Every year, Meta releases its Holiday Playbook. It’s full of strategies designed to boost engagement and sales. And while we’re not selling anything at our libraries, many of these ideas translate really well to the work we are doing!
In this episode of The Library Marketing Show, I pulled out five practical tips from the playbook that you can start using right away on Facebook and Instagram.
Plus, discover how one library’s short-form video garnered over one million views!
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
FYI: The Super Library Marketing Guide to Social Media in 2026 launches on November 17. Be sure to sign up for emails so you don’t miss a single section.
Does it ever feel like you’re chasing every new marketing trend that pops up? 🐿️
New platforms, new tools, changing audience habits — it never ends! But here’s the good news: you don’thave to chase every shiny thing to be an effective library marketer.
In this week’s episode of The Library Marketing Show, I’ll show you how to stay focused, strategic, and ahead of the curve, without losing your mind.
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
We’re just eight weeks away from a brand-new year, which means it’s officially prediction season!
Every marketing guru seems to have a list of what’s coming next, but don’t worry — I did the homework for you. I went through 36 predictions for social media in 2026, and in this episode of The Library Marketing Show, I’m breaking down the top five that actually matter for libraries.
FYI: The Super Library Marketing Guide to Social Media in 2026 launches on November 17. Be sure to sign up for emails so you don’t miss a single section.
Plus, I received a kudos nomination for more than a dozen libraries that collaborated on a huge project. You’ll want to hear about that.
Do you have a suggestion for a future episode’s topic? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here.
Photo courtesy Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library
Key Takeaways
Start with a video concept, not a promotion. Focus on an engaging idea first, then connect it back to library services. This approach makes Reels feel authentic rather than like an advertisement.
Keep production simple and relatable. Using an iPhone, a tripod, and free tools like CapCut or Instagram’s Edits app creates approachable videos that audiences find more trustworthy than overly polished content.
Engagement matters more than views. The most successful Reels spark conversation, shares, and community pride. Your library wants impact that goes beyond vanity metrics.
“Some of my favorite library memories were from the Scholastic Book Fairs at school,” Emily recalls. “Our school librarians did such a great job getting us excited about books, and the book fairs were the pinnacle of that excitement.”
Emily, who grew up in the far southwest suburbs of Chicago, came to work in a library in a roundabout way. First, she became a high school English teacher. Then, she got her MLIS. She spent about five years as a Reference Librarian whose “other duties as assigned” included marketing. Marketing was her favorite part of the job, so she started to look for marketing-specific library jobs.
That’s how, three years ago, she landed a job as the Content Coordinator at Helen Plum Library in Lombard, Illinois. Among her responsibilities is the library’s Instagram account.
Now, here’s something I probably shouldn’t confess. But I want to be fully transparent.
I love scrolling Instagram. But I’m finding that it’s tough for one person working in a remote office to create engaging content, particularly videos, for Instagram. (Know your weaknesses, dear readers!)
A few months ago, after watching hilarious/inspiring/creative posts on the Helen Plum account, made by Emily, I emailed her and begged her for help. She looked at the account I am trying to build and sent me a list of tips. (Thank you!)
Then, I asked her if she would also share her expertise with my readers. Here is her interview. Scroll to the end for the tips Emily shared with me for making engaging, effective Instagram Reels.
What inspired you to start creating Instagram videos for Helen Plum Library?
I started at Helen Plum in September of 2022, and short-form video was quickly becoming the most popular form of social media, so I knew we had to start consistently making videos. My job includes the management of our social accounts, so I always just considered it a regular part of my job from the beginning.
How do you decide what content to feature in your videos?
I always start with a video concept instead of starting with a promotional need (with a few exceptions). Maybe this is a hot take (and perhaps a difficult argument to make to your admin), but I find that starting with “How can we promote XYZ service” usually results in less engaging, less effective content.
If you flip the order and start with a video concept, then try to make it relevant to your services and organizational mission, the promotional aspect will follow.
The few times I’m asked to promote a specific program or service, I spend a lot of time thinking about how I can make it engaging and not appear “promotional,” because no one likes being advertised to.
-Emily Bradshaw
For instance, this video’s concept started with an audio clip I liked from BBC’s The One Show of Harlen Coben discussing the benefits of reading. The original video went viral, and I thought it was a compelling audio clip to use over shots of our collection. I didn’t start with “how can I promote our collection,” but this video does promote our collection by nature.
What tools or apps do you use to film and edit your videos?
I film on an iPhone, which works well for the persona we present on social media. We’re a mid-sized, friendly hometown public library, not filmmakers or professional advertisers. So I don’t want our videos to look overly produced or fancy. I honestly think having an overly polished look for Reels puts people off since it makes you look less relatable and more like an ad.
I also use a basic tripod. You should always use a tripod for stationary shots. You may not realize how big a difference it makes until you see it.
For audio, I use lapel mics for on-camera speaking if it’s appropriate for the video. To record voiceovers, we’re lucky enough to have a recording booth in our makerspace. But before we had that, the voice memos app on my iPhone worked just fine!
Editing tools depend on how complex the video is. If it’s simple, I use the Edits mobile app, which is Instagram’s answer to CapCut. If the video requires more labor-intensive editing, I use the free desktop version of CapCut because editing on a tiny phone screen gets difficult. After I’m finished in CapCut, I still use Edits to add captions, audio, or other features before posting to Instagram.
Adam Moserri has said that Instagram is giving a slight boost right now to Reels that use Edits, so I take advantage of that. (Aside: everyone should follow Adam on Instagram – he is constantly giving updates on Instagram tools, algorithms, and more!)
Do you use a script or storyboard before filming, or is it more spontaneous?
It depends: the more complex the video, the more thorough my planning. For shorter, simpler videos, the storyboard just lives in my head. For others, I simply write down a list of shots I need.
If I’m doing a voiceover video, I write a script and a shot list to go with it. And for the most complex videos, I have a detailed outline of shots, timing, which people are in which shots, etc.
But sometimes the result is a bit different than my original plan. I always film more than I need so that while I’m editing, I have options for what works best.
How do you get your coworkers excited about participating in videos?
This is a common struggle. From my experience, if you start making engaging content that people enjoy, your coworkers will earn your trust and become more comfortable. When I started two and a half years ago, I was on my own, but now that we have a booming Instagram account, I have coworkers asking to be in videos!
It takes time, but that time pays off. If you’re still on your own, there are a lot of ways to make videos without coworker participation, such as POV (point of view) videos.
What types of videos have gotten the most engagement from your audience?
Our most engaging videos have messages that resonate with readers or library lovers. Readers are passionate and want to share that passion, so they share these types of videos with their friends and followers.
An example is our video about “reading what you enjoy” rather than what anyone thinks you should be reading. And more recently, with libraries in the U.S. under funding threats, this video about how we provide free services resonated so much that James Patterson posted it to his feed.
Other types of videos that get lots of engagement include anything humorous (see our spoof of The Bear) and anything in which viewers can share their own opinions. Our series of “Real Librarians Rating Fictional Librarians” has the most fun and lively comments sections of any videos I’ve ever posted, with folks debating the merits of favorite (and not-so-favorite) librarians from pop culture.
How do you measure the success of your videos?
The number of views is the first thing I measure since it’s what Instagram measures before anything else. However, I still consider many of our lower-view videos successes based on comments and shares.
For instance, I expect videos that are more specific to our local community to get fewer views simply because they are targeted to a smaller population to begin with (like our Lilac Time video). So, with those, I look at the number of comments and shares.
I have also been asked if we’ve seen an impact on our local community. Since we’ve had so much success, do our videos reach actual cardholders, or is the reach too broad? The answer is yes, we are reaching our community. We regularly receive comments at our service desks about how much our patrons enjoy our videos.
How do you stay inspired and avoid burnout when creating content regularly?
I get inspired by other content creators across many industries. I do a lot of scrolling. I save videos that inspire me into an “Ideas” collection on our account, so I have a trove of inspiration there if I need it. These not only include libraries, but also other reader-related accounts — Bookstagram influencers, publishers, etc. — as well as other companies and organizations I follow, especially local ones (all our Chicago-area museums, DuPage County Forest Preserve, etc.).
What advice would you give to a library just starting to create short-form videos for social media?
Scroll. Get a pulse on what’s happening in your content area and in your local community. Then try participating in a trend that you can make relevant to your organization and your target audience. Trends are easy and low-pressure, and they are good starter videos to try if you’re a beginner developing filming and editing skills.
Once you start to feel comfortable with simple videos, don’t be afraid to try your own original content ideas. Your library is unique, so show off what’s unique about it.
-Emily Bradshaw
This is easier said than done, of course, and like anything, it takes time and persistence. But originality will take you to the next level. Try new things, and don’t take yourself too seriously.
Emily’s 6 tips for creating Reels
Using sound bites from Bookstagram creators helps me save time and can have powerful effects. No audio to edit! Here’s an example.
For many videos in which I appear, it’s just me and a tripod with no other people to help (here’s an example of that.) I typically hide an earbud in my ear if I’m lip-syncing or have the audio playing on a separate device nearby.
Creating a video clip content bank of reusable B-roll is incredibly useful in a pinch! I have about two dozen various shots of our adult stacks alone. Batch-filming can also help if you have the time to block out for shooting a bunch of stuff all at once to use later.
Consistent scheduling: I post one video per week for Helen Plum Library, which works for me. Typically, I’m working on next week’s video the week before, so I’m always one week ahead. I find this to be the perfect balance of making sure I have something lined up while still being timely and flexible enough for the content to vibe with the current social media climate.
One of the most valuable things to me is literally scrolling through Instagram and saving videos that inspire me. It also helps me to see what works and what doesn’t.
If you’re looking to expand your audience, I recommend using trial Reels, which will share out your Reel only to non-followers and give you insights. Then you can decide whether to share it with your followers after 24 hours.
Subscribe to this blog, and you’ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enter your email address and click on the “Follow” button in the lower left-hand corner of the page. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:
TikTok or Reels. Which one is better for library marketing?
I came across some new research that will help you determine where to spend your precious energy and time on library marketing. The answer is revealed in this episode.
Plus, kudos go to a library that showed authenticity when it made a mistake on New Year’s Day!
Do you have a suggestion for a topic for a future episode? Want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here. And thanks for watching!
Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enter your email address and click on the “Follow” button in the lower left-hand corner of the page. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:
In this episode, I have three whopper social media headlines to share.
First, there is new insight into the Facebook and Instagram algorithm. What does this mean for your library? We’ll talk it through.
The second headline is making me reconsider the advice I give to libraries. And the third piece of news is about a change that will make it easier for you to make your library promotions accessible.
Want to learn how to transcend social media algorithms? I’ve launched a self-paced course called Conquering Social Media: A Strategy for Libraries. And readers of my blog can use the discount code SUPERLIBRARYMARKETING at checkout to get 20 percent off!
Do you have a suggestion for a topic for a future episode? Want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know in the comments.
And subscribe to this series to get a new weekly video tip for libraries.
Thanks for watching!
Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enter your email address and click on the “Follow” button in the lower left-hand corner of the page.
Photo courtesy Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library
In my many years of personal and professional social media use, I’ve never gone viral.
Until two weeks ago.
My brief moment in the sun came out of nowhere. And it was so crazy that I wanted to dissect it, to see if there was any lesson I could share with my library friends.
Experimenting with Instagram Reels
For the past few months, I’ve been experimenting with Reels so that I can give the best advice possible to libraries.
I started by creating my own original Reels. I shared recipes, book reviews, and homages to my co-worker. The results were nothing to write home about. I got a couple hundred views and a few likes for each video.
Then I changed focus. I decided to share my favorite genre of TikTok videos. These videos feature lots of home organization gadgets and cleaning products in action. They’re soothing to watch and usually contain some oddball element, like a fake plastic spider in the rice container!
I screen-record these videos. Then, I re-upload them on Instagram with my own narration, pointing out the things I love. I use similar captions and hashtags for every video. Sometimes I add emojis to the caption. I also add close-captioning to all the videos, using Instagram’s in-app creator tool.
Hitting the jackpot
On Sunday, August 14, at 3:30 p.m., I uploaded one such Reel.
This was the fourth Reel in my experiment. The most popular of the last three Reels got 4500 views and 26 likes.
But for some reason, this Reel was magic.
It received 1800 views in the first 20 minutes and a constant stream of likes. It was so wild that I took a screen recording of the notification stream.
Then I looked again at the views 40 minutes after I posted the video, and my jaw dropped.
22,000 views.
For a brief moment, I felt like that most popular girl at the dance.
But it was over as quickly as it started. 60 minutes after I posted my Reel, the notifications abruptly stopped. And the view count halted.
Understanding the Instagram Reels algorithm
The first step in the journey to dissect the success of this Reel is to understand the Instagram algorithm.
The main goal of Instagram Reels is to entertain. As a result, many of the videos that show up in a follower’s feed are from accounts they don’t follow.
And that’s certainly true with my Reel. Nearly all the likes I received from my Reel were from non-followers. Instagram was showing my Reel to those people because the algorithm predicted that my content would entertain them enough that they would watch all the way through and like or comment on the video.
These predictions are called ranking signals. They are part of every social media platform’s algorithm. The ranking signals for Instagram Reels are:
Recent user activity: Instagram predicts which Reels its users will find engaging by comparing new content with the kind of Reel a user has most recently liked, shared, or commented on.
Interaction history: If an Instagram user interacts with an account, Instagram will continue to show them content from that account, even if they aren’t a follower of that account.
Reel information: Signals about the content elements in a Reel, including the audio, hashtags, and keywords in the caption, help Instagram decide who to serve the Reel to.
Information about the poster: Instagram serves Reels from accounts that post consistent, entertaining videos.
Other factors that can impact the engagement of your library’s Reels
There are a number of things your library can do to try and boost the reach of your Instagram Reels.
Post at the right time
Since interactions are a strong ranking factor in the Instagram algorithm, you need to get as many likes and comments as possible within the first few seconds of posting your content. That’s why it’s important to catch your followers when they’re the most active on the platform.
The perfect timing will be different for every library. Check your Instagram insights to see when your audience is most likely to be using Instagram.
Carefully consider your caption
Write captions that give context or tell a story about your Reel. Consider a longer caption to boost the time people spend interacting with your posts as they read your caption.
Add one or two hashtags to your caption. Hashtags are an important ranking signal as they help the algorithm to understand what content is contained in your Reel.
Finally, add emojis to capture the attention of scrollers.
Interesting content outweighs expert advice on length
Experts say the optimum length of an Instagram Reel is 7 to 15 seconds. However, my viral Reel was much longer, at several minutes.
I’ve been experimenting with Instagram Reels length. I’ve found that length really doesn’t matter, so long as your video is interesting.
Really, it was just plain dumb luck
It’s most likely that my experience had nothing to do with my skill on Instagram. In fact, I’m sure of it.
Going viral on social media is like winning the lottery. You can plan and strategize and spend lots of time creating great content. And you may never go viral. That’s okay!
Going viral will bring you fame and brand recognition in markets outside of your service area. But that won’t increase your circulation or program attendance.
Your library’s goal should not be to go viral. Rather, create engaging content that speaks to YOUR audience and aligns with your library’s overall goals.
Final results and what I learned
In the two weeks since I posted my Reel, it’s received nearly 23,000 views and 609 likes. I got about 15 new followers from the Reel.
I have not seen a substantial increase in the number of visits to my blog. And I’ve got no website traffic or purchases for my day job at NoveList.
So, while it was exciting and interesting, my viral Reel did nothing to help me reach my strategic goals.
And that’s the most important thing to remember about social media. You can’t control who sees your library’s content. But you can create engaging posts aligned with your library’s goals.
Want to learn how to transcend algorithms and get the best results for your library’s social media promotions? I’ve created a self-paced course to help you reach your goals.
Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email every time I post. To do that, enter your email address and click on the “Follow” button in the lower left-hand corner of the page.
The Library Marketing Show, Episode 136: In this episode, we’ll share the top three headlines and changes coming to Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, and talk about their impact on library promotions and marketing.
Kudos in this episode go to the Mercer County Library System. Watch the video to see why they’re being recognized.
Do you have a suggestion for a topic for a future episode? Want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know in the comments. And subscribe to this series to get a new video tip for libraries each week.
Thanks for watching!
Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email every time I post. To do that, enter your email address and click on the “Follow” button in the lower left-hand corner of the page.
Do you have a suggestion for a topic for a future episode? Want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know in the comments.
And subscribe to this series to get a new video tip for libraries each week.
Thanks for watching!
Subscribe to this blog and you’ll receive an email every time I post. To do that, enter your email address and click on the “Follow” button in the lower left-hand corner of the page.
Super Library Marketing: Practical Tips and Ideas for Library Promotion 