Book publishers are by now acutely aware that TikTok’s BookTok has become a major channel for driving book sales

The linked post singles out “food, travel and gardening, where video content plays well”, but of course book publishers are by now acutely aware that TikTok’s BookTok has become a major channel for driving book sales.

TikTok’s recent growth has left all other social media platforms playing catch up. Forecast to reach 1.8 billion monthly active users by the end of this year, the app generated an estimated $4.6 billion revenue in 2021, up more than 140% year-on-year.

The initial popularity of the short-form video platform was fuelled by viral challenges and homemade comedy sketches, but increasingly longer form how-to content is engaging audiences. Research shows 15% of 18- to-24-year-olds are even using TikTok for news.

Google SVP Prabhakar Raghavan has also noted that younger users are using video apps for content discovery in place of more traditional search apps.

Peter Houston at Spiny Trends has more invaluable insights.