#BookTok has captured the hearts of our community; with creators, bookworms and authors alike coming together to share their love of literature in a uniquely TikTok way… After all, where else would #spicybooks be as lauded as #urdupoetryor new authors like Taylor Jenkins Reid discovered alongside the classics like Jane Austen?
In the past year, the #BookTok hashtag has grown more than 160% to over 138 billion views – and shows no sign of stopping! The #BookTok community of authors, readers and fans is transforming the publishing world: propelling new authors into the mainstream, reviving much loved classics, inspiring a new generation of bookworms and helping to boost print book sales.
In celebration and recognition of the titles, authors, content and creators that have made the unique BookTok ecosystem what it is, we are proud to launch our very own TikTok Book Awards for the UK and Ireland. For the first time, we’re creating a true people’s choice book award – giving our community the chance to vote for the winning books, authors and creators in-app.
Introducing the TikTok Book Awards UK and Ireland 2023
The TikTok Book Awards UK and Ireland 2023 will recognise the community’s favourite authors, books and creators, through categories inspired by the BookTok ecosystem.
The long list of nominees will be curated based on BookTok data as well as publisher contributions. This long-list will then be reviewed by our judging panel of experts, including TikTok creators Coco (@cultofbooks) and Ben (@bcemercer) industry experts such Trâm-Anh Doan, Head of Social Media, Bloomsbury, authors like Candice Brathwaite and special guest judges including Annie Macmanus and Elizabeth Day.
The final winners of a prestigious TikTok Book Award will of course be decided by the TikTok community in the UK and Ireland, through an in-app vote that will go live in July, with all winners being crowned in August.
Introducing the TikTok Book Awards categories
📚 BookTok Creator Of The Year 🏆
📖 BookTok Book Of The Year 📚
📚 BookTok Author Of The Year🖌️
👑 Best BookTok Revival 📚
📚 Indie Book Shop Of The Year 👜
💡Best Book to End A Reading Slump 📚
📚 Best Book I Wish I Could Read Again For The First Time 🌎
📙 BookTok Cover of The Year 📚
📚 BookTok Livestreamer of The Year 🎬
Here’s how you can get involved…
🎉 Join the conversation! Use the #TikTokBookAwards hashtag to share your favourite #BookTok titles of the year
🏆 The TikTok Book Awards Voting Hub will open in July, so get ready to vote for your favourite author, creators and books of the past year.
📚 Get reading! Follow your favourite authors like @mariankeyes, @CollenHoover & @bolubabalola on TikTok
Full T&Cs can be found here .
Candice Brathwaite, award-winning author and TikTok Book Awards Judge, said:
“As an author, there’s nothing better than to see people discussing and debating your book. I love going to TikTok to find unfiltered reviews and recommendations, so it’s great to be giving this community the chance to have their say through the TikTok Book Awards for UK and Ireland. When it comes to judging, for me it’s about celebrating the books people just can’t forget, the books that give you a whole new perspective, the books you immediately want to buy for all of your friends, I cannot wait to see who the winners will be.”
Bringing #BookTok to the Hay Festival for the second year running
If the launch of the TikTok Book Awards wasn’t enough, this summer is set to be huge for our book-loving community, as TikTok partners for the second year running with the Hay Festival, the world’s leading arts and literary festival, as Digital Media Partner.
We are committed to supporting our partners in the literary industry – and we’re thrilled to be bringing the magic of #BookTok to Hay Festival for another year running.
Taking place between 25 May – 4 June, TikTok will be entertaining and inspiring book lovers at the Festival’s 36th spring edition in Hay-on-Wye. We’ll be bringing the best and brightest discussions from Hay to living rooms and book clubs across the UK via exclusive content and events in-app.
Hay Festival is free to enter and that the full programme can be found online at hayfestival.org/wales.
Here’s how you can get involved…
📱 Follow the official @hayfestival TikTok account and check out the Hay Festival Hub which will feature exclusive content and behind the scenes access, to help new audiences discover this iconic festival.
❤️ Follow BookTok creators including @laurens.little.librarywho will be creating exclusive content from the event and the TikTok Green Room at Hay Festival for our #BookTok community.
📚 Don’t miss a page by purchasing the books being discussed via the shop icon on the official @hayfestival TikTok account.
🎪 Heading to Hay Festival? We’ll be hosting a free BookTok panel at the festival, featuring TikTok creator @samfallingbooks alongside industry experts. They will discuss how the TikTok community shares their passion for books with millions and are reshaping the publishing world in the process.
James Stafford, General Manager, Operations & Marketing, TikTok UK & Nordics said:
“Every day billions of people come to TikTok to share recommendations, discover new reads and connect through their love of literature. We have seen the #BookTok community impact book sales and even bring new customers to local book shops, so we thought it was about time they got a vote too!
The TikTok Book Awards is not just about the ‘best new books’, but also celebrating the unapologetic love of reading that we see shared on TikTok; from the content makers to the rediscovered classics.
“Also for a second year running we are partnering with Hay Festival. The festival is all about celebrating literature in all its forms, so we are looking forward to joining the conversation and bringing this brilliant festival to our global community once again.”
New to TikTok and want to explore #BookTok? Getting involved couldn’t be easier, simply download the app for free via the Apple App Store, Google Play or Amazon.
