The first step to running a successful bookstagram account involves figuring out what makes an account successful in the first place. What kind of content do viewers enjoy, and what might be missing from current accounts that you are able to provide? To start this process, you should simply start by engaging in the bookstagram community. Follow some of the top bookstagrammers, alongside those that are just starting out and see how well their content performs.



Take good photographs

The quality of the photographs you post can also have an impact on how successful your bookstagram account is - due to the simple fact that Instagram is a visual medium. Users are, therefore, much more likely to engage with your content if it looks good. In fact, they won’t bother to read your captions at all if the images do not catch their eye - no matter how insightful your latest review may be. Therefore, you should do a little research ahead of time on how to take a good book photo for social media, paying attention to things such as lighting, photo symmetry and even backgrounds.



Post multiple pictures at once

Learning how to post multiple photos on instagram is another great way to improve the quality of your bookstagram account due to the simple fact it means you can provide your followers with more content. For example, you could start with a photograph of the book itself before creating a clever graphic for the second photo that contains your thoughts on the book or a star rating.



Only post when you have something to say

While a consistent posting schedule is important for growing your platform, it’s also important that you do not post for the sake of it. For example, there is no point in uploading new images every day if you don’t have anything to say about the books you are reading. Furthermore, it's also important to remember that you can post a wide variety of book-related photographs on your page in addition to whatever your latest read is. For example, you could post photographs of local libraries and bookstores, #shelfies (photographs of your own bookshelf), alongside snippets or quotes from your favorite novels. I'm a big fan of a style integration, so I love to coordinate my outfits and locations with my books covers. The more varied your content, the better, as this gives your audience plenty of different materials to engage with.



Encourage conversations in your comments

When running any form of social media platform, the more engagements your posts receive the easier it will be for you to grow your follower count. Therefore, by asking questions of your followers in the captions of your photographs - such as asking for their opinion on your latest book - is a great way to take your account to the next level. It's also a great way to connect with other members of the community and make lasting friendships with those who share similar interests to yourself.



Host a giveaway

If your bookshelf is currently overflowing with books you’ve already read 100 times over, why not pass them into the hands of someone else who would love them? After all, books deserve to be read time and time again. Furthermore, hosting a giveaway is a great way to boost the profile of your account, as it encourages even more people to engage with your content. For example, in order to enter the giveaway, you should encourage users to follow your account, comment on your posts and even share your page with others. This way, you’ll be able to watch your follower count climb while making space on your shelves for your next trip to the bookstore. In short, it gives you an excuse to buy even more books after the giveaway has taken place - which is always a win.