How To Create A Bookstagram Account (Part 1)

It’s year 2020 and it’s normal for people not just to own two smart phones but to also own two to three online accounts on Instagram. One is for personal, the next one is for business, and the other one is for a specified hobby like photography, writing, collecting vintage stuff, crafting or preparing vegan food.

If you’re into books and you love sharing your feedback about the book you just read through your Instagram posts then you might be familiar with the term bookstagram. It’s not just a hashtag. It’s an online community where readers and writers gather and share their passion for books.

Before you read further, I just want to be clear that the tips you’ll read here are meant for people who intends to create their own bookstagram account (or simply another Instagram account that shares their hobby or business). This blog post is not about growing your Instagram followers or gathering a lot of likes. Simply put, this is about the most basic steps I did when I created my bookstagram (and book blog).

So, you might also ask, why would you create a bookstagram account? The reasons can go from basic to personal ones. The most common are 1) to share the books you have read through a simple post or book review 2) to show the books you haul or unhaul and 3) to discover books through recommendations from random people that you somehow trust or you’re similar with.  

If you’re excited because of these reasons then let’s proceed to the main question which is: How to make an Instagram account? First, you have to create another e-mail account. And that e-mail account will only be used for creating your new or other Instagram account.

Choosing a Username (Consistency Is A Must)

I learned from Create and Go that a username is not really that important because what matters is the content. I agree. A brand might not make sense if we first encountered it without seeing what they offer. Example: Samsung, Apple, Nike, Toyota, UNIQLO. These are popular brands that made us easily visualize their products. That’s because they manage to make themselves known. But I also believe that although our username might seem vague to some it should have a personal meaning for us so we could see it as something important.

There are three ways to have a memorable username:

1. use your real name or nickname or nickname with your surname
2. use a short sentence that makes sense once it was read
3. use only one word (same with the branding examples mentioned above) or use two if every single word you tried is already taken.

Also, try not to add a period, underscore, or any number in it so it will be easier to type and remember. Your goal is to simply make it memorable or interesting for other people. Added tips, avoid words that are hard to read and harder to spell. Have a consistent spelling of your username if you intend to share your content on other social media accounts. Think of your username as your birth certificate.

Example:

• Twitter: annareads
• Instagram: anna.reads
• Goodreads: annareads_

This will only confuse the people trying to follow you. So, try using the username that will be easier to recall because it is also present in any platform that you’re into.

Example:

• Twitter: @readmenow
• Instagram: @readmenow
• Goodreads: @readmenow

Not only will it show off professionalism it will also feel like you stake your claim for this username that might become your trademark or personal brand. But that’s just me thinking ahead.

Account Setup (Personality, Business, or Themed Account)

This will probably come first into your mind. You really have to answer the question: Why would you create another Instagram account? And the answer will probably be a mix of what I stated above and a bit more personal. It’s important that you are clear with your answers before you started on this journey so that despite the changes and challenges, you won’t simply abandon this account or simply deactivate it. But in case you did decide to forget the bookstagram account you created, simply because it’s not fun for you, then it is fine. No worries. It’s your account and no one can really decide for you what should be done with it. That might sound contradicting with the tips I’m offering here but, the point is, if it’s affecting your mental health badly then do the right thing and settle for a more peaceful life.

Is that possible? Will you feel stressed out just because of bookstagram? It’s supposed to be just a hobby, right? Right and wrong. Having two or more online accounts could be exhausting. And that’s because it will depend on what you were trying to achieve out of it. Growing your followers or community will also be part of your concerns. We might hear other people say that it’s not a competition but there is always that moment where you cannot help but feel envious with what other people are achieving. Sometimes you will even ask yourself if you’re doing something wrong or wonder if people don’t like what you share about the book you read which made them not like your post. So be aware that what you should be making here are posts that shows who you are as a reader. If you intend for your bookstagram account to be a business type of account where you sell bookish stuff then that’s fine, too. Just learn how to make it work. Don’t fall into the trap that your grid should look perfect. It won’t. And you’ll always find yourself changing it, for the better I hope, and not because you feel like you’re not competing enough or your perfectionist side is eating you up.

Profile Photo (Logo or Head Shot)

Some are not comfortable showing their portrait. While others chose to use an anime version of themselves or simply created a logo for their username. All could work well depending on the account.

• A portrait is best for those who wanted to be transparent with their community. Celebrities weren’t the only ones expected to do this. Even photographers and directors or authors use a nice portrait as their profile picture. It somehow made the account legit.
• An artwork used as a profile photo could work well with illustrators, animators, comic artists or painters because it shows off their talent. Sometimes what it does is to make people focus on the art but not really to the one who created the art. Fan arts are common profile photos, too. It’s an appreciation for the fan who created that fan art for his or her favorite bookstagrammer or book blogger or booktuber. It happens.
• The logo, may it be text or signature or an icon, often gives the impression that your account is a brand and should be treated as one. The person behind it is invisible and less personal information can be read in this account.

Bio (The Clearer the Better)

As Vanessa Lau says, no one will search for Vanessa (unless someone is trying to contact a friend named Vanessa) but somehow people might type in a keyword that describes a person’s job or product. And so, you can include in your bio a label that best describes your account. Example: Bookstagrammer, Business Coach, Photographer, Actor, etc. If your account is set in Business mode a Category can be included in your bio.

Other information that are usually included in a bookstagram account are: 1) reading goals 2) current read 3) e-mail 4) link 5) short quote or description of the account.

This is important if you wanted other people to discover your public account. Bookstagram is different from your personal or private account because anyone can (and should) see it. Remember, we share what we read through this platform (Instagram) and we also discover good books through other people’s posts. Private accounts only work best for your personal accounts. Personal accounts could follow Public accounts though, just be sure you don’t have a blank profile photo with a weird bio. That often seemed like a spam account or an account used by a hacker. Anyone will simply report that account just because it looks creepy.

Linking it to a Website (Usually to a SEO Friendly Account)

If you have a Facebook or a YouTube account you can link it through your Instagram Bio. It helps people know more from you. Either through vlog or blog contents. The caption at the Instagram can only say a few words similar to a micro blog. But if you want to share a more detailed information then a link is a must. Make sure that the link is working well, not too long, and can be easily trusted (meaning it comes from a familiar platform) by your visitors. Example: If it’s a WordPress link you may still state it’s your Blog Link despite it being obvious that it’s a blog type of website. Sometimes linktree can be handy when you already have a lot of links you’d like your followers to know about.

So those are the basic things I would suggest for anyone who is thinking or still planning to create another Instagram account, particularly a bookstagram account. If these helps please let me know through the comments or through a DM in my Instagram @thethoughtballoons. I’m thinking of creating a second part that tackles the following:

• Choose a Theme (Setting the Mood)
• Creating the Grid (Providing Photos)
• Scheduling (Number of Post per Week)
• Tone or Voice (Style of Communicating to Your Community)
• Catchy Captions (Micro Blog Style or Personalize Style)