April 23 marks a symbolic day in world literature and pays tribute to books and authors, encouraging everyone to access books - the most beautiful invention for sharing ideas beyond the boundaries of humanity, space and time. This World Book Day, we celebrate the power of community and how #BookTok brings readers together.

According to Boniswa Sidwaba, Head of Content Programming, Sub-Saharan Africa, "There is a growing community of book lovers on TikTok in Africa, with creators sharing book reviews, recommendations, and discussions under the #BookTok hashtag. In countries such as South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, a larger community of book lovers creates content under the #BookTok hashtag. Book-related content on TikTok in Africa is diverse, with creators sharing content in different languages, covering a wide range of genres and topics, and sharing their unique perspectives on reading and books."

As the trend of book-related content on our platform continues to grow, there is a promising future for #BookTok. Seeing creators like @bookedandbeing share their passion for reading through creative book reviews, recommendations, and discussions on her platform


@bookedandbeing My first read for 2023 was all about setting boundaries! Thank you @Nedra Glover Tawwab, LCSW for this masterpiece! A detailed review is available on the Instagram account. #boundaries101 #boundaries #booksforselfimprovement #booktok #bookstagram #books #selfimprovement ♬ original sound - Booked and Being


Writer and #BookTok creator @rozanne_visagie uses our platform to share her own writing journey and encourage others to pursue their dreams.


@rozanne_visagie This is the most readers I've met in real life 🤩 yes, I'm an introvert 😂 #jbpxbooktok #CapCut #bookfriends #books #booktok #booktoksa #sabooktok #readersoftiktok #readersofbooktok #bookfriends ♬ feel this moment - elfixsounds


Boniswa Sidwaba adds, "The engagement with book-related content on TikTok in Africa is steadily growing, with users liking, commenting, and sharing their favourite videos. This has encouraged more creators to produce book-related content and engage with the platform's growing community of book lovers. African book influencers and authors have also collaborated with TikTok creators to promote their work and reach new audiences."

Over the past six months, the top three BookTok hashtags in Sub-Saharan Africa were #Read, with over 1 million video views. #Booksyoushouldread, with 725 K views; and #Bookstoread, with 186K views. These hashtags demonstrate the enthusiasm and interest of our African community in discovering new books and sharing their reading experiences with others.