More than 50 million books recommended by TikTok’s #BookTok community have been sold across Europe, generating €800 million in revenue in 2025, according to new analysis of sales data from NielsenIQ BookData and Media Control.
The figures underline the growing influence of the #BookTok community on the European publishing market, where TikTok is increasingly shaping how readers discover and buy books.
The data spans key European book markets including Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Austria and Switzerland. Germany accounts for the largest share of #BookTok-driven sales, with 28 million books sold and €482 million in revenue in 2025.
Young readers buying more books, inspired by #BookTok
According to Media Control research in Germany, TikTok (#BookTok) is increasingly becoming an important source of inspiration for young readers: more than a third of 16- to 39-year-olds discover new books there.
At a time when parts of the global book market are under pressure, the data suggests younger audiences are helping drive renewed momentum, with social platforms now an increasingly important source of book discovery. Spending among 16 to 29-year-old readers in particular has risen significantly in recent years, and more than half of 16-to-39-year-olds say that platforms such as #BookTok have motivated them to read more or buy books.
Digital platforms have a noticeable influence on purchasing behaviour: around one in three young readers buys books that they have previously seen or been recommended on digital media, and around two-thirds of 16- to 39-year-olds say that creators influence their book purchases at least to some extent.
#BookTok bestseller list expands across Europe
Building on this momentum, TikTok today also announced that the #BookTok Bestseller List and in-store book sticker programme will expand into four new European markets: Starting with the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain.
First launched with market researcher Media Control in Germany in 2023 and expanded to Austria and Switzerland in 2024, TikTok’s #BookTok Bestseller list highlights the most successful titles within the #BookTok community each month. In the new markets, the list is based on platform insights from TikTok and sales data from NielsenIQ BookData and is compiled by Media Control. In bookstores, #BookTok Bestsellers can now be marked with official #BookTok stickers, letting the community find their favourite books in their favourite stores on and offline. More information for publishers and authors can be found here.
A growing cultural community
The #BookTok community itself continues to expand rapidly. More than 75 million posts have now been created globally using the hashtag, making it one of the most active literary communities online.
On TikTok, readers share reviews, recommendations and discussions that can propel titles from backlist favourites to international bestsellers, helping publishers, booksellers and authors reach new audiences.
What began as a community conversation is now having a measurable impact on the platform and in the real world. #BookTok shows how community and discovery on the platform translate into real world impact, helping readers find new authors and driving millions of book purchases across Europe. Expanding the #BookTok Bestseller List and sticker gives publishers, booksellers and readers a clearer view of the titles gaining momentum within the community, and highlights how discovery on TikTok is shaping demand beyond the platform.
– Thomas Wlazik, TikTok’s General Manager, Europe, Global Business Solutions
The success of the #BookTok charts in Germany has demonstrated how strongly digital book communities now influence the market. Titles that gain momentum within the community quickly translate into real demand in bookstores, with young adult and new adult becoming a new official genre after 15 years. Expanding the charts into additional European markets allows us to capture this trend more transparently and consistently. It provides publishers, retailers and authors with a clearer view of how social discovery is shaping reading habits across Europe.
– Ulrike Altig, Managing Director, Media Control and book researcher
