What should a bookshop post on TikTok?
A bookshop should post the things only a bookshop has: staff recommendations with real opinions, new arrivals, shelf tours and the feeling of browsing. Readers on TikTok love passionate book talk, so personality and taste sell more books than discounts or polished adverts.
Readers are already on TikTok
Book lovers have built a lively corner of TikTok where people film reactions, ranking videos and recommendations. A bookshop does not need to invent a new format; it needs to add something the average reader cannot, such as knowing what just arrived or what a regular customer cried over last week.
Your advantage is curation. Anyone can show a bestseller, but only your staff can say 'if you loved that, try this lesser-known one on shelf three'.
Six ideas to fill your feed
Staff pick in 20 seconds: one bookseller, one book, three reasons, no spoilers. Put the title and author on screen for the whole clip so people can screenshot it.
Unboxing the delivery: open the week's boxes on camera and react to what is inside. It turns a back-room chore into a reason to visit before the good copies go.
Book matchmaking: ask commenters for their last favourite read and reply with a video handing them the perfect next one from your shelves.
Shelf tour with a theme: rainy-day reads, books under a certain length, stories set in your city. A slow pan across spines with text overlays is simple and very rewatchable.
Behind the counter: show how you choose stock, wrap gift orders or prepare an author event. Small rituals make the shop feel like a place with people in it.
Customer recommendations: with permission, ask a regular to hold up the book they are buying and say why in one sentence. It is social proof that feels natural.
Mistakes that cost you readers
Do not read long passages aloud or show pages in detail; copyright still applies to excerpts, and viewers came for your opinion anyway. Avoid spoilers in captions or on-screen text, where people see them before they can scroll away.
Skip trending sounds that drown out your voice. Book videos depend on what you say, so keep music low or leave it out.
From comments to the till
Tell viewers exactly how to buy: reserve by message, order through your site, or pick up in store. Mention when a featured book is in stock and when it is running low, which is honest and gives a reason to act.
Create a recurring series, such as a weekly pick, so people know when to come back. Offer to set aside a copy for anyone who comments, and watch how many of those reservations become sales.
Frequently asked questions
Do bookshops need to show bestsellers on TikTok?
Bestsellers help people find you, but your unique picks keep them. A mix works well: use popular titles as a hook, then recommend something similar that readers may not have heard of.
Is it okay to show book covers in videos?
Showing a cover while recommending a book is a common, accepted practice. Reading out long passages or filming many pages is different, so keep excerpts very short and focus on your own opinion.