In January, 2023, I gave away 60,301 books on Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble and Kobo mixed. And that’s only for one title.
I almost died of pleasure. Not solely did it imply 60,000 individuals have been keen to take an opportunity on my guide, however it meant publicity, gross sales and several other different massive wins for a tiny little writer like me.
How’d I do it? It took blood, sweat, tears and a little bit luck.
A glance into my guide advertising and marketing technique
To grasp my advertising and marketing technique, we now have to rewind a few 12 months.
Round March 2022, I made a decision to make the primary guide in my sequence, Fireplace in Frost, permafree.
Permafree is a time period that merely means the guide is at all times free or “completely free.”
Although I don’t make any cash on downloads of this guide, the concept is to seize readers’ consideration in order that they’ll hopefully purchase the subsequent books in my sequence. Once I made this choice, I had already self-published the primary and second books, and the third was virtually prepared.
Quick-forward to December 2022. I submitted my free guide to BookBub for consideration — for the tenth time. You may solely apply as soon as per thirty days, and I used to be decided to maintain attempting.
I couldn’t consider it after I bought the e-mail saying they’d accepted my guide for a characteristic and have been planning to run my advert on January 4, 2023.
What’s BookBub? And the way does BookBub work?
If you happen to’re not conversant in BookBub, it’s the holy grail of guide advertising and marketing for fiction authors.
BookBub is what made all of the distinction on this promotion. If you happen to hang around with different writers lengthy sufficient, you’ll uncover that BookBub is THE place to promote your books if you happen to can.
However you may learn tons of BookBub critiques on the net, and I’d relatively go a step additional and provide help to use the device.
So right here’s how BookBub works. The corporate sends out newsletters to hundreds of readers every day. You pay to get your guide featured of their newsletters. The worth varies relying on the worth level of your guide and which publication you need to be featured in.
They’re keen to think about completely free books, however usually, they’re on the lookout for guide offers which are deeply discounted.
BookBub for authors: Learn how to get a BookBub characteristic
Whereas BookBub is extremely efficient for authors, it’s extraordinarily arduous to get your guide accepted.
I attempted 10 instances with my free guide earlier than lastly getting accepted. I just lately had one other writer good friend say she tried 18 instances earlier than getting accepted.
With that in thoughts, there are a few issues you are able to do to extend your odds that BookBub will characteristic your guide.
Listed below are my solutions for getting your guide featured in BookBub:
1. Make it the very best deal you may.
BookBub needs to present their readers the very best offers, so attempt to provide your guide free (if it’s the primary within the sequence) or for $0.99. They normally gained’t characteristic something above $2.99, they usually’re unlikely to characteristic your guide at that value level if it’s at all times priced there.
2. Strive with the primary guide in a sequence.
BookBub appears to love first within the sequence as a result of (as I perceive it) they may become profitable off affiliate gross sales of your different books if their readers purchase the remainder of the sequence.
3. Make your guide out there on all platforms and in all territories.
BookBub needs offers that enchantment to all their readers. Though they often characteristic books which are unique to Amazon, you sometimes have a greater likelihood in case your guide is on the market on all platforms (Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Google Play) and if the deal is on the market in all territories (US, UK, Australia, India, and Canada).
4. Have an incredible cowl.
Consider it or not, readers actually do decide books by their covers, and so do the individuals over at BookBub. You probably have a canopy that’s not eye-catching, it’s value contemplating a redesign, not only for BookBub however as a result of it would assist in all your guide promotions.
5. End your sequence.
BookBub lastly accepted my deal as soon as your complete sequence was out there on the market on all platforms. This isn’t a assure that they’ll settle for your guide, however it helps as a result of readers don’t need to wait round for the subsequent one. Providing an entire sequence makes your deal extra interesting.
6. Collect critiques.
BookBub doesn’t require a minimal quantity of critiques, however extra critiques give the impression that your guide is extra widespread. It additionally provides BookBub’s editors an thought of how readers will reply to your guide. You may collect critiques by together with a name to motion on the finish of your guide, giving freely free copies, or encouraging critiques from individuals who’ve already learn the guide.
7. Discuss up your guide.
BookBub incorporates a remark part once you submit your deal. Use it to speak up your guide. Point out if it’s gained any awards or what editorial reviewers or big-name authors have stated about it. I discussed that my sequence had over 200 5-star critiques on Goodreads (on the time), and I believe that helped me land a characteristic on BookBub.
8. Be versatile.
BookBub is in such excessive demand that if you happen to want a sure date, it would already be full.
As a substitute, think about planning your promotion round them. They’ll ask you in case your date is versatile or not. Be open to something, and it’ll improve your possibilities of getting a characteristic.
9. Maintain submitting.
Submit as usually as you may (as soon as a month), and don’t quit!
Learn how to leverage a BookBub advert
After paying for the advert (see price particulars under), I knew I wanted to plot a sport plan.
I wished to take advantage of out of this characteristic. I utilized to a number of different advert websites and publication companies and bought accepted to most of them. I deliberate to run adverts that entire week to spice up my Amazon rankings.
A lot of the adverts ended up working on Monday or Tuesday, and the BookBub characteristic ran on Wednesday. Right here’s how my funding broke down:
- BookBub: $115*
- EBook Soda: $15
- Guide Goodies: $17.50
- The Fussy Librarian: $5
- Studying Offers: Free
- ReadFree.ly: Free
- EReader Information Right this moment: $35
- Many Books: $25
*BookBub advert costs differ relying in your class and value level. I ran my advert for a free guide within the Teen & Younger Grownup class.
I additionally elevated my Amazon advert spending to $10 per day and ended up spending $39.68 through the week of the promo. Plus, I ran Fb adverts for $10 per day and spent $43.69 through the week of the promo. For different free promos, some pals agreed to share the guide of their newsletters, and I additionally shared the freebie with mine.
My aim was to achieve as many individuals as doable with my guide promotion. When all was stated and executed, I spent $295.87 to advertise my freebie.
The outcome? These promos catapulted my free guide from round #2,000 within the free Amazon Kindle retailer to #7 in your complete retailer. I hit #1 of all free teen books on Kindle.
Right here’s what that regarded like (see #7):
That prime Amazon rating additional elevated my publicity and saved the sequence promoting properly your complete month, and for months afterward.
Total in January, I had 33,485 downloads on the Amazon U.S. web site, 8,491 downloads on Amazon’s worldwide websites, and 18,325 downloads between Apple, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo.
What did I get out of my BookBub promotion?
Right here’s how I benefited from this guide promotion:
I made a revenue off my books
You could be questioning why I’d do all this only for a free guide. In spite of everything, I’m not making any cash off it, proper?
Nicely, that’d be the case if I solely had the one guide. By reaching readers with the primary guide, gross sales of the second, third, and fourth books additionally spiked.
By the top of the promo week, I’d already made my a reimbursement and extra from gross sales of my different books.
I bought numerous constructive critiques
After working the promo, my critiques spiked. I’ve obtained properly over 50 extra critiques on guide one on Amazon, and I’ve now exceeded over 1,000 critiques of the sequence on Goodreads. All this interprets into much more publicity.
I achieved bestseller standing on Amazon
Towards the top of the month, I made a decision to run a fast $0.99 sale on books two, three, and 4.
Because the gross sales enhance from this promo had already elevated my rating, this further sale helped push my books to #1 of their Amazon classes. I additionally made the highest 100 writer listing for teenagers.
Granted, it’s no New York Instances bestseller, and I gained’t be bragging about being an Amazon bestseller on my guide covers or something, however it was a private aim of mine that I used to be pleased to hit.