Book Influencer Programs: How They Work and Why You Should Join Them

If you’re an avid reader, you’ll probably be psyched to know there’s a way to get your hands on an endless number of books for free! This is especially true with the rising popularity of social media influencers like bookstagrammers and book bloggers. Publishers are increasingly looking to the pull and sway of influencers like these to get their book out in the public eye.

This is why publishers are more than willing to get their books into the hands of these book influencers.

How do Bookstagrammers get free books?

The good news is that when you’re a bookstagrammer, you can enjoy the benefits of ARCs, or an Advanced Reader Copy of a book even BEFORE they are published! What happens is that publishers want influencers to read and review their books to get it out before their followers.

Influencers with a main focus on books will automatically have the niche audience whose attention authors and publishers would die for. A positive review will almost always translate into sure sales, so it’s a small deal for publishers to send out a free book in exchange for that potentially glowing post.

If this is something you’d like to pursue, keep reading!

How do you become a Bookstagrammer?

First, understand that publishers and authors would not automatically send you ARCs just because you claim to be a bookworm—even if you actually devour ten books a day. What they’re looking for is someone with a wide enough reach that would make their sending you a free book worth their while. Here are some tips to get you started becoming a full-fledged book influencer:

1. Build up a following.

Like it or not, publishers will be looking at numbers. Build up your platform, and soon the publishers will take notice and be begging to get you to read their book. Here are some tips to help you build up a strong audience:

Pick a profile name that makes it clear you’re a book blogger (examples include having the word book, reader, reviewer, bookclub, bookstagram, bookshelf, and similar words in it)
Use only high-quality photos or videos that stick to your chosen theme
Add hashtags to reach new followers
Ask questions that encourage engagement
Stick to a regular schedule for posting

2. Sign up on NetGalley.

In publishing lingo, a “galley” refers to the final version of a book before it’s published, typically used for marketing or editing purposes. NetGalley is an avenue for readers to get connected with digital formats of galleys, with top publishers using it to promote their books.

When you sign up, include your social media links and a bio. From there, you can then search for specific titles or browse through them by category. Then you can apply for the book that you’re interested in.

3. Apply for publishers’ book influencer programs.

In addition to getting connected to NetGalley, also look into publishers’ specific book influencer programs. Although most of these are available for book influencers in the US and Canada, other countries like the UK and Australia also run their own programs.

As a bookstagrammer, you can actually request both physical and digital books directly from the publishers. Or you can also sign up for the influencer programs that many of them already have in place.

Here are some of the most popular book influencer programs you can sign up for. Some of them might indicate times when they’re on hold, but do bookmark this post so you can check back regularly for updates.

4. Contact publishers directly.

Sometimes, you may want to forego the general book influencer program and wish to reach out directly to publishers. This happens when you find a specific book that you want to review. First, find out what imprint published the book.

Traditional publishing houses usually have several imprints, which publishes different kinds of books. Checking out the details in Goodreads is a good way to find out. From there, you can then reach out to the correct imprint, who are the people in charge of marketing the book.

Be sure to write a compelling email so your message doesn’t fall through the cracks. Also, make sure you reach out to publishers for books that you really and actually want to read and write a review for, not just for the sake of collecting free books. You want to build trust and credibility, and it won’t work to collect free books without actually reading and reviewing them.

Here are some of the general publicity, editorial, or medial emails for some of the top publishing houses:

Book Influencer Programs for Readers

If you’re a bookworm, joining a book influencer program is a great way to feed your reading habit. Although it’s not yet typical to earn money, sometimes, bookstagrammers might also get paid through sponsorships. Even so, since it’s almost always a hobby or even a passion, just getting ARCs regularly can do wonders for your book budget.

Plus, as readers, we tend to enjoy sharing books with other people, and what better way to do that than through our social media reach!

Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

Yen Cabag

Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.