10 Ways to Promote Your Book Using TikTok (For New and Established Authors)

The power of TikTok can be harnessed for promoting books too…here’s how…

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TikTok is a pretty powerful platform (if you didn’t know by now).

It’s helped transform everyday people into content-creating, money-making geniuses.

And it’s also helped build community in the book industry by connecting book lovers and writers in some of the best ways — through highly entertaining video.

If you’re not familiar with the platform, it’s time to get familiar so you can capitalize off it’s newest feature — TikTok Shop.

Now, let’s get into the top 10 ways to promote your book on TikTok, whether you’re a new author or you’ve got a few books under your belt.

Let’s dive in.

For Authors with a Following

For authors with a following, marketing a slightly easier than for those without a following.

Here are some ways you could connect with your readers and build up your following even more.

Oh, and sell more books. Definitely wanna do that. 😅

1. Create a Book Trailer

Creating a book trailer to promote your book on TikTok can be a great way to reach a new audience and generate interest in your work. Here’s a description of how established authors can create a book trailer for TikTok:

• Plan your content: First, you’ll need to determine the main message you want to convey in your book trailer. This could include the book’s plot, themes, or characters. Think about how you can condense the most compelling aspects of your book into a short video.
• Create your video: Once you’ve planned your content, it’s time to start creating your video. You can use a variety of tools to create your book trailer, including video editing software or TikTok’s built-in editing tools. Consider using eye-catching visuals and trending sounds and music that matches the tone of your book to make your video stand out.
• Keep it short and sweet: TikTok videos are typically short, so keep your book trailer under a minute. This will ensure that viewers will watch the whole video and be more likely to engage with it.
• Include a call to action: In your video, be sure to include a call to action that encourages viewers to buy your book. This could be a link to where they can purchase it, or a hashtag that they can use to join the conversation around your book.
• Share and promote: Once you’ve created your book trailer, it’s time to share it on TikTok. Share your video on your own TikTok account, and encourage your followers to share it with their own followers. You can also promote your video on other social media platforms, such as Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter.

2. Share Behind-the-Scenes Content

Give viewers a glimpse into the process of writing and publishing your book.

Share behind-the-scenes footage of your writing process, research, or book launch preparations.

Here’s how to do that:

• Plan your content: Think about the different aspects of your writing process that your readers might find interesting. This could include your writing routine, your research process, or your inspiration for a particular character or scene.
• Film your content: Once you’ve planned your content, start filming! You can use your phone or a camera to record your content. Make sure you have good lighting and audio, and consider using text or music to make it more appealing.
• Edit your content: Once you’ve filmed your content, you can use TikTok’s built-in editing tools to add filters, music, and other effects to make your video more entertaining.
• Share your content: Once your video is ready, share it on your TikTok account. Use relevant hashtags and tags to make your video discoverable to your followers and other users who might be interested in your book.
• Engage with your audience: As viewers watch and engage with your behind the scenes content, be sure to engage with them in the comments section. Respond to questions and comments, and encourage your viewers to ask more questions about your writing process.

3. Collaborate with Other TikTok Creators

Reach out to other TikTok creators in your niche or genre and collaborate on a video together.

Start by identifying TikTok creators who have a similar audience or interest in your book’s genre. You can search for relevant hashtags or browse TikTok’s “For You” page to discover creators who might be a good fit for your collaboration.

Once you’ve identified potential collaborators, reach out to them with a personalized message. Explain who you are and what your book is about, and propose a collaboration idea that would be mutually beneficial.

After you’ve established a collaboration with another TikTok creator, start planning your content. You could create a joint video, where you both promote each other’s work, or collaborate on a challenge or trend that relates to your book’s themes or characters.

Once your collaboration video is complete, promote it on your TikTok account and encourage your followers to watch and engage with it. You can also share the video on other social media platforms to reach an even wider audience.

Collaborating with other TikTok creators can be an ongoing effort. Keep in touch with your collaborators, and look for opportunities to continue promoting each other’s work in the future.

4. Share Reviews and Testimonials

Share positive reviews and testimonials from readers who have enjoyed your book.

First, reach out to readers who have already read your book and ask them for their honest opinion. You can also monitor social media platforms, such as Goodreads, Amazon, and Twitter, for reviews and testimonials from readers who have already read your book.

Once you’ve collected a few reviews and testimonials, consider creating short video clips of the reviews.

After you’re done with your video, share it on your TikTok account. Don’t forget the hashtags. Make sure they’re relevant.

5. Create a Book Club

Host a book club on TikTok where you read and discuss books with your audience.

If you don’t already have a TikTok account, create one specifically for your book club. Choose a username that’s relevant to your book and make sure your profile includes information about the club and how to join.

Then, select a book to feature in your book club. This should be your own book, of course. Be sure to choose a book that’s engaging, has broad appeal, and is likely to spark discussion.

Decide how often you want to meet, whether it’s once a month or once a week. Set a schedule that works for you and your readers and communicate it clearly on your TikTok account.

Create videos that discuss the book and its themes, share behind-the-scenes information about the writing process, and engage with your readers. Encourage your followers to participate in the discussion by leaving comments and sharing their own thoughts.

As your book club grows, be sure to engage with your followers in the comments section.

Bonus: Host a Giveaway

Host a giveaway on TikTok where you give away signed copies of your book or other book-related swag.

Here are a few tips to get started:

• Determine the prize: Decide what you want to give away as a prize. This could be a signed copy of your book, a merchandise bundle, or even a one-on-one virtual meeting with you.
• Create a video: Create a video announcing the giveaway and explaining the rules. Be sure to include details such as how to enter, the deadline for entering, and any restrictions or limitations.
• Promote the giveaway: Share your video on your TikTok account and any other social media platforms where you have a following. Use relevant hashtags and tags to make your giveaway more discoverable.
• Choose a winner: Once the deadline for entering has passed, choose a winner at random. Announce the winner in a new video and contact them privately to arrange for them to receive their prize.
• Engage with your audience: As you promote your giveaway, be sure to engage with your followers in the comments section. Respond to questions and comments, and encourage your readers to share their own thoughts about your book.

For Newbie Authors

Marketing can be a little bit different for newbie authors than for authors with a few books (and a following) under their belt. So, I thought I’d address the newbies, too.

Here are some ideas for you if you don’t have a following or a book published yet.

1. Share Writing Tips and Advice

Share writing tips and advice with your followers.

First, identify a writing topic that’s relevant to your book or that you have expertise in. This could include tips on character development, plot structure, or world-building.

Then, create short videos that provide tips and advice on the writing topic you’ve chosen. Use clear and concise language, and includes visual aids such as graphics or animations to help illustrate your point.

Make sure to engage with your audience. Encourage your followers to engage with your content by leaving comments and sharing their own writing tips and advice. Respond to comments and questions, and consider creating videos that respond to your audience’s questions or feedback.

Be authentic. Share your own writing journey and personal experiences as a writer. This can help establish a personal connection with your audience and make your content more relatable.

Also, you should cross-promote your book whenever it makes sense.

While your focus should be on providing value to your audience through your writing tips and advice, be sure to mention your book and provide information on where it can be purchased.

This can help increase visibility and potentially drive sales.

2. Offer Sneak Peeks

Give viewers a sneak peek into upcoming books or projects.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Choose a scene: Identify a scene or excerpt from your book that you’re particularly proud of or that you think will capture your audience’s attention.
• Create a video: Create a short video that features the scene or excerpt you’ve chosen. You could read it aloud or use text overlay to display the text on the screen.
• Build anticipation: Use the video to build anticipation for your book by providing a brief teaser or hint of what’s to come. Consider ending the video with a cliffhanger or unanswered question to encourage your followers to read the book and find out what happens next.
• Promote your book: Be sure to include information on where your book can be purchased and any relevant links or hashtags to help your followers find it.
• Encourage engagement: Encourage your followers to engage with your content by leaving comments and sharing their own thoughts and reactions to the sneak peek. And don’t forget to respond to comments and questions to help foster a sense of community and connection with your audience.

3. Use Hashtags

Use relevant hashtags on your TikTok videos to help people find your content. This can include hashtags related to your book, your genre, or your niche.

Do some research to find out what hashtags are popular and relevant to your book’s genre or topic. Look at what other authors or book-related accounts are using to get some inspiration.

Use popular and trending hashtags that are relevant to your book, such as #booktok or #bookreview.

This can help your content be discovered by users who are interested in the same topics.

Use specific hashtags that relate to your book’s title, characters, or themes.

This’ll help your content be discovered by users who are specifically looking for content related to your book.

You should also consider creating your own hashtag to promote your book, which can help to build a sense of community around your book and make it easier for users to find all of your related content in one place.

When posting your content, make sure to use relevant hashtags in your captions and comments.

This could help increase the visibility of your content and attract new followers and readers.

4. Offer Book Recommendations

Share book recommendations on TikTok that align with your writing style and genre.

The first thing you need to do is identify your target audience. Think about who they are and what other books they might enjoy.

This can help you come up with book recommendations that are relevant to your audience.

When recommending books, highlight similarities between your book and the ones you’re recommending.

For example, if your book is a thriller, recommend other thrillers that share similar themes or plot elements.

Use video clips to showcase the books you’re recommending. This could include short scenes from the book, the cover art, or a brief synopsis.

Remember to be genuine in your book recommendations and only recommend books that you have read and genuinely enjoyed.

Your audience will appreciate your honesty and be more likely to trust your recommendations in the future.

After you’ve recommended a book, don’t forget to include a call-to-action that encourages your audience to check out your own book.

This could be as simple as saying, “If you enjoyed this book, you might also like my book!”

5. Create a Writing Challenge

Create a writing challenge on TikTok that encourages your followers to write and share their work.

Here’s how to do it:

• Choose a theme: Choose a theme for your writing challenge that is relevant to your book’s genre or topic. For example, if your book is a romance novel, you could create a writing challenge centered around writing love letters or romantic scenes.
• Set the rules: Set the rules for your writing challenge, including the word count, submission deadline, and any other requirements. Be sure to keep the rules simple and easy to understand.
• Create a hashtag: Create a unique hashtag for your writing challenge to make it easy for participants to find and for you to track submissions.
• Promote your challenge: Promote your writing challenge on TikTok and other social media platforms. Be sure to include information about the theme, rules, and hashtag.
• Engage with participants: Engage with participants by commenting on their submissions, featuring them in your videos, and sharing your favorite entries with your followers.

BONUS for Both: TikTok Shop

I couldn’t finish the article without mentioning one of TikTok’s newest features, TikTok Shop.

Customers can shop three ways:

• Live shopping
• Shoppable videos
• Product showcase

It’s apparently been helping creators reach more people and sell more of their products.

It’s worth a try if you have physical products.

Here’s how to get started:

• Create a TikTok Shop account: To use TikTok Shop, you’ll need to create an account and link it to your TikTok profile. This’ll allow you to create and sell your books directly on the platform.
• Add your book to TikTok Shop: Once you have a TikTok Shop account, you can add your book(s) to the platform. This’ll create a product listing that includes a description, pricing information, and an image of your book.
• Promote your book on TikTok: Use TikTok to promote your book and encourage your followers to check out your TikTok Shop listing. You can create videos that showcase your book, provide a sneak peek of your writing, and offer book recommendations.
• Direct followers to TikTok Shop: In your TikTok videos, be sure to direct your followers to your TikTok Shop listing. This will make it easy for them to purchase your book and support your work.
• Engage with buyers: Once you start selling your book on TikTok Shop, be sure to engage with buyers by responding to their messages and thanking them for their support. This will help you build a loyal following and increase the likelihood of repeat sales.

So, what’d you think of these TikTok book promotion ideas for newbie and established authors?

Have you tried any? Any luck?

Let me know in the comments. That way we can learn the best ways to promote our books together. 😃

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