We have witnessed for a few months, that content creators are sharing their views on whether the book publishing industry is transforming into quick fashion. According to Oxford University, the word fast fashion is defined as expensive clothes produced quickly by the retail market according to the latest trends.
Now, book publishers have started paying attention to publishing books with particular trends and tropes. Instead of focusing on quality, they are now paying attention to trends. However, books can be both trendy and premium quality. BookTok is a platform that has both positive and negative impacts on the book industry.
BookTok is an application that has an undeniable hold on society. It is a sub-community on TikTok where readers share their reviews, recommendations, criticism, and emotional reactions. In this blog, we will discover the impact of BookTok, what this application is, and what its pros and cons. Keep scrolling to know everything about this top trending application.
BookTok And Its Impact On Readers
Let’s understand what this application is. Why every book publishing company is opting for this application? We have also mentioned its advantages and disadvantages for your better understanding.
Target Audience
So, the first thing you need to know about this app is its target audience. Preliminary, its aimed audience is teenage girls and women who are in their early twenties. The platform usually has books that have bright color covers which make them attractive. Because of their colorful covers and amazing content the book sells well.
Trending Books
Not every book trending on TikTok is about romance stories. The trending book on social media The Secret History is about a murder mystery. Similarly, the famous columnist and author Dolly Alderton enjoyed the marketing of this platform. Her exquisite book I Know About Love has made repeated appearances across social media platforms. Another book, Snippet Of The Memoir has put fire on social media. The book is about the beauty of female friendships.
The platform aims to fill the gap between the author and the reader. The reader is super comfortable and identifies the cultural context and settings they are familiar with. The application has a setting option where readers can enable their language perspective. The application shows a story the audience is familiar with. It also includes the character the reader relates with the most. The stronger the connection between the story and the reader more it feels to read.
Advantages Of BookTok
There are numerous advantages of BookTok but the best one is that it offers a common space to readers. This makes it easier to learn and interact with each other around the globe. Increased connectivity means their likes and preferences will make more nice and more power will be added in the hands of everyday consumers. This also dictates trends to readers and lets the authors and advertiser to cater their preferences.
BookTok lets authors capture readers and market their books. This is because it is very challenging to make a book shine out of others in the huge publishing industry. Therefore, this amazing application can be a game-changer for those authors who are lesser known and trying to get their work discovered and recognized.
Cons Of BookTok
As we know every rose has its thorn, so now let’s look at some of the negative influences and cons of this platform.
Undoubtedly, the trend encourages the youth to read more books, and it is somehow becoming the reason behind reading, which is becoming an aesthetic. Today, people purchase books to fill their shelves and look cool. It is not a joke how so many books on the shelves are left unread, but this is where readers need to draw a line.
The BookTok has turned the publishing industry into fast fashion. Firstly, the quality of the books is not up to the mark. The books are not supposed to fall apart. Secondly, even publishing houses use slightly cheap materials and methods because of the high production costs. Opting for thinner paper and not including any special effects on covers is one of the biggest drawbacks.
Why Traditional Publisher Over BookTok?
On the other hand, traditional publishers offer both hardcover and paperback. Both of these are sold at major retailers. Also, these publishers do not support child labor or other shops like fast fashion companies. Furthermore, these publishing houses offer binding and printing in a largely automated procedure done in a warehouse or factory. So, if you want your book to be published and printed through traditional publishing platforms then search for any company like Book Print Ireland.You will get a list of several companies offering services for book printing and publishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How BookTok has impacted book publishing?
The platform assists publishers in introducing new titles and authors to a broad digital audience in no time. On the other hand, authors tap into the platform to interact with readers and make buzz around their writings.
- What is the big challenge faced by the book publishing industry?
Inconsistent revenues are one of the biggest challenges in the digital and self-publishing industries. Even revenues with low prices and margins of the digital format are putting pressure on publishers. On the other hand, online subscriptions have also complicated the environment and mostly result in low earnings.
- Does BookTok help in boosting book sales?
According to an authentic report by Circean, the boost in book sales over the past few years especially in adult fiction, is due to the influence of adult fiction. This genre saw a boost of 9% in sales in 2022 per publisher in a week.
Let Us Wrap The Impact Of BookTok On Publishing
Although the impact of BookTokhas made mass trends in books. Think about the golden era when fantasy, young adult, and dystopian books rocked the bookshelves. Series such as Twilight, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, The Maze Runner, and The Hunger Games were all great competitors in the book industry throughout the 2000s. Have you ever thought about why they were so popular and successful? Because they aligned with the famous tropes of their time. If Twilight could become immensely famous without the help of social media or any pastel cover, then why do today’s romance writers need social media marketing for their books? It cannot be denied that BookTok has several benefits and has helped authors in marketing their books.