What Not to Do on BookTok
Learning what NOT to do is often more valuable than learning what TO do. These mistakes can kill your growth, damage your reputation, or even get you shadowbanned. Here's what to avoid - and what to do instead.
Mistakes That Get You Shadowbanned or Ignored
The Spam Trap
Don't Do:
- Post the same video multiple times
- Spam hashtags unrelated to your content
- Leave identical comments on dozens of videos
- Follow/unfollow massive amounts of accounts daily
Why It Hurts: TikTok's algorithm detects and penalizes spam behavior, reducing your reach or shadowbanning your account.
Do Instead:
- Post unique content consistently
- Use 3-5 relevant hashtags
- Leave genuine, thoughtful comments
- Follow accounts you actually want to engage with
The Violation Trap
Don't Do:
- Use copyrighted music outside TikTok's library
- Include external links in video captions
- Post content with poor lighting that might be flagged as inappropriate
- Use misleading thumbnails or captions
Why It Hurts: Community guideline violations can result in video removal, reach limitations, or account suspension.
Do Instead:
- Only use TikTok's music library or your original audio
- Put external links in your bio
- Ensure your videos are clearly visible and appropriate
- Be honest in your captions and thumbnails
The Automation Mistake
Don't Do:
- Use bots to auto-like, comment, or follow
- Schedule posts through unauthorized third-party apps
- Use services that promise "instant followers"
- Automate any engagement activities
Why It Hurts: TikTok can detect artificial engagement and may penalize or ban your account.
Do Instead:
- Engage manually and authentically
- Use TikTok's native scheduling tools if available
- Build followers through genuine value creation
- Be patient with organic growth
Overpromotion & Follower Fatigue
The Sales Pitch Trap
Don't Do:
- Make every video about your book
- Include "buy my book" in every caption
- Only create content when you have something to sell
- Treat followers like a customer database
Why It Hurts: Audiences tune out promotional content quickly, leading to unfollows and reduced engagement.
Real Example: An author I followed posted 15 videos in a row about their book launch. I unfollowed, and I wasn't alone - they lost 200 followers that week.
Do Instead:
- Follow the 80/20 rule: 80% value, 20% promotion
- Soft sell through storytelling and behind-the-scenes content
- Build relationships first, sell second
- Provide entertainment, education, or inspiration
The Launch Blast Mistake
Don't Do:
- Post multiple promotional videos on release day
- Share the same book announcement across all platforms simultaneously
- Expect immediate sales from every promotional video
- Panic-post when initial promotion doesn't work
Why It Hurts: Oversaturation leads to audience fatigue and decreased engagement on future content.
Do Instead:
- Spread launch content over several weeks
- Create different content for different platforms
- Focus on building anticipation gradually
- Trust the long-term relationship-building process
"Author Cringe" and How to Avoid It
The Ego Trap
Don't Do:
- Constantly mention your credentials or awards
- Act like your book is the next bestseller before it's proven
- Dismiss other authors' work or success
- Take yourself too seriously all the time
Why It Hurts: Audiences connect with humility and authenticity, not ego.
Real Example: "As a published author with three degrees in literature..." - This opener made me scroll past immediately.
Do Instead:
- Share your journey, including struggles and failures
- Celebrate others' successes genuinely
- Use humor and self-deprecation appropriately
- Let your work speak for itself
The Desperation Display
Don't Do:
- Beg for follows, likes, or shares
- Post about how hard it is to get discovered
- Complain about low engagement publicly
- Ask family/friends to share your content obviously
Why It Hurts: Desperation repels audiences and makes you appear unprofessional.
Real Example: "Please help a struggling author get noticed! Share if you care about indie authors!" - This guilt-trips rather than attracts.
Do Instead:
- Focus on providing value to your audience
- Share struggles as part of authentic storytelling
- Celebrate small wins and progress
- Build community through mutual support
The Amateur Hour Mistakes
Don't Do:
- Apologize for your content before sharing it
- Make excuses for video quality or content
- Say "I don't know if this is any good but..."
- Constantly ask "Should I continue this series?"
Why It Hurts: Self-doubt is contagious and makes viewers question your content quality.
Do Instead:
- Share content confidently, even if it's not perfect
- Improve quality over time without apologizing for the journey
- Ask specific questions for genuine feedback
- Trust your instincts about what your audience wants
Common Technical Mistakes
The Quality Trap
Don't Do:
- Post videos with terrible audio (worse than poor video quality)
- Film in extremely poor lighting consistently
- Use shaky cameras without purpose
- Upload extremely pixelated videos
Why It Hurts: Technical quality issues make content hard to consume and signal unprofessionalism.
Do Instead:
- Prioritize clear audio over perfect video
- Film near windows for natural light
- Hold your phone steady or use a tripod
- Ensure your videos are clear and watchable
The Timing Trap
Don't Do:
- Post randomly without considering your audience
- Post all your content in one day then disappear
- Ignore your analytics completely
- Post during major events unrelated to books
Why It Hurts: Poor timing means your content doesn't reach your audience when they're active.
Do Instead:
- Analyze when your audience is most active
- Maintain consistent posting schedules
- Use analytics to optimize timing
- Be aware of current events and trends
Engagement Mistakes
The Comment Section Neglect
Don't Do:
- Never respond to comments on your videos
- Delete comments you don't love (unless inappropriate)
- Respond with only "Thanks!" to every comment
- Ignore questions from potential readers
Why It Hurts: Poor comment engagement signals to the algorithm that your content doesn't create community.
Do Instead:
- Reply to comments within the first hour when possible
- Ask follow-up questions to keep conversations going
- Thank people genuinely and specifically
- Turn good comments into new content ideas
The Community Isolation
Don't Do:
- Only promote your own content
- Never engage with other creators' content
- Treat other authors as competition only
- Ignore the broader BookTok community
Why It Hurts: Social media is social - isolation limits growth and opportunity.
Do Instead:
- Share others' content you genuinely enjoy
- Comment meaningfully on other creators' videos
- Collaborate with authors in your genre
- Participate in BookTok trends and challenges
Real Examples of What to Do Instead
Instead of: "Buy my book!"
Try: "I wrote this because I couldn't find the book I wanted to read..."
Instead of: "I'm a bestselling author"
Try: "I'm so grateful readers connected with my story..."
Instead of: "Please follow me!"
Try: "If you love dark academia like me, you might enjoy my content!"
Instead of: "This will probably flop but..."
Try: "I'm excited to share this recommendation with you..."
Instead of: "I don't understand the algorithm"
Try: Focus on serving your audience, not gaming the system
The Recovery Plan for Mistakes
If you've made these mistakes:
- Stop the behavior immediately
- Don't delete past content unless it violates guidelines
- Shift to value-first content
- Engage authentically for 2-3 weeks
- Be patient while trust rebuilds
My Biggest Mistake Story
Early on, I posted 12 videos in three days promoting my book launch. My engagement plummeted, I lost followers, and my reach suffered for weeks. I learned that consistency beats intensity, and relationships beat sales pitches.
The recovery? I went back to providing value, sharing genuine book recommendations, and building community. It took six weeks to rebuild, but the relationships I formed during that recovery became my strongest supporter base.
The Mindset Shift
Instead of asking "How can I get more followers?" ask:
- "How can I serve my audience better?"
- "What value am I providing?"
- "How can I build genuine connections?"
- "What would make someone's day better?"
Red Flags in Your Own Content
Review your content regularly for these warning signs:
- More than 30% of videos are promotional
- You're apologizing more than celebrating
- Comments are decreasing over time
- Engagement feels forced or artificial
- You're not enjoying the creation process
The Long-Term Perspective
These mistakes aren't career-enders if you learn from them. The most successful BookTok creators have made embarrassing mistakes and recovered stronger.
The difference between successful creators and those who give up? Successful ones learn, adapt, and keep serving their audience authentically.
Your mistakes are learning opportunities. Use them to build a stronger, more authentic presence that genuinely serves your readers and builds lasting relationships.
Remember: Perfect creators don't exist, but authentic ones build lasting communities. Focus on genuine connection over promotional perfection, and your audience will respond with loyalty and engagement.