Social media is a powerful tool for bookshops – it allows them to connect with existing customers and reach news ones, by offering a space for them to interact with readers in their local community, and around the globe. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and X allow bookshops to share their unique stories, highlight their passion and expertise, build a brand and stay competitive in today’s market. “Social media is a really important part of how we connect with customers. By reflecting the personality of the shop through our channels, we find people engage with our content and are keen to support our business. We find that Instagram is the best platform to use but also post on Facebook, X and Threads to capture as much of an audience as possible. We are constantly looking for new ways to improve our content, both from an engagement standpoint but also to generate sales. It’s an on-going process which requires constant creativity but it’s something that the team enjoy doing and it’s a vital part of the business.” – Mostly Books, Oxfordshire “Social media is one of our most important marketing tools. The various platforms are places where we can connect with and promote to the book community in Ireland and around the world about what we are doing at Kennys, while also sharing content about books, authors, visitors and life in a bookshop. They provide an invaluable means for connecting directly with followers and the wider community, and are great for feedback and engagement.” – Kennys Bookshop, Galway Social media can also help bookshops:
- Engage in conversations in real-time and build a loyal community - Boost sales, increase footfall and drive traffic to their website - Share their unique identity, post behind the scenes content and bring the bookshop’s personality to life - Promote book clubs, subscription services and events - Publicise competitions and promotions - Highlight staff recommendations, post original content and share regular features - Tailor content to seasons, trends, holidays and campaigns - Drive pre-orders and build excitement around new stock and upcoming releases - Encourage user-generated content - Showcase beautifully curated bookshelves and table displays - Interact with authors, publishers, influencers and other bookshops - Stay up-to-date with trade news and BA news - Leverage analytics and learn about your customers - Stay informed of trends and engage with readers online where viral recommendations can lead to sales – e.g. #BookTok on TikTok and #Bookstagram on Instagram
“Social media has been integral to spreading the word about our shop. Principally through Instagram but increasingly also via Threads, we’ve been able to ‘find our tribe’ and build an online community of FOLDE friends who share our passion for nature writing, boosting online sales and driving significant footfall to our shop in rural Dorset. Followers have made special trips from as far afield as the US and Australia; one family even planned a milestone birthday celebration around a visit to our shop, having discovered us on Instagram. We attribute our success on social media to our willingness to share our story as authentically as possible and also to our determination to amplify new voices in nature writing and champion books around topics that matter to us. We find Instagram Stories a brilliant way of nurturing and retaining our following by providing behind-the-scenes snapshots of shop life, while Reels are a good way of extending our reach.” – FOLDE, Dorset Social media is an effective storytelling resource that bookshops can use to create a sense of community, foster meaningful relationships with customers and thrive in an increasingly digital world. “I don’t know how I’d manage without social media right now. During lockdown, it was the making of Harris & Harris Books. Necessity being the mother of invention, a full bookshop and a very uncertain future, I turned to social media first to read stories for the little ones and progressed to offering ideas for holidays and birthdays, which resulted in many books being parcelled up and posted. When deliveries resumed but the shop still closed, I started ‘What’s In The Box Mrs Harris’ videos on Instagram and Facebook. The orders and deliveries grew, the business grew, then we outgrew the little shop and after 2 years of planning and restoration, we moved 5 doors down to a bigger bookshop and the #WhatsInTheBoxMrsHarris videos have been a main feature ever since and has inadvertently become my USP.” – Harris & Harris Books, Suffolk “At Vibes and Scribes, we use social media to share new releases and special offers with our followers, as well as details of upcoming events happening in store. We have found it to be a great way to interact with customers. It raises the profile of the shop and allows people to feel like they are part of a community of book lovers.” – Vibes and Scribes, Cork The Booksellers Association uses social media to communicate with members and to promote bookshops to consumers. We use social media to extend the reach of our campaigning and lobbying work, promote and livestream BA events, and we supply members with a social media toolkit to support them in promoting campaigns and initiatives. We also provide booksellers with a platform to share ideas and network with other BA members and access professional development opportunities, in the form of The Booksellers Network Facebook Group. At the time of writing, over 1,200 members are part of the Booksellers Network. “We've found social media to be a hugely helpful tool for us, specifically Instagram. We do a weekly top ten where we countdown our bestselling books from the past week. We always get a great response (a customer told us she saw our Top Ten as the official start to the weekend!) and we usually get some book sales off the back of it too. Above all we’ve discovered that what people most like are posts where we show the human element of bookselling, they love a behind the scenes glimpse of life at the bookshop!” – The Haslemere Bookshop, Surrey Keep in touch with us online: