Book Marketing | 06 March 2024

How To Get Reviews For Your Book On Amazon

Michael Adams

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Reviews are an important part of any book marketing plan. Think about it, when was the last time you purchased anything without reading its reviews online? People no longer blindly purchase things. Book reviews offer the social proof needed to convert potential readers into paying customers. or you can check out our book marketing service here

So how to get book reviews on Amazon? More importantly, how do you get good reviews for your book that you can leverage in your marketing plan?

There is a lot of advice out there. Some is useful whereas some outright teaches young authors to scam the algorithm with paid book reviews on Amazon which never ends well. We have better ideas. Here is a detailed guide to getting free book reviews on Amazon.

Do Amazon Book Reviews Matter?

Book reviews not only help build credibility for your work but also provide readers a way to tell you what they thought of your book. Here is how reviews can help your book:

• Social Proof and Credibility

Imagine you are planning to upgrade your phone and you narrow down your options to two smartphones. One of them has several positive reviews on YouTube, has done extremely well on performance tests, and has several testimonials from happy customers. The other looks good and has decent specs but no reviews online. Which phone would you pick?

Most people would choose the phone with many reviews. This shows the power of online reviews. It’s the same for books. Book reviews serve as social proof of the book’s quality and content. Positive reviews reassure potential readers that the book is worth their time and money.

• Book Sales

Sure good reviews won’t automatically get you on any best-seller’s list or win you the Booker price, but it will significantly increase the visibility of your book. Increased visibility can impact book sales.

When a potential customer sees several positive reviews for a book, they are more likely to trust its quality and buy it. Good reviews generate positive word-of-mouth which leads to broader market reach and increased sales.

• Search Algorithms

Amazon is the third-largest search engine in the world, following YouTube and Google (Largest). Amazon’s search algorithm decides the products that appear first when a customer searches a related keyword. Reviews are an important part of the Amazon search algorithm.

If your book receives many positive reviews, it is likely to rank higher for the book genre or topic. Better ranking ensures more people are able to find your book. This helps with book sales.

How Many Reviews Do You Need?

There’s no set magic number, but having a decent amount of reviews is good for your book. Aim to get at least 15-20 reviews within the first two months of your book release. This would show that your book is being appreciated by the readers and gaining traction. At about 50 reviews your book is golden. These are enough reviews to gain people’s trust and solidify its position as a well-written book.

Of course, the specifics would vary according to your marketing plan, book genre, etc. Typically niche and contemporary titles may not get immediate traction. If yours is a niche topic with a smaller audience you must account for this factor instead of getting upset over not getting as many reviews as a popular, teenage romance.

Amazon Book Reviews: What Not To Do

Amazon has carefully designed an algorithm that uses reviews and rankings to help its customers purchase good products. Sometimes instead of getting organic reviews, people try to get paid book reviews on Amazon in the hope of shifting the rankings in their favor. this is a bad idea.

Amazon has a strict no-tolerance policy for any review that is fake or misleading for its customers. You can’t tamper or cheat the algorithm without getting noticed by Amazon. They will remove reviews that violate their policy.

Here is what you can’t do to get an Amazon review:

• Pay someone or offer them a gift to leave a review.
• Offer customers refunds on the purchase of the book if they leave a review.
• Swap reviews with other authors.
• Have your family and friends review your books. Amazon will remove such reviews.

The conditions may seem incredibly strict. How to get your book reviewed if you can’t ask loved ones for it? Well, there are no restrictions on giving away copies of your books for free to reviewers. However, you can’t dictate what they write. There are free to leave a positive or a negative review.

Another great way of getting reviews is by asking for editorial review. Editorial reviews are different from customer reviews. The restrictions mentioned above apply strictly to customer reviews. Editorial reviews are written by well-known publications like Forbes, Publisher’s Weekly, etc. They may also be written by Amazon’s editors.

If you have acquaintances that are well-known in a field. Let’s say your book is about history and you know a famous historian or archaeologist who appreciates your work, you can ask them to leave an editorial review. Similarly, you can ask industry experts to review your book.

How to Get Book Reviews on Amazon

• Know Your Audience

The first step to planning out your book marketing is understanding your target audience. You need to know who your book is targeted towards so you can tailor your review acquisition strategies effectively.

If you already have a reader persona, use that to engage with your audience. By understanding your target audience you can decide which social media platforms to use or influencers and bloggers to collaborate with while promoting your book.

• Ask for Reviews in Your Book

The best place to ask for reviews is in the book itself. You can add a small section at the back of the book, asking readers to leave you a review. Readers who made it to the end likely enjoyed your book and would leave positive reviews.

Skipping this exercise is a missed marketing opportunity. The truth is people who enjoyed your work just need a little encouragement to leave a comment. A heartfelt note at the end of the book, asking for their opinion on your work is the little nudge they need to take your desired action.

When writing a call to action section, choose your words carefully. Simply saying, “Leave me a review, if you loved my book” is not the right way to go about it. It comes off as a bit presumptuous and maybe a little arrogant. This may give the impression that their opinion only matters if they want to leave your book a positive review. Instead, here’s an alternative:

“Hello, reader! Was this book of help to you? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Your review on Amazon helps other readers find this book. Share your feedback with us. Thank you for being part of this journey!”

• Reach out to Your Network

One of the most effective ways of getting reviews is by using a launch team. A launch team is a group of individuals that help create hype for your book. You can provide them with advanced reader copies before the book launches and then follow up later to leave a review.

To do this, make a list of people from your network who will take the time to read and review your book. Ideally, it should be between 30-50 people. A month or two before the official book launch send them an email with a PDF of the book, and ask them to give it a read.

Once the book launches, follow up with your launch team to leave a review. You can guide them a bit about how to write a review, but make sure you emphasize the importance of leaving an honest review.

Here’s a sample follow-up email:

• Optimize Your Amazon Author Central Page

Before your book launches, ensure that your Amazon Author Central page is set up and updated. Add a compelling bio, professional author photo, and relevant links to your social media profiles and website. A well-designed author page instills trust and encourages readers to leave reviews and check out your other work.

Learn more about creating your Amazon Author Central Page here.

• Leverage Social Media

Use social media to reach more people and connect with readers. Share short pieces from your book, fun behind-the-scenes stories, and teasers to get people interested in your work. This will be a part of your long-term marketing strategy that you need to start working on months before the actual release of the book. You can then ask your followers to leave reviews on Amazon once they’ve read your book.

Find popular book bloggers and influencers with whom you can collaborate. You can reach out to them and send them a copy of your book and ask for their honest opinions. This would introduce your work to a whole new audience.

• Participate in Book Giveaways and Promotions

Hosting giveaways or promotions on platforms such as Goodreads or social media is a great way to get reviews. You can provide free copies of your book in exchange for honest reviews.

This not only encourages readers to share their thoughts but also attracts attention and generates interest in your book.

How to Deal with Negative Reviews

Your book is out, the reviews come in and some of them are negative. It can be hard to receive criticism on something you have worked so hard for. Here are a couple of ways you can deal with negative reviews:

• Ignore Unhelpful Hate Reviews

Not all bad reviews are meant to be helpful or offer constructive criticism. Some are just driven out of personal bias or unrelated issues. If you see such reviews that are outright obnoxious or those making ad-hominem attacks, ignore them.

It’s best to ignore these hateful or unconstructive reviews. Engaging with such reviews will be unproductive and may even escalate the situation. Amazon does a fine job removing hateful comments. You can focus on constructive feedback that helps you get better.

• Accept Valid Feedback

If you see a review that might not be positive but is written to offer feedback that can be conducive to your growth, consider it an opportunity. By identifying areas you can improve in, you can ensure that your future works are free of those errors and are of even better quality.

Accept valid feedback that highlights areas for improvement in your book. It’s important to be in love with the process of writing and creating something meaningful. You will welcome any piece of advice that helps you improve your skills. Use the constructive feedback you receive on your book as an opportunity for growth.

Key Takeaways

Securing reviews for your book on Amazon is integral to your marketing strategy as an author. By using your network, engaging with readers online, and employing similar strategic tactics, you can organically generate reviews. These reviews will not only help improve your book’s visibility but also increase its sales.

The main goal of garnering reviews and creating an elaborate marketing strategy is to gain a loyal readership. You can do so by staying authentic and offering quality work to your readers. Remember, good book reviews don’t just speak for the book, they also add to your reputation as an author. or you can take our experts book marketing help.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many reviews does a book need on Amazon?

There is no magic number of Amazon book reviews that would help your book rank better on Amazon. However, it’s best to try to get as many book reviews as you can as people tend to trust products with more positive ratings and reviews.

Can you review your own book on Amazon?

No, you can not review your own book on Amazon as it is against the Amazon book review guidelines. Amazon flags and removes reviews that violate its book review policies.

Does Amazon pay for book reviews?

Amazon does not pay its reviewers. Paid reviews are against Amazon book review guidelines and the algorithm removes reviews that violate this policy.

What is the best way to get reviews for your book?

The best way to get book reviews is to reach out to people, send them a free copy of your book, and request them to leave a review on Amazon. You can ask publications and industry experts for editorial reviews as it can build credibility for your book.