Books and Instagram
About a year ago I started this Bookshelf Beats project with one goal in mind. I wanted to interview people from all walks of life about books that mean something to them.
I saw my interviews as a potential spark for positive conversation about books. I also thought they could counterbalance the judgement, pretentiousness, and bullshit that sometimes permeates the world of reading.
When I began, I did everything social media pros tell you to do. I created a Twitter account. I created a Facebook page and started posting links and doing paid posts. I created a website. While doing all of this I neglected to create an Instagram page for nearly six months.
When I created my account I didn’t think much of it. I posted a few crappy pictures of food and books. I posted some nice scenery pics. But I didn’t understand how active and interesting the Instagram reading community is until very recently. As I post more frequently, I’ve realized that any author, book blogger, publisher, and indy/used book store would benefit from an active Instagram account.
“Every author, book blogger, publisher, and indy/used book store would benefit from an active Instagram account.”
Want some data to back up my statement? #book has been used 14,143,580 times on Instagram. To give that number some context, people have used #kimkardashian 2,861,036 times. Nearly five times more people use #book than #kimkardashian. In a world where there seems to be growing concern that books and reading are dying a quiet death, I find this data inspiring. Instagram hosts a massive community of readers eager to connect with other readers and writers.
How well does Instagram engagement translate into actual reads if you are an author or sales if you are a bookstore? To be honest, I don’t know. That said, I get more engagement from my Instagram followers than I do on any other social media platform. And I believe my account is driving more people towards my writing. When I started most of my posts were simple photos of book covers from my collection. Consistent cover posts for months helped me build a solid following. Now I use my account to post quotes from my interviews, modified versions of my writing on Medium and Quora, shout outs Bookshelf Beats interviewees, and much more. Every day I experiment and try new ideas to see what sticks.
Starting an account costs nothing. All you need is a smart phone. Create an account and see how other users are sharing their book collections and writing. Keep your posts positive and use them to spread information that will be useful to others.
I hope you give Instagram a chance. After years of dismissing it as a waste of time I gave it a try and continue to be amazed at how creative Instagram users are. If you start using Instagram I’d love to hear about your experience.
You can find me @bookshelfbeatsgino.
Bookshelf Beats is a website run by Gino Sorcinelli. I interview people about books that change their lives, inspire them, and/or make them think differently. If you enjoyed this article consider subscribing to my Medium publication.
