A phrase I am getting very familiar with these days is street team marketing. I know it's been around for a long time, but it seems in the past few months I've heard it from several author friends.
What is a street team?
A street team is a group of people---readers, friends, reviewers, etc.---who love an author's books and agree to promote them in their corner of the universe. That means spreading the word, using social media, providing honest reviews, in short, doing what they can to promote that author and spread buzz about their work. In return, the author provides things like monthly drawings for the street team, insider info, signed books, ARCs, swag, something special just for them.
As a reader, word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool, and one that I rely on quite a bit, but with the advent of street teams, can I count of a friend's unbiased opinion if I know she is a member of an author's street team?
On the other hand, as a writer, I love the idea of having a team of people out there helping me spread the word about my books. I love the idea of building online relationships with people like I've done here with this blog.
What do you think? Would you consider being part of a street team? Why or why not? What would tip you one way or the other?
I'm an award-winning romantic suspense novelist, but in my free time I love to review books and my fave TV shows, as well as pass along great book deals, and eat Canadian chocolate---not necessarily in that order.
3 comments:
I avoided street teams for a while but recently joined a couple. There are certain authors that I find I love a lot of what they write and that is my main consideration. I also wouldn't hesitate to rate a book a little lower if it was one I didn't like as much.
I like hearing inside info and feeling like I'm getting to know the authors on a more personal level. I mostly get emails for ARCs and signed books and haven't noticed a lot of the other hoopla you mentioned. Maybe it's there and I haven't noticed, haha.
If you start one, though, I'll definitely join!
Thanks, Melanie! You are awesome! :)
I heard the term street team for the first time a couple of months ago! I love everything I have read by this particular author so I joined her street team! I love it! I love being in the loop for all her new releases and I love to hear her talk about upcoming projects!
Like Melanie, I would only agree to be on the street team for an author I really liked, and I would not be afraid to give a lower rating if I felt the book deserved it!
You should definitely start one! :)
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