How to Work More Reviews into Your Book Marketing Plan is a recap of “Getting Reviews is More Complex Than You Think – Plan Accordingly,” a recent episode on our Book Marketing Tips & Author Success podcast.
We delve deeper into our discussion about this important topic for authors trying to figure out the ins and outs of marketing self-published books on Amazon, so be sure to download and listen to the show for all the details, recommendations, and considerations!
Whether you are releasing your first book or your fifth, reviews are a major component you should be including in your book marketing plan. There are a significant number of factors that come into play here and, in keeping with our theme to do better this year, you should constantly be striving to get more reviews to help you stand out above others in your genre.
Start The Conversation Early
When you are setting up your book marketing plan, make sure to include getting reviews EARLY in the process. I cannot stress this enough, do not wait until release day and decide that you need reviews. As much as we would love it, reviews are not just going to magically appear. It takes time and consistent work to get a substantial number of reviews.
You should be establishing your presence on social media while you are writing your book. Utilize this time to get out there, give followers a feel for your work, and build a relationship with potential readers so you have some that may be interested in reviewing your work early.
Like we’ve discussed before, you are for your readers time so you want to be conscious of the timeframe you are asking them to review in relation to your release date.
Why Do Reviews Matter?
Some of the best marketing, for any product really, is word of mouth. Think about when you see an ad, do you instantly go to buy the product or do you check to see what others have to say about it? This is the same for books – good or bad – people want to know what others think before they one-click.
Something else to take into consideration is how Amazon’s algorithm can help with your book marketing plan. Having more than 50 reviews will greatly help though ideally, you want around 100 reviews on Amazon. This is going to help get your book in front of more readers who will, hopefully, buy your book.
Oftentimes, readers look at the release date versus the number of reviews before purchasing a book. If you have an older book with a low number of reviews, chances are that the reader is going to pass.
Where Do I Go To Get Reviews?
Especially since social events are on hold, you are going to want to start virtual networking – again planning to do this early. While you are creating your social media presence, you will want to be authentic in having conversations with your readers and the content which you share. Having an organic following is worth its weight in gold and will help your book marketing plan flow more flawlessly.
Bloggers are another great resource. You will want to research some bloggers in your genre and start engaging with them, again being authentic in your interactions. Once it comes time to talk about your upcoming book, you are more likely to stand out to those bloggers and they will be encouraged to help you out.
Another great way to generate reviews is to put a personal letter in the back of your book to your readers asking for an honest review. This is a huge thing in ebooks especially as it will allow the reader to click right over to Amazon and leave a review.
Don’t Assume
Friends and family will leave reviews. While they mean well, do not solely rely on friends and family to leave reviews. Even if they do follow through, Amazon can cause a delay in publishing their review. And while any review is amazing, one or two is not going to be enough to move your book.
Book sales will generate reviews. This is also misleading, just because you sell a book, doesn’t mean the reader will post a review. While we don’t know exact numbers, it is believed that only ONE book out of every 200 – even up to 500 – copies sold will generate a review.
Keep in mind that REVIEWS TAKE TIME. Make sure you are utilizing social media to discuss reviews and remind readers that their opinions really do matter. Be fun and natural – build those connections so readers want to help you succeed.
Reviews are personal and readers are more likely to review when they resonate with you and what you are about.
I have found it so difficult to get reviews.. say they will leave a review and they do not.
I have sent a book to a reviewer and they sell it on Ebay and never leave a review.
I am loosing faith in this business!
I have tried my best. I guess it is not good enough or their good enough is not good enough for me!
It can be difficult, but please feel free to visit our website and fill out the form to start a free consultation process right away. Best of luck.