What is Bookstagram? Where can I find it? Why is the ‘B’ capitalised? … I don’t know the answer to that last question. Actually, I don’t even know if it is capitalised, but for emphasis in this post I’m going to capitalise it.
But to make a post about Bookstagram, I can’t help but start with Instagram.
Instagram thoughts and opinions
I have a complicated relationship with Instagram. It’s probably my favourite social media platform but I go through phases where I love it and other times when I can not be bothered with it. There’s a lot of stuff on Instagram. It can get overwhelming.
Also, I keep getting locked out for liking too many pics when I’m in one of my ‘active’ phases so there’s that.
Instagram and books
In summary of a previous post where I wrote about how bookshops survive online: Instagram can help promote books. Bookstagram is definitely a big part of that, marketing authors and publishers.
The algorithm changing
Instagram is a marketing tool for many companies. Not to mention users with personal brands. Some use it to share photos with friends, but it can’t be denied that marketing and Instagram go hand in hand.
There are techniques you can use to try and work with the algorithm they’ve set up, but the algorithm changes and there’s no sure way to know if your content is optimised for the platform.
I’m not really sure what I think of the algorithm changing. For the most part I don’t actually have an opinion about it. Sure – it’s frustrating when I read blog posts saying ‘do this’ and ‘do that’ and the techniques don’t do anything, but on a scale out of ten my frustration is at a mellow two.
Except for when it comes to Reels.
Reels taking over Instagram
Why do social media companies try to copy other social media companies instead of just trying to improve their own platforms? If you have the answer I would love to know. I don’t get it.
First, Instagram added the Stories feature after something similar was popular on Snapchat. Now Instagram has added Reels, which is an obvious adaptation from TikTok.
Here’s my thinking: users use Instagram because of the photo content, because it has always been a photo-based app. I have no problem with video content but, apparently, Instagram wants to make videos the focus of the app. We’ll see if they do, but to me this seems like such a big change – they might as well make a new app for this (but they won’t because they already have a huge user base on Instagram). I figure Instagram should emphasise their point of difference (the image feed), instead of trying to follow in the steps of other, newer, apps. Stand up for yourself, Instagram!
… Is this because of Facebook? What did they do to you?
Bookstagram thoughts and opinions
Bookstagram romanticises reading and makes me want to live inside book worlds. Or rather, live inside book worlds even more, cause reading already does that. And before Bookstagram, I had no idea that so many people loved to read. There are a lot of readers out there! That honestly makes me so happy to see, even I am jealous of their bookshelves.
Content on Bookstagram
What can you find on Bookstagram? There’s a lot, so I’m actually going to write another post about it and link it back to here. I’ve got a few (just a few) listed as starting points though:
- Book launch tours.
- Book aesthetics/mood boards.
- Quotes from books.
- Pictures of book stacks.
- Photoshopped book-related images.
- Shelfies.
- Book flatlays.
- Tea/coffee/iced coffee.
- Book boxes and unboxings.
- Book mail unboxings.
- Funko Pops.
- Book-inspired artworks.
- Bookmarks.
- This or That bookish opinions.
- Book-inspired cosplay.
- Notebooks.
Bookstagram content controversy
I’ve heard that creating content can be competitive but, thankfully, I haven’t experienced this myself. I tend to just do my own thing. Also, I don’t have the consistent schedule to compete with people posting multiple times a day. Nor am I really that much of a competitive person.
The most controversial thing about Bookstagram seems to be the most controversial thing on all social media platforms: cancel culture. I still don’t know for certain how I feel about cancel culture – sometimes it cancels extremely harmful content, which is good, but sometimes it only exacerbates the hatred and apathy that exists online. Let me explain.
If someone has shared something online that is harmful to others, I still believe (perhaps naively) that it’s possible they don’t know. Ignorance, though not necessarily a good thing, is not deserving of punishment and should not be an opportunity for an ambush of abuse. There are too many people online who would not give someone the opportunity to apologise.
The issue can be communicated in an explanatory way, rather than being harmful in return. Explaining why content is harmful helps people learn from their mistakes. Unfortunately, there’s no way of knowing exactly how someone will respond to this (which is a whole other topic of discussion), but if you were polite, then (as corny as this may sound) you’ve only put good out into the world.
Bookstagram is a place to share opinions. I love that diverse books are promoted online, and I love the enthusiasm about reading and words. However, people are still judged for their opinions. And sometimes those opinions don’t harm anyone! If you want to read on your bed instead of your couch, go for it! If you have a book crush on a vampire and everyone else loves the werewolf, don’t let them put you off! And if you only read once a month and are shamed for that, then shame on the shamers! As long as you’re not harming anyone, you do you.
Spoilers on Bookstagram
You know the shock – the utter devastation! – of scrolling down your feed only to see an image you know must be inspired by the next book in the series you’re reading, or a caption that tells you the ending you’ve been trying so very desperately to avoid accidentally finding. But you saw it. It’s in your brain now. And it’s stuck there for good. That book may be ruined for you. It certainly won’t be the same reading experience as it would have been before you came across that spoiler.
What do you think of the spoiler content on Instagram? With Goodreads, you know it’s full of reviews from people who have read the book and therefore will probably contain spoilers, so you don’t read the reviews – or you do, if spoiling yourself is your thing. But with Instagram, you can be scrolling stunning bookish aesthetics and cozy reading nooks and them BAM. Spoilt. No warning. No time to prepare yourself. And no time to look away.
Unexpected plot twists and shocking character deaths are the casualties of Bookstagram.