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Boektokhouse 2024: behind the scenes
Boektokhouse 2024 took place in the first weekend of October with publisher Zomer & Keuning. This is the third year that we have run this event. Check out 2023’s Booktokhouse here. Every year, this bookish event focuses on the latest releases from this publishing house that mainly publishes romance and feel-good books. The purpose of Boektokhouse is to promote these books through the channels of the booktokers present at the event.
Boektokhouse is very popular among the Dutch and Flemish booktok community because this event is different from all the others; for Boektokhouse they are invited for a weekend away in a holiday home. Who wouldn’t want that?
In this blog we offer you a look behind the scenes. Because what does it take to organize such an event?
How it all starts
The first appointment with our contact person at the publisher took place at the beginning of May 2024. This consultation was intended to set out the framework for an event in the autumn. What worked well last year and what didn’t work at all? Which booktokers would the publisher really like to have at the event? Did the publisher already have an author in mind who might want to come by for a meet & greet? What requirements should the holiday home meet?
After the conversation, the search began for a suitable location with at least 12 sleeping places and a large living room/kitchen. We found a beautiful place in the Utrecht countryside. Nicely centrally located but still quiet, lots of space and very attractively decorated.
Finding the Booktokers
The next step was to approach suitable booktokers for the event. We started our search by placing a campaign on Bookinfluencers.com. This campaign described what this edition of Boektokhouse would entail, what expectations there were from the organization (particularly in the field of content) and when it would take place. We had 65 people register. We then made a pre-selection of 14 candidates that we submitted to the publisher. By mid-June, the publisher had selected their 8 favorites and we informed the lucky ones.
The consultations continued in mid-August. The books that would be highlighted during the event were chosen and the weekend program took shape. In the meantime, we knew that author Holly Martin would travel from England to the Netherlands to take part in a high tea. The booktokers involved were sent a copy of her book so that they could read it in advance and ask Holly specific questions. We also introduced the idea of a TikTok Live broadcast on Saturday evenings, which was received with enthusiasm by the publishing house.
At the end of August we organized a competition. The booktoker or bookstagrammer with the best content about their favorite Zomer & Keuning books could win a place at the table during breakfast on Sunday morning. Bookstagrammer Robin won the seat with this entry:
At the beginning of September we sent classic paper invitations to the booktokers. With these invitations they all made a TikTok with which they announced their participation in Boektokhouse and drew attention to the TikTok Live broadcast.
In the final weeks before the event, we were busy ordering catering, arranging materials for creative workshops, communicating with the booktokers about traveling to the location and creating content.
Welcome to Boektokhouse!
And then the time had come! On Friday, October 4, Paula and I met at the location. We were given a tour there, emptied our cars full of materials and welcomed the publisher who delivered all the goodie bags. Then we drove to the supermarket to load up our cart. We spent that evening decorating the room, setting up ring lights, and creating content.
On Saturday morning our colleague Sanne joined us, alongside our contact person from the publishing house Michelle and intern Nicky. Not much later, author Holly Martin arrived at the house. While Michelle, Nicky and Paula were busy creating content with Holly, I prepared the table for the high tea.
Welcome booktokers!
The commute began at 11:30 a.m. with creators having to be picked up from a train station nearby. About an hour and a half later everyone was inside and the program could really start. Michelle welcomed everyone and handed out the goodie bags. She gave a brief introduction to each book and introduced Holly to the booktokers. During dinner an animated conversation took place between the author and the booktokers who had enjoyed the Dutch translation of the book Spring at Blueberry Bay.
After their stomachs were well filled, the booktokers had their books signed by Holly and made videos with her. There was also enough time to create other content. And they were so creative in their ideas…
We said goodbye to Holly, who was expected in Amsterdam later that day. While the booktokers were busy making one video after another, I sat at the pizzeria for an hour waiting for my mega order. Luckily I got a lollipop as consolation. After the delicious pizzas it was time for the live broadcast on TikTok! Paula started the broadcast together with Michelle from the publishing house and then invited all booktokers one by one to discuss a book with her. The broadcast attracted 679 unique viewers.
Afterwards, the booktokers decided to put on their pajamas for a relaxing evening. Of course a video was made.
Day two
The next morning I was in the supermarket at 9:00 am to pick up fresh bread for breakfast. Before I drove back to the house, I first picked up two Dutch authors from the station: Mienke Fijen and Marjon Weerink. They sat down for breakfast and met the booktokers who also enjoyed creating content with them.
The breakfast table was wiped clean and turned into a craft table. The booktokers decorated tote bags. In the afternoon, the booktokers and authors were brought back to the train stations and the big clean-up campaign began for Paula, Sanne and I. Remove all decorations, load the uneaten groceries back into the car, check the rooms for abandoned belongings and of course leave the house in good condition.
For days afterward, booktokers posted about Boektokhouse: unboxings of goodie bags, vlogs and (almost) forgotten funny recordings.
A few days ago I looked back and reported to the publishing house. No fewer than 120 pieces of content – mostly TikTok videos – had been posted. The number of views was almost 380K and there were 21K likes, more than 2300 comments and more than 500 saves. An edition of Boektokhouse we will never forget! I am grateful that I have gathered a team around me that makes events like this possible.
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