How to get a book reviewed - book marketing guide #7


How to promote your book online
When you finally set the price, publish your book, and it becomes available for sale on amazon, one of the first things you should do is try to get it honestly and objectively reviewed. It is widely accepted among publishers that potential readers are very unlikely to buy a book that has little to no reviews. To get reviews for your self-published book, follow those steps:

  • Complete a press kit for your book. It should include your cover, a brief description (other than the one you used on amazon), and a copy of your book (authors tend to use PDFs, but you can include a device-friendly mobi file if you want.)
  • Make a list and submit it to at least a few popular kindle ebook review sites available online. Please remember that they usually get a lot of submissions and require submitting your book with a few weeks notice. You will also have to pay attention to their requirements, which can vary from site to site. 
  • Send a copy to bloggers who specialize in reviewing books of your genre. Again, they can easily be located online by searching obvious phrases, for instance "thriller reviews blog" and so on.
  • If you have an author website, run a free giveaway of your book, and ask readers if they could review your book on amazon.
  • We do not advise paying for reviews, or asking your friends to review your book. Usually only authentic and objective opinions can convince a potential reader to buy your book.
  • If somebody reviews your book, thank them. It is a good habit and it shows your appreciation for their work.
In the next chapter of our book promotion guide, we will talk about competition in the self-publishing area, and how can you use it to gather some useful data for your marketing plan. Meanwhile, don't forget to submit your book to our site!