Sustainable Book Marketing: Pivoting with Instagram Reels
If you’re an author who needs to pivot from TikTok to Instagram to market daily… I would like to help. Hi! My name is Mel and I’m a 1-month old author PA with a background in social media management from different industries. I love finding ways to help authors out with book marketing within my capacity.
To start, let me share with you what’s been working for 2 of my authors (erotica & dark mafia romance) with their video & KENP stats for the past one week with NO ADS:
Heads up: I have ADHD. This entire blog from here on out is going to be chaotic and full of insights and thoughts about how I view book marketing in general (and additional thoughts in parentheses). So if you only want to go straight to sustainable book marketing with Reels, scroll all the way down!
Before I continue, I want to preface this with a few disclaimers…
1 - The numbers can look amazing, but I care more about sales. I can’t force people to buy, but I can do my best to make sure the content I make lands in front of readers who actually might. It’s easy to spiral over views and forget that momentum takes time. I am bringing this up because I want you to know this is how I approach MY strategy for book marketing. Unless authors specifically say they want to build their author brand, I generally focus more on marketing their books > their branding.
So before panicking, lock in the mindset of consistency. Post, test, repeat. Let the data marinate before you decide it’s “not working.”
2 - The stats you saw didn’t magically work overnight. It took me a full month to get the hooks right since I started working with my authors officially. (Yikes, a month?! IKR. But remember, I’m new at this…) Thankfully my authors were patient and gave me a chance to try anything I’d come up with, until we started seeing traction.
Since working closely with them, it took plenty of practice, a lot of experimenting, and a LOT of collaboration with them (plus doing content pulls) to train my brain to look at books like a reader and a marketer at the same time. It’s extra work that has now paid off!
So if you’re new to video marketing: buckle up. Let’s build a system first. Throughout this blog post, I go over my current workflow and how you can emulate to produce 2-3x the content. Because once your workflow clicks, switching hooks and scenes becomes easy instead of soul-draining. It’s better to build a foundation now so you can adapt whenever you need a change of scenery instead of trying to build something from scratch every time something is not working.
3 - I am a professional self-gaslighter. If something doesn’t work, my brain instantly goes: “Ah yes. Your content is trash.” Instead of spiralling (okay, after spiralling), I try to pivot. (I mean, that is the theme around here.) I take my personal promise seriously: my authors do NOT get to be exhausted from marketing. That anxiety is mine to carry.
So when everyone started yelling about the Edits app + reel covers the week before last, I listened. And instead of resting like a normal person on a Sunday, I was making reel covers in Canva for 2 of my authors like a gremlin on a mission. (ADHD impulsivity for the win.) This was 2 Sundays ago. The next day? They hit their first 10K views on Instagram!
Since then, one author now averages ~2k views on almost every video. The other hits five figures most days. I get to breathe a little because now the same hooks & scenes can run the show while we prepare for book launches.
4 - At the same time, while I absolutely want to give credit to the people who were reminding us that Meta WANTS us to use all the shiny features they roll out, I also need to say this: my work isn’t completely trash either lol. (phew) And this is a BIG deal for me to say because I am constantly fighting my impostor syndrome.
Case in point. One of these videos doesn’t have a cover photo and it still pulled 2K+ views. Which tells me the hook + the Kindle excerpt did the heavy lifting anyway. The stakes were clear, the emotions were high, and the curiosity gap was strong enough to make people want more.
All the tips, tricks, and platform hacks help, sure. But none of them matter if the content itself doesn’t hit. Features can boost reach, but it’s the story and the emotional payoff that make people stay. So, what can you do today to improve your content?
Now that we’re well acquainted, the first thing I’ll say is that if you’re comfortable with your current creating+posting workflow but haven’t tried the Edits app + cover photos “trick” yet, try that first. See if they make any difference. My authors run the videos I make for them through the Edits app before exporting them to Instagram.
I would like to add a small disclaimer that this method unfortunately does not work for 2 of my other authors at the moment, so if you’re still not getting traction, you’re not alone. Sometimes social media apps are just not consistent. If posting through Edits is making your views worse, bin it. We move on. We, wait for it, PIVOT!!
Now, let’s reel it back a little (pun intended). We’re getting into the best part—my brain!
Book Marketing at Its Core: Pick Better Scenes, Write Better Hooks
I’m not a hook pro. When I started learning what it takes to be an author PA, I doomscrolled like it was my second job, studied why certain videos popped off, then stole the logic behind them and tested it on my own TikTok. That’s it. No magic. Just pattern spotting and trial by fire.
Now when I do content pull I try to look out for:
Scenes that trigger “okay. wait. I need to know what happens next??”
Moments with high emotional payoff
Situations that come with high stakes
Very clear power dynamics
For example…
Dark romance readers want danger with a safety net. Threatening on the outside, soft only for her. That contrast is the hook and payoff.
Professor x student romance lives and dies on tension. Power imbalance, restraint, stolen moments, the constant “we shouldn’t” energy. Bonus points when the bedroom dynamic flips expectations.
Forbidden tropes thrive on friction. The kind that feels impossible to cross. Social rules, moral lines, personal stakes stacked so high readers think, “There’s no way this works… right?”
And then, I take these angles, lean hard into the curiosity gap (the bigger the gap, the more readers want to read your book), and find ways to stretch it. That means knowing who the book is for and understanding how to frame the tropes so the right readers clock it immediately.
Start with character archetypes to set the scene. Then zoom in on the action. After that, spell out why this moment matters to the characters and to the reader.
Think of it like this:
who (or specify character archetype) + when/what (core conflict or tension) + hook (the action or reaction) + why (optional to increase the stakes)
From there, I start stacking details: character archetypes, love interests, protagonist vs antagonist energy, assumption → development arcs, any limitations (like one bed trope because we LOVE that), if they get trapped in a location (like faulty elevator), job dynamics (hello sports romance), off-limits situations (like coach’s daughter), and tiny but telling observations or actions. All of that gives the hook more bite.
Then I play mix-and-match. Same scene, different angles. Swap the archetype positions. Flip the conflict. Highlight a different action. Reword the emotional beat. Switch up the POVs. I start creating multiple hook variations just from one moment. Sometimes the hooks are just the current lingo/trend on social media.
when he’s used to being in control… but she had him begging instead 🥵
when control is usually his thing but she had him ✨begging✨ instead 🥵
that moment when her vampire stalker catches another man’s scent on her and goes feral
that moment when her vampire stalker smells another man on her and LOSES it
he’s a 10 but he’s unhinged and possessive 🥵
unfortunately i am WEAK for an obsessed MMC 😫
That’s how you repurpose/recycle the same content. One screenshot, many ways to make readers go, “oh… I need this!!”
If you’re not sure where to start, you can ask yourself questions like these to help frame the hooks:
Is she someone who’s never relied on anyone before?
Can he resist the temptation to fall for his daughter’s best friend?
How far would they go to keep their secret from her brother?
What is he thinking seeing his ex-wife reacting to his boyfriend walking into the kitchen?
I tend to prioritise vulnerable, high-emotion moments first, then high-stakes scenes, then the occasional spicy and or funny ones. From there, I keep hooks simple and rotate formats like:
“That moment when…” or “When the [character does something] ” or “When the [character reacts to something]”
When the [character A] and the [character B] and/but had/become [specific action connected to the theme of the book] (usually works when the characters have to team up)
[Trope]? BETTER/WORSE, they [specific action]
If you want to insert readers, switch to second POV for funsies!
On social media, you’ve got about 3–7 seconds to convince someone to care. Lean into instant payoff with just enough mystery. When readers think “I need this now” or “welp, another book on my TBR,” that’s when you know the hook did its job. (You’ll know by the engagement count on your videos—the saves & the shares.)
How I Manage Content Creation Solo for Multiple Authors without Crashing Out
Full disclosure: I am a lazy motherfucker. Which means, I immediately hone in on being as efficient as I can. Once I know which scene + hook combo hit emotionally, I repurpose the content until performance drops. I try to nail this right away so I can focus on other aspects of my authors’ marketing needs.
Before I start editing, I make sure I have my stock videos and/or b-rolls, Kindle screenshots, and my hooks list ready. I use my Airtable content planner system to manage my ideas.
For authors running faceless marketing, my favourite stock videos come from dupe for that UGC vibes. I love the walking POVs or coffee POVs most of the time. You can also record faceless b-rolls like filming your bookshelves, you holding your drink, top down or side view of your hands typing etc.
For authors who don’t mind showing your face every now and then, just record 10-second clips of you flipping your book, doing some facial expressions, reading your book, drinking, making a drink, writing etc.
Don’t over think the videos, and save them in a dedicated folder so you never have trouble finding them.
I Edit on CapCut Pro on My PC
I know Davinci Resolve is free and I have used it for multiple projects in the past, but my brain has always gravitated towards CapCut more. You don’t have to pay for CapCut; I just wanted some unrestricted features. I don’t use AI.
My Batch-create Workflow
For one of my authors:
1 project per scene
Each project has at least 3 timelines
Same screenshot, book title, tropes across all timelines
I start designing on one timeline, then copy it across the others for consistency.
Then:
Add the hook per timeline
Each timeline has a slight variation of the first hook: emojis, wording swaps, emphasis shifts, tense change, POV switch etc.
Then I make sure each timeline has a different video background.
Sometimes I leave the hooks the same in all the timelines and only swapping out the background videos.
Export all 3 videos.
Repeat for 6 more scenes.
21 videos. One sitting. Done.
Honestly once my hyperfixation hit, I can easily produce more. Sometimes I have a 4th timeline for general hooks or trendy hooks that can be used in the same scene. Or I leave the hook blank so my author can just type the hook in Edits themselves just to switch things up a little.
Now, you just need to decide how often are you willing to post on Instagram per day. Once per day means producing 30 videos per month on average. 2x means 60.
3 ways to Post to Trial Reels without Making More Content:
Option 1: The “Edits app → Trial, then Edits app → Feed” method
Import or make your video in Edits. Add a relevant trending audio if one isn’t attached.
Export to Instagram → add a cover photo → post to Trial Reels. Always post trial first!!
Go back to Edits → find the same video → export to Instagram → add a cover photo → post to your reels feed. Strongly recommend sharing to Facebook and keeping it off your main grid so you can maintain your aesthetic.
Option 2: The “Edits app is glitching” workaround
Import or make your video in Edits. Add relevant trending audio if one isn’t attached.
Export to Instagram → add a cover photo → save to drafts.
Open your Reels drafts in your Reels tab → duplicate the draft. Post the first one to Trial Reels. Always post trial first!!
Go back to drafts → re-add the cover → post second version to reels feed. Again: Facebook on, grid off.
P/s: The cool thing about Edits is that, just like TikTok studio, if you create your videos in Edits, you can easily go back to the video you just made and switch out the background video and tweak the hooks before exporting it to Instagram again. This saves you time and allows you to batch create without leaving the ecosystem or using a third-party app.
Option 3: NO EDITS + works with any editor (CapCut, Canva)
Import video into Instagram. Add trending audio if one isn’t attached.
Add a cover photo → save to drafts.
Duplicate the draft → post first version to Trial Reels. Always post trial first!!
Go back to drafts → re-add the cover → post second version to reels feed. Again: Facebook on, grid off.
3 methods to post 2-3x a day on Instagram:
Batch create like I do with a third-party editor. Pick your scenes and write 3-4 hook alternatives. Authors with a backlist may find this method easier to churn out 60+ videos per month. Automate using a free scheduler like Metricool so you don’t have to forget. It will prompt you and pull up IG, but you can just ignore it and import the video through the Edits app if you use it.
Set up your scenes in your Edits app. 1 screenshot = 1 project. Every day you go in and pick 2-3 scenes, change the video background and tweak the hooks, the post to trial reels back to back and schedule the rest throughout the day.
Set up your monthly hooks in a CSV file to batch create in Canva with the Bulk Create tool. 1 scene = 1 CSV file. Set up your hook, your Kindle screenshot, book title, and its tropes. Then click on the hook element and connect the data to bulk create. Change the background video if needed. Follow this tutorial if I don’t make sense lol. Automate with a scheduler.
Bonus tips: Save your captions in your notes app. Save smaller details using text replacement. I have mine set up with [AuthorInitialsBookName] and 1 = title, 2 = tropes, 3 = hashtags.
Posting cadence
Trial Reels: up to 3 per day, back-to-back is fine. The videos are for non-followers only, so timing does not matter.
Schedule the rest of the duplicated Reels across the day.
Pick a time you can be consistent with.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should we post? As often as you realistically can. Commercials don’t run once and disappear. Ads repeat. Your book marketing should too. Frequency builds familiarity, and familiarity sells. Do what you can sustain, then stick to it.
Captions? Hashtags? Test everything. Seriously. Try no hashtags and load your captions with keywords naturally. Try a few hashtags paired with select keywords.
See what your account responds to. There’s no universal formula here. Always be testing, always be tweaking.Example keywords: books to read romance books book recommendations dark romance steamy books
Example hashtags: #booksta #bookstoread #darkromance #bookish #bookrecs #spicyreads #tbr #romancestagram #darkromcom #spicybooksta #amreading
What about graphics? Are we abandoning them? Nope. They still matter. Plan for at least 1–2 carousels a week to stay connected with your existing followers. Think of your main grid as your storefront. It’s the first impression for new readers and a touchpoint for current ones.
Let reels do the heavy lifting for reach and discovery. Let carousels handle the fun stuff: tidbits, lore, character facts, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and reader-facing extras that build attachment.
Reels bring them in. Carousels make them stay.
Okay, that is a lot. Wow.
I hope everything I share here is useful! I have a tendency to be more than thorough with the things that I share. oops My brain is mushed from proofreading a thousand times so if anything sounds confusing, feel free to DM me on Instagram!
P/s: Author PAs… this is a template of my content pull system inspired by HeavensentPR’s substack. If you need one in Airtable, this is my latest version!