Promoting and marketing your books successfully comes down to implementing a
few key strategic approaches well, having the right attitude, dedicating the
proper amounts of time, energy, money, and mindshare, and turning a lot of core
basic things into real opportunities to gain an advantage. There is also
creativity, courage, luck, timing, planning, and of course, having a decent
product that is marketable against the landscape of competition in the
marketplace.
The majority of all book sales take place on
Amazon, a singular giant in a global marketplace of both digital retailers and
brick and mortar stores. So, how can authors and publishers maximize their
opportunities to sell their book on the nation’s top-selling consumer
platform?
It begins with what is stating you right in
the face. And it is free. We are talking about the page that showcases your
book. Many Amazon pages are under-performers. Don’t let that be your
description.
Here are things to pay attention to:
Book Description. Don’t just copy the back cover copy and plop
it here. You can make it better by adjusting the description’s length, use of
bullet points, keeping paragraphs short, and ensuring the page is
mobile-friendly.
Images. Use graphics to showcase things like professional book
reviews. It dresses the page up.
Links. You can’t include links on your Amazon book page.
Editorial Reviews. This is a wonderful playground. You can
quote from any professional book review, including paid ones. You can quote
influencers. You can share testimonials and book blurbs. You can quote the
media, from newspaper articles to podcast interviews, where they say something
positive about you or your book. One note: Do not add a bio here and also have
one under About The Author. One bio only and that does not go here.
Publication Data. The most common mistake on many Amazon pages
occurs here. There is a spot to list your genre. You can post up to three. What
do I see a lot of times that makes me want to slap an author upside their head?
They fail to list all three categories or any at all. Or, they select the wrong
or not-so-accurate or strongest categories. Each format can have some
categories not found in the other. So, if you publish an e-book, trade
paperback, and an audiobook, that is a total of nine genre categories — three
each. Try to use the various terms or words that people could be using when
searching for a book like yours.
About The Author. Make sure you have a good bio — no more than
300 words. Too long, and people lose interest or don’t attempt to read it. Too
little, and you appear to lack substance, depth, or qualifications as a writer.
No resumes and blabbing on. Prioritize what is relevant to you as a writer and
on the subject that you write about. Sound interesting based on your
experiences, skills, memberships, awards, education, hobbies, charity, etc.
State where you live— by city, state, or region. Add a good photo of yourself.
Leaving that blank is amateurish and signals untrustworthiness (why won’t they
show their face — what else are they hiding?) or sloppiness (too lazy to post?
Forgot a pic?)
Look at your competition. Copy or exceed what they are doing. See how
leading books or authors in your genre use their amazon real estate to push
sales. Look at everything they do — or don’t do — to ensure they don’t have a
competitive edge over things that you can control. This includes the pricing
that you decide to use.
Always look to update your page. Keep it fresh. Add the latest to it: price
changes, new professional reviews, more testimonials, additional keywords, etc.
Change your bio or a genre category. Swap out some of the graphics.
Creating an effective Amazon book page
requires a combination of compelling, well-positioned content, use of proper
keywords, and possibly utilizing some of Amazon's specific marketing tools. The
goal of course is to turn visitors into buyers. You need to build credibility
and show the promise of value — and to say something that makes your book stand
out.
Here are the best ways to create and
optimize your Amazon book page:
·
Hook
Immediately: The first few lines are crucial as Amazon only shows a
snippet. Start with a bold, intriguing statement or headline.
·
Use HTML
Styling: Make the text visually engaging by using bold, italics, and
bullet points to break up text, which helps with scanning.
·
Focus on the
Reader: Describe the story or value proposition to emotionally connect
with the reader, not just summarize the plot.
·
Use
Tools: Utilize tools like the Kindlepreneur Book Description Generator to
create formatted HTML without needing to know code.
1. Enhance with A+
Content
·
Use Visuals: Add
images, comparison tables, and enhanced text to the "From the
Publisher" section (A+ Content) to engage readers.
·
Add Tables: Use
comparison tables to showcase your other books, allowing fans to find more of
your work.
2. Optimize Metadata
and Searchability
·
Select Niche
Categories: Choose specific, niche categories rather than just broad ones
to increase visibility (e.g., "Hikes & Walks" instead of just
"Travel").
·
Strategic
Keywords: Choose seven, highly relevant search phrases that customers
actually use, rather than broad terms, and avoid repeating words already in
your title.
·
Keyword
Placement: Include keywords in the book description to improve search
results.
3. Create a High-Impact
Cover and Visuals
·
Thumbnail
Optimization: Ensure your cover is legible as a small thumbnail, as this
is how it appears in search results.
·
Professional
Design: Use high-contrast, bold, and clear imagery to stand out.
·
Add Video (Non-US): In
non-US Amazon marketplaces, you can upload video trailers or author interviews
to the page.
4. Build Credibility
with Author Central
·
Claim Your
Page: Sign up for Amazon Author Central to manage your profile.
·
Professional Bio &
Photo: Add a high-quality, professional headshot and a bio that highlights
your expertise, awards, or genre.
·
Add Editorial
Reviews: Use the "Editorial Reviews" section to add quotes from
reviewers, bloggers, or influencers, which adds credibility.
5. Manage Reviews and
Other Editions
·
Link
Editions: Ensure your eBook, paperback, and hardcovers are linked so all
reviews appear on one page.
·
Encourage
Reviews: Encourage readers to leave honest reviews, as these are critical
for social proof.
6. Utilize Marketing
Tools
·
KDP Select/Countdown
Deals: If in KDP Select, use Kindle Countdown Deals to show both the
original and discounted price, driving urgency.
·
Follow
Button: Ensure the "Follow" button is active on your author page
so readers get notified of new releases.
7. Run a
"Soft" Launch
·
Prep Before
Launch: Upload your book, order a physical proof to check for errors, and
verify that your categories and keywords are working before officially
promoting the page.
About Brian Feinblum
This award-winning blog has generated over
5,950,000 page views. With 5,600+ posts over the past 14 years, it was named
one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2021
and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” Copyright 2026.
For
the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He
formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the
head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the
director of publicity at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many
first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with
best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen,
Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard,
Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C.
Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler.
His
writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s
The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully) and (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/10-things-my-dog-taught-me-about-marketing-books). He was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs
He
hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and
has spoken at ASJA, three times at BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers
Association, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod
Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, five
times at Morgan James Publishing Red Carpet, and Connecticut Authors and
Publishers Association. He served as a judge for the 2024 IBPA Book Awards.
His
letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal,
USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester)
and The Washington Post. His first published book was The
Florida Homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook. It
was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.
Born
and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids,
and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog.
You
can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum
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