Connecting With 8.5K+ Book Lovers on Instagram: How Jessica Found Her Readers

Jessica Elisabeth is the author of Bloodline of The Coven. Published in June 2026, she has already amassed a loyal readership, with 8.5k followers on Instagram, and hundreds of reviews across platforms like Goodreads, Amazon, NetGalley, Fable and Instagram. 

In essence, Jessica has built her own coven, centred around a love of her cosy, witchy romance and built by Jessica’s own dedicated marketing strategy. In this article, we will explore how Jessica used a range of resources, including events and social media, to find and secure readers, and build a loyal readership who are very eager for book two! 

Using Writing to Rediscover Herself

Since its publication in June, Bloodline of The Coven has become a beloved book by so many. But how did Bloodline come about? What drove Jessica to write her debut novel? 

For Jessica, reconnecting with writing was an incredibly personal experience. “After feeling quite lost in myself after having both my children, I wanted a hobby that I could do in the evenings which allowed me to be creative,” she says. “I really wanted something that wasn’t scrolling through my phone and felt like a little piece of escapism that was just mine.” 

Jessica grew up as a creative, devouring books by Jacqueline Wilson, Meg Cabot and Stephanie Meyer. “I loved the ability to be able to lose yourself completely in a different world,” she says. 

“I studied Performing Arts at university, which enhanced my love of writing in script form and creating worlds that people could lose themselves in.” 

“When I finished university, I started blogging online as well as doing little guest articles for places like Pretty 52. But it wasn’t until my late 20s when I started reading again that I decided to dip my toes back into the writing world. Now it’s all I think about and all I want to do.” 

“Never in a million years did I think I would be lucky enough to live my dream.” 

Discovering Her Readers: The Importance of Author Social Media 

When asked about how Jessica found most of her readers, she was very enthusiastic about the importance of author social media. 

“I believe a lot of my readers come from word of mouth and social media, with Instagram being my biggest forum for readers.” she says. 

“I work incredibly hard in creating content using Canva and networking with my followers. I want them to feel like we are a community, which we are.” To maintain this sense of community, Jessica works hard to engage with fellow bookstagrammers. “I like to engage with every post that mentions me as I believe that if someone has taken the time to review my book, I can take the time to engage with them.” 

For Jessica, that friendly, warm author-approach is what helps her stand out. “I don’t want something that is business-like,” she says. “I want to create a safe space for people who enjoy my book and maybe need some help in feeling themselves again. So I post a bit of author content, and a bit of book content.” 

“I want my readers to see me as a person and see my beliefs and morals which align with the book that I wrote. I also like to talk about my book and the story within it, as well as my writing journey.” 

“I am always honest and real on my socials as it’s a hard industry to be in, and I think it’s important for people to see the struggles and the highs.” 

Jessica uses platforms, like Instagram, to create engaging author-centric and book-centric content to reach and connect to readers

As a result of her social media work, Bloodline’s discoverability has increased. “I have noticed that when I have been at events people will often say they have come to see me as they had seen Bloodline of The Coven on Instagram or TikTok,” she says. 

“The power of social media is not something to be sneered at or scared of. In the modern world the internet rules, so use it to your advantage.”

For authors wanting to market their books on social media, Jessica advises: “be yourself.” 

“Showcase yourself as well as your work. Sometimes it can feel scary doing posts about yourself, but I think that is what makes you more human.” 

Jessica’s top tips for author social media include: 

• Engage with your followers
• Set your account as a business account, and look at your dashboard on Instagram to see what posts do well
• Look at when your followers are active
• Don’t use AI, it really does put a lot of people off.
• Don’t add people then unfollow them, it’s not genuine and shows you’re not trying to build genuine connections
• Don’t post your ego, remember we are all equal in this world
• Stay away from controversial subjects and negativity 

Alongside social media, she has been lucky to do a few podcasts and a radio interview. “I have had readers say they heard me on those, and bought my book because of it,” she says. 

Jessica had an interview with BBC Radio Nottingham. Photo credits to Jessica Elisabeth. 

How She’s Maintained Her Book’s Momentum 

Although Jessica’s book is incredibly autumnal (hello beautiful orange leafy sprayed edge!) the book proved to be very popular over the very hot summer months. So how did she promote the book and maintain momentum outside the book’s targeted season? 

“I focused on the story as well as the setting,” she says. 

“Yes it’s Autumnal, but what other selling points are in the book that I know are popular?” 

So, throughout the rest of the year she focuses on other aspects of the book. “I continue to promote the cosy romantic aspect,” she says. “When someone picks up a book, they want to be able to leave their real world while they read, so focusing on things they can enjoy while reading your story helps.” 

Harnessing Hundreds of Reviews 

One of the most important resources an author can have is a wealth of reviews. Reviews are a form of social proof, proof that people enjoyed the book, and for readers it’s something they check before they buy their next book. However, for independent authors amassing a large number of reviews can be a great challenge. With hundreds of reviews across the biggest platforms, Jessica has worked hard to build her book’s reputation by actively engaging with bookstagrammers and sharing her author experience on social media. 

Some of the reviews that Jessica has accrued for Bloodline of The Coven

“I am always so so thankful to anyone who picks up Bloodline and reads it,” she says. “I’ve engaged with a lot of readers who have reviewed my story on social media, and actively ask my followers what they think because I love their opinions.” 

“I also have posted about the importance of having reviews as an author, which definitely encouraged some people to leave their reviews on their chosen platforms.” 

“Most importantly, I believe that people genuinely love the book.” 

Making the Most of Events 

Events are a brilliant way to connect with readers and other authors. This has been a brilliant resource for Jessica, who has attended many events to promote her book. However, merely attending the events is not enough. “Just because you are at the event, it doesn’t mean you are destined to sell books,” she says. 

“It starts before the event.” 

“You need to be marketing the event and your attendance before the event even takes place. It’s also a good idea for you to take promotional bits with you, such as bookmarks with your links on them, or little business cards that you can hand out.” 

“You also want to make your stall eye-catching: you are far more likely to gain foot traffic if you look interesting. Put yourself in the shoes of the reader: if you were attending an event, what would make you stop and look?” 

Publishing with The Book Guild 

For Jessica, publishing with The Book Guild has been a very positive experience. 

“Publishing with The Book Guild has been amazing,” she says. “I have loved every step with them, and I have recommended them to others. I am currently writing the sequel for Bloodline, and would love to use them again to bring it to life.” 

Summary

Jessica has used her social media to create a powerful reader community, driven by care, commitment and authenticity, and with a shared interest: their love of Bloodline of The Coven. It is this powerful community, combined with a beautiful book, that has driven her book’s sales success. What a brilliant journey for her debut novel, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for book two!