Selling your book through Amazon can be frustrating because of their seemingly random decisions to change book prices or mark products as “out of stock.” There’s a common saying in the publishing world, “you can’t live with Amazon, and you can’t live without them.” Amazon is a behemoth in the publishing world and it can be incredibly intimidating trying to sell your book in their world.
Upwards of 70% of all online print sales goes through Amazon so they cannot be ignored. Also, Amazon has thirteen active publishing imprints that cater to separate genres. These imprints, when combined with the incredible marketing power held by Amazon itself, makes it a tough game to compete in. If you look at the list of Top 10 Kindle Best-Sellers at any time, the majority will come from these 13 imprints.
All hope is not lost however. To compete against titles being published and marketed through Amazon directly, here are 3 things all authors should do.
1.) Get Reviews – The amount of reviews your book has on Amazon plays a large role in its popularity. The more reviews Amazon sees, the more likely it is to suggest it to other customers. Similarly, the more reviews there are, the more likely customers will actually purchase the book.
To ensure you have early reviews, ask a group of individuals to be advanced readers. This group can be comprised of friends, family or interested readers. They are given an advanced copy of the book free of charge in exchange for reviews on Amazon. This can be done before the book is published so that you have reviews already there the day it comes out.
2.) Choose the Right Keywords – When you list a book for sale on Amazon, you are given the opportunity to select keywords for your work. These keywords are strong influencers in when and how your book appears to customers on the site. Some tips for selecting the best keywords include:
• Using the base form of the word
• Using multiple words in each keyword
• Ensure the order of words is correct
• Not using title or authors name
3.) Market in conjunction with an Amazon imprint title – Admittedly, this one is not always possible but definitely worth looking into. Amazon favors their own titles but if you are able to market your book in conjunction with an Amazon imprint title, it will undoubtedly increase its exposure. By mimicking the manner in which the Amazon book is being sold, you are more likely to appear in the “also bought” suggestions that customers will see.
Amazon can be overwhelming for the most experienced authors and its algorithms are constantly changing. The best way to stay ahead of the game is to produce the best book you can and market it to the best of your abilities. Getting early reviews and selecting the right keywords are two ways to help you stand out to Amazon, increasing the likelihood of your success.
