The Ultimate Guide to Social Media Hashtags for Book Authors

Inspired by a similar post, I have compiled a list of 439 hashtags for book authors and ebook writers to use on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. The focus is on #books and #writers.

And, yes, I’ve cheated in creating this list of hashtags because I’m actually featuring hashtags that book authors are currently using (rather than hypothetical hashtags they can or should use).

Hashtags (demarcated by a number sign or pound sign in front of a word, for example, #hashtag) are an easy way for people interested in a specific keyword topic to mark their tweets, pins, and posts so others can join in the conversation.

Most of the social networks use them, especially now that Facebook has started using hashtags. Here are a few examples of how the social networks use hashtags:

On Facebook, every #hashtag in use has its own URL, for example: https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/facebooktips (#facebooktips).

Twitter allows you to #Discover hashtags via searches, for example: https://twitter.com/search?q=%23facebook&src=hash (#facebook)

Pinterest supports hashtags but when you search on a hashtag such as #mywords, Pinterest features all pins with the characters mywords in the description.

Please note: Select a few hashtags that are right for you and your book. Don’t use all of the hashtags listed below. Use five to ten that have the most meaning for you and your potential audience.

Book Marketing Hashtags for Book Authors: A list of hashtags for book authors and ebook writers to use on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. #writers #writing #authors #books

Here are some of the key social media hashtags for book writers and ebook authors. These book author hashtags are listed in alphabetical order:

#140poem
#5amWritersClub
#99c
#99cents

#AlwaysReading
#Amazon
#amazoncom
#AmazonKindle
#amediting
#amreading
#amrevising
#AmWriting
#AmWritingSciFi
#askagent
#askauthor
#askeditor
#author
#AuthorAdvice
#AuthorAlert
#AuthorBranding
#AuthorCommunity
#AuthorLife
#AuthorLove
#AuthorMarketing
#AuthorMarketingTips
#AuthorMentoringMonday
#AuthorPlatform
#AuthorPromo
#AuthorPromotion
#authorRT
#authors
#AuthorsCommunity
#AuthorsHelpingAuthors
#AuthorsofIG
#AuthorsofInstagram
#AuthorSpeaks
#AuthorTip
#AuthorUpRoar

#BeautifulBooks
#BecauseOfMyBook
#BecauseOfReading
#BestRead
#bestseller
#bibliophile
#bio
#biography
#BoardBooks
#book
#BookAddict
#Bookaholic
#BookArt
#BookAuthor
#BookBday (book birthday for publication date)
#BookBlast
#BookBlogger
#BookBoost
#BookBuzz
#BookClub
#BookCollection
#BookCommunity
#BookCoverLove
#BookCovers
#bookdragon
#BookExcerpt
#BookFeaturePage
#bookflatlay
#bookgiveaway
#bookgram
#bookish
#BookishFeatures
#booklaunch
#BookLaunchParty
#BookLove
#BookLovers
#bookmarket
#BookMarketing
#BookMarketingStories
#BookMarketingStrategies
#BookMarketingSuccess
#BookMarketingTip
#BookMarks
#BookNerd
#BookNerdigan
#BookNews
#BookNook
#BookNookstagram
#BookObsessed
#BookOfTheDay
#bookographic
#BookPhoto
#BookPhotography
#BookPlug
#BookPorn
#bookPR
#bookpromo
#BookPromotion
#BookPublishing
#BookPublishingTip
#BookQuotes
#bookrec
#BookRecommendation
#BookRecommendations
#BookReview
#BookReviews
#books
#Books2Read
#booksales
#BooksAndBeans
#BooksAndFlowers
#booksAreLife
#booksbooksbooks
#BooksForGifts
#booksellers
#BooksOfInsta
#BooksOfInstagram
#BooksOfTwitter
#booksrock
#bookstagram
#BookstagramFeature
#bookstagrammers
#bookster
#bookstores
#BooksThatMatter
#BookSuggestions
#BooksWithHooks
#BookTag
#BookToMovie
#booktrailer
#BookTweet
#BookTwitter
#BookTwt
#bookworms
#bookwriter
#bookwritingtip
#buyabookday
#buyindie
#ByMePoetry

#ChickLit
#ChildrensBooks
#ChildrensLit
#ChristmasBookShopping
#ChristmasBookstagram
#ChristmasReads
#ClassicBooks
#ClassicLiterature
#CleanReads
#comics
#cookbook
#CoverLove
#CreativeWriting
#CrimeNovel
#CultureTripBooks

#DarkFantasy
#DidYouKnow

#EarlyReaders
#ebook
#ebookgiveaway
#ebookmarketing
#EbookPromo
#EbookPromotion
#ebookreading
#ebooks
#editing
#EpicFantasy
#EpicReads
#epub
#epubchat
#ereaders
#erotica
#eroticromance
#ewgc (early word galley chat – for new books)
#excerpt

#fanfic
#fantasy
#ff (the shorter version of #FollowFriday)
#fiction
#fictionFriday
#FirstBook
#flashfic
#FollowFriday (used to encourage other followers to follow your favorite social people)
#FoodPorn (for recipes and cookbooks)
#free
#freebie
#FreebieFriday
#FreeBook
#FreeChapters
#FreeDownload
#freeebook
#FreeKindleReads
#freereads
#FridayReads

#GetPublished
#giveaway
#GoodBooks
#GoodReads
#gr8books4u
#GraphicNovel
#GreatRead
#GreatReading
#GreatRomance

#hardcover
#histfic
#HistoricalFiction
#HistoricalRomance
#horror
#HorrorFiction
#howto
#HugAnAuthor

#iBook
#IGPoetry
#IGPoets
#IGReads
#ILoveBooks
#ILoveToWrite
#IndieApril
#IndieAuthors
#IndieBookBlast
#indiebooksellers
#IndieBooksPromo
#IndiePub
#IndieThursday
#IndieTuesday
#IndieWriter
#InspirationalQuotes
#InstaBook
#InstagramReads
#InstaPoem
#InstaPoetry
#InstaReads
#ireadya

#KDP
#KDPselect
#KidLit
#KidLitArt
#KidLitChat
#KidsBooks
#Kindle
#KindleBargain
#KindleBooks
#KindleDeals
#KindleFire
#KindleFree
#KindleGiveaway
#KindleTop100Author
#KindleTouch
#KindleVella
#Kobo

#libraries
#LibraryThing
#litchat (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays)
#literature
#LiteratureLover
#litfic
#longreads (to tag your favorite stories and get them retweeted)
#Love2Write
#LoveBooks
#LoveToWrite

#memoir
#MemoirChat (every other Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern)
#MentionMonday (sort of like #ff or #followfriday or #writerwednesday)
#micropoetry
#MiddleReaders
#MotivationalQuotes
#MSWL (stands for manuscript wishlist, especially used by agents and publishers)
#MustRead
#MustReadBooks
#MWA (Mystery Writers of America)
#MyBooks
#mysteries
#mystery

#nanowrimo (specially appropriate for November)
#NewBookRelease
#NewRelease
#nonfiction
#Nook
#NookTop100
#novel
#novelist
#novels
#novelwriting

#PageTurner (one of my favorite hashtags!)
#paperbacks
#PBLitChat (picture books chat)
#PictureBook
#POD
#poems
#poetry
#PoetryBook
#PoetryByMe
#PoetryCommunity
#PoetryCommunityOfInstagram
#PoetryGram
#PoetryInstagram
#PoetryIsArt
#PoetryIsLife
#PoetryIsNotDead
#PoetryLove
#PoetryLovers
#PoetryOfIG
#PoetrySociety
#PoetryTribe
#PoetsDaily
#PoetsOnInstagram
#PoetTues (Tuesdays)
#promotip
#pubday (for publication date of a book)
#publicity
#publish
#publishing
#pubtips

#querytips
#quotablebooks
#quotablequote
#quote
#QuoteoftheDay

#read
#ReadABook
#ReadASample
#readerlove
#readers
#ReadersCommunity
#ReadersFavorite
#ReadersOfInstagram
#ReadersOfTwitter
#reading
#ReadingCommunity
#ReadingLife
#ReadMoreBooks
#ReadYourWorld
#recipes
#reviews
#romance
#RomanceBooks
#RomanceNovels
#RomanceWriter
#RomanticSuspense
#RunawayWriters
#RWA (Romance Writers of America)
#RT

#SampleSunday
#SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators)
#ScienceFiction
#SciFi
#SciFiChat
#ScintilatingSunday
#selfpub
#selfpublish
#SelfPublishing
#SelfPublishingMarketing
#SelfPublishingTips
#SellingFiction
#SellMoreBooks
#SFF
#ShamelessSelfpromo
#ShamelessSelfPromoSaturday
#ShamelessSelfPromoThursday
#ShamelessSelfpromoWednesday
#share
#sharingThursday — For example: Today, I’m sharing a few book authors (and their books). I hope you’ll share a few as well. #sharingThursday #books #authors
#shelfie
#ShortReads
#ShortStories
#ShortStory
#SixWordStory
#Smashwords
#spbooks
#SpilledInk
#speaker
#speaking
#SteamPunk
#stories
#story
#StoryFriday
#storytelling
#suspense

#ThinkersAndWriters
#ThinkWriteInspire
#thriller
#TotalBookNerd
#truestory

#UrbanFantasy

#vscobooks
#vscoreads

#WednesdayWriters
#WeLoveMemoirs
#WhatAreYouReading
#WhatShouldIReadNext
#WhatToRead
#WhatToReadWednesday
#WIP (work in progress)
#WomensFiction
#WordCount
#WordPorn
#words
#Wordsmith
#WriteABook
#WriteChat
#WriteGoal
#WriteGoodNews
#WriteQuote
#writer
#WriterChat
#WriterCommunity
#WriterInspiration
#WriterLife
#WriterLove
#writers
#WritersCommunity
#WritersCommunityOfIG
#WritersConnection
#WritersDen
#WritersForHope
#WritersLife
#WritersLift (to support other authors)
#WritersNetwork
#WriterSociety
#WritersOfIG
#WritersOfInstagram
#WritersPocket
#WritersRT
#WritersUnite
#WritersWise
#WriterTips
#WriterWednesday
#WriteTip
#WriteYourHeartOut
#writing
#WritingAdvice
#WritingBlitz
#WritingCommunity
#WritingHelp
#WritingInspiration
#WritingParty
#WritingPrompt
#WritingPrompts
#WritingRocks
#WritingTip
#WritingTips
#WritingTools
#ww (short for #writerwednesday)

#YA
#YABooks
#YAFantasy
#YALit
#YALitChat
#YoungAdultBooks

And, of course, use hashtags to highlight your keyword topics, such as #crafts, #food, #travel, #exotictravel, #parenting, #health, etc.

At some point in using hashtags, you might want to create your own hashtag so you and others can follow a specific topic. Facebook expert Mari Smith, for instance, has created a hashtag that she uses in every one of her Facebook posts: #facebookmari.

I could see book authors creating a hashtag out of their book title, something like #1001Ways. Or a hashtag around your website, something like #bookmarketingbestsellers or #infographicaday. Or a new hashtag around your topic, such as #bookmarketingtip, which I will be using more and more.

Start by getting use to adding hashtags in your social media pins, posts, shares, etc. Then start engaging in discussions with others using the same hashtag (or simply repin, share, or plusone posts with the same hashtag). Finally, create your own hashtag — but you must use it consistently to make the hashtag your own.

Note: This list of hashtags has been updated from the original 41 to over 270 hashtags. If you have more book or ebook #hashtags that you use, comment below. I’ll add them to the list. Thanks!

Learn to Say Thanks

Here’s one hashtag theme that more authors should use: #thanks or #thankyou or #thankful.Or #ThankfulThursdays. Or #ThankYouNoteFriday.

Even Justin Bieber says thanks:

Justin Bieber

Some Key Ways to Use Hashtags

Some key ways you can use hashtags to discover new things, market your books and services, or simply find interesting people:

More Retweets and Shares — Tweets with hashtags are 55% more likely to be retweeted. Retweets get you more notice from people who do not follow you but follow the retweeter.

Double the Engagement — Tweets with hashtags get double the engagement of tweets without hashtags. That means more favorites, more retweets, more replies, etc. Hashtags also encourage more engagements in the other social networks as well: more likes, more shares, more comments, more repins.

Follow Topics — In most social networks, hashtags are clickable. That means people can follow topics with hashtags and/or scan topics at the peak of their interest in a subject.

Follow Chats — Hashtags allow people to follow chats on a specific topic, especially useful with Twitter chats.

Make It an Event — Highlight all the happenings at an event via a unique event hashtag so everyone can share the content, happenings, and news related to that event. And even schedule meetups at the event.

Drive People to New Content — You can use hashtags to drive people to new topics where you create a unique hashtag. People that like that topic can follow your new content over multiple social networks. I did that with #bookmarketingtips.

Monitor Hashtags — You can monitor hashtags that your potential customers might use, so when they need help, you can respond immediately with help.

Monitor Your Competitors — Follow hashtags related to your competitors’ names, brands, etc. Among other things, you can discover people who are unhappy with your competitors’ products and services. Better yet, you can find out right away when your competitors are announcing new products, new events, new services, new developments.

Monitor Yourself — Be sure to follow any hashtags related to your company name, book title, brand, author name, etc. Discover what others are saying about you. You might also want to follow the sucky hashtags like #yournamesucks or #yourcompanysucks or similar constructions.

See also: http://infographicaday.com/hashtags-a-tool-for-discovery-a-hashtag-infographic

About John Kremer

John Kremer is author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Books, the Relationships Matter Marketing program, and many other books and reports on book marketing, Internet marketing, social media, and book publicity. -- .

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Comments

  1. Very useful hastags. I will use some of them when I am promoting my ebook on Twitter.

    • Heather Hart
    • July 29, 2013

    I just wanted to note that anything with a dash (-) in it won’t pick up the second half. Hashtags can only include letters. So it would need to be sp and selfpublish in order for them to work. Otherwise, great list – and thanks for linking to us!

  2. Thanks. Good point.

    • authorcassandracarr
    • August 14, 2013

    One hashtag I love is #pubtips. Oftentimes editors, publicists, agents and the like post tidbits under that. I also do sometimes like the other day when I said “You don’t have to take part in every promo opportunity you come across.”

    Also, specific agents/editors have hashtags. Not sure she’s still doing it but Sara Megibow (The Nelson Agency) had #5queriesin5tweets. There are others I can’t recall, but it’s worth looking at the timeline of an editor or agent to see if they have their own hashtag.

    Also on the subject of editors and agents, both do these GREAT chats called #askeditor and #askagent. Most of them are impromptu, but word spreads fast when one starts. You can directly ask an editor or an agent what they’re looking for, what they’re sick of, what length book is selling, and tons of other questions. It was invaluable to me before I published, not only for the advice, but to make my name familiar to the agents and editors who hosted them.

    Another one, #querytips. Pretty obvious what this is about, but there’s been some advice there.

    Lastly, myself and two other authors are self-pubbing a book in a few weeks. We’re thinking of a hashtag for it. The title is Going All In, and it’s a hockey romance anthology. We’ve gotten some great suggestions from readers but haven’t picked one yet. Would love to hear any ideas from folks here.

  3. #chicklit

  4. Love your ideas. Will add them to my list. Thanks, Cassandra.

    As for your hashtag, you could go simple: #goingallin
    Or perhaps more descriptive: #hockeyromance

  5. Thanks. Added that one as well. Much appreciated.

    • authorcassandracarr
    • August 15, 2013

    There’s a hashtag #IsItOctboerYet for hockey fans in general. I think we’re going to pair it with #GoingALLIn and then supplement with #HockeyRomance when we have enough room. Can’t take up too many characters with hashtags. ;-)

  6. That’s great that you know one of the key hockey hashtags for fans. That means you’ve done your research.

  7. Thanks, John. I wasn’t aware that Facebook supports hashtags.

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  13. I have two hashtags to add:

    1. #micropoetry is one I use for (as the name implies) micropoetry

    2. #MSWL stands for “manuscript wishlist.” It’s a tag agents and publishers use to say, “I’m looking for a book such as…” Be advised: a lot of would-be authors abuse this tag by including it with a post such as “Does anyone want to see my…”

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    • Author Shout
    • June 17, 2014

    What an extensive list of hashtags. Will definitely consider using some of these.

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