Book Influencer: What It Means (& 7 Different Types)

Have you heard the term book influencer? Whether you’re curious what it means or you want to become one yourself, you’ll find all the details in this post – including seven different types of book influencers or book reviewers.

If you’re someone who loves to read, you likely seek out book recommendations from a variety of sources. You might be a big fan of the Goodreads app, or maybe you like to follow book influencers on Instagram (also known as Bookstagrammers). Either way, book reviewers (i.e. influencers) are likely involved!

What is a book influencer?

A book influencer (sometimes also known as a content creator or book reviewer) is someone who shares their favorite – or not so favorite – reads with others, essentially ‘influencing’ them on which books they may want to pick up.

An influencer’s audience may find that they have a similar taste in books, and come to trust that influencer’s judgement.

Sometimes, influencers will focus on reviewing new or upcoming book releases, but that’s certainly not a requirement to be a book influencer! In fact, there aren’t any requirements at all – other than just sharing your thoughts about a book with someone else. That’s it!

There are lots of different mediums/platforms for readers to share about and review books. Here are some of the most popular ones:

Bookstagram

Bookstagram is a community on Instagram that’s all about books and reading. Anyone can be a bookstagrammer – all you have to do is create an account, snap a book photo (or video), and share away!

You don’t even need to show your face in your Bookstagram feed, if you don’t want to. It’s completely up to you. The books can be the star of the show!

You can do as much or as little with your Bookstagram account as you choose. Some Bookstagrammers prefer to stick to sharing books they already own, whereas some choose to work with publishers to get free books and ARCs (advanced reader copies), along with other bookish merchandise.

(I wrote an in-depth guide all about Bookstagram, if you want to check it out!).

Bookstagram is an awesome way to connect with other book lovers, whether you’re a romance reader or you prefer thrillers. You can join buddy reads, online book clubs, reading challenges, or any number of fun events happening on Bookstagram.

While Instagram started out as a photo-sharing platform only, it now allows for a multitude of mediums, including short-form and long-form video like Instagram Stories and Instagram Reels.

I have been a Bookstagrammer for years, and I love it! While I do occasionally take breaks from posting new content during busy seasons of my life, I’m always still following along with other bookish creators on Instagram and connecting with other readers over our favorite books!

Bookstagram post ideas and photo inspiration

BookTube

Do you enjoy watching (or making) book review videos or book unboxing videos? BookTube is a popular way to share about books in video form! It’s a subset of the Youtube community that focuses on book content.

Essentially, BookTubers record a bookish video, then upload it to their Youtube channel. If viewers like what they create, they can build an audience of subscribers.

BookTubers can receive ARCs from publishers (in exchange for an honest review) and other book-related merchandise just like Bookstagrammers.

They can also make money from ad revenue through the Youtube partner program, once their channel reaches a certain level of subscribers or watch hours.

BookTok

BookTok is very similar to Bookstagram, but on the TikTok platform instead of Instagram – and with video as the only medium for content.

I’ll admit – I’m a millennial and I prefer Instagram to TikTok. 🙂 But, BookTok is hugely popular with Gen Z in particular, so if you prefer TikTok, this might be the perfect bookish platform for you!

You can find (or make) all kinds of different BookTok videos, including unboxings, video book reviews, monthly reading wrap-ups, organizing your bookshelves, most-anticipated book releases, book hauls, and lots more.

What you share doesn’t even have to be strictly about books, either. Reading-adjacent content is fun, too, like your favorite reading snacks, cool bookish decor, or your adorable reading nook.

Book Blogs

Book blogging is one of the oldest/original forms of book influencing! Anyone can create a book blog and share book reviews, book lists, and other book-related posts.

A blog takes a some effort upfront to set up, but after that, it’s easy to write and publish posts. Unlike other platforms, your book blog won’t have a built-in audience – it’s up to you to attract readers.

Many book bloggers utilize social media accounts, Pinterest, SEO (search engine optimization, to bring in readers from Google), and other methods to drive traffic to their blogs. Or, maybe you just want to share your blog with friends and family – that’s perfectly fine, too!

The great thing about a book blog is that you have a lot more control over it than you do over platforms like Instagram or Youtube. It’s also one of the best ways to monetize (make money from) your content, if that’s something you’re interested in!

a woman in a white dress holding a stack of hardcover books

Goodreads

The Goodreads app is a popular place for book lovers to review books! Goodreads is like IMDB for books, where anyone can leave a rating and/or review.

It’s one of my favorite ways to find new books to read. In fact, I don’t think I’ve bought or read a book in the past ten years without looking it up on Goodreads first!

You can create a profile and build a following of other readers who love hearing your thoughts and recommendations.

On Goodreads, there are also discussion forums, fan groups, and more – lots of ways to connect with fellow bibliophiles!

Amazon (or Other Book Ecommerce Site) Reviewer

You may not realize it, but when you leave a book review on an ecommerce site like Amazon, you’re acting as a book influencer! Your review may persuade someone to buy/read (or not) a particular book.

Sharing your reviews on sites like Amazon is a great way to support your favorite authors!

In-Person Book Influencer

Last but not least, you don’t need to be online (or sharing with people you don’t know) to be a book influencer! Anyone can share their favorite reads with friends and family in real life.

Talking about books with people you already know is absolutely a form of book influencing, and a wonderful one at that! There’s nothing better than connecting with people you love over a shared passion. 🙂

Can book influencers make money?

Yes, in addition to receiving free books and bookish products, it is possible to make money as a book influencer (depending on the platform you use).

You can’t make money by reviewing books on Goodreads, but you can make money as a book blogger, Bookstagrammer, BookTuber, or BookToker.

Here are some ways you can make money as a book influencer:

Affiliate Marketing
Sponsored Content (working with brands)
Advertising Revenue (book bloggers & BookTube, depending on the size of your audience)
Working with Publishers (to promote books, events, etc. – it’s not common to make money this way, but opportunities do exist)
Paid Book Review Sites

Whether you’d like to become a book influencer or not, I hope you keep reading and fostering a passion for books!