Part one
So you you want to start a Bookstagram <3 ? Maybe you’ve been lurking on bookstagram for months, saving aesthetic photos and thinking “I could do this.”?
Or maybe you just love books so much that you need an outlet to talk about them because your friends are tired of hearing about your latest book boyfriend (no judgment here, we all love Rhys, am I right?).
Step one: Research
Follow 10-15 Bookstagram Accounts That TRULY Inspire You
Go to your Explore page and search “bookstagram.” Scroll through and save posts that make you stop and think “wow, I love this.”, “I think I have similar props that I can use”
Look for accounts whose aesthetic and content style resonate with YOUR vision and style. Don’t just follow the biggest accounts, follow accounts that feel like YOU (don’t expect them to follow you back, we don’t do f4f here)
When I first started I made the mistake to follow everyday for a week random people thinking that they would follow me back and I can grow my Booksta fast, that was WRONG and you know why? Because no one would engage with me, I kept getting insta jailed and my content wasn’t pushed out to anyone, so please, don’t do my mistakes!
Look at the accounts you saved
Check out their posts from the last 30 days. What types of content get the most engagement? What photo styles do they use? What do their captions sound like? What hashtags are they using?
Important: You’re doing this for INSPIRATION, not to copy-paste. Your goal is to understand what works and then apply it in your own voice.
We want to learn the algorithm and what is the trend, right now as I am writing this, storytelling carousels, trial reels, reels with a story or a guide in the captions are the things that get the most attention (when you read this might be something else).
Study Their Aesthetic Choices
Pay attention to:
Overall brand consistency
Color palettes (warm tones, cool tones, neutral?)
Props they use (coffee mugs, flowers, blankets?)
Lighting styles (bright and airy, moody and dark?)
Step 2: Create Your Dedicated Account
Make It a Separate Account
Create a dedicated Instagram account just for your Bookstagram. This gives you privacy and control, you can block people you don’t want seeing your content without limiting your creativity. Plus, it keeps your personal life separate if you want that boundary.
Choose a Username That Makes Sense
Your username should ideally:
- Include “reads,” “books,” or something book-related
- Be easy to remember and spell
- Reflect your personality
Mine is @nissaonlyreads because, honestly, reading is pretty much all I do. Simple, clear, and very me.
Inside story, I actually came up with this username when one of my reels went viral, it was something like “when you hide your Bookstagram like it’s an onlyfans, but it’s onlybooks” funny right? =)
Add a Profile Photo
Use a photo of YOURSELF with books or something book-related. People are way more likely to follow real people than random graphics or logos. We connect with faces. If you’re camera-shy, even a photo of you holding a book in front of your face works, just show that you’re a real human, and never use AI photos, we hate AI in this bookish community mkay?
Write a Personal, Authentic Bio
Your bio should help people connect with YOU.
You can include things like:
- Your name or city if you are comfortable to share
- Your age or general life stage (if you’re comfortable)
- What type of content you create
- Your reading preferences (genres you love)
- Most important add an email (not the one of your IG account, make a separate one for your brand)
It is important to add your email to your Instagram
Check my Bookstagram Toolkit for more details and examples here
Step 3: Start Creating Content (But Make It Sustainable)
Okay, this is where most people either burn out or find their groove. Let’s make sure you do the latter.
Batch Create Your Photos
Here’s a secret that changed my life: you do NOT need to photograph every single day.
Pick one day (I do Sundays), make a mess of your house with books, props, and different setups, and take photos for the ENTIRE WEEK or even month. Yes, it’s exhausting on that one day. Yes, your living room will look like a bookstore exploded. But doing it once and reusing content saves your sanity.
On the same day I also plan my content for the next week, I use Notion everyday to brain dump all the ideas and then on Sunday I move them all to my main Tasks. (I will create a separate blog on organizing your content <3 )
The Real Talk You Need to Hear
Starting a bookstagram is exciting, but it’s also WORK
Some days you’ll feel like giving up. Some posts will flop. Some weeks you won’t feel creative at all.
That’s normal. That’s part of the process.
Here’s what I wish someone told me:
Your first few months are about learning. You’re figuring out your tools, your voice, your style. You’re testing what works and what doesn’t. That’s the whole point. Don’t expect perfection or viral growth right away.
Comparison will kill your joy. There will always be accounts bigger than yours with “better” content. But they’re not YOU. Your voice, your perspective, your personality, that’s what makes your account special.
It’s okay to want to monetize. If you want to turn your bookstagram into a side hustle someday (or even a full-time income), that doesn’t make you ingenuine or a sellout. It makes you smart. Your creativity has value. Your time has value.
Don’t let anyone shame you for wanting to get paid for your work.
Community over follower count. I’d rather have 1,000 engaged followers who actually care about my content than 50,000 ghosts who never interact. Build real relationships. Show up for your community.
That’s what makes bookstagram worth it.
Nissa created to this article.