A fun thing I love to do is take photos of books instead of reading them.
Which makes complete sense and is absolutely not the reason my TBR is out of control and frequently waves small knives at me and sends me elegant death threats because of how much I neglect it.
I’M F I N E.
And there are honestly so many reasons to love being part of the book community on instagram! People are super encouraging and we usually celebrate the books we love instead of just salt and roast and burn (I swear blogging is 67% a cooking show) books we don’t like. Not that there’s anything wrong with ranting! But positivity is refreshing! Also, um, did we mention — ALL THE PHOTOS OF PRETTY BOOKS TO STARE AT FOR HOURS.
Ugh everyone’s so talented. My eyeballs are in love.
I’ve been on instagram since July 2014! Which is a long time and I feel old. I was also horrendous when I started, but somehow I’ve just passed the threshold of 43,000 followers and a lot of people ask me “WHY!” and “HOW!” and…I barely know what to tell you, mate. Dark magic??? Probably???
But in an attempt to actually share some useful advice, I’m going to spill how I passed 40,000 on instagram!
Also you should follow me. How’s that for some subtle hinting!
Here we have my very first photo, July 2014!
And it actually took me 93 years to scroll through my 2,300+ photos to even find this monster. AND LOOK AT WHAT IT IS.
It’s not even in focus.
All that needs to be said is: if I can rise from this mire — so can you.
My feed was basically this, where I tried to be “arty” with some angles.
But at least I slowly realised you can’t take a nice photo with an iPod touch gen 3.
Small miracles, go me, well done.
Also I know you can’t see my face but I STILL LOOK SO SMALL. AWWW!!! LITTLE BABY BLOGGER ME!!!
In 2015 my style matured to going outside and hoping the neighbours didn’t see me planting books in the flower garden.
I’m still proud of the colours in Fire & Flood though.
I was using my parents camera and actually it rained 363 days of the year when I lived here in Lismore. So I DON’T KNOW. WHO WANTS TO CRY IN THE MUD.
2016 saw me go INSIDE and thus I have remained for the rest of my life.
Also I was going for a minimalistic look? Sort of??? Like all the cool kids were doing black-and-white and such so here am I.
Also the Stiefvater obsession begun. It’s been 3 years now. I can’t be made to stop.
2017 is when I started to find MY style.
Lots of rainbows. Squash a ton into the frame. I mean why be minimalist when you can be moreamlist. (Ok that word sounded better in my head.)
I also edited everything quite dark?! Because I’M DARK INSIDE, MUM, IT’S NOT A STAGE, IT’S WHO I AM.
(The disappointing thing is, though, that I actually have the same likes here as I’m getting now in 2018…but I had half the followers. Why doth instagram hate us.)
And finally, hello @ 2018! Which is a lot lighter, way more colourful, and absolutely my favourite.
74% of my photos are just odes to Maggie Stiefvater or A Thousand Perfect Notes, like EVERY FEED SHOULD BE.
I’m just really happy with how I progressed?! I have my own camera, my bookshelf has grow’d up so strong, and I absolutely love taking photos. I usually spend all Sunday stockpiling for the week and it just is my !! favourite !! thing !!
My progress is obviously not going to be YOUR progression. My style isn’t your style. I’m about to launch into some tips that should help most accounts, but you have to remember to:
a) take the style of photos YOU ENJOY
b) if you do engage in dark magic, hydrate !! this is important !! water is good !!
c) it’s okay to experiment
d) half the time I have no idea what I’m doing but I just hope for the best ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
BE CONSISTENT
Seriously this is the #1 thing that I’ve found helps you grow, no matter if it’s your blog or twitter or IG. Be there. Don’t post a ton and then disappear for a few months. You can still take breaks! But I’ve been posting twice a day (nearly anyway) since 2014 and it works!
OUTWIT THE ALGORITHM…(HAHAH SOBBING)
I mean, it constantly changes so who knows if these tips will remain helpful?! But currently I’m finding these help:
- don’t use outside apps that schedule your posts (apparently IG treats you as a bot if you do)
- also don’t post at exactly the same time every day (but near-abouts is ok)
- using less hashtags seems to work better for me?! you can use up to 30, but I find using less than 10 gets me more likes
- NONE OF THIS MAKES SENSE UGH
- posting frequently on Stories does help (!!) although I get over double the views on my stories that I get on my posts ugh
- joining in Challenges is a super fun way to connect to others / have ideas of what to post about (here’s an account that posts challenges per month that are running!)
- funny or interesting captions DO make people engage
- (but shorter captions over mega long ones)
- more books in the photo = more chances someone will see a book they recognise = they’ll like it
- also popular books do get more likes (I often pair popular vs underrated books together to sneak around this)
- SHELFIES ALWAYS WIN OUR HEARTS
BUT SERIOUSLY THE ALGORITHM SUCKS
It’s unknowable. Sometimes my photos totally flop. And I do only get like 5% engagement. THAT ISN’T MUCH. But I’m stabbing in the dark to find what works. I like stabbing. It can be therapeutic.
PUT OUT CONTENT THAT GIVES TO OTHERS
People are little gremlins and they want things. So I give. I write things that are funny or I write things that are helpful. I make my pictures bright and my style isn’t super typical so I do stand out! But if you give to your audience, they tend to come back.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY
I prefer to spend my (small) spending budget on books. So I either make my props, use other books as props, or use cheap flowers from eBay or thrift stores! I seriously got a TON of my flowers for free from a garage sale once!! (Also, slightly off-topic, but I actually hate how people assume I’m super rich?! Peoplessssss…I probably spend $40 a year on books. I get given books from publishers or I use book vouchers that I get paid in for freelance blogging. Library sales. Thrift / op shops. You don’t HAVE TO BE RICH TO HAVE A BOOKSTAGRAM.)
You can even use food!! If you don’t eat it before taking the photo!! I swear this is harder than it sounds!!
COMMENT / LIKE / INTERACT
Although, full confession…I often don’t do these as much as I should (I need more tiiime in my day) so I don’t know if they actually help boost your likes or not. But they do get you friends. Those are nice. Collect a whole set.
RECOGNISABLE BOOKS ARE GOING TO GET MORE LIKES
This isn’t always fair, but…it kinda is what it is. So if you avidly avoid ALL popular / hyped books, it might backfire for your likes.
THEMES ARE KINDA EVERYTHING
Look!! I definitely don’t want to say “yOU HAVE TO HAVE A THEME” but I’m 89% sure it helps a lot. My account only really took off after I started with a consistent theme. But you can have a relaxed or broad theme! Also anything works. Rainbows, minimalism, a certain colour scheme. Figure out what you have around and just work with it. Some different styles of themes (that I adore) are @cosyreads, @eden.hammond, @thereaderandthechef, @bookish_mai!
DARK MAGIC THO
Or sacrifice some souls. Doesn’t have to be yours! Are your neighbours annoying??? Siblings??? Have at ’em. The trees may hear your pleas before the actual structure of Instagram does. We can have a go anyway. Singing/weeping…all worth trying. Because sometimes I do EVERYTHING and I still end up wailing to my friend how hard it is to get likes.
HEY YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE THESE POSTS…
I don’t do bookstagram because there is only so much time in the day, BUT I do look at a look of bookstagram accounts of people I like (including you!) to keep up with the buzz. I love seeing phots of books and sometimes I put some phots on twitter or on my blog, but it’s nice to to be too worried about it. I’m kind of a bare minimum blogger but there’s just so many things to do that aren’t blogging. So I try. But I really like your theem, it is very chaotic. In general, I lik photos of books that are outside (I love your feed in 2015, and now too) because it inspires me to read and go outside, which is a good thing. I like it when I recognise books, but also when the angle/combination of tags (you are so clever with combining challenges and tags, I’m perpetually impressed) is done really well. Idk, all photos with books in them are good photos tbh
Shanti recently posted…Along the Indigo and Towards Me
I’m on bookstgram but I don’t post as often as I should. Mostly because I hadn’t decided on a theme yet though my bio says “for the love of books…and coffee.
So maybe I should just go with that for now. Also, I acquired a bookshelf and realized I have very few books. Yeay shopping. My goal for July is to post at least three times a week on my bookstagram. I have other IG accounts where I post quite regularly.
@mydustybookshelf
@MyDustyBookshelf: Coffee and books definitely counts as a fun theme though. 😂And yes, exactly! Consistency doesn’t have to be EVERY day, it just has to be…consistent, haha.😂I hope you have fun filling your bookshelf. 😉
@Shanti: Seriously though, why don’t we get more hours in the day THIS ISN’T FAIR. ARTISTS DESERVE MORE TIME. (Although, I totally spend a lot of time on there and then miss reading time.😂It’s weird when you spend more time promoting books than actually reading them?! 😂)
My theme is extremely intense.😂Which probably suits me so much haha.
I actually confess I don’t do tags anymore! Just the challenges. My mentions kind of got stupidly messy when people decided to just tag me so I’d like their photos…which is a bit off when they don’t follow me AND getting 3989 of those a day isn’t super fun. 😭 But I love challenges!!
I started on instagram/bookstagram just under 4 months ago @rebeccaalasdair. It’s so addictive! I’m still experimenting a lot with the types of photos I like to take, which is really fun. I definitely noticed that the more books you put in a photo the more likes you get! I’m overseas at the moment with only 1 hard copy book, so I’m taking photos of my Kindle in different places instead.
On a side note, my most popular bookstagram post so far was a picture of A Thousand Perfect Notes I took in Singapore airport!! I just took a quick snap and posted it because I was excited on your behalf and it kinda blew up my lowly feed haha. It’s so hard to figure out what makes people like certain posts sometimes!!
It is so addictive!! I love it so much hhaah…and I mean this is also why I’m constantly behind on my TBR.😂I am online faaar too much. And oh that’s awesome you’re overseas!! I hope it’s for a fun trip!
(AFJDKSLAD I’M REALLY HONOURED ABOUT ATPN BEING A POPULAR PHOTO FOR YOU. 💕😍LIFE IS NICE SOMETIMES AHHHHH.)
I had a bookstagram but I decided to just stick with my personal account. I just have too much going on to worry about something else! It was a hard decision and I kept logging back in, posting pics, and then being super disappointed with the very low amounts of engagement. I think the algorithm is SUCH a KILLER. If you’re not a big account it feels like it’s actively working against you! #frustration
I get so much more feedback on my blog and I’m perfectly happy with that, haha! I *think* I might have too many irons in the fire, so it feels like the right decision right now. 🙂
Elizabeth recently posted…Fluffy, Sappy Chocolate Chips // To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before // Series Review
I totally understand that feeling!! It’s actually kind of hard managing everything?! And I get really mad sometimes when a photo flops for NO REASON (*growls at the algorithm*) The worst part is quality and hardwork don’t necessarily win out. 😭😭
I DO NOT HAVE AN INSTAGRAM. Tho my friends keep telling me to make one. Now that I have a blog, I’m thinking about finally making an account but I’m still undecided. I don’t have the right equipment and all. Also, I don’t think I have the time for it because when September comes I’ll be coming back to school.
I so so love your pictures tho and reading this post definitely encouraged me to make an instagram account. I’m just kinda scared and insecure?? I know I shouldn’t but I don’t know how to control these feelings. HA HA look at me fearing a social media platform.
I’ll let you know if I overcome my fear on Instagram.
CONGRATULATIONS ON MAKING IT TO 40000 FOLLOWERS!
YOU SHOULD, RAIN. WHAT’S WRONG WITH ANOTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM SO THAT WE HAVE LESS TIME TO READ. *flings confetti in the air and also cries a little* 😂😂
Aww but don’t feel scared or insecure! It can just be done for fun, after all!! And my favourite part of it is honestly drooling at all the other people’s huge libraries and shelfies. Like adopt me, pls, I want to live in a bookshelf.
AWW THANK YOU THOUGH. ✨😘
This is the best guide I’ve read! Your style is so fun and relaxed. I’ve had my Bookstagram since about 2015 and I love it. It’s gone through a lot of changes and I’m kinda sitting still on followers at the moment, but it’s so fun to do and I love the interactions.
https://www.instagram.com/booksnest/
Aww thank you for reading!! And enjoying it!! 💛💛And it’s fun looking back at our style changes, right?!
One of the things I found is that this year I have basically relaxed when it came to bookstagram. I used to be super uptight wondering why people didn’t like my feed and now, I like my feed and if I get likes, yay! If not, it’s ok. I do agree the algorithm sucks because there’s no rhyme or reason to it. But I have found if you engage with the comments within a few hour period (less then 6) it does help a smidge. Not much, but a bit. 😂
Anyways loved this post! (I’m dreams_in_blue on bookstagram)
I think it’s great to just approach it from a “let’s have fun” angle too! I mean, we aren’t getting paid?! So we shouldn’t make ourselves miserable over it!! (OH I heard that about the comments but I never seem to get around to doing it in that first hour. 🙊)
It is interesting to see how your feed changed over the years. I might follow you in showcasing that some day. It is fun to look at and it makes you feel like there is some progress I guess haha. I have given up on getting a lot of followers and stopped caring about the big numbers. But I am currently like 6 away from 1k so that would be nice. I’ll have accomplished my goal for the year haha. ( I swear I was stuck around 940 for like a year). My account is @signourney (Sometimes I wonder if I would change my name to my blog name if that would help but I’ve been signourney for so long)
Sometimes I think bookstagram is actual magic. Because I see feeds that are gorgeous but don’t have as many followers as some of the other feeds. Like Maraia. Seriously why doesn’t she have like 10k?
Annemieke recently posted…TTT #146 – Red, White and Blue Books
You should totally!! It’s always fun to see things changing over time, right?! 😂My style wiiiildly changed haha. And hey doing bookstagram should make us happy! I think a lot of my success is down to luck too.😂I hope you get to that 1K soon!!
I KNOW RIGHT?! Maraia should have a ton more followers…her photos are so gorgeous. Sometimes I think it’s down to luck too, unfortunately.
Wow this was super helpful!!! I’m trying to be more consistent, but alas finding time to take pictures between writing and reading and a full time job is rough 😭😭
My Instagram handle is @moyak.tobey
I totally relate with how hard it is to balance everything!! And “consistency” doesn’t have to be everyday, as long as it’s regular…in my experience anyway. 😂
I started bookstagram in May! I’m still very much a newbie to the whole thing, so this post is very much appreciated 😅 My user is @mai_reads if you wanna check it out. AND BTW YOUR PICS ARE SO COLORFUL AND PRETTY i just squeal a little every time i see one on my timeline (if i see one. frick the algorithm)
Mai recently posted…Saturday – Week Replay ~ Welcome to my weekly recap!
I swear Instagram must require a blood sacrifice to get good engagement. I am on bookstagram (@rsloft) but I’m pretty new, so I haven’t quite figure out my theme. But your story shows that I probably will, with time. And practice. And such.
I’m not on Instagram at all, unfortunately, but Bookstagram looks super fun (apart from the weeping)!! My style would probably be more minimalist. But I’m a horrible photographer. Maybe I should attempt more book photography . . .
Your style is very distinctive. It’s so bright and lovely!
It IS so fun!! I complain a lot, but I can’t quit because I do love it so much aha ahha. And hey practise helps. Look at my beginnings. 😂
At least you have an excuse for your tbr! I can’t even tell it I prefer taking pictures XD
I think you got these many followers because you take gorgeous pictures, you are SUPER funny and SUPER relatable and it’s just so much fun being your follower?? Like, I don’t look forward to anyone’s photo caption but yours.
” I mean why be minimalist when you can be moreamlist.” <– IT SOUNDS GREAT ON PAPER AS WELL. I LAUGHED SO MUCH.
I think your tips are really good–although I'm probably going to ignore a bunch lol I still haven't figured out a theme that fits me and I'm trying a lot of different things, although I think I may be focusing in on some things that work. We'll see, I'm not rushing. Consistency is my biggest problems tho *covers in shame* I am SO BAD AT IT! *sobs*
You deserve ALL the followers. All of them! So happy to see you have a ton!
AWW YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE ME HAVE EMOTIONS. 😭💛💛That honestly means a LOT to me!! It’s sometimes frustrating with the algorithm being awful, but it’s still worth it for the friends and the gorgeous photos to drool over. And 10/10 for all moremalist ambitions. I’m sure I’m doing this right
(Do I follow you!? I hope I do…omg, I need to check.)
YES! *fist pump* My evil plan to make Cait have emotions is working!
I hate the Instagram algorithm. I just don’t have any idea why it doesn’t go chronologically and why is it such a b*tch? As an INTL user I miss a LOT of content because I don’t like it on time (I am sleeping Insta! why are you being mean?) so Insta thinks I don’t want to see more of these people’s photos and I’m just like ??? no??? I followed them because I want to see their things??? all of them????????????
I love this post! I’ve been struggling to get followers on instagram and I do realize I need to post more often. I will definitely be trying out some of your tips. (I’m ConfessionsofaYAReader)
Aww I’m so so glad it’s been helpful!! I do think consistency can really help too?! I found it did for me!
Social media: The bane of a writer’s existence. But also a balm when the creative juices aren’t flowing??
OMG SO MUCH AGREEMENT. 😂😂
OMG SAME, THE ALGORITHM SPARES NO ONE. I HATE IT.
It’s like dancing in the dark. Except knives are being thrown at you from every direction. And when you think you’ve gotten the pattern, BAM they switch it up.
I’m @thebooktrovert_ on Instagram and I’ve been on here since… omg I actually don’t know. But I’ve only started taking it seriously since March(?) of this year. I love, love, love, love your captions and I was actually inspired by them to make my own ironic/sarcastic list style captions. Thank you and sorry and I hope you don’t hate me.
Your tips are all great! And I totally agree, dark magic = A+ results. 5 stars, 10/10 would recommend.
Congrats on hitting 43k, Cait! And congrats on A Thousand Perfect Noooootes!!!! I’m still waiting for it to arrive but I can already tell that I’m going to love it. 🖤
Michelle recently posted…Review: Love, Simon
NO ONE EVEN LIKES THE STUPID ALGORITHM WHY DO WE STILL HAVE IT?!? *wails forever* And honestly the updates they do are STuPID and they never fix anything they break.😭
Awww!! I’m so glad you like my photos!! (And so excited you’re going to read ATPN. KIND SOUL.)
I appreciate those tips – they are really helpful! I love your blog and your Instagram is goals! My tip is basically enjoy bookstagram and don’t do it for followers or for free stuff 🙂
Aww thank you! And instagram is definitely something to be enjoyed!
I don’t have an Insta, but if I did I would follow you immediately because your 2018 feed looks like actual cotton candy and I love it. SO COLORFUL.
AWW AREN’T YOU THE MOST LOVELY OF EVER. It’s a little like a florist and a rainbow just exploded on my photos but I’m okay with that. :’)
Thanks for the tips! I started Instagram this year (@ajsterkel). My photos are nowhere near as pretty as yours. I take photos on my phone and edit them on there, so I can’t do tons of photoshopped stuff like I see other people do. I think I have 130 followers. My most “popular” photo has 49 likes. Yeah. It’s sad. A Thousand Perfect Notes has shown up in my feed several times, though. I love the butterfly cover.
Aj @ Read All The Things! recently posted…Top Ten Tuesday: USA! (In Book Photos)
I do all my editing on picmonkey 😂So not…super hightech for me ah haha. But whatever works right?! And aww, that’s like the most exciting thing of ever to know ATPN is fluttering around, taking over feeds, destroying lives. :’)
It is I, one of the few people on earth without Instagram, maybe some day but I want more books first. I downtown that many because I mostly just use the library to get books (i have been blessed with a library with a large YA section that has practically anything and keeps up to date with new releases) so maybe I should just take photos of those? Idk but dark magic sounds like a useful tip
Dark magic is a useful tip for absolutely anything we want to achieve. WHAT could go wrong?! Absolutely nothing. :’) (And hey I used to take photos of library books a lot! I probably still would if I hadn’t moved and lost my library. 😭😂)
Haha I love this! I’ve followed you for a couple years before i started a booksta! My biggest struggle is finding a theme! Handle: @bookishonabudget
Ahh I’m so glad you like my photos! THANK YOU.
Great tips, Cait! I just started to get into Bookstagram last fall (I originally tried inside but quickly learned NOPE outside is where I flourish). I surprisingly love it, but I do find it hard to grow followers. I’m hoping these tips help. 😊
(btw 2014???? I can’t believe it’s been that long. I remember when you first started Bookstagram but it does not feel like FOUR years ago!)
Congrats on 40k!
My IG: @mixedmargins
Emily @ Mixed Margins recently posted…June 2018 Wrap-Up
I know right?! SO shocked it’s been 4 years!! AHHHH. But also proves sometimes these things take lots of time. Like me @ learning how to take photos in focus. 😂😂
GAH GIRL CONGRATS!!!! Again, totally well-deserved. You’ll rule the world in no time and I’m just blindly following you, awaiting more awesomeness. ♥ I’m on bookstagram @aimeereads, but I’m currently on a bookstagram break while I wait for my shelves to be re-colored EEEP!
Aimee (Aimee, Always) recently posted…Here are 12 YA Books to Scream About in July 2018!
AWW, AIMEE. YOU ARE TOO NICE.😍 I definitely follow you already, and your photos are gorgeous. 😉
Congratulations my lovely – your posts are always so gorgeous and colourful and seriously brighten up my feed! Lovely post as always Hun 🙂
Grace Louise || http://www.gracelouiseofficial.blogspot.co.uk/
EEEEP THAT MAKES ME SO GLAD THOUGH.😍😍
I’m SO BAD at having a theme. I am such a mood photographer (I hesitate to call myself that when I just use my phone because big camera is expensive and editing photos takes so much time I don’t have).. I primarily use different colors fabric and put all my books on top of that. Although someone once told me that my feed reminded them of a fruit roll up, which I guess is a good thing. I don’t know how a fruit roll up could be a bad thing. I don’t want to live in that kind of a world.
Erin @ The Inky Bookworm recently posted…June Wrap Up and July TBR
Fruit roll ups definitely sound like a good thing??? My photos kind of look like a florist vomited everywhere, so WELL. I’LL ACCEPT IT.😂
This was a great post and so helpful! I know a theme helps but I really don’t like sticking to one? But I think I sort of have one – I do three posts about one book and there is usually an edited picture and a flatlay among the three. So I think it’s theme-ish enough? But loose. I go head over heels on the interacting on instagram but that’s just because there are great captions and pretty photos and I love them all <3 I really need to handle hashtags better on consistency. I post once every two days but I think posting daily could be better for me I just need to figure out like how?? to keep up with that schedule??
It’s definitely up to everyone’s personal preferences wit the theme! I would never say “YOU MUST DO THIS” or anything 😂but having a theme did work nicely for me haha. (I know super popular accounts that don’t have themes though!)
But omg don’t we need WAY more time in the day to keep up with all of this?!
I have huge consistency problems with all social media, so I guess I’m doomed. I love your pictures, their so colorful and always brighten up my feed.
I understand!😂It’s hard to keep up with everything right!?
I’m not on bookstagram, although I’d love to be!! I love love your bookstagram Cait! It’s super pretty and I’ll be sure to follow you when I get around to creating an IG account 😉
Great job on your pics!!!! They are beautiful and I’m so jealous 😂
Aww I hope you do someday! It’s a TON of fun!
Finding a theme is something that I’m still trying to figure out 😂
Consistency is one of my weaknesses since I have a love-hate relationship with my phone. (Also because I don’t have a theme and don’t know what to post.) I’m still going through Instagram growing pains!!
These are helpful tips. I like how you prep for the week on Sundays. I think if I make a specific day/time of the week to prep, it’ll make posting regularly a lot easier for me!!
My handle is @lostinstoryland
Only if you want a theme though! haha. Do your thing first and foremost! And yes actually having a specific photograph day is really helpful and lots of fun. I look forward to sundays a lot!
Congrats CAIT! *SCREAMS* You deserve EACH AND EVERY FOLLOWER! Your content is excellent, your pictures are beautiful, and your captions are GOLD! I hope you celebrate this by going on an AMAZING book buying spree! (Playing the devil’s advocate, but it’s fine) 🙂 Hope you have a great day!
Awww than you, Jared!! You are so kind!!
Stabbing can be very therapeutic!! 😂😂 Great tips! The algorithm ones were especially helpful. I knew there was an algorithm but I didn’t know anything about it. So even if it changes it makes a little more sense!
I love you pictures! They are super cute and colorful! I also really like how you showed your progress, that was super inspiring because it means I might have a chance 😂😂
my instagram is @perfectlytolerable1813 I sort of have a theme going where I do every other picture of books with a black background. The other pictures were supposed to be books with other backgrounds but I cheated a little when I did pictures from comic con. But I stuck with every other pic having a black background!
Brittany recently posted…A Pirate at Pembroke
SO TRUE THOUGH. Especially stabbing instagram…just a little bit. :’) Totally fine. NOTHING TO SEE HERE.😂 And shall come see your photos now too!
I just started a couple months ago @thisdarkmaterial! Right now I’m a big fan of taking outdoor pictures: our front and back yards have a lot of interesting plants and places to stick books, plus it’s totally free! I’m still sorting out my best system for posting, though. Right now I only post three days out of the week and tend to take a month’s worth of pictures in one day. That way I have plenty of time to shuffle their order around or take new pictures if I wind up DNFing/disliking a book I wanted to include on my feed. I had no clue that scheduling apps might hurt you though! I’ve been using one just because it’s more helpful than setting an alarm (if I did nothing I’d totally forget to post 😂) but I may need to rethink that now…Thank you for sharing so many great tips! ♥
Yayyy that you brave the outdoors! I have returned to my dark hole 😂but I did like flowers when they were blooming outside…oh back in 2015 or whenever it was.😂
But it’s good to be consistent, no matter how many times you post per week or month! I think it helps a lot haha. And omg I was using a scheduling app because it was SO useful to have the week sorted…but yeah apparently it shadowbans you?! So be aware!
My bookstagram is @juliabookaddict ! I really enjoy your writing style. It is so natural and just hilarious! I love the personality you put into it!
Thanks for these tips (I’ll have to try the dark magic at some point)!
Ps. I love your story updates on Instagram and you flailing over a Thousand Perfect Notes!
Aww, Julia! THANK YOU!! And dark magic 1000% works.
(Also so glad you like my Stories! Everyone’s going to be sick of me talking about ATPN soon haha.)
I have been on bookstagram for just over two years. I’m at @bookish.coffee and I love the community so much. However, lately I have been struggling because I don’t like the pictures I take and I want to find ways to improve them. This post was so perfect. It came at the perfect time! Thank you!
Jackie from Bookish Coffee Blog 💕
Aww I’m so so glad to hear that!! And off to check out your page now!
I love these tips. “Dark magic,” I laughed out loud. I’m only a tiny bookstagram so I love these posts. I’m @redqueenofbookland!
Aww I’m glad you enjoyed this!!! 😊DARK MAGIC IS KEY.
It only took me a million years before I decided to make a bookstagram account and honestly I’m having a theme crisis??? Dark books DO NOT WORK with my usual theme. My soul cries. (But I guess my theme will be tiny little charms and little crafting poms poms because I like being rebellious from everyone else.)
Also blogging IS a cooking show, 95% of the time we’re trying to throw in the right words and hope it turns out well. No recipe book either, so let’s wing this blogging business! 🤔
Also I just realized I need to stock on a WHOLE. SEMESTER. Of photos. 😖😖😖
Sophia @ Bookwyrming Thoughts recently posted…Weekly Wrap-Up: Whoa, It’s JULY?!
ohhh I hear you with the dark books! Whenever I get to a “black and white” prompt I always fall apart because..NO I NEED RAINBOWS. 😂😂 But super glad you agree we’re just in a cooking show here. :’) Totally true. Salt and roast everything.
Thanks for the tips! I don’t have a bookstagram yet, but I’m planning to set one up soon… so these might come in handy! 😀
Iris @ Hoard of Books recently posted…June Wrap-Up – (In Which I Did Exactly Nothing and Also Failed Most of My Goals)
Ooh I hope you have fun if you do start one!
Hey,
Congrats of 40,000 followers. I started a bookstagram (@sambevlee) at about the beginning of the year, and it is so much fun, though I don’t post as much as I should, being consistent and taking photos with natural light is hard (we totally need more hours in the day).
We do need more hours!! I also find it hard in winter to have enough hours to actually take photos with good light?! /aghhhh!
Winter lighting is the worst. By the time I get home, it’s already dark. Arg.
Soooo relate! It’s winter for me currently and I’m always fighting with sun. 😭😭
I love this! Thank you for sharing your tips! I’ve been on insta for a little over a year now, but it’s been rather difficult for me since my phone’s camera broke literally a week after I got my account. #awkward So I’ve been struggling to be consistent cause getting good quality photos is a grueling task. I’m hopefully getting a new phone soon though, so then I’ll be able to get better photos! 🙂
Awk, I understand the camera problems! I started off using my iPod gen 3…which ensured nothing was focused EVER. Nice, Cait, very clever. 😂A good camera does help a lot!!
I’m on bookstagram as @dreamswitheyes open and I’m not really sure what my style is. Since Instagram has 3 columns I seperate them for one column being books, one with quotes and the other is typically for my writing since I’m also a new author and other things, but I’m thinking about changing it up but I’m not sure with what. Or I think about adding little decorations but then my mind blanks on me, (which sucks major butt). There’s just never enough time in the world but I’m trying, (wondering if I should dabble in that dark magic though).
I think it’s important to have fun! Otherwise it’s hard to keep going haha, right?! But we definitely need more time and more dark magic. :’) Would help so much.
My bookstagram “style” is called “I do what I want!” and that is probably one of the (many) reasons why I do not have 40k followers, but I am FINE with it. I wasn’t at first, I wanted to be Super Famous Book Picture Person™ but alas. It is a lot of work, and I just don’t have the time, and something had to give- and I found it to be more stressful than fun, you know?
Also, I am firmly anti-theme. For myself, I mean, not others! I just can’t. I am too… kerfuffled to have a theme. Like my entire mind is chaos and so should my Instagram right? I also hate the algorithm, and frankly, it defeated me. I can live with it though.
That said, it is VERY clear that you put a lot of thought and love into your posts! So really, you deserve the followers and the likes and such. Though I am not opposed to using dark magic to acquire fame, so who knows 😀
Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight recently posted…July 2018 New Release/Of Books Giveaway Hop
hahahha, hey but if you have fun, that’s also important!!! I forgot to say…how much freaking work it is to have a lot of followers. 😂😂And themes should happen if you like them! Haha but yes I spend so many hours…this is why my TBR is going to murder me. I take more photos than I have time to read.😂
This post is super helpful!! I Loooooove your bookstagram!! You totally deserve 40k gurl!! My bookstagram handle is called @talkofthethought !!
AWww THANK YOU!! That’s so nice of you to say!! *sends all the cake*
I started a bookstagram page early last year (@theowlreader) after joining a book club. It took me awhile to gain new followers and slowly but surely they increased. At the end of last year I started to post everyday (or every second day) and gained 100 followers in a month (which for someone who only had 150 followers that’s a lot and I think it was during a time when the algorithim was being kind!) and within the last few weeks have started trying a consistent theme and colour scheme and it seems to be working. But, I don’t think that there is ever a way of knowing how to beat the algorithim, you have it worked out for a week and it gets changed (sigh). So for now I’ll keep posting my pictures and sharing my love of all things book and hope its reaching someone…
Oh agreed! I don’t think there’s like a “do this and everything will work!” method because I follow tips sometimes and they NEVER WORK *wails* Or maybe they do work sometimes but?! It’s so freaking frustrating. 😭😂 But the fact that bookstagram is so fun makes it worth it I guess haha.
Omg congrats Cait, that’s a huge number! There is definitely some dark magic and sacrificial rituals at work here 🤔
My Bookstagram account is pretty recent like around 6 months old so I’m still trying to figure out my style so currently doing a row by row theme which seems to be working out great!
But your post has given me a teeny tiny idea so I’m going to work on it and hope that it works! Anyway, I just love all your pictures precisely because they are so colourful and happy like so much colour you could be a freaking unicorn for all we know 😂
DEFINITELY DARK MAGIC. I swear I have no idea how else it happens. And it’s been a few years, which helps too haha. I’m glad the post was helpful aww!! Thank you!
This is all SOOO true! I’ve found that consistency and interaction help A LOT. Since I started my instagram ive seen the trend of how hard it is to get likes after coming back from an extended period of travel, etc. Totally kills your like flow.
It’s definitely a tight rope walk of wanting to boost numbers and just enjoying it. I looooveee taking the photos and looking back on them – which is always something to remind myself of when I get a real sticker with a measly 20 likes 😂 compared to my usual. TIS A TOUGH WORLD.
It’s sooo annoying!! It’s really hard to post ALL the time, but I’m scared to take breaks. *wails* It’s dumb, how much it sabotages us?! Shouldn’t it WANT people to keep using it?! Gah! I’m glad you really love taking photos and looking back hehe, that’s what I do all the time. :’) It is fun, even when the algorithm needs a bit of stabbing. 🙈🙈
Okay as fate would have it, my latest post is about me asking out the universe if I should bookstagram or not. And people have been all generous in sharing their insights in the comments. And then here from the OG boostagrammer herself are the precious dark magic tips I think I will need should I decide to the dip my toes in the murky waters of Instagram. Cait, you are a gift that keeps on giving. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Jennilyn V. recently posted…Wandering Thoughts: Why I Don’t Bookstagram, But Now I Think I Should
Omg! It is too! Apparently it is the week to talk about bookstagram?! I hope you have fun if you do try!
These are great tips. I use a scheduling app so maybe I’ll stop posting directly from that and see if it works!
Also: I love styles with lots of colour. Mine is kinda flower explosion (and I love it!) my account is bookishly_vintage if ya wanna check me out! 😊😉
I hope it works! I used one for AGES and then my stats just dived and I was like…why.😂 I will definitely come see your photos now!!
This is THE BEST. I especially enjoy how I can rely on you to advise stabbing somewhere in your posts. I like consistency. And I’m totally relating to “2016 saw me go INSIDE and thus I have remained for the rest of my life.” I only forced myself to go to the shops today because I found out there would be an animatronic Dinosaur there. That’s what it takes to get me to go outside. Dinosaurs. But I’ve decided that means I’m not a hermit, I just need motivation. It’s not my fault if it needs to be Jurassic.
Honestly there is no greater place in the world THAN INSIDE. AHHHH. I have avoided so much mud this way. 😂But agreed that dinosaurs are a good reason to go outside. Also occasionally I go out to bring books back in…which is living life right tbh.
I do love bookstagram but I don’t use my Insta for JUST that, so it’s never going to be consistent in that regard. I do want to make it more half/half though. I like when people do different things with their bookstagram photos – it’s fun! My account is @laurenashleybecker.
-lauren
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…The Hound of the Baskervilles: Graphic Novel
It’s totally fine to not have a theme! I think instagrams should also be fun. 😀
Moramalist should totally be a word.
My Bookstagram is tiny, so I have no tips, but I love all the people I’ve met through there, it’s definitely a lot more positive than some of the other online bookish communities *sideeyes book Twitter*. And your captions are always so funny!
It’s an excellent word I think. :’) And tooootally agree it’s a lot more fun and positive than twitter. 😂
Awesome post 😍
Thank you for reading!
I love that your photos are so recognizably yours. Like, I’ll scroll through my feed and I know its yours without having to look at your handle. It’s great!
I like following a whole different variety of accounts, so my feed doesn’t all look the same. Instagram is inspiring and educational for me most of the times. It gives me ideas, introduces me to new things (SPECIALLY BOOKS) and is a great way to find people to fangirl with.
I don’t have an account that’s 100% a bookstagram anymore. I turned it onto a combo of all kinds of things because I have all kinds of things I like to post about! So its about 50% my daughter, 35% books and 15% food. Haha. You can find me at @bookandbloom 🙂
Aww that also makes me really happy that they’re recognisable!! 😍 And agreed that it’s so great to follow tons of different styles! I follow an amazing selection and people are so wonderfully talented?!?
ALL OF THOSE ALGORITHM THINGS ARE SO RELATABLE OH MY GOD. (also why the feed algorithm it makes me cry)
My bookstagram is @paperblots and I used to do this style where I place the book on my lap but since it’s summer and bare legs yikes (for me) I’ve started doing this bedsheets thing style and I like it!! I literally spent like two hours taking NINE pics lmao
Julianna @ Paper Blots recently posted…June 2018 Recap // #BookCon2018, posting regularly (!!) and so many trailers!!
THE ALGORITHM IS PROBABLY A DEMON. LET’S JUST BE REAL HERE. 😭My likes have been stupid low lately for no reason bleeeeeh. I cry and just keep going until it fixes itself a bit?! And haha, I relate to how long it takes to do all the photos! I take a week’s worth and it’s often like 2+ hours and 200 photos just to get 14. 😂WHAT ARE MY CHOICES.
Congratulations for gaining 40K followers.I love your tips.It will definately help me to remove some of my confusions.To tell you the truth I can’t afford a dslr for now but I do have good editing skills.Hope you look at my profile soon
I’ve been too intimidated by Instagram to ever actually try it. I’ll stick to Blogging and Twitter which are already mysteries that I can’t figure out.
But it’s so cool to see the progression of your Instagram – I guess everyone does start somewhere but your style is so beautiful, it’s definitely cemented you as The Queen of Book Blogging.
Did you know you were going to be as big as you are now?
Maria John Writes recently posted…Is my Character a Boring AF Mary Sue or Gary Stu?
That is fair! 😂 Honestly it’s a lot of work/time to do ALL the things right?!😂 And omg I definitely start everything having NO idea what I’m doing and then it’s a gradual climb out of the pit of despair haha.
(And noooo! Of course not! I honestly get surprised every time I hit a new milestone. I FREAKED OUT just getting 100 followers.😂)
Hi Cait! Thank you so much for sharing these tips! I especially loved seeing how your account has evolved over the years.
And, yeah, the algorithm is my nemesis. It feels like the more followers I have, the fewer likes I get. So frustrating!
I’m on Instagram, too, by the way. @caryncaldwell
Aww SO glad you enjoyed it!! And omg I will fight that algorithm with you *shakes fist at it* Why on earth does it just destroy us like this?! What is the POINT. I have about 5% engagement which is a bit frustrating. 😂
This was a fun read! Some pretty fun information here and I super appreciate you taking the time to tell us that you don’t spend a ton of money.
Aww thank you for reading!! I’m glad it was helpful.😂And omg YES. No need to spend super much.
Hi Paperfury! I’ve been sitting here reading your posts and they are all so helpful! Thank you for taking the time to share all your knowledge with us. Bookstagram is a ton of fun. I just got on last August, and it is the best community. I think what I’ve found that works best for me is commenting on other photos, posting consistently, and doing stories as well as posts. I especially loved the post where you showed the progression of your Bookstagram. I’ve learned a lot in one year, but I have so much left to learn. Thanks for helping me along the way! @endlessfairytales
Awww that makes me SO SO VERY GLAD!! I’m super glad these posts are helpful, and it’s fun to share the love and tips, right?! And omg there’s always more to learn, I definitely agree. 😂I’m excited to see where I’ll be in a few years time from this!
I”m an author in the “older set” and while I have a blog, Facebook and Twitter account, most of them have been sadly neglected. I”ve avoided Instagram because I didn’t see the point. But your pictures and descriptions of it all make the first I can see myself doing it–what fun! Ideas, books, creativity, books, color, books. Need I say more? So thank you, and I’ll be digging into this soon. (I just moved this week, not the time to start anything!)
Aww I’m glad you’ve been converted a little! It’s hard to keep up with ALL the platforms though, tooootally agree. So do what works best for you! ;D
I kind of have a love/hate relationship with bookstagram haha. Love, because wow, everyone’s posting FANTASTIC and GORGEOUS photos, and I’m a huge cover person, so I’ve discovered tons of great books after seeing a beautiful cover on insta. But hate because, at least for me, it is so time-consuming to take all the photos, which I actually enjoy doing but then the editing part KILLS ME, I’m not only bored of that, but I’m quite bad at it as well. Also, it sucks when I put in so much effort into a photo AND THEN NO ONE SEEMS TO CARE haha. I wish we could pull off a theme, but as my co-blogger/bookstagrammer lives in a different continent, it’s H A R D, which means our feed is a mess. ANYHOW, great tips & thanks for the accounts you mentioned! I’m always on the look-out for more to follow. 🙂
We’re @theregalcritiques
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Omg I tooootally know what you mean!😂 I actually really really love editing and arranging the photos though, so at leats I don’t struggle with that, but IT TAKES UP SO MUCH TIME! I can literally spend my whole sunday doing it?! And then it’ll be like I spent more time photographing the books than reading them.😂Which feels weird. And the way the algorithm just blocks people from seeing our photos anyway… *screams* So yes FUN. But frustrating sometimes.😂
I’m on Instagram but I only put a bookstagram post up about once a month. The rest are all personal photos and #authorsofinstagram. Bookstagram is fun but I feel so out of touch because I’m writing books and not reading as much as everyone else does.
S. J. Pajonas recently posted…Selling Direct
I definitely can understand that! I also feel like there’s a definite push to read/flail over the most famous books, which can be frustrating if you like a lot of underhyped ones! (I do! But luckily I love a lot of hyped ones too.😂)
DARK MAGIC IS THE ANSWER TO ANYTHING THAT IS BASICALLY WHAT I’M GETTING FROM THIS POST. Lol no but actually thought your insta is so so so so amazing Kate and this post was really good. 🙂
Nabila | Hot Town Cool Girl
That is IT. Dark magic is the answer! 😂
OOH a bookstagram post from the bookstagram queen herself!!! MUCH EXCITE
I do bookstagram part time, doing some book pictures with some lifestyle pictures (that’s how I blog too: a combination of books and lifestyle stuff. I’m actually waiting on my shipment of TPN right now so I can do a bookstagram shoot that’s LONGGGG overdue!! I’ve been meaning to get a lot more bookstagram stuff done this summer but that hasn’t happened yet :/
Ahhhh so much to do in summer time right?! AND OMG I LOOK FORWARD TO PHOTOS. 😍😍😍
I agree with you about EVERYTHING. Especially: the algorithm sucks!
Here is a thing: you have actually inspired me to open a book blog and a bookstagram, yeah. I discovered how much work photos are, after taking them and editing them. Anyway, here’s my account https://www.instagram.com/paperbacksandpizza/
#thestruggletofindatheme I started with a pink theme, made with an app, which after 2 months decided to not work anymore on my phone, so I started a colorful theme, based on EVERY colour, especially bright ones. I thank you for writing that post in which you explain how to photograph ebooks, because it SAVED ME.
Also, interacting and posting a lot are my way go gain more followers, just as you said. The problem are that accounts -that aren’t even bookish accounts, like once a carpets shop followed me- that follow you and then unfollow you because you haven’t follow them back?! I have the right to follow back only people I want to!
Congrats on 40 K followers, Cait <3
Cri Paperbacks and Pizza recently posted…June Wrap Up || 2018
Aww I’m honoured to have inspired you! 😂😂 *sends you cake* And I’m loving how bright your theme is !! SO FUN. And glad the ebook tutorial was helpful!😂 I use it all the time for my Stories haha.
and thank you!! You are so kind 💛💛
I’m thinking of starting a bookstagram but omg I’m super scared of that algorithm! But your tips definitely helped! I love your posts! Congrats on the followers!
Aww definitely don’t be too scared! I mean, I won’t deny how annoying it is, but it’s still SO much fun and people are lovely! Totally makes up for anything!💖
Thank you for the tips. I definitely need to be more consistent.
@relativelybooktastic
I’m glad it’s a helpful post for you!! 💖 Good luck with your photos!
Honestly this post is so helpful. My friend and I just started a bookstagram like last week, so we’re still trying to build up a theme (But like, it’s so hard because THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO TAKE PRETTY PICTURES OF BOOKS). Your feed is absolute goals the brightness just blinds me (the good kind of blinding though 🙂
Our insta is @paperprocrastinators
Ah hahah, totally understand! Books are GORGEOUS and there are so many different styles. 😍😍 I wish you all the best!
OMG Bookstagram is my absolute favourite thing! I would gladly spend the whole day searching for the next best bookstagram account than doing anything else, seriously! I don’t have a big following, I’ve just started, tbf, but I feel like captions are really important. If you tell a story in your caption, don’t forget to ask a question that people want to answer to! Also, I’m in love with vintage/earth/gansey/the secret history aesthetics so I always try to take pics and edit them following that mindset. If you want to check out my Bookstagram I’m over at @asthenightfalls 😉
Aww I’m so glad you love it too!! And I totally forgot to add that we should ask questions in captions to promote discussion. *facepalm* 😂😂 Good point!!
Amazing post! Bookstagram takes a lot of effort. I have been on YouTube for a while and then, I decided to be on instagram. It’s so tough!
The consistent theme and just being consistent… ugh! But I’m trying. I am on instagram @indianbooktuber
Some of your tips are like … wow! This makes total sense and yet, not many would think of them. So, thanks a lot for sharing this.
Ahh I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this! And hey it’s tough getting started. 😂Goodness knows I took a LONG time to get my act together ah hahah.
There’s at least a day in every week when I loathe the fact that I don’t actually love Instagram enough to be a proper Bookstagrammer xD at the same time I really want to, cause I feel like bookstagrammers have more follows and if you concentrate on the bookstagram, it’s probably less work than concentrating on EVERYTHING, and they probably get sent books easier, cause OBVIOUSLY PHOTOS LOL. (I’m not saying that bookstagrammers have it easier than bloggers – I’m saying we bloggers just try to do too many different social medias xD) But the thing is, I just don’t enjoy bookstagram (even aside from me not having many print books – I could work around that. But I guess it just doesn’t give me joy 🙁 ). So that’s what I always grate myself about xD but now onto your post!
I am so happy your bookstagram looked like mine at first :DDDD makes me feel better. I can see you did the book-to-face thing even then xD
This post is so cool! I am loving seeing all of the timeline. I can’t believe I actually started following you when you had just started the rainbow style 🙂 that’s the only style I know you to have xD
So I guess my problem with bookstagram is that I just don’t love it. Every time I get a print book (read: once every three months. Very rarely.) I suddenly realize that “no, I have to do this again”, and that’s the thought I have about taking a picture. And they come out awful. And I have no props (and don’t care to have more junk in the house xD) and the lighting is usually bad (cause it’s winter all the time :D)……… The thing that bums me out the most, you know what it is? That most ARCs won’t let you share quotes T_T cause I’d be fine with having an ugly quote instagram. It would be for the content. BUT I CAN’T SHARE THEM. ARGH.
OMG, posting twice a day! That would kill me xD I don’t even have enough books for that lol… maybe it’s okay that I don’t really do Instagram almost at all. I couldn’t cope.
Actually, I had a pretty good Instagram feed lined up last year when I took all those photos outside… they came out nice, and because of the “backdrops” mostly formed a theme. And then my insta crashed and all the drafts died. And my motivation went to a black hole and I just sooooo didn’t want to do the posts all over again! I have a photo of the feed of drafts. So there’s that at least xD but I guess that one little blip killed any motivation I had. Funny huh!
I hope my comment is not too negative!! I just wish I had more love for actually bookstagramming xD I really adore all the bloggers who manage to do this. You’re like stars for me 😀
I DO LOVE THE STORIES THOUGH! That’s pretty much the only reason I keep an IG at all xD stories are just so cool.
Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks recently posted…[Weekly wrap-up] I Don’t Even Know Where The Week Went?
I’m on my bookstagram and my handle is @rosepetalpages! I think that commenting and liking and just generally interacting with the community is a great way to make friends AND get more people to notice your account!
Cailin @ Rose Petal Pages recently posted…Review & Discussion: The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood (non-spoiler)
I’ve been on bookstagram for a while and STILL I’m finding my style. Although I do love a more minimalist look, I find that I have more fun with a whimsical theme! So I’m working on mixing them up together haha
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I was going fairly strong with my Bookstagram but frankly I’d rather be reading than prancing about setting up shots. It’s also hard with my two little gremlins, who see me trying to arrange a pretty display and think that it must exist for the purposes of them destroying it. Add to that the almost-2-years-old gremlin loves “guys” and has absconded with all my Funko pops, and… Yeah, it’s a losing battle, haha. 🙂 I just post when the spirit moves me and have decided to spend my Instatime admiring the book posts of the people who have their stuff more together than I do. 🙂