Here’s a statistic that may surprise (and excite) you: Millennials and Gen Z together make up approximately 53 percent of the world’s population. That means nearly 1 in 2 people on Earth are either millennials or Gen Z. (Wow!)
One of those Gen Zers lives in Angela’s house. And she loves the library, to Angela’s great joy. She is a reader of science fiction, fantasy, and romance titles. And she gets most of her book recommendations from TikTok.
We're certain you’ve heard of #BookTok, that special subset of TikTok videos focused solely on book recommendations and reviews. According to Forbes, so far this year, 52 million videos with a combined total of 370 billion views have been created under the #BookTok hashtag. It has helped boost bestsellers, revived backlist titles, and had a profound impact on reading habits.
And many of those viewers belong to the Gen Z and millennial generations. We want them to think of your library as the best place to get book recommendations. We want them to become lifelong, loyal users of your library. So, it’s vitally important for your library to focus on collection promotion on this social media platform.
Why Your Library Should Prioritize Collection Promotion on TikTok
Collection promotion aligns perfectly with #BookTok’s strengths: Short-form, emotionally resonant, and visually engaging content. TikTok allows your library to meet these Gen Z and millennial readers where they are — on their phones, as part of an enthusiastic reading community.
And not only will you be reaching these readers, you’ll also uncover many trends about reading and books that you can use to inform your book displays and reading lists.
Five Tips to Gain Attention on #BookTok
To maximize reach on TikTok, focus on these algorithm-driven strategies:
Hook viewers in the first 3 seconds: Videos that grab attention early are 65 percent more likely to be watched through to the end. And that’s important because TikTok heavily favors videos with high average watch time and completion rates.
Add keyword-rich captions and hashtags: TikTok now functions like a search engine, especially for Gen Z. You want to make sure readers are served your videos. So, add book titles, genres, and story appeals to your title, caption, or hashtags. Those keywords make it easy for the TikTok algorithm to match your video with the right reader.
Match your book selections with trending audio: Use a trending sound that evokes a specific mood or theme, and pair it with a book that matches that vibe. For example, if you are promoting books that are romantic or about characters who are coming of age, pair your video with a trending audio clip (either music or spoken word) that’s dreamy or nostalgic. Featuring a thriller or mystery? Use a dramatic or suspenseful sound.
Post consistently, about three times per week: Regular posting helps train the algorithm and builds audience expectations.
Engage with comments: Responding to comments and encouraging interaction boosts engagement metrics, which will result in TikTok showing your videos to more people.
Spotlight Library Picks for Gen Z & Millennials on TikTok
Now you understand why and how you should use TikTok to promote your library collection to Gen Z and millennial readers, but how do you get started? Posts that show off specific books related to a theme, showing the books themselves (readers want to see covers), are hits on TikTok. Add keywords as text on the screen. Do a voice-over or a small book talk for each book. To help you dive in, here are examples you can use for inspiration, with their NoveList Story Elements.
For millennials: Connect with millennial readers overwhelmed by everything on their plates or having a bit of an existential crisis by showing off books to help them escape it all. Do a book display called "Escape the Existential" and show off escapist books that are funny, cozy, or immersive.
- A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers: Hopeful, atmospheric, leisurely paced, apocalyptic science fiction, voyages, and travels
- The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst: Upbeat, whimsical, fantasy romance, magical books
- The Stars Too Fondly by Emily Hamilton: Witty, banter-filled, LGBTQIA+, romantic comedy, space opera
- Water Moon by Samantha Sotto: Sweet, unputdownable, world-building, quests, contemporary fantasy
- The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner: Amusing, intricately plotted, richly detailed, cozy mystery, libraries
For Gen Z: Trends like "soft boys" or "hot girl summer" have been huge on social media. Create a label to highlight several types of books in your collection. Want to show off unique, unusual, or even unsettling books? Turn that into "Weird Books" or "Weird Book Summer" TikTok.
- Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen: Irreverent horror, reality TV, gruesome, LGBTQIA+, Sasquatch
- Bunny by Mona Awad: Darkly humorous, gothic, dark academia, female friendship
- House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski: Experimental horror, haunted houses, intricately plotted, unreliable narrator
- Severance by Ling Ma: Witty, sardonic, apocalyptic fiction satire, complex characters
- Chlorine by Jade Song: Magical realism, body horror, disturbing, stylistically complex, mermaids
Angela Hursh is Manager of Library Engagement, Marketing, and Professional Development at NoveList. She is reading The Shutouts by Gabrielle Korn.
Yaika Sabat is the Manager of Reader Services at NoveList. She is reading The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones.
