Are you a self-published author who mainly sells books in digital formats? Or a traditionally published author or book blogger trying to promote a digital ARC?
There are many ways to beautifully display ebooks in your social media posts and digital marketing campaigns. In this post, we’ve compiled 38 stunning bookstagrams of ebooks on Instagram from authors, publishers, and book bloggers who’ve amassed demonstrably high levels of engagement for these posts. There’s a wide range of examples here of different ways ebooks can be positioned, from fancy arrangements to simpler (yet effective!) photos, so we hope this inspires you whether you want to stretch your creative chops or snap a quick pic.
Holding the ebook in portrait mode
Author Erin Bowman took this picture of the Dustborn ebook in front of a blurred background that fits the look and feel of her usual Instagram aesthetic.
Book blogger Christy Jane took a picture of the ebook A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown in front of a blurred bookshelf, a popular (and eye-catching!) bookstagram backdrop.
Staging gorgeous bookstagram arrangements
Book blogger Heather posted this lovely photo of Beverly Jenkins’s Destiny’s Embrace, showing ebookstagrams can be just as pretty as bookstagrams!
This post by book blogger Tara of Wendy Webb’s The Haunting of Brynn Wilder also shows how photos of ebooks can be absolutely stunning.
Propping the ebook atop a hardcover book stack
Publisher Simon & Schuster propped a tablet displaying the ebook Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman atop the unjacketed hardcovers of two of her other titles.
Author Elora Cook displayed the ebook of How We Fall Apart by Katie Zhao on top of side-by-side hardcovers from the same subgenre.
Book blogger Alisha placed an iPad displaying The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo atop a pile of open hardcovers.
Placing the ebook next to an earlier print book in the series
Book blogger Katharina’s picture features an ebook of Finale, the third book in Stephanie Garber’s Caraval series, with the first two hardcovers in the series displayed in the background.
Teacher and book blogger Kathryn took this photo of Nic Stone’s Dear Martin as a hardcover alongside its sequel, Dear Justyce, in ebook form.
Author Jessica Hawkins’s bookstagram displays the paperback edition of the Explicitly Yours series next to the ebook cover of Domination, the second book in the series.
Placing book swag next to the ebook
Author Adam Sass posted a picture of the title page of his ebook Surrender Your Sons alongside bookmarks promoting the same title.
Book blogger Ayman shared a photo of the Six of Crows ebook by Leigh Bardugo alongside swag from the same series.
Using vibrant props
Publisher HarperCollins’s picture of the ebook Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam features a simple prop arrangement that pops thanks to these vibrant flowers.
Author Elizabeth Briggs’s ebookstagram of Demon King features stunningly arranged leaves and flowers that match the aesthetic of the ebook’s cover.
Using simple props
J.T. Ellison’s ebookstagram of Lie to Me features simple props with filtering that lends to the vibe of the book’s branding.
Author Steena Holmes simply placed a device displaying her ebook Engaged to a Serial Killer on top of a wreath of roses, but since the arrangement is so stunning, it makes for quite an eye-catching photo.
Using props relevant to the book
Book blogger Emma posted this picture of Justin A. Reynolds’s Early Departures alongside a variety of props including boarding passes, which play on the book’s title.
Author Mary Chase posted a picture of Mia Sosa’s The Worst Best Man as an ebook atop a wedding dress, which is both relevant to the book’s plot and depicted on the cover.
Using festive props
Author Dorothy Dreyer posted this holiday-themed book, The Christmas Spirit by Alexandrea Weis, along with gorgeously arranged, festive props.
Book blogger Michaela featured spooky props shortly before Halloween in her photo of the ebook The Playroom by Jocelyn Dexter.
Using no props
Author Evan Winter simply set the ebook of The Rage of Dragons in front of a fireplace, sans props, yet the reds in the fireplace make this photo pop (and are relevant to fiery dragons!).
Publisher Wednesday Books took a photo of the ebook Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan on a phone, using clever angling to make the image enticing.
Posing with the ebook
Publisher W. W. Norton posted a picture of Oprah Winfrey holding the ebook edition of When the Light of the World Was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through, a poetry collection edited by Joy Harjo.
Author Vanessa Lillie posted a picture of herself with her son to promote the Little Voices ebook when it was on sale for $0.99.
Setting the ebook on an interesting surface
Publisher Penguin Books set an iPad displaying The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan atop a wooden surface, with the floor and rug blurred in the background.
Author Corinne Michaels set her ebook Come Back for Me on top of a wooden serving platter, matching the aesthetic of the other props that appear in the photo.
Book blogger Heather used other books’ spines as a surface when photographing Aiden Thomas’s Cemetery Boys.
Taking the ebook outside
This gnarled tree stump and cracked pavement make a good backdrop for book blogger Mercedes’s photo of the twisty dark fantasy A Sorceress Comes to Call.
Book blogger _bookstasam took a picture of the short story collection The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw outside a chapel.
Showing off pets with the ebook
Book blogger Sophie Elaina showed off the ebook Call It What You Want by Brigid Kemmerer with her adorable cat looking on.
Author Heather Garvin showcased the book The Silver Swan by Amo Jones propped up next to her dog taking a snooze.
Showing off food with the ebook
Book blogger Currently Reading with Coffee took a photo of the ARC of Emma Lord’s You Have a Match alongside a delicious-looking plate of brownies to catch people’s eyes.
Positioning the ebook as a vacation (or staycation) activity
Publisher Little, Brown’s ebookstagram of Summer of ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand certainly has a summery feel with these beachy props.
Snapping the ebook box set
Author Susan Dennard posted a photo of an ebook box set of her Witchlands series on her tablet, with a blurred background outside.
Adding text callouts or taglines
Author Alyssa Cole combined an image of her ebook The A.I. Who Loved Me on a phone with a tagline to celebrate the ebook’s launch.
When author Colleen Hoover posted a picture of her ebook Heart Bones during the preorder period, she included a countdown callout in the image.
Making the ebook super prominent
Brad Thor posted an image of his ebook Backlash which prominently featured the ebook on a device over a vibrant, mostly solid background.
Publisher Sourcebooks Fire posted a picture of the ebook Wicked as You Wish by Rin Chupeco, also prominently featured on a desk with just the edge of a mug peeking in.
If you want to learn more about using Instagram as an indie author, check out these 13 tips from author Jessica Hawkins!
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Click to tweet: If you want to post a #bookstagram but don’t have a print copy handy, take a pic of the ebook instead! 📸 These are GREAT examples. #WritingCommunity https://bit.ly/332wGQN
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This post was last updated on October 3, 2024.
