The only lasting trend that can be found on TikTok – #BookTok

Hannah Roberts is a learner in Grade 11 who completed a week of job shadowing at the Caxton Joburg North office.
She writes about how a recent TikTok trend has helped her discover a love of reading…

I never read much when I was younger. In fact, I hated the thought of it.
But after discovering #BookTok, I love reading, and now I own 42 more books than I did at the end of 2020.

#BookTok has become so popular that bookstores such as Exclusive Books and Reader’s Warehouse have dedicated #BookTok sections for readers such as myself to find their desired books easily.

TikTok is a popular social media platform that has been downloaded more than 2.5 billion times. It allows users to create, edit and share short video clips that are between 15 and 60 seconds long. It is known for its notorious trends, such as the ‘Cuff It’ dance challenge and the ‘If I were a…’ videos. However, these trends vanished almost as quickly as they appeared.

There has only been one trend that has lasted since 2020 – and that is #BookTok.

#BookTok has been described as a wholesome sub-community on TikTok that allows readers to discuss books with each other in a safe, non-judgemental space. It encourages reading and it promotes interactions with people who share similar interests to you.

#BookTok began when TikTok user, @caitsbooks created a video of a book she had read. Her video gained popularity and the entire movement of #BookTok started.

Users share their favourite books and authors, such as my favourites Colleen Hoover and Emily Henry. They post reviews about books they have read and inform you about books that are similar to ones you have read. #BookTok is a space for readers to engage with each other and discuss literature.

Joining #BookTok is simple. All you have to do is install TikTok, find the search icon, and search for #BookTok. You don’t even need to create your profile.

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