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Super Library Marketing: Practical Tips and Ideas for Library Promotion

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The 2026 Guide to TikTok for Libraries: How to Maximize Reach (While It Still Exists)

Three men working to sort books brought via conveyor belt in the 1960s.
Photo courtesy Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

This is part of the 2026 series of library social media guides. In the following weeks, we’ll cover LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Subscribe to this blog to get each section of the guide, plus more library marketing tips, delivered directly to your inbox.

TikTok for libraries

According to the annual Super Library Marketing Survey, the number of libraries posting on TikTok in 2025 remained steady. 20 percent of libraries say they use the platform to promote their library.

In the United States, the lack of an increase in library use is likely due to two factors. The first is that many libraries are still prohibited from downloading the app to government-owned devices.

There is also considerable uncertainty about TikTok’s future. A law passed in 2024 was intended to ban TikTok entirely in the U.S. Although the current administration has delayed enforcement four times in 2025, the latest ban is scheduled to go into effect on December 16.

Globally, TikTok usage by libraries varies:

  • United Kingdom: Libraries are permitted to use TikTok, but the app is prohibited on government-issued devices due to data privacy concerns. Despite this, the UK government launched its own official TikTok account in 2025 under a security exemption.
  • Canada: TikTok is banned on federal government devices, including those used by public institutions like libraries. However, libraries may still use the app on personal or non-government devices.
  • Australia: Similar to Canada and the UK, TikTok is banned on federal government devices, but libraries can use it on personal or non-government devices.
@fowlervillelibrary

No books were harmed in the making of this videoโ€ฆat least more than it already was. We used a weeded book that was already falling apart, and to give it one more chance at a life, we used it in this video ๐Ÿ˜Œ Inspo: @Ginny (thank you for the laughs!) #libraries #library #librariesoftiktok #librariansoftiktok #librarian #librarytiktok #booktok #read

โ™ฌ original sound – Fowlerville District Library

How are patrons using TikTok?

Here are some stats to consider. The stats came from Demandsage, SQ Magazine, and Teleprompter.com.

  • TikTok has about 136 million users in the United States. The UK, Canada, and Australia have a much smaller percentage of TikTok users.
  • TikTok users spend a whopping average of 95 minutes per day on the app. That’s more time than is spent on any other social media platform!
  • TikTok users visit the app up to 10 times a day.
  • 70% of users are aged 18โ€“34.
  • Weekend usage is higher than weekday usage.
  • For new adults, the app is also their preferred search tool. Nearly 40 percent of Gen Z prefer searching on TikTok over Google.

What are the key benchmark metrics for libraries on TikTok?

TikTok has an average engagement rate of 5.3 percent. That’s up about one percent from 2024. And, that’s significantly higher than any other social media platform.

The TikTok algorithm for 2026

Here is what we know about the factors TikTok uses to decide who sees your library’s videos. This information comes from SoTrender and YouFlu.

Note: These ranking factors differ significantly from last year. YouFlu says the algorithm underwent a major update in July of 2025 and now prioritizes “meaningful engagement” over “passive consumption.”

  • Search intent and keywords now play a major role. TikTok behaves more like a search engine.
  • Comments and saves are now weighted more heavily than likes.
  • Shares and rewatches are also weighted more heavily in the algorithm. Here’s the good news: Educational content, tutorials, and behind-the-scenes content are getting more organic reach now because they prompt high save rates and comments!
  • Completion rate is still important, but it’s no longer the top factor.
@cambridgeunilibrary

Step this way for a whistle-stop tour of Curious Cures, with its curator James Freeman! Visiting Cambridge this summer? Weโ€™re a short walk from the city centre and you could easily combine a trip to our exhibition with a visit to our friends at the The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge or the Cambridge University Botanic Garden

โ™ฌ original sound – Cambridge University Library

4 ways to get the best organic reach for your library’s TikTok videos in 2026

#1: Create educational content and tutorials

As mentioned above, this is a natural driver of saves and comments, which are weighted higher in the algorithm. Your community will save these videos for later reference. They’re also more likely to comment on them or ask questions.

@limalibrary

What movies or TV shows are you hoping to see on the shelves at your library? Send us your recommendations and requests! #limalibrary #librarytiktok #librarytok #booktok #dvd

โ™ฌ original sound – LimaLibrary

#2: Post more frequently.

Buffer analyzed more than 150,000 TikTok accounts to determine if frequent posting helps boost organic reach. They found that TikTok appears to be rewarding creators who post consistently. Additionally, the average view count increased with the frequency of these creators’ posts.

How much is “frequent and consistent”? According to Buffer, posting 2 to 5 times a week will give you a 17 percent boost in views per post. But if you can post twice that amount, you’ll get twice the average rate of performance.

That is a lot, and so you’ll want to think carefully about your strategy. Why is your library posting to TikTok? What is your goal? Of course, you’ll also need to consider your capacity.

#3: Optimize your videos for TikTok search

As mentioned above, TikTok is the preferred search engine for many users. That means you’ll want to consider how to use keywords to improve the chances that those users will discover your library’s videos! How do you do that?

  • Use long-tail keywords in captions and overlays. A long-tail keyword is a specific, longer search phrase that users type into search engines. “How do I get a library card?” or “Best historical fiction books in 2026” are good examples.
  • Create content that answers questions or solves problems. (See tip #1).
  • Encourage people to save and comment on your videos. This will help them appear in search for more people.
@uillinoislibrary

Spend a night at the Main Library and experience all of the magic.โœจThe University Library now has spaces available for late-night studying in the Orange Room 5 days a week! ๐Ÿ“– Whether youโ€™re here to focus, recharge, or just enjoy the quiet, weโ€™ve got the perfect spot for you.๐ŸŒ™ #uiuc #LibraryTikTok #UniversityLibrary #nightvibes

โ™ฌ sparks – welcome

#4: Add older videos to your story.

When you upload something to your story, people are more likely to interact with your content. And if they interact with your story, TikTok will show them your older posts! It’s a feedback loop of sorts that can really boost your reach.

And it’s easy to do. You only need to repost one older video to stories every day to see results.

How often and when to post on TikTok

TikTok recommends posting at least once a day, including weekends, for optimum performance. They will give your library more reach if you are supplying the platform with fresh, daily content.

According to Robert Benjamin, the best times to post to TikTok are either 11 a.m., 3 p.m., or 7 p.m. local time. As always, check your own insights to see what time works well for your audience.

He also recommends testing the best time slot for your audience about once a month as your viewers’ habits will change seasonally.

Bonus: TikTok Engagement Calculator

In researching this blog, I came across a TikTok engagement calculator from the website Phlanx. If your library is already posting to TikTok, you’re likely using the analytics features already.

But… if you’re curious about another library or organization’s TikTok engagement rate, you can check it here! Why would you want to do that? You might see another account whose content or strategy you want to imitate. Before you do, you can check their engagement rate!


Need more inspiration?

Are You Ready? 2026 Social Media Predictions Every Library Marketer Needs To Know!

Subscribe to this blog, and youโ€™ll receive an email whenever I post. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:

Optimize Your Libraryโ€™s Reach: Social Media Timing Revealed (With a Caveat!)

Watch this video now

#LibraryMarketingShow, episode 286

A new study tells us the best time to post to each social media platform. Or does it??

I will share the results and a warning about not taking this advice too seriously in this episode of The Library Marketing Show.

Plus, we’ll give kudos to a library that went the extra mile to welcome people to their newly renovated branch.

Do you have a suggestion for a topic for a future episode? Do you want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here. Thanks for watching!โ€‚

P.S.: If you wish, you may download a transcript of this episode.


Miss the last episode? No worries!

Will I see you soon?

Subscribe to this blog, and youโ€™ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enter your email address. Then, click the โ€œFollowโ€ button in the lower left-hand corner of the page. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:

What Does the TikTok Ban Mean for Your Library Marketing? Now That the Dust Has Settled, Letโ€™s Unpack the Potential Impact

Watch this video now

#LibraryMarketing Show, episode 240

I’m sure you’ve heard by now that U.S. President Joe Biden has signed a bill banning TikTok in the United States. What would that mean for your library marketing?

Now that the dust has settled a bit on the coverage of the ban, and speculation from experts, we’ll dive into it in this episode of The Library Marketing Show.

Plus kudos goes to a library that received a Peabody Award nomination for their short-form video content!

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!โ€‚


Miss the last episode? No worries!

Will I see you soon?

Subscribe to this blog and youโ€™ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enter your email address and click on the โ€œFollowโ€ button in the lower left-hand corner of the page. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:

The Shocking Results of a New Survey May Have You Completely Rethinking Your Libraryโ€™s Social Media Strategy

Watch this video now

#LibraryMarketing Show, episode 229

I was shocked by the results of a new Pew Research Center survey.

The survey asked adults in the U.S. which social media platform they used the most. And the top result was NOT Facebook!

Get the topline results and an action step to use for your library marketing in this episode.

Plus, kudos go to a library that received an award for the 17th year in a row!

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!โ€‚


Miss the last episode? No worries!

Will I see you soon?

Subscribe to this blog and youโ€™ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enter your email address and click on the โ€œFollowโ€ button in the lower left-hand corner of the page. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:

This Viral Librarian Shares His Simple yet Effective Formula for Promoting Your Library: Donโ€™t Be Afraid To Share Stories

On a cold Sunday in February, I hopped onto a Zoom call with someone I felt I already knew.

About 8 months prior, this Solano County, California resident appeared on my โ€œFor Youโ€ page on Instagram Reels and TikTok. He shared joyful, heartfelt, hopeful stories of his work and the profound impact libraries had on his life.

So, I must admit that when Mychal Threets came into view on my laptop screen, I was a bit starstruck.

Seated in a staff work area, with a giant cutout of Bob Ross behind him, Mychal graciously squeezed an interview with me into his workday. He answered my questions about the impact his simple, yet profound stories have had on the publicโ€™s perception of libraries.

โ€œMarch of 2023 is when I shared that first story of the library kid who asked me if I’m a boy librarian or a girl librarian,โ€ recalled Mychal. โ€œAnd I thought that was great. This is the 15 minutes of fame for libraries. Maybe a few more people will get library cards. But it just kept on going, and Iโ€™ve just been sharing daily stories and affirmations ever since.โ€

One of Mychalโ€™s earliest memories is from age three when his mother took him and his siblings to the library to get books. At the age of 5, he got his first library card. But Mychal did not aspire to be a librarian.

โ€œI wanted to be an astronaut, a firefighter, or a police officer,โ€ chuckled Mychal. โ€œI never saw any men behind the library desk. I never saw any people of color behind the library desk.โ€

โ€œI was struggling, waiting for my next career path. I was at the local library trying to think of my next steps. And I was like, let me ask the person at the desk about how a person ends up working for the library. She already had the site pulled up. She was like, โ€˜I knew you’re going to ask that soon enough.โ€™โ€

In 2018, Mychal became a childrenโ€™s librarian. He loved the silly, carefree nature of the kids he worked with, and he wanted to share stories about the joy of his work with children. So, he started posting to Facebook. The response was positive.

Then, during the 2020 pandemic, Mychal downloaded TikTok and Instagram and began experimenting with videos on those sites. But it wasnโ€™t until March of 2023 that he started sharing those personal storiesโ€ฆ and getting traction.

โ€œI was just trying to remind people that the library exists. I try to remind people that the library is for everybody, that everybody belongs. The library is for them, whatever they’re going through in life. That was my whole goal.โ€

Mychal Threets

As of this writing, Mychal has more than 682,000 followers on Instagram and 680,000 followers on TikTok.  His videos have gotten millions of views, and heโ€™s been interviewed by the New York Times, Good Morning America, The Washington Post, and Huffington Post, among others. He received the โ€œI Love My Librarianโ€ award and the day before my interview with him, was the recipient of the Tri-City NAACP Unsung Shero/Hero Award.

It hasnโ€™t been an easy road. Mychal is open about his struggles with mental health. And, as is the case for any internet star, heโ€™s faced insults. But his thousands of fans were quick to come to his defense.

His reach extends beyond the normal library loyal crowds. I cannot count the number of non-library friends and family members who have sent me his videos, usually accompanied by the comment, โ€œHave you seen this guy??โ€

โ€œWhat I’ve achieved thus far, was never in my mind. I never thought it was a possibility,โ€ admitted Mychal. โ€œI didn’t think I’d go viral once, let alone several times. That has been a huge surprise.โ€

Mychalโ€™s videos highlight his work and focus on โ€œpatron as heroโ€ stories. Mychal explains how the library has impacted the community members he interacts with, in big and small ways.

He fiercely protects the privacy of his patrons, sharing his stories without using names or genders, instead calling his patrons โ€œLibrary kidsโ€ or โ€œLibrary adults.โ€ He also says that technique prevents misgendering and disrespecting his patrons.  

โ€œMost library people don’t mind their stories being shared,โ€ said Mychal. โ€œI’m aware of the platform that I’ve grown. ย I know that it’s weird to have your story shared with the amount of people who follow me.โ€

Besides sharing his stories on social media and working full-time at the library, Mychal is working with author, influencer, and illustrator Blair Imani on an event in late March that will be a celebration of natural hair.

โ€œWe’re going to get a bunch of books donated celebrating hair love, and we’re just going to give them out to people who come to come to the event,โ€ explained Mychal. โ€œWe’re going to have hopefully some very cool people present, including authors, illustrators, barbers, and hairdressers. Itโ€™s just a chance for people to celebrate their hair love, to get some free books, and celebrate literacy.โ€

โ€œMy other goal is that I just want everybody to get a library card if possible, and to fall in love with books. So, I’m trying to pursue a nonprofit LLC to celebrate literacy, celebrate our right to read, celebrate the joy of access to books, and just put books in the hands of kids and get them excited about reading.โ€

Mychal is a big fan of his own library on social media, but he also has praise for other librariesโ€™ promotional work.

โ€œMilwaukee Public Library is probably the best library on social media,โ€ declared Mychal. โ€œThey just do such a wonderful job of following trends and then putting a library spin on it.โ€

โ€œHarris County Library is in a similar vein. They also are very good at accepting being โ€˜cringe-worthyโ€™ as a library system.”

Storybook Maze is a street librarian in Baltimore, Maryland. She also has a fascinating job.โ€

โ€œBut otherwise, just BookTok and Bookstagram, in general, is just an easy way to find social media platforms doing great things for libraries, putting libraries on the map in the best way possible to remind people that everyone belongs in the library any different day.โ€

โ€œI’m constantly impressed by the different libraries that tag me and want me to see their videos. People are doing such wonderful things for libraries and for books and literacy overall.โ€

As we wrapped up our interview so Mychal could set up a library program, he shared advice for library marketers.

โ€œAlways remember, the library is a place where everybody does belong. As I repeatedly say, you don’t have to leave your anxiety, your depression outside the library doors. It’s all welcome inside the library. Every day is a library day.โ€

Mychal Threets

PS You might also find this helpful

Itโ€™s Okay To Take A Break From Social Media! Here Are the Benefits of a Pause for Your Library

Subscribe to this blog and youโ€™ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enter your email address and click on the โ€œFollowโ€ button in the lower left-hand corner of the page. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:

Which Is Better for Library Promo Videos, TikTok or Reels?? The Latest Data Settles the Debateโ€ฆ for Now!

Watch this video now

#LibraryMarketing Show, episode 227

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!โ€‚


Miss the last episode? No worries!

Will I see you soon?

Subscribe to this blog and youโ€™ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enter your email address and click on the โ€œFollowโ€ button in the lower left-hand corner of the page. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:

โญIt’s Never too Early! Get Ready to Promote Your Library on TikTok This Holiday Season

Watch this video now

#LibraryMarketing Show, episode 210

I know, we haven’t even gotten to Halloween yet. But guess what??

TikTok has released its holiday shopping guide for marketers! And although this guide was created for shops and profit brands, there were a lot of really great tips in here that you can use at your library. Let’s dig into the guide in this episode.

Plus someone will receive kudos!

Do you have a suggestion for a topic for a future episode? Want to nominate someone for kudos? Let me know here. Thanks for watching!

(P.S. Here is the guide mentioned in this episode, no email required!)


(P.S.)

Miss last week’s episode? No worries!

Will I see you soon?

Subscribe to this blog and youโ€™ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enter your email address and click on the โ€œFollowโ€ button in the lower left-hand corner of the page. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:

How Taylor Swift, Pedro Pascal, and Other Trends Led a Library Social Media Marketer to TikTok Success

Photo courtesy Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

One of Paul Wellingtonโ€™s first library experiences was not a pleasant one.

Growing up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, his parents occasionally took him to the Milwaukee Public Library, but it wasnโ€™t a big part of his life.

โ€œIn high school, I distinctly remember visiting a branch after school,โ€ recalls Paul. โ€œI was not allowed to use a computer since I didnโ€™t have a library card. I felt very unwelcomed, with little interest in returning. But little did I know libraries would become a big part of my life just a few years later!โ€

If you pay attention to library social media, you have seen Paulโ€™s work. He is currently the social media specialist for the Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL), working on the team I used to lead!

Paulโ€™s work received national attention earlier this year when he posted this now-famous TikTok showing how holds are gathered at the library. The post has, as of this publication, a whopping 3.7 million views, 599,000 likes, and has been shared nearly 25,000 times.๐Ÿ˜ฎ

โ€œI came across the idea when I saw a duet of a woman mimicking the person in the original video on TikTok,โ€ explains Paul. โ€œThe next week, I proposed the idea to staff at a branch, with the realization that finding a volunteer was a long shot. Surprisingly, Kelwin (the Cincinnati Library staff member in the TikTok), agreed to mimic the person in the video. Cue the hilarity!”

“I thought the clip would receive a few thousand views, and I was really shocked at how quickly it went viral, including on other social media platforms.”

Paul Wellington

“Some other posts that have performed well are the Taylor Swift visit and Pedro Pascal as libraries posts. I shared the Taylor Swift TikTok a few days before she visited Cincinnati, and I hopped on the Pedro Pascal trend after seeing a post from Vancouver Public Library.โ€

Working for a library was not Paulโ€™s first career choice. He originally pursued a degree in architecture at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. During the spring of his first year, he got a job as a circulation aide at the Milwaukee Public Library.

โ€œI was promoted to Circulation Supervisor at a branch in 2016,โ€ says Paul. โ€œDuring the height of Covid in 2020, physical circulation was slow, and I asked to assist the Marketing department with Facebook and Instagram. I loved managing social media, which eventually led to my current position as the Social Media Specialist with CHPL.

โ€œMy favorite part of managing social media for CHPL is thinking of creative ways to promote the library, whether itโ€™s through humorous text, videos, or memes,โ€ shares Paul. โ€œMy least favorite part, and this is something Iโ€™ve started recently, is editing captions for our YouTube videos. While very tedious, itโ€™s important that CHPL makes its content accessible to everyone!โ€

I can say from experience it is difficult to manage social media for a library like CHPL, which has 41 locations and serves a population of 800,000 residents county-wide. Paul has the libraryโ€™s five strategic priorities, which are guiding principles for deciding what he posts on social media.

โ€œWithin these priorities, I focus on promoting the libraryโ€™s events, services, and resources,โ€ explains Paul. โ€œEach day I share 4-6 posts on Facebook and Twitter, and 1-2 posts on other platforms (Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads), so there are plenty of opportunities to promote the library offerings.โ€

โ€œI would say one key to success is capitalizing on social media trends and events in your local community. If youโ€™re able to incorporate the library into this type of content, youโ€™re setting yourself up for success.โ€

How does Paul resist the urge or the demand to post about every program or service the library provides?

โ€œThe most common requests for social media posts are events, and the library has hundreds of them each month,โ€ says Paul. โ€œA large number of our events are recurring storytimes and book clubs, so I tend to promote other unique events. Library staff understands this process, and I rarely have to deny a requested event promotion.โ€

Paul spends a lot of time on social media, (go figure!) looking for inspiration. His top four favorite libraries to watch are:

And Paul has one big piece of advice for anyone working on social media for a library.

โ€œIt is important to understand the demographics for each platform. For example, CHPLโ€™s Facebook followers have an older demographic, while Instagram consists of a large number of Millennials.”

“Content that works on one platform may not work on another. You can still share the same event, service, or resource across all library platforms, but consider the text and the way itโ€™s presented (photo, graphic, meme, or video).โ€


More Advice

Turns Out, Thereโ€™s One Social Media Platform That Really, Really Works To Promote Your Collection to Gen Z and Millennials! Hereโ€™s How To Take Advantage of This at Your Library

Upcoming Appearances

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Subscribe to this blog and youโ€™ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enter your email address and click on the โ€œFollowโ€ button in the lower left-hand corner of the page. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:

Turns Out, Thereโ€™s One Social Media Platform That Really, Really Works To Promote Your Collection to Gen Z and Millennials! Hereโ€™s How To Take Advantage of This at Your Library

Photo courtesy Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library

I must be honest. Iโ€™ve never seen survey results like this one.

My library marketing friends are ALWAYS trying to figure out which social media platform will give them the best results for their goals.

And if your library is trying to drive circulation, it turns out there is a definitive answer.

TikTok.

The platform now boosts a million posts every two months JUST ABOUT BOOKS. And those posts are having a measurable impact on reading habits.

In May of 2023, Casino.org surveyed 10,000 TikTok users between the ages of 18 and 45 (the Gen Z and Millennial generations) who live in the United States and Canada.

Yes, an organization dedicated to gaming did a survey on reading. ๐Ÿคท

They asked three reading-related questions.

  • Are you reading more because of the BookTok community?
  • If the answer is yes, how much more?
  • Have you ever read a book as a direct result of a BookTok recommendation? 

Hang on to your hat, my friends.

48 percent of the survey respondents in the United States and 53 percent of Canadian respondents said they are actively reading more books because of their exposure to BookTok.

Americans said the platform resulted in a 60 percent increase in their reading activity, with Canadians reporting an increase of 58 percent.

That means that a member of Gen Z or the Millennial generation who previously read 10 books a year is now reading as many as 16 books a year because they watch #BookTok videos.

Holy Kansas.

Casino.org also collected location data and used that to compare the impact that BookTok had on reading by location.

Here’s another stunning result: every state or province reported an uplift in reading among TikTok users.

In the United States, the impact on reading was the most profound in Maine, Nebraska, Idaho, Utah, and Kentucky. Other states where readers reported reading more because of BookTok were California, Nevada, Texas, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Illinois.

In Canada, Saskatchewan saw the biggest increase in reading due to BookTok. But 57 percent of TikTok users in Ontario, Quebec, and Alberta also stated they are reading more because of BookTok.

If your library is posting on TikTok, you should 100 percent be creating videos that promote books. Here are five tips on how to drive circulation and promote your collection using this specific social media platform.

Ask a question of your staff.

Troy Public Library asked staff members to name a BookTok book that they think is overrated. The video is short, and itโ€™s shot in a way that builds suspense. That’s the perfect way to get people to watch the entire video.

Use trending audio.

Scranton Public Library used this very popular piece of audio from a popular #BookTokker in this video.  Chambers County Library System used audio from the Creepy Book Club account on TikTok to share reading recommendations from two of its library staff.  

Bourbonnais Public Library chose a clip from Wicked to promote Kindle checkouts. But my favorite example of this comes from Milwaukee Public Library. Just watch it… you’ll understand.

Using popular audio will boost the organic reach of the video by increasing the chances it will show up on a readerโ€™s For You page. And if youโ€™re running low on ideas about what to post on TikTok, just check out the trending pieces of audio as a place to start.

Use humor.

Vaughn Public Libraries used a short snippet of a popular movie soundtrack to create this hilarious clip. At just under 10 seconds, it perfectly introduces the library to a trigger-happy TikTok scroller.

It also subtly promotes the fact that the libraryโ€™s BookTok recommendations are popular and nudges readers to follow the library account for great book recommendations.

Do something unexpected.

Most people think a library would only promote books with great reviews. But McHenry Public Library turns that notion on its head to highlight a one-star review of a book that most people would consider a classic. And they used a Taylor Swift song, capitalizing on her popularity to boost their organic reach.

Take advantage of staff creativity.

Perhaps itโ€™s no surprise that the script for this hilarious and creative TikTok came from staff at the Los Angeles Public Library. Weโ€™d expect nothing less from a city just seven miles from Hollywood.

I bet there is someone at your library who is brimming over with creative ideas for BookTok videos. Put out a call for the best script or concept from staff and fill your content calendar while getting buy-in for the impact of BookTok from your co-workers. Theyโ€™ll be more likely to share your videos on their personal accounts when theyโ€™re personally invested in the process.

For more tips on how to market your library using BookTok, hereโ€™s a great article by my co-worker Yaika Sabat. I must give her credit: she called out the impact of BookTok long before Casino.org did!


More Advice

8 Secrets to Writing Irresistible, Must-Open Library Email Subject Lines PLUS 6 Free Tools To Ensure Success!

Upcoming Appearances

Will I see you soon?

Subscribe to this blog and youโ€™ll receive an email whenever I post. To do that, enter your email address and click on the โ€œFollowโ€ button in the lower left-hand corner of the page. You can also follow me on the following social media platforms:

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