Leveraging Instagram for Authors: Building Your Writerly Reputation on the Platform
Instagram has emerged as a formidable platform for authors looking to connect with readers, build their brand, and expand their reach. With a highly engaged user base and a vibrant community of book lovers, reviewers, and authors known as Bookstagram, Instagram offers unique opportunities for authors to grow their brand.
One of the key advantages of Instagram over other social media sites is its superior visibility and engagement rates. Melissa Frey, an author who successfully leveraged Instagram, used quotes from her book, the Prophecy of the Codex, to engage her audience. Similarly, Foundr grew their Instagram page to over two-million subscribers by using mostly quotes.
Building a strong, consistent author brand is essential on Instagram. This can be achieved by using the same profile photo, bio, and author identity across platforms, as demonstrated by authors like Victoria Aveyard, J. Daniels, Alexandra Bracken, Ocean Vuong, E. J. Mellow, Mari Andrew, Victoria Lee, Leigh Bardugo, Elise Bryant, and Christina C. Jones. A consistent brand helps build recognizability and trust.
Quality, visually appealing posts that highlight books, reading experiences, and behind-the-scenes author content resonate well with the Bookstagram audience. Canva, a design tool offering drag-and-drop templates for quote graphics, cover reveals, Reels thumbnails, and more, can be a valuable resource for creating such content.
Engaging genuinely with Bookstagram influencers and readers is another crucial strategy. This can be done by liking, commenting, and collaborating through giveaways or guest posts, as demonstrated by book blogger Booknerdbecky, who has an incredibly consistent look and feel to her account.
Choosing 1-2 key social platforms, such as Instagram and one other (TikTok, Goodreads), can help authors avoid spreading themselves too thin and focus on building a loyal audience. Strategic hashtags and niche communities, specifically those relevant to Bookstagram, genres, and reading trends, can improve discoverability within targeted reader groups.
Instagram's interactive features like reels, polls, Q&A, and story features can increase engagement and algorithmic visibility. When used strategically, Bookstagram can help authors grow their brand by connecting with a highly engaged community of readers, reviewers, and fellow writers.
When authors reach the 10,000 follower milestone on Instagram, they gain access to the "swipe up" feature, which allows them to direct people to a link outside of Instagram. Automating promotion and using AI tools can also save time on marketing tasks, allowing more focus on creative engagement.
A comprehensive list of hashtags that can be used on Instagram includes general bookstagram and book-related hashtags, bookworm, reading, and review hashtags, bookstagram community hashtags, book blogging and reviewing hashtags, book club hashtags, book haul hashtags, book of the month hashtags, bookshelf and shelfie hashtags, book stack and pile hashtags, bookstore hashtags, books and animals hashtags, books and beverages hashtags, cookbook hashtags, current read and reading hashtags, book flatlay and photography hashtags, giveaway hashtags, Harry Potter hashtags, journal and journaling hashtags, library hashtags, books and nature hashtags, book quotes hashtags, book review hashtags, romance book hashtags, self-care hashtags, literary travel hashtags, young adult (YA) book hashtags, and weekly themed hashtags.
In conclusion, Instagram is a powerful place for authors to grow their brand, build trust with readers, and connect with new fans. By focusing on a strong, consistent author brand, engaging authentically with the community, and creating visually appealing, reader-focused content tailored to Bookstagram’s interests, authors can effectively use Instagram's Bookstagram community to grow their brand and reach new readers.
- Authors can direct followers to their website by including a link through Instagram's "swipe up" feature once they reach the 10,000 follower milestone.
- Collaborations with Bookstagram influencers, such as through giveaways or guest posts, can increase an author's outreach and visibility.
- Niche communities on Instagram, such as those focused on fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, relationships, pets, travel, cars, or shopping, can help authors discover targeted reader groups.
- To connect with the Bookstagram community, authors should consider using hashtags like '#bookstagram,' '#bookworm,' '#reading,' '#review,' '#bookblog,' '#bookhaul,' '#bookofthemonth,' '#bookshelf,' '#bookstack,' '#bookstore,' '#booksandanimals,' '#booksandbeverages,' '#cookbook,' '#currentread,' '#reading,' '#bookflatlay,' and '#photography' among others.
- A Publisher like Rocket can assist authors in navigating the complex world of social media and marketing strategies, ensuring optimal growth and engagement on platforms like Instagram.
- By using interactive features like reels, polls, Q&A, and story features on Instagram, authors can create engaging content that increases their visibility and helps them stand out among the vibrant Bookstagram community.
