In 1998, I started working online. This was before PayPal and even before Google. In that twenty-five years, so much has changed online. Not only have content creation and delivery options opened up, but also marketing opportunities. It isn’t just that you have various new marketing tools at your disposal. How we attract and engage consumers has changed as well.

In the book, Creating Super Fans, Brittany Hodak explains how Costco lost her as a potential member because they weren’t welcoming and joining was difficult. There was a time in which consumers might just put up with that, but no more. Not with so many other options and businesses that welcome customers with open arms.

It makes me think back to the days of the long-distance telephone wars. I switched to MCI, but at one point noticed they had a great deal for new customers. When I called to get it, they said I couldn’t have it because it was only for new people. Here I was, a long-term paying customer treated worse than a new one. Of course, I switched to AT&T’s long distance. (I’m so glad times have changed with phones!).

Today’s consumers expect to be treated well, not just upon the sale, but after the sale as well. They expect responses to inquiries, even if they’re on Twitter. They like to feel heard and connected with those they do business with.

And while that might seem hard, consider that these consumers can become a sales force on your behalf if they’re happy with you and your product, in this case, your books. In fact, developing a street team or reader group is an affordable, fun way to engage with your fans and create buzz around your books.

What is a Street Team?

A street team is a group of dedicated fans and supporters who are passionate about your work and willing to actively promote it. The concept came from the music industry, where indie band fans would hit the streets put up promo posters around town to garner interest in a show.

Street team members are your advocates, spreading the word about your book through various channels, such as social media, word-of-mouth recommendations, online reviews, and more. Building a street team can significantly amplify your book’s reach and generate buzz about your romance novel.

How to Set Up A Street Team

Step 1: Create a Name and then Identify and Engage with Potential Team Members

The first step is to come up with a name. Your members are going to belong to a select club. Make them feel special and a part of the group by having a name. Many authors use a play on their name. For example, my team are the SweetHartes.

Next, identify readers who are already enthusiastic about your writing or show a genuine interest in the romance genre. Reach out to your existing readers, social media followers, or engage with romance book clubs and online communities. Don’t forget to let your email list know about the group, and regularly share information about the group to your list and your social media followers. Have information about your street team in your books as well.

Connect with readers personally and explain your idea of forming a street team. Emphasize the benefits of being a part of the team, such as exclusive access to early content, author interactions, and other perks of being on the team.

Step 2: Set Clear Expectations and Goals

To ensure a focused and committed street team, clearly define the expectations and goals from the beginning. Establish the specific tasks and activities you want the team to engage in, such as writing reviews, sharing social media posts, organizing online events, or participating in blog tours. Provide them with the necessary resources (e.g. social graphics) and guidelines to promote your book effectively.

Consider having rules that prohibit negative content about other books and authors. Your team may love you so much that they’ll bully others who they feel disrespect you. Have guidelines that tell members not to engage in that sort of behavior since what they do can reflect on you.

Step 3: Create a Dedicated Communication Channel

Maintaining constant communication with your street team is vital. Establish a dedicated communication channel, such as a private Facebook group, Slack workspace, or email list, where team members can interact with each other and receive updates directly from you. Regularly provide them with important announcements, behind-the-scenes insights, and promotional materials. Encourage active participation and foster a sense of community among team members.

Step 4: Offer Incentives and Rewards

Motivate and reward your street team members for their efforts. Offer incentives, such as exclusive sneak peeks of upcoming projects, signed copies of your book, personalized merchandise, or even acknowledgment in your next publication. I have occasional giveaways in which each social share earns an entry (counted by use of a special hashtag) to a drawing for a prize like an Amazon card.

Recognize their contributions publicly through social media shout-outs or dedicated blog posts. Show genuine appreciation for their support, which will keep them engaged and motivated to continue promoting your work.

Step 5: Engage in Collaborative Projects and Events

To keep the street team active and excited, engage them in collaborative projects and events. Organize virtual book club meetings, author Q&A sessions, or online contests. Encourage team members to share their experiences, reviews, and recommendations on their personal platforms. Collaborate with them on social media campaigns, blog tours, or cross-promotions with other authors. By involving your street team in various activities, you foster a sense of ownership and strengthen their bond with your book.

See below for more ideas and details on engaging with your street team.

Step 6: Evaluate and Adapt

Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your street team’s efforts and adapt your strategies accordingly. Monitor their engagement levels, review the impact of their promotional activities, and seek feedback from team members. Use their insights to refine your approach, identify areas for improvement, and keep the team dynamic and productive.

Some authors remove members who are inactive. The idea is that the street team gets the perks in return for helping you spread the word, so people who don’t spread the word, don’t get the perks. Of course, the other side of that is you could upset someone who bad mouths you online.

Street Team Activities

Day to day, your communication with your street team could be simply sharing a tidbit from your research or soemthing you wrote that day, asking for help on things like naming a character, a behind the scenes post, or a poll about some aspect of your book or to understand your group’s interests or reading habits (e.g. do they listen to audio books?).

However, your street team is also a place to host fun events that get you all together around a shared interest…your books. Here are some ideas of activities you can do with your team.

1. Organize Virtual Book Club Meetings:
– Schedule regular virtual book club meetings where team members can discuss your book and other related topics.
– Choose a platform such as Zoom or Google Meet for the meetings.
– Prepare discussion questions or themes in advance to guide the conversation.
– Consider inviting guest authors or experts to enhance the discussion.

2. Author Q&A Sessions:
– Host live Q&A sessions where team members can ask you questions directly.
– Set a specific date and time for the session and promote it in advance.
– Use a platform like Facebook Live, Instagram Live, or YouTube Live for the session.
– Encourage team members to submit questions beforehand to ensure a smooth and engaging session.

3. Online Contests:
– Run online contests where team members can participate and win book-related prizes.
– Choose a theme or prompt for the contest that relates to your book.
– Use social media platforms to promote and organize the contest.
– Set clear rules, deadlines, and guidelines for participation.

4. Encourage Sharing Experiences, Reviews, and Recommendations:
– Create a designated space for team members to share their experiences, reviews, and recommendations.
– Use your dedicated communication channel, such as a Facebook group or Slack workspace, to facilitate these discussions.
– Encourage team members to share their honest opinions and experiences on their personal platforms, such as blogs, social media, or online review sites.
– Provide them with pre-written promotional material or graphics that they can easily share.

5. Collaborate on Social Media Campaigns:
– Plan and execute social media campaigns in collaboration with your street team.
– Create specific hashtags, graphics, or challenges for the campaign.
– Assign team members different tasks, such as sharing posts, creating original content, or engaging with comments and questions.
– Track the progress of the campaign using analytics and acknowledge team members’ contributions publicly.

6. Coordinate Blog Tours:
– Organize blog tours where team members can write guest posts or reviews on their own blogs or websites.
– Reach out to relevant book bloggers or websites to participate in the tour.
– Provide team members with the necessary materials, such as excerpts, author interviews, or discussion questions.
– Coordinate the tour schedule and promote it across various platforms.

7. Host Book Launch and/or Author Take Over Events

– Organize a launch or take over party through Facebook or other platform. You can have a theme or just a general party. You can do it through your Facebook street team group (if you have one), another FB group, or as an event on FB.
– Invite other authors to join in
– Promote the event in your group and outside it, and ask the other authors to promote it as well.
– On the day of the event, post fun stuff, have a few giveaways and have fun!

Effective execution of these activities requires clear communication, proper planning, and timely coordination with your street team members. Stay engaged with them, provide support and guidance, and express your appreciation for their efforts.

I created JennaHarte.com in 2006, well before publishing anything. Coming from a blogging and non-fiction writing background, I knew that if I wanted to capture the attention of a publisher, I needed to show them I was serious about being an author and selling my books. I also understood that by gathering followers in advance of a book release, there would be buyers when the book finally published.

Today, romance authors have many ways to reach and engage readers using social media. The fact that social media is free has made it an ideal way to find and interact with readers. So much so that many many authors have nothing else. But I caution any author against solely using social media for your author hub. Here are potential problems with using social media as your only author center:

1. Outages: In October 2021, Facebook and Instagram had massive outages. During that time, ads didn’t run, scheduled posts didn’t post, and authors weren’t able to respond to readers.
2. Banning Bots: Every now and then, Facebook and sometimes other platforms decide you’ve done something wrong and ban you. If Facebook and other places made it easy to find out why the bot banned you and how to fix it, this might not be a big deal, but they don’t. You get a link to the rules and it’s up to you to guess why you were banned. Contacting the platforms for a review is hit and miss. I spent over a year asking for a review of a different brand at Facebook. None of the requests were ever answered. (The page was restored when I wanted to run ads). If your page or you are banned, you no longer have access to your followers. In an instant, your ability to let them know about your books is gone.
3. Short Shelf Life of Posts: The lifespan of a post varies on platforms, but is about 5 hours on Facebook, nearly nothing on TikTok unless it goes viral, and 21-48 hours on Instagram (See How to Market Your Book without Social Media for Carol J. Michel’s data on social media shelf life). Between that and algorithms that favor some over others, you may have a 5,000 followers but maybe only 50 of them see the post.

Ultimately, you don’t own the real estate on social media and you’re at the whims of the platforms on rules about what you can post, customizations, and uptime.

The answer is to own your platform in the form of a website.

Your website will be the hub of your online presence, allowing you to connect with your readers, promote your books, and establish your brand.

Why an Author Website is Important

A website is a central hub for your brand and helps you establish credibility as a professional writer. It provides a platform to showcase your work, connect with readers, and build relationships with fans. When a reader (or agent or publisher) searches you on the internet, a website brings them to your hub where they can sign up for your email list, buy books, check out social media, learn where you’ll be live at an event and more.

I see a website as the center of your writing business from which all other marketing strategies connect to. In the center is your website hub, and spokes radiate out to community (social media), events, publicity, etc. Below is my marketing wheel to illustrate how all marketing tactics can work together, and how all benefit from a single hub…one place to rule them all.

But there’s more your website can do depending on your goals. Merch, direct sales of books (instead of just through book retailers), courses, subscriptions and more can and should be sold from your website. Yes, you can piecemeal all this, but why send your readers to 5 different places depending on what they want? Make it easy to get everything in one place: Your Website.

What Your Website Should Have On It

Your website doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, starting out, the less complicated the better as it will be easier to build and keep updated.

Your website should have the following elements:

1. Home page: This is the first page readers will see when they visit your site. It should be visually appealing, easy to understand, and provide an overview of what you and your books are about. I’m a HUGE believer in email lists, and I encourage you have your list sign up front and center on this page.
2. About page: This page should include your bio, your writing journey, your personal story, or anything that would attract the reader of your books. The trick here is to make it interesting. Infuse your personality, quirks, and other anecdotes.
3. Books page: This page should include information about your books, including summaries, cover images, and purchase links. You should consider a page for each book, or at least a page for each series, with each book on it. Admittedly, I’m terrible at keeping this information up-to-date on my site. Don’t be like me! This is what your author page is all about…you and your books.
4. Contact page: This page should include a form or email address that readers can use to contact you. Don’t put your email as you’ll make yourself susceptible to spam.
5. Social media links: Make sure to include links to your social media accounts so readers can connect with you on other platforms.
6. Blog (Optional): A blog can be like social media where you share your writing journey, updates on goings ons, have polls, and a whole lot more. It can offer additional marketing oomph through search engine optimization (SEO) and sharing your blog posts on social media. BUT…only have a blog component if you’re going to blog regularly. Blogs aren’t a requirement. I actually took my blog feature down as I wasn’t posting enough. A dormant blog makes it seem like you’re not around.

Additional pages you may need if you offer anything beyond your books:

• Merch
• Courses
• Special offers
• Subscriptions

Even if the above are hosted elsewhere (e.g. your subscription on Patreon or merch on Shopify), you should have a page about it on your website and then links to the source.

Resources to Build a Website

When buildings a website, there are five basic steps:

1) Buying a domain name.

Even if you use a host or website builder like Wix or Squarespace, I recommend buying your domain separately to make sure you have full ownership of it (as opposed to having the host buy it on your behalf). I use Godaddy for all my domains.

Choose your author or pen name and .com. Since .com is what we think of first, it’s ideal over having another extension especially if you share a name with someone else. You don’t want to sent people to another website because the person didn’t remember you were .info instead of .com.

If your name isn’t available as a .com, consider adding the word “author”. For example, SallySmithAuthor.com or SallySmithRomanceAuthor.com or AuthorSallySmith.com…you get the point. You want to brand your name as a romance author, so you want it in your domain name.

2) Obtaining web hosting or website builder platform

There are a number of website builders available that make it easy for you to create a website, even if you have no coding experience. Here are a few popular options:

1. Wix: Wix offers a lot of flexibility. It’s easy to use and offers a variety of pre-made templates to choose from.
2. Squarespace: Squarespace is a popular website builder that offers a lot of design options. It’s a bit more expensive than Wix, but it’s easy to use and has a lot of great features.

Or take total control…

I have a confession. I’m a WordPress snob. I’ve been using WordPress (self-hosted) since 2010 and love it. Once you learn it, it’s easy to use. The benefit of WordPress over other options is greater ownership of your website, more customization, and more features. Plus, it’s less expensive than using Wix or Squarespace. JennaHarte.com and WritewithHarte.com are both run on WordPress.

It does require a bit more work to set up at WordPress self-hosted site. It can be a bit more technical, although many hosts now will install it for you.

To use WordPress, you’ll need a webhost. I love Momwebs, as its affordable and the tech support is awesome! All my sites are hosted there.

3) Setting up your domain name to work with your web host

Your website host or builder platform will have instructions on how to do this if you buy the domain outside the host or platform. Basically, you get the nameserver information your host or platform builder will give you and give it to the domain registrar so it knows where to send people who use your domain.

4) Installing WordPress or your theme

If you use Wix or Squarespace, you’ll need to select a theme. If you’re going with WordPress, you’ll need to install WordPress (or your host may do it for you) on your site, and then you can choose a theme. In all cases, you’ll be able to find free themes or you can buy them.

I’ve invested in both Themify.me  (JennaHarte.com) and Elementor (WritewithHarte.com) for greater customization, but to start out you can use a basic theme until you learn how your building platform works.

You may also have the option for additional features you can add on. For example, you may want your books to scroll across the top. You’ll need to check with your platform for free and paid addons.

With WordPress, the addons are called plugins, and there are a bajillion of them. If there’s something you want your website to do in the fore- or background, there’s likely a plugin that will do it. For example, you can add Patreon or memberships and ecommerce to your WordPress site through plugins.

5) Setting up the site

Once the foundation is in, you need to add your content (About page, contact, etc). In most cases, it’s easy to write directly into the platform much like writing in a Word or Google doc. If you want images, most of these sites have the ability for you to easily upload and use them in your content without knowing HTML. Don’t forget to add your email sign up! Your email service provider will help you create a form script that you can copy and paste into your website.

Creating a professional author website is an important step in establishing your online presence as a romance author and provide a home for all your fans to learn more about and connect with you.

Do you have questions or more to add about author websites for romance writers? Let me know in the comments below.

It’s no secret that book recommendations carry significantly more weight than other methods readers use to discover books. HubSpot reports that 75% of people don’t believe advertisements, yet 90% trust suggestions from family and friends, and 70% trust consumer reviews.

Look at the BookTube and BookTok influence on reading. I can’t tell you how many books I’ve bought because I saw them recommended online. Colleen Hoover is a prime example of the sales word-of-mouth can creat. In 2022, Colleen Hoover books outsold the Bible. When asked about her success, she reported, “It’s not me. The readers are controlling what is selling right now.” (New York Times article)

Even better, recommendations are free, making word-of-mouth the best way to promote your book. The challenge is how to get readers talking about your book?

Get the Basics Right

Like all marketing strategies, there are a few basics you need in place to build word-of-mouth marketing success.

What You Offer:

1. A quality book. This goes beyond a great story, to include professional packaging that attracts readers. That means editing, professional cover design, and a blurb that creates interest and excitement.

2. A way for people to find you. Of course, being available for sale on Amazon and/or other retailers is a big part of this. But beyond that, readers need to find you via a website and social media.

3. A way to engage with you. Today’s consumers like to interact with businesses (as an author, you’re a business). They want to be heard and feel involved with you. Social media and an email list both help you achieve this.

Your Ideal Reader:

Once you have your product, a place to buy it, and a way to connect with you, you need to find your readers. To do that:

1. Know who your ideal reader is. The romance market is HUGE, but not all romance readers like all types of romance books. I don’t read much historical romance. I hate the secret child trope (I feel awful for the father and can’t get over how much time he’s lost with his child). Many readers will consume a variety of romance subgenres, while others stick to just one. Find out who is the reader for your book.

2. Find out where your ideal reader is at. TikTok is the place to be for millennial romance readers. There’s just no getting around it unless TikTok is banned in the U.S. Of course, millennials aren’t the only readers out there. You’ll find an older demographic on Facebook.

But social media isn’t your only resource for finding readers. What does your ideal reader read or where does she go to learn about romance books? Blogs? Podcasts? The bookstore? Book events?

3. Appeal to the reader when you find them. Once you know where the reader is, you need to go there and put something in front of them that will attract them to your book. If you’re advertising on Facebook, you want a graphic and text that makes your reader take notice. If you’re in a romance readers group, you want to join in as a member, engaging with other readers in a fun and positive way.

Step three is all about marketing, a ginormous topic. Here are a few ideas you can use:

Social Media: Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are powerful tools for increasing the reach of your romance novel. You can share news, updates, and sample chapters with your followers. Take advantage of the tools each platform offers, such as hashtags, polls, and contests to further engage your audience. You can also can use these platforms to build relationships with other authors and influencers who can help you spread the word.

Content Marketing: Content includes blog posts, articles, podcasts, and videos. You can create content about the main characters’ backstories or motivations, articles exploring the themes of your novel, and video recordings that provide a closer look at the plot and settings. Additionally, you can use this content to engage readers and build relationships with them.

Free and Paid Advertising: At one time, Facebook ads were the be-all-end-all to marketing. While I’m still having some success with it, it’s not the juggernaut that it used to be. Other ad options include Amazon, Bookbub, and TikTok, as well as through reader discovery resources like My Romance Reads, Free Booksy and more.

Free options take time to enact, but can be quite successful. This includes promoting your book on ebook directories and listing sites. (I have a large list of book promotion resources in the Member’s section of Write with Harte. Reminder…membership is free!).

Book and Author Events: I’m a huge fan of live events. You’ll generally do better if you can get on a panel so attendees can see you and learn about you.

Word of Mouth Marketing

Once you have your platform in place and are reaching out to readers, it’s time to have those readers start talking about you. This is no easy feat. A reader may love your book, but may not tell anyone. Still, there are things you can do to encourage your fans to talk about you.

1. Have a great product (see #1 under Basics)

2. Stand out.

Let’s face it, there are many great romance reads, but for the most part, they’re all fairly similar. The trick is to make yours stand out. Basics such as cover and blurb can help, but even that may not provide enough oomph. This is an area I’m still working on and if you’d like to find a way to standout in a way that makes your fans happy and talking about you, read Fans First by Jesse Cole.

3. Build a community around you.

Have you ever been to an Outlander event? I haven’t, but I know that fans dress up in 18th century garb. People like to belong. They like to feel connected around a topic. That topic can be you and your books.

Building a community can be as easy as starting a Facebook group for your readers. Many authors are now using Patreon or other subscription services that not only create a community, but generate additional income.

Be active in engaging with your readers. Have polls or get feedback. Learn about them and have them be involved in some of the decisions about your books.

You can create a calendar to post to your group and pre-schedule your post using a social media tool. I like Social Bee because I can easily schedule something to repost (e.g. a reminder to leave a review).

(see More Fan Fun to Encourage Book Buzz below)

4.  Ask!

It seems obnoxious to ask people to brag about your book, I know. Many readers are busy and may not think to share your book, but if asked, would be thrilled to help you out. Make it easy by providing tools and resources. Create social media text or graphics they can share. Give extra swag they can give away for you. Remind them to leave reviews. Consider incentivizing it by having a giveaway. I’ve used tools like KingSumo to make it easy for my fans to share and earn giveaway entry points. KingSumo will even randomly draw the winner.

5. Reach out to influencers.

In some cases, you may need to pay for an influencer to talk about your book, and in other cases, there may be a long wait (like reviewers). But considering how much influence these readers have, it could be worth the time and money if they like your book and share it on their channels.

6. Continue to get reviews.

Second to recommendations, reviews have a significant impact on whether a reader will buy your book. Have a system for reminding readers to leave a review, whether that nudge is in the back of the book, social media, or email.

7. Create merch around your book(s).

This is a fun and profitable way to build your community and have it advertise for you. There are lots of ways to do this. I’ve used Printify to create mugs, totes, t-shirts, and stickers. Using Shopify or Woo Commerce, you can sell the merch, or even offer some as gifts to your very best fans or to giveaway winners.

More Fan Fun to Encourage Buzz About You and Your Books

• Offer your fan reader group a sneak preview of your new book.
• Offer your fan reader group advance copies of your new book.
• Give fans exclusive content like bonus chapters.
• Celebrate a Fan of the Month on your website, reader group, and social media profiles.
• Have a contest for the best illustration of a scene from one of your books and post the winner on your website and social media.
• Create fan pages for the main characters in your book.
• Ask fans to post pictures of them reading your book.
• Write a book specifically for your fans. You can even have them help plot it!

If readers are more likely to buy a book on a recommendation, it’s a no-brainer that authors need to find ways to encourage their readers to talk about their books. The above offers a few ways in which to engage readers and encourage them to let others know about you.

Do you have other ideas to create a viral buzz about your book? Let me know in the comments below.