Why Publishers Are Using TikTok As A New Marketing Platform

By Tim Dare, Managing Director, Mosaic Search & Selection Ltd

TikTok isn’t just a place to see funny videos; it’s also an excellent marketing platform for book publishers.

It’s clear that social media has become a massive part of everyone’s lives in the past five to ten years.   Social networks have also turned into online hubs where book lovers can find and discuss new books with like-minded people.

It’s not uncommon for people to discuss books on Facebook and Twitter, for instance, but did you know that the video-sharing site TikTok offers an exciting new way for book publishers to promote their titles among their target markets?

Social Media’s Influence On Publishing Turnover

Book publishers using social media to promote new titles that they’re offering to the market is nothing new. Instagram and YouTube, for instance, provide the perfect place for book lovers to watch book-related video content, such as book reviews and previews.

Instagram, in particular, is an excellent way for book lovers to post up photos of their collections, sneak peeks of new books they’ve received, and short reviews of new titles.

As you can imagine, investing in a new book is a big deal for many people, and they want to know that anything new they read will be to their liking.  With all that in mind, how does social media influence publishing turnover?

The answer is simple.  When people openly talk about specific books in a public forum such as social media, interest will garner in those titles when things like video reviews of books get shared with friends, relatives, and across the Internet on embedded media.

How TikTok Is Helping Publishers

Social media is undeniably an excellent marketing medium for book publishers to promote new and existing titles in their catalogues.  TikTok is perhaps the freshest player in social media, and it’s proving a real boon for book publishers.

But, how is TikTok helping book publishers?  The social network has a unique tag called #BookTok which creators can use to categorise book-related content with TikTok users.

As a book publisher, you can set up a TikTok account and start promoting your new and existing titles by creating videos and using the #BookTok tag in your videos.  However, that’s not the only way TikTok can help book publishers.

Another idea is to send books to prominent TikTok users that are also book lovers.  They can promote your books through the simple act of a review, and as their competition, they could keep the book, or you could perhaps compensate them financially.

Which Publishers Are Using TikTok?

Some of the world’s leading publishing houses are already using TikTok to their advantage, including Penguin Random House and HarperCollins.  Of course, other publishers, including smaller independent names, have also had a lot of  success using the platform.

Conclusion

There’s no denying that social media platforms, including TikTok, have proven a positive influence on the publishing industry.

If you’re looking for new senior level talent at your publishing house to help promote your book titles on social media, contact us today, we’d love to hear from you.