How Can Authors Get More Amazon Reviews?

 

Authors fret over how many interviews their book will garner on Amazon. For consumers who judge a book by its customer reviews, they will want to see at least dozens of reviews and a high rating. They will look at what the few negative ones say with more weight given to them than the positive ones. So, how can an author get more reviews? 

Authors can up their count by these methods: 

Organically — The hardest way. You just let nature take its course. A small percentage of book-buying readers leave book reviews. If a book is exceptionally bad or good, those who are compelled to leave a review will do so. Your job is to increase your sales, thus creating a potentially bigger pool of reviewers. 

Paid — Though it violates Amazon’s rules, and may violate the law, you can buy dozens or hundreds of fake reviews.  

Free — Kindle readers can leave reviews for books they have downloaded, even if the book was free. So, you can do book give-aways to secure more reviews. However, in order for one to leave a review, he or she must have an Amazon account and have spent at least $50 on Amazon in the last 12 months. You can promote the giveaway on social media, your website, and in paid ads. 

Trade — You can incentivize (technically not) friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, alums, and anyone in your networked circle of connections to buy the book and leave a review. You can ask them to buy it through their amazon account (to be a verified purchaser) — and reimburse them, thus, making it free. You can trade other favors or beg them. Or both.  

You can also ask those whom you know to have them ask all of those whom they know. 

For those whom you know who have obtained a copy of your book on Amazon, you need to lean on them. Contact them and guilt, incentivize, and guide them. They need to know how important it is to you to get their review and rating posted. They also need to be shown how easy and quick the process is.  

Step One: Go to your book’s amazon page, go down to where it says “write a review.” Send people that link so they easily see where to post, hopefully five stars, and leave a two-sentence review.   

Here’s a sample link for George Orwell’s 1984: 

https://www.amazon.com/review/create-review/?ie=UTF8&channel=awUDPv3&asin=0451524934  

Step Two: You take your link and send it in individualized emails to dozens and hundreds of connections. Set a deadline to post the review and encourage them to leave 5 stars and to post a short, positive review.  

People don’t leave reviews because: 

·         They just don’t care enough about you or your book.

·         They did not take the time to read it and don’t know what to say.

·         They read it and thought it was mediocre and don’t feel they should lie in a review.

·         They don’t know how to do so or think they need a lot of time.

·         They don’t use Amazon. 

But who cares why? Just get people to do it! 

Thank those who leave a review. Go back to others who didn’t do it and ask them why they failed you? Let them make up an excuse and then ask them to just do it now. Put them on the spot. Tell them it literally takes one minute. Offer to show them on their phone exactly what to do. Do this every time you see someone you know, especially gatherings at home, events, restaurants, work, school, church, and wherever people whom you know gather. 

Good luck. 

Do You Need Book Marketing & PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over four million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors like you to promote your story, sell your book, and grow your brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 4.25 million pageviews. With 5,000+ posts over the past dozen 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 2025.

 

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).

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, 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