still at the content-building stage. A fuller feed will invite more followers and encourage those you follow to follow back.

Stay tuned for the next installment in this series: Types of Posts.

Feel free to ask any specific Bookstagram questions in the comments section and I will do my best to address them. Do you have any Bookstagram tips?