Bookstagram: A Beginners Guide

So, you’re interested in Bookstagram. How can you not? It’s an awesome community where you can go on and on about your recent reads, OTP’s, series you loved (and maybe even hated…) and scroll endlessly through beautiful feeds filled with gorgeous books! It’s a place where you can discover books you’d never expect to like, and geek out over fictional characters, and worlds we wish we could explore. It’s a book lover’s dream, if you ask me.

I created my bookstagram a little over a year ago, and I’ve learned quite a bit. Comparing my content from when I first started, to now, there’s a huge difference. I thought I’d share some tips and tricks about starting your own account for those who are interested, or want some inspiration!

STEP ONE: PICK AN INTERESTING USERNAME

This was an easy step for me, because I had a username in mind months before I created my account. The good news about usernames is that you can easily change them whenever you want! Personally, I would try to come up with something catchy or cute that you love early on, because if you decide to watermark your photos or create a blog, you’ll probably have to change everything every time you switch things up.

STEP TWO: USE HASHTAGS

This is extremely important. Hashtags help boost your likes, comments and followers. Obviously popularity is not the most important part about bookstagram, but if you’re someone who wants a following or people to see your posts, you’re going to want to do this! I recommend “bookish” “booklover” “bookstagram” “bookworm” to name a few.

STEP THREE: TAKE GOOD QUALITY PHOTOS

You don’t need to have an expensive camera to take pretty photos. All you need is good lighting, your phone, and a nice backdrop and you’re set! I recommend a sheet, table, or wooden floor to take your photos on. Or maybe you want to take photos outside! Either way, make sure you use natural lighting to get the best quality. Don’t forget to add little things to your photos, such as flowers, journals, coffee mugs, bookmarks…etc! The possibilities are endless.

STEP FOUR: PICK A FILTER/THEME (OPTIONAL)

This step is optional, but a lot of people enjoy this. A feed looks very put together when you use the same filter in all of your photos. I’ve also enjoyed feeds that didn’t stick to a theme at all. This is personal preference, and I’m all about doing what YOU love. But if you’re interested in using filters, I suggest VSCO, Snapseed, or even Instagram itself. There’s an abundance of free photo editing apps out there. My tip for editing: less is more. You’d be surprise what a little brightness and contrast can do to a photo.

STEP FIVE: FOLLOW PEOPLE

This is a given. Your bookstagram experience will be so much fun if you find the right people to follow. I’ve met a lot of amazing people in this community, and it’s one of the biggest perks about it. Explore through the bookish hashtags and find the accounts that you love, and spread some love their way!

STEP SIX: BE CONSISTENT

People love to follow active accounts, and posting frequently is a fun way to get creative and interact with your followers. I like to post once a day, but sometimes I post 5 times a week if I get busy and don’t have enough time to take photos. If having a lot of followers is a goal for you, being consistent is key.

STEP SEVEN: COME UP WITH COOL CAPTIONS

One of the easiest ways to have your followers interact with you is to come up with a good caption. I like to ask questions, sometimes even the most random things. Such as, which Harry Potter house do you belong in, or what’s your favorite book series? Sometimes I ask completely non-book related questions, about music or food. Adding quotes and song lyrics, or even just talking about your day is fun too!

STEP EIGHT: HAVE FUN AND LOVE WHAT YOU DO

At the end of the day, bookstagram is supposed to be fun! Post for you, not anyone else. Don’t always think about the numbers of likes you get, or followers you have. Get creative with your photos, meet new friends, gush about your favorite books. Sometimes striving for popularity makes you lose sight on what bookstagram is supposed to be: FUN.

I hope this helped some of you who are interested in bookstagram. If you want to follow me, my account is @sunsnacksseries. Let me know if any of these tips helped, and if you’re new to the community, I’d love to check out your account!