If you aren’t sending review copies of your book out for blogger book reviews, you’re missing out on more than book sales.

In addition to selling books, they provide testimonials you can add to your Amazon and other retail sales pages as editorial reviews.

They also introduce your book to new readers while reminding others about your book’s value.

Authors aren’t sending me their books

Honestly, I’m continually amazed by how the people who write how-to books for authors rarely ask me to review those books.

I don’t think it’s because they know I’m not shy about pointing out a book’s flaws.

It’s more likely that they’re unaware of the power of a glowing review from a peer. In the case of authors who decide to write how-to books for other authors, it’s probably because they are completely unaware of bloggers like me. The “peers” they send review copies to are authors who write the same types of fiction or nonfiction books they write.

No matter the reason, it means that if I want to review a book for you, I have to go looking for one.

Exhibit A

For example, last month, I reviewed Penny Sansevieri’s book marketing guide, which was published January 1, 2022. Why did it take me a year and a half to write a review?

Because I didn’t know it existed.

via GIPHY

How is this even possible?

Penny is an accomplished book publicist who knows me. She also knows the value of reviews. Yet, she didn’t send me a book announcement press release; she didn’t send a review copy.

She’s not the only one who overlooks this site’s reach (it’s ranked seventh globally among book marketing blogs). I know from LinkedIn that a member of the Build Book Buzz Book Marketing Group launched a book about book promotion last week.

Did she tell me about it? Nope.

The last time anyone asked me to review a book that’s relevant to authors was in late 2019.

This is nuts.

How to snag those blogger book reviews

You’re smarter than that. Pursue those blogger reviews! Make them happen!

It’s not hard to identify and contact bloggers who both reach your audience and review books and other products their readers will appreciate knowing about.

The process is pretty simple. Here are the steps.

1. Identify the blogs and online media outlets that reach your target audience.

Here are a few resources for finding blogs to contact:

• Google your search term – your topic – plus the word “blog.”
• Use the blogger search engine.
• Set up Google Alerts for your book’s topic. Some might link to blogs.
• Solicit reviewers through your social networks.

2. Visit each blog to see if the blogger reviews products.

This is important.

You don’t want to waste your time contacting and following up with a blogger who is never going to say “yes.”

3. Compile a database or grid with each site’s contact name, e-mail address, site URL, and notes that will help you personalize your request.

You can use contact management software, create a table or grid in Word, or use Excel.

What’s most important is that you use a system that works for you.

4. Write and e-mail your request.

Contact each blogger individually rather than sending a generic message to everyone on the list you’ve built. Personalize the message so it’s clear you’re familiar with the site.

Explain clearly and succinctly why you’re contacting them.

Here’s a sample script:

I’ve written a new book, [title], that I think will [interest/entertain/educate/whatever] your readers because [brief reason]. I noticed you review products – I found the [product] review especially helpful – and thought you might be interested in reviewing my book.

It’s [brief description – two sentences max].

Would you like to receive a complimentary digital review copy? I can send you a link where you can download it in the format you prefer for the e-reader you use.

I’ve pasted my book announcement press release with more details below my signature.

I look forward to your response.

It’s as easy as hitting the “send” button, then tracking the responses.

No response? Forward your original message with a friendly reminder note.

Special note for novelists

The fiction blogger review-a-sphere is especially competitive. That’s why many authors seeking genre reviews hire a reputable virtual book tour service. The company’s connections can help place your book higher up in the queue.

But the savviest fiction writers don’t stop with genre reviewers.

They approach topic bloggers, too. These are the people who write about what I call the “nonfiction nuggets” in your book.

Nonfiction nuggets are the messages, themes, locations, professions, and other details that are important to your story, but aren’t fiction.

Leveraging topic bloggers

You can learn how to uncover these nonfiction nuggets and see examples in “The guest blogging audience most novelists don’t know about.”

When you follow the instructions in that article, you’ll probably identify at least three nonfiction topics in your book. For example, if your protagonist is a geologist, that profession is one of those nuggets. Does the story center around bullying? That’s one, too.

Select the one or two nonfiction topics that are most important to your story, then use the instructions above to search for and document blogs about them.

Note that the email script you’ll use to contact them will need to be slightly different from the one above. You’ll have to state the connection between your nonfiction nuggets and the blog’s topic because it won’t be obvious.

That won’t be hard for you to do, though. You’re a writer, after all.

Please don’t miss out

I can’t predict how many more books you’ll sell with blogger reviews, but as a benchmark, my review of Penny’s book sold 28 copies on Amazon. I know this because I linked to the book with an Amazon Associates link specifically so I could track sales.

I hope more authors bought it through Bookshop.org or other retailers, too, but I have no way of knowing if they did.

Will those 28 sales change Penny’s life? Nah. But she might land a new client or two while expanding her fan base.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to sell more books and acquire more fans. Include bloggers in your book launch plans. You won’t regret it.

Have you purchased a book because you read a blogger’s review? Please tell us in a comment.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Bookshop.org links, which means if you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a couple of pennies (at no extra charge to you) while you support independent bookstores. 

My friend Jenny recently asked what I thought about paying to have her new book recommended by influencers in her book’s category, parenting.

Jenny had two opportunities to pay an influencer to recommend her book. Each offered a variety of packages at different price points.

At the core of each package was a collection of recommended books.

Influencers create recommended reading lists

One of the influencers referred to their book recommendation list as a “book club.” Club members aren’t readers, though. They’re authors paying to get their books included on that list.

The other opportunity is a website its two owners refer to as an online magazine. They describe the site’s book collection as “a new platform on the site where we will be curating and showcasing the best books for parents and parents-to-be.”

In both cases, Jenny would pay an influencer to recommend her book. When influencers charge authors a fee to do this, it’s influencer marketing.

What is influencer marketing?

You have probably seen influencer marketing in action on Instagram, TikTok, and other social networks. An individual with a large following mentions a product by name. The product might be apparel, cookware, or a recipe ingredient, for example.

SproutSocial defines influencer marketing as “a type of social media marketing that uses endorsements and product mentions from influencers – individuals who have a dedicated social following and are viewed as experts within their niche.”

The FTC requires that influencers receiving anything of value to mention a product disclose that information when referencing the brand in a post, story, and so on. “Anything of value” includes products (“We’ll give you this jewelry to wear if you’ll photograph yourself wearing it and post the images”) and money.

This applies to you, me, and Kim Kardashian. That’s the Kim Kardashian who had to pay investors $1.26 million when she didn’t disclose that she was paid to promote a specific crypto security on Instagram.

The law requires transparency

Why is disclosure required? It’s about transparency.

If I’m recommending a product to you, you need to know that I’m being paid to recommend it. That information could influence how seriously you take my recommendation, right?

These rules apply to affiliate marketing, too. The FTC not only mandates disclosure, it requires that affiliates must state that it’s an affiliate link before the link, not after it.

This means that influencers charging authors a fee to recommend their books must disclose that paid relationship. This applies to any:

• Collection (club, list, whatever) of recommended books
• Newsletter mention
• Online magazine article the author writes and pays for so they can include their book title in the writer bio

Neither of the influencers Jenny heard from include these disclosures in their sponsored content.

Both say they’re selective about what they recommend – they wouldn’t recommend just any book, for example – but is that enough?

How important is transparency for you?

I’m a big fan of transparency. That means I wouldn’t pay an influencer to recommend my book without disclosure.

It’s about more than playing by the rules (and avoiding fines). I wouldn’t pay even if there were no FTC rules.

For me, it comes down to your connection with your reader.

How would you feel if you paid Influencer A to be on their recommended books list, then received a message from a reader expressing disappointment when they learned you paid for, rather than earned, your way onto that list?

Or, would you feel OK about doing the humble brag on social media about what an honor it is to be selected for that influencer’s “best books” list?

via GIPHY

Ask yourself: How might my readers react if they learn I paid an influencer to recommend my book?

There’s no right or wrong answer to that question. It’s about what works for you.

Questions to ask when considering influencer opportunities

My response to Jenny about the opportunity for her popular new parenting book, “Building Boys: Raising Great Guys in a World that Misunderstands Males,” went beyond my discomfort with the lack of transparency, though.

(Jenny knew the offers “felt icky,” but hadn’t realized that it was because the influencers weren’t revealing they were paid until I mentioned that to her.)

The promotional materials used to pitch Jenny on a pay-for-placement package were heavy on what she was paying for, but light on why that was a good idea.

With that in mind, ask these six questions when weighing whether you want to pay an influencer to recommend your book. It will help you make an informed decision.

(The influencers didn’t include any of this in their pitches to Jenny.)

• What’s the website’s traffic?

You want to make sure people will see what you’re paying for online. Because what’s considered “good traffic” varies according to niche, I can’t offer guidelines. Ask the influencer to compare their traffic to the most popular sites.

• How are they promoting this to readers?

One of the influencers Jenny was talking to uses her Instagram account to promote her book club to authors, not readers. That’s going to help the influencer earn money, but it’s not going to help Jenny reach readers.

I wouldn’t pay for an opportunity the influencer wasn’t actively promoting to readers.

• How many newsletter subscribers does the influencer or site have, and what’s the newsletter open rate?

This question is specifically for opportunities to have your book recommended in a newsletter, but it can apply to other situations as well. It gives you a sense of platform and reach.

Typically, the fee is linked to the number of subscribers. PracticalEcommerce notes that a parenting tips newsletter might charge $15 to $25 per thousand subscribers. This is a higher rate than general interest newsletters because the audience is more targeted. That makes it more valuable to advertisers.

(And no matter what they call it, when you’re paying to have your book recommended in a newsletter, even when the recommendation doesn’t look like an ad, it’s an ad.)

MailChimp reports that the average email open rate across all industries is 21%.

• Do they accept all books, or do they screen for quality?

This is important because presenting your book alongside low-quality options won’t help your brand. And it could hurt it.

• How do they meet FTC requirements for disclosing payment?

You can answer this question by reviewing examples provided. (No examples provided? Ask for them.) If transparency isn’t important to you, or the opportunity is so good that you don’t care about disclosures, skip this step.

• What are authors saying about the program?

You want to see testimonials. If the program is so new that there aren’t any, the influencer should be charging a reduced rate until there’s traction – and should say so.

Other factors to consider before you pay

In addition to answering these questions, take into account how long your book has been available. With a pub date of April 4, 2023, “Building Boys: Raising Great Guys in a World that Misunderstands Males” is so new that Jenny and her publisher don’t need to pay these types of placements now.

Also consider how well it’s selling. Jenny’s book is doing great. It doesn’t need an advertising boost yet.

Once Jenny and her publisher have completed launch plan activities in coming weeks and months, they should solicit reader reviews. They will need them in place on sales pages before doing any type of paid promotion because reviews are the social proof readers need to see before buying.

(If you’re struggling to get reader reviews, use my Reader Book Review Forms — there’s one for fiction, another for nonfiction. They make it easy for your fans to write a meaningful review in just minutes.)

An alternative influencer approach

It’s important to understand that many influencers use a different approach to these “best of” product lists and newsletter recommendations.

Instead of charging authors and publishers to screen (or not screen) and then recommend (or not recommend) a book, they use a more authentic approach.

These influencers earn money from their recommendations by using an Amazon Associates or Bookshop.org affiliate link that gives them a small commission on each book sold through the link. They make less money with this approach, but they retain their followers’ trust.

What’s right for you and your book?

Nobody can answer that question for you, but asking the right questions will help you make informed decisions about the opportunities available to you.

How do you decide where and when to spend your marketing dollars? Please tell us in a comment.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Amazon Associate links, which means if you click on them and make a purchase, I will receive a couple of pennies (at no extra charge to you).

I never know if I should be relieved or disappointed when I read a book about book marketing that validates what I already know.

The validation is definitely reassuring. But, I do love when the hours I spend reading someone else’s take on the subject gives me a few major “ahas.”

In this case, the lack of new insights for me is because How to Sell Your Book Today: Focus Your Book Marketing for the New Economy by a colleague I met recently, Karen Hodges Miller, is a Book Marketing 101 kind of book. Nearly every author needs a resource like that.

Here’s my take on this book.

Don’t let the book’s description fool you

“How can you sell your book in today’s new world of social distancing?” reads the first sentence of the book’s description. That’s soon followed by “So how do you market your book when you can’t hold an in-person event of more than a few people? Go digital.”

Because of this, I expected How to Sell Your Book Today, published in 2021, to focus completely on online strategies and tactics. It doesn’t though, and that’s okay.

The book includes a fair amount of information on in-person tactics. It felt like Karen wrote the book pre-pandemic, then tweaked the title and description to make it more timely.

But because of that “selling books during the COVID lockdown” positioning, I was surprised that the section on book launches included more specific information for in-person events than for virtual launch events. I expected to read tips for creating an engaging Zoom book party, something authors struggle with even today.

The content is relevant even now, as in-person events have returned for many.

What I like most about the book

Chapter 3, “Marketing basics,” is excellent. Its “10 Things to Remember” list that includes “The day you stop marketing your book is the day it stops selling,” is exactly what authors need to hear. I was high-fiving Karen as I read that section.

Karen continually delivers the message that you need to zero in on a specific audience (it’s not “everybody”) and you need to be marketing constantly. We all need to be reminded of these things, and repeating it in the book is a good thing.

One of my favorite sections in the book is Chapter 6, The 100 Review Book Launch.

Definitely follow the recommended process with one exception. Karen says that to get 100 reviews, you have to contact 100 people.

Nope. To get 100 reviews with outreach versus receiving them organically from readers you don’t know, you’ll have to contact more like 1,000 people. You already know that 100% of 100 people you contact won’t read and review the book.

I also appreciate how Karen acknowledges that marketing fiction is just plain harder than marketing nonfiction. She gives novelists a little extra help in Chapter 13, “Marketing Fiction.”

There’s also more information on snagging book publicity than you’ll find in most books like this.

The author’s style is clear, direct, and helpful. She’s that friend who looks over your shoulder to make sure you stay on track and on task.

Where I disagree

Karen’s written a helpful book about book marketing basics. But writing an honest review for you requires that I point out advice I disagree with. (Please forgive me, Karen!)

Don’t add people you know to your newsletter list.

Should you announce your book to everyone in your contacts list? Absolutely. But, as suggested, should you “Start your newsletter list by going through your email contacts and adding their names to the list”? No, no, no.

via GIPHY

Sending a book announcement one or two times to your contacts is fine. But emailing them repeatedly without their permission – without them opting-in to your email list – is against FTC guidelines. You could be identified as a spammer.

Don’t hound friends and family to write reviews.

It’s a great way to piss them off. I don’t read science fiction, so pushing me hard to review your science fiction book won’t generate a meaningful review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Will it add to your review count at the top of your sales page? Sure.

Will it create friction in our relationship? You betcha. Is that your goal?

Do the work to find other reviewers instead.

Don’t tempt Amazon.

Also, counter to what the book states, your family can’t review your book. I mean, sure, they can physically write and post one. But it’s against Amazons terms of service and puts your Amazon account – and your book sales – at risk.

Amazon’s customer product reviews policy states that violations include, “A family member or employee of the seller posts a review of the seller’s product or a competitor’s product.”

I understand why Karen recommends this. She believes that it’s unlikely that Amazon will figure out who’s connected to you, so you can probably get away with it.

I, on the other hand, have never gotten away with anything. When taking food out of the dining hall was prohibited my freshman year of college, I tried to smuggle a sandwich out in my purse anyway.

I didn’t get away with it.

My penalty was embarrassment. Yours might be losing access to the retailer that sells more books than any other site online.

Buy the book for book marketing basics

If you’re new to book marketing, How to Sell Your Book Today will help you. It’s an excellent, thorough, overview. And, importantly, it’s not overwhelming.

I think you’ll like it.

This book will help even if you aren’t a new author, too. There are specific sections, including the information on getting reviews, that will help all authors.

If you get even just a few gems from How to Sell Your Book Today that you can use for your book, the value will be far, far more than the $3.99 e-book price.

What’s the best book you’ve read on any topic related to book marketing? Please tell us in a comment. 

While Amazon doesn’t let you pay for reader reviews, you are allowed to pay for and share a professional book review. To help you avoid getting ripped off, I asked my friends at BlueInk Review for advice on how to identify a legit review service. BlueInk Review offers objective reviews of independently and traditionally published books. Its reviewers are writers largely drawn from major mainstream publications such as The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, and notable blogs, as well as editors from respected publishing houses. Select reviews appear in Booklist magazine, a highly respected review publication that reaches 60,000 librarians. Our guest blogger is Patti Thorn, a managing partner at BlueInk. 

Paying for a professional book review? Here’s how to avoid getting ripped off

By Patti Thorn

You’ve written your book and now – deep breath! – it’s time to get it reviewed. This can seem a daunting process: Who do you trust with a book you’ve been working on for months and even years?

Fortunately, there are many legitimate review sources who can provide carefully considered, professional reviews, including review companies that charge a fee and guarantee a review for most types of books. This makes it as easy as sliding your book in a mailing envelope or uploading your PDF.

But, as in every field, there are also scammers willing to take your money and provide a substandard product that will do you little good in convincing readers to buy your book, let alone persuading bookstore owners and librarians to stock it.

Legitimate review source…or not?

7 questions to ask

So, how can you tell the difference between legitimate paid review sources and fakes?

Ask yourself these seven questions.

1. Is the review source respected and well-known in the publishing world?

Sure, you can get a review from Joe Blogger who has a following of five people, but if readers don’t know the name, they aren’t likely to put much trust the review. Spending your money with a company or blogger that has name recognition and a proven track record is a better investment.

2. Does the professional book review company tell you who their reviewers are and what qualifications they have?

Some companies recruit the neighbor next door, the friend at a book club, the sometime-blogger who wants a little extra cash.

But reviewing is a difficult job that requires real expertise.

The neighbor may love to read, but does she have enough background in a specific genre to know when the author has met the requirements of the genre or cleverly broken the mold? Can she articulate what is right and what is wrong with a book in a way that readers and the author will clearly understand? Can she be objective with a book that she might not normally read, seeing its value for others?

This is not a hobby. It’s a profession.

Be sure that the reviewers can live up to these standards. Look for reviewers that have written for mainstream publications or reputable websites, edited for publishing houses, published books of their own, or have expertise in a specific subject matter.

3. Is the company offering customer reviews that they promise to post on Amazon?

Everyone is looking to get reviews on Amazon. But buying customer reviews is against the site’s policy and a sure way to ruin your reputation and get you and your books kicked off that important retail site.

4. Are the reviews accepted by Amazon and Barnes & Noble in their editorial review slots (vs. the consumer review section)?

Professional reviews are eligible for placement in the editorial review sections on Amazon and Barnes & Noble’s site. This indicates a higher level of trustworthiness than reviews that run in the customer section.

5. How much does the company charge for a professional book review?

Of course, it’s great to get a review for $50, but that’s barely enough to keep a company running, let alone pay reviewers a fair sum. While no one is going to get rich writing reviews, legit companies pay reviewers and themselves, which will be reflected in the cost of the review.

6. Who are the people behind the company?

Do they have experience in the publishing world? Running a professional review service requires background knowledge of the industry and experience in matching books to the right reviewers.

You also want a service that can edit reviews for fairness and balance.

7. What is the quality of the reviews the company has provided in the past?

Are they well-written: articulate, concise, well-organized, and clear? Do they offer coherent, easy-to-follow summaries of the book? Do they support their criticisms with examples from the book?

Check the website for previously written reviews.

Beware of reviews where the critic makes broad statements that seem highly personal, rather than well-considered. For example: “I didn’t like the characters,” is a far different from “The characters seem stereotypical and flat, displaying either all-positive characteristics or all negative.”

“Beware of reviews where the critic makes broad statements that seem highly personal, rather than well-considered.”

Additionally, if all the reviews are positive, this isn’t a review company, it’s a flattery factory.

Legit companies offer as many reviews that are mixed and negative as they do positive ones. That’s because it’s hard to write a great book – and most books falter in one area or another.

What’s on their website?

Click around the professional book review company’s website with these questions in mind:

• Are reviewers and their qualifications listed?
• Can you see other reviews?
• Is the price clearly designated?
• Does the site display detailed testimonials?
• Does the site explain where the reviews will be seen?

Remember, when it comes to your book, not only are you looking for a review that will help you market your book, you are also looking for constructive feedback that you can trust.

While everyone dreams of a rave review, one that offers honest constructive criticism can be a godsend in the long run.

For that, you need the real thing.

Have you paid for a professional book review? Tell us about the experience in a comment. 

A book review is a literary criticism that expresses the reader’s opinion about the book’s content. It might be flattering; it might be unflattering.

An endorsement, also known as a book blurb or testimonial, is short, advance praise for your book from someone who influences your book’s target audience. They key word here is “praise.”

Two forms of book reviews

While endorsements are (nearly) always solicited, reviews aren’t always. They can happen organically when any random reader decides to critique your book.

Before Amazon, book reviews were written by professional reviewers — people whose job it is to read and critique books. Since Amazon initiated “customer reviews,” book reviews now come in two forms:

1. Professional media/editorial/literary/trade reviews (they go by many names)
2. Reader reviews

Professional reviews (media/editorial/literary/trade) are written by professional book reviewers. Their goal is to provide objective commentary that will help people decide if they want to read the book.

They can come from reviewers who work for publishing industry publications (such as Kirkus Reviews or Publisher’s Weekly), trade magazines, newspapers, or certain blogs or websites.

Publishers and authors solicit them in advance of publication for two reasons. First, so that they can pull excerpts to use as blurbs. And second, so that the reviews will be published around the time the book is released.

You solicit them from monthly, printed publications three to four months in advance of publication date. Newspapers, bloggers, online publications, and websites have shorter lead times, so you can contact them closer to your release date.

Reader reviews are exactly that — reviews from your book’s target audience. They’re reviews from the people you wrote the book for.

You can secure them before publication by giving away pre-publication review copies. Unlike literary reviews and blurbs, however, they can’t be posted on your Amazon sales page until the book’s publication date.

Still, if you’ve got a well-organized review campaign in place, it’s possible to get honest reviews posted and shared on or near your publication date so that people see honest reader feedback as soon as they visit the book’s sales page.

Book endorsements

Endorsements/blurbs/testimonials are secured pre-publication so that they can be featured:

• On the book’s front or back cover
• Inside the front pages
• On the book’s Amazon and other retail sales pages in the “Editorial Reviews” sections
• In your book’s Amazon A+ Content on your detail page
• In your marketing materials
• On your website

They might be from media/editorial/literary/trade reviewers, but more often than not, they’re from influential people in your book’s niche or category. The people you ask for a blurb are those your target readers like, trust, and respect.

You control endorsement visibility

You (or your publisher) control whether endorsements are or aren’t used and seen.

The expectation is that any influencer who takes the time to endorse your book will truly endorse it by saying something positive. If you get negative feedback from an endorser, you might be able to learn from the comments, but you won’t use any of them publicly.

If you get negative feedback from an endorser, you might be able to learn from the comments, but you won't use any of them publicly.Click to tweet

That said, a professional reviewer — as opposed to an influencer — can write and publish a less-than-flattering review. If that happens, you simply won’t pull an excerpt from that for your book marketing.

Endorsements in action

How will you use endorsements or excerpts from early reviews? Here are three ways a publisher of a thriller I just read (and loved), 56 Days, is using early endorsements from both professional reviewers and influencers.

Back cover

Editorial Reviews (click on the image to enlarge it)

Amazon A+ Content

Why should you care?

via GIPHY

Blurbs/endorsements/testimonials from influential people give your book credibility while reassuring your target audience that the book will deliver on its promise.

Honest reviews, whether they’re from media outlets or readers, help readers decide if your book is what they’re looking for in fiction or nonfiction. Even negative reviews are important, since what one reader didn’t like about your book might be exactly what another reader is looking for.

Make sure you’ve got strategies for soliciting both reviews and endorsements in your book marketing plan. They’re essential to your book’s long-term and ongoing success.

Make sure you've got strategies for soliciting both reviews and endorsements in your book marketing plan.Click to tweet

Resources that will help

Need help? I have two resources for you. The Build Book Buzz multi-media training program, “Blurbs, Endorsements, and Testimonials: How to Get Experts, Authorities, Celebrities, and Others to Endorse Your Book,” provides everything you need to secure pre-publication blurbs from influential individuals.

And, my Reader Book Review Forms — one each for fiction and nonfiction — help you get more reader reviews by taking the mystery out of the review-writing process for your fans.

It’s important to note that you can always solicit both endorsements and reviews. Work with your publisher (or do it yourself if you’re self-published) to update your Editorial Reviews section and cover as you acquire more endorsements.

You can never have too many reader reviews, too, so continue to pursue them as much as you can.

What’s keeping you from going after an endorsement from your dream book blurber? Tell us why you haven’t done it yet, and maybe we can get you past the obstacles. 

(Editor’s note: This article was first published in May 2015. It has been updated and expanded.)

I get it. It feels personal when you don’t get that kind of tangible support from people who are important to you.

Even so, it’s important to remember that we all have our own taste in books. You might love to read and write science fiction while your work or college or neighbor friends prefer to read memoirs or mysteries.

Are you being fair to your friends?

So . . . if your pals don’t generally read the kinds of books you write, is it fair to expect them to buy your book, even if they’ll never open it?

Some say, “Yes.”

I say, “No.”

I’m not here to convince you that I’m right and you’re wrong, though. Instead, I’d like to propose other ways your friends can support your books. Truth is, while they probably think it’s cool that you’re an author, most probably don’t realize that they are in a position to help you get the word out about your book.

It’s your responsibility to ask for that help.

How friends can help promote your book

Here are six things you can ask friends to do. Each includes suggestions for making your request something they can act on quickly and easily.

Select a few that work for you and ask for help making things happen. Their friendship is worth it.

1. Use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social networks to share a link to a purchase page.

Ask them to write a personal message with the link, such as “Can’t wait to read my friend’s new book about project management!” or “Nobody writes better cozy mysteries than my friend Betsy Bowen – buying her latest book now!”

And make it easy for them to do this. Provide a “clean” link to the book’s Amazon sales page (here’s how to create it), images with the book that they can share, and sample text they can consider using.

The easier you make it for people to help you, the more likely they are to take action.

The easier you make it for people to help you, the more likely they are to take action.Click to tweet

2. Email information about your book to appropriate people they know.

Send your friends an e-mail that they can forward to people they know who might be interested.

The e-mail message should describe the book, explain who will find it interesting, detail how readers will benefit from reading it, and include a link to an online purchase site.

(For more on how to announce your book via email, read, “How to announce your book with an email blast.“)

3. Share a review online.

Give a copy of your book to friends you can count on to read it. Ask them to write an honest review on Amazon and other retail sites. Point out that they need to note in their review that they received a free copy in exchange for that honest review.

Make it easy for them to write that review by giving them a copy of the Build Book Buzz Reader Book Review Form. With it, they can write something meaningful in less than 10 minutes. (And be sure to thank your friends when they do!)

A word of caution: Sometimes Amazon removes reviews when it suspects the reviewer has a connection to the book’s author. Don’t let that stop you, but be prepared for it if it happens.

If it does? Eat cookies and move on.

4. Provide information about organizations that might use you as a speaker.

There are many, many different types of organizations that meet locally. More and more are starting to move back to in-person meetings after going virtual during the pandemic.

Ask friends if they belong to groups that use guest speakers and might consider you for that role.

Even better, ask if they’ll connect you to the group’s leader or meeting planner. A complimentary word or two from your friend might be all you need to secure a slot as the luncheon speaker at the monthly gathering of a group that’s perfect for your book.

5. Look for your book in stores and libraries and request that they stock it if it’s not available.

A lot of my friends are authors, so I do this for them at Barnes & Noble all the time. I also turn the cover face out on the shelf so it’s easier to see, and when there’s more than one copy, I add one to a display at the end of the shelf, too.

If you catch me doing this, I might even smile and tell you, “My friend wrote this book! It’s great!”

When the book isn’t in stock, I ask the store to order it. Your friends can do this, too.

Friends can also request your book at their local library branch. Libraries like to know there’s demand for a book before they buy it, so ask friends to help create that demand.

Libraries like to know there's demand for a book before they buy it, so ask friends to help create that demand.Click to tweet

6. Interview you on their blog or podcast when it’s a good fit.

This is a reasonable request only when the blog or podcast’s target audience matches your book’s. Otherwise, you’re putting your friend in an awkward and unfair position.

While some of your friends might not be able to do any of these things, others might be able to do one or two.

Finally, please be sure you express gratitude for any support you get. We all like to know our contributions are appreciated.

What have you asked your friends to do to support your book, and how has that worked out for you? Please comment below.

(Editor’s note: This article was first published in March 2014. It has been updated and expanded.)

Use Amazon’s embed feature to preview your book anywhere

By Walter Rhein

I’ve been doing book reviews for a long time because I think it’s important to seek out and support independent authors who don’t have the benefit of a major publishing house behind them.

In my experience, the real genius in modern literature can be found among independents and not with mainstream presses. I always think it’s odd that cinema buffs know to eschew the latest big studio releases in favor of auteurs, but the exact opposite is true in the literary world.

As writers, all we can hope for is that readers will give our work a chance.

Amazon’s embed feature

Fortunately, Amazon offers a tool that helps with that. Its wonderful “embed” feature makes it very easy for potential readers to flip through the first few pages of your book outside of Amazon.

They might discover that preview on your website or another platform — for example, whenever I do a book review, I always harvest the book’s Amazon code and embed it at the end of my review.

That “embed” code, which is readily available on your book’s Amazon sales page, works on the majority of platforms to create a box that looks like a miniature version of your book.

At the bottom, there are “buy” and “preview” buttons. The preview option lets you flip through the pages just as if you were standing in the aisles of a bookstore.

Finding Amazon’s embed feature on your sales page

(EDITOR’S NOTE, OCTOBER 25, 2023: Amazon’s interface has changed since this was originally published so the first two steps of the process in the original article are no longer correct. Acting on a tip from alert reader A.M. Rycroft in her comment below the article, I’ve updated the steps and corresponding images.)

To find the embed feature, go to your Amazon listing and look for the “share” icon to the right of your book’s title. It’s a small box with an arrow pointing up.

Click on the icon to get the sharing options.

You will want to click on <Embed>. If you don’t see that option, be sure to try both your kindle and paperback listings. Sometimes there are subtle variations between these two pages.

Note that the embed feature might not be available if your book has not been released in Kindle format.

When you click on “embed,” a new window pops up. You’ll see that it allows you to select whether you’ll “get a link” (share) or “embed” your preview.

The “Get a link (URL)” option is self-explanatory and is the one you have to use for sites like Medium. The option that says “Embed on your site (HTML)” has some sizing and other options  as you’ll see in this image below. It works great on WordPress sites.

Help readers preview your book

Giving readers the opportunity to peruse your book from the comfort of their own home is the next best thing to having shelf space in a brick and mortar store. If you manage to convince enough bloggers to feature your book’s embed, the prominent digital marketing might even prove to be more lucrative.

There is nobody more grateful than an independent author who has just received a thoughtful review of their work. The best part about doing independent reviews is that these authors are likely to share the review diligently with their networks. I’ve had single authors be responsible for as many as a thousand shares on various other platforms.

Whenever I embed a preview, I almost always get a direct response from the author thanking me for the effort and asking where I got the code for the embed.

The direct embed feature from Amazon is a great tool that allows independent authors to get the maximum number of eyes upon their work and is of equal benefit to both authors and reviewers. For a more detailed sequence of photos explaining the Amazon embed, check out this article, and be sure to follow me on Medium.

What do you think of Amazon’s embed feature? Tell us in a comment. 

Editor’s note: Using Walter’s instructions, I embedded a preview of my book here. It was ridiculously easy. Give it a try on your website! 

When I talk to authors about reviews, many think only of reader reviews – those reader comments that appear on Amazon, Goodreads, and other online sites. Reader reviews are important, essential, and influential.

But you also want to know about – and pursue – what the publishing industry refers to as “literary” or “trade” reviews. These are the critical, in-depth reviews of books offered by professional reviewers writing for media outlets.

Literary reviews carry more weight

Reader reviews have exploded all over the Internet in recent years, which is why most authors are more familiar with them.

And while there are fewer options for literary reviews today because so many publications have folded, reviews by trusted pros at media sources still carry more weight than reader reviews. That’s because book buyers know they’re from an objective media source with a name they recognize.

In addition, many bookstores and libraries won’t purchase self-published books that don’t have them. They are essential social proof.

Consider these scenarios:

• Let’s say you love romance novels. Whose review would you trust more – a detailed and thoughtful commentary from Historical Romance Magazine, or a two-sentence reaction from the average reader you’ve never heard of?
• What if you’re thinking about adding a deck to your house right about the time you read a good review for Build a Deck in a Weekend: 18 Plans You Can Use Right Now in your favorite magazine, Family Handyman. Think that detailed review might influence you? If you’re like most, it will.
• If you wrote How to Hire, Motivate, and Retain the Best Restaurant Staff: The Only Guide You Need to Succeed in the Restaurant Business, you’d be grateful for a review in Nation’s Restaurant News. That’s a trade magazine read by restaurateurs — your book’s target audience.

When my book, Publicity for Nonprofits: Generating Media Exposure That Leads to Awareness, Growth, and Contributions was published, I was pretty happy with the review in trade publication Bulldog Reporter’s Daily Dog.

It said, “Publicity for Nonprofits doesn’t just explain why publicity is important, but shows you how to use cost-effective public relations plans and tactics to reach fundraising goals, recruit employees and volunteers, and educate consumers.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Don’t discount this option

While it’s true that some literary reviewers won’t review self-published books, others will, including two of the sources consumers recognize and respect, Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly.

Plus, while The New York Times Sunday Book Review section is out of the reach of most authors whether they’re traditionally or self-published, there are still other legitimate outlets for literary reviews.

They include your local daily or weekly newspaper, city and state business journals, trade journals, and association newsletters. They’re all easier to crack than Cosmopolitan or The Los Angeles Times.

What can you expect?

What’s realistic for your book? It depends on these and other factors:

• Your traditional publisher’s quality standards and reputation
• Whether your self-published book looks and reads like a traditionally published book
• The size of the book’s genre or category (and hence the competition for attention)
• The book’s topic or niche
• The author’s reputation
• Your local media options
• Honest feedback you’ve received from early or beta readers

How to get them

Pursuing literary reviews is a smart and effective book marketing tactic for many authors and books. Are you one of them?

Learn more about this process as well as how to snag those important reader reviews in the two Build Book Buzz Book Marketing 101 courses — there’s one for nonfiction and another for fiction. You’ll learn how to get both types of reviews in Module 1 of the four-module training program.

What does your favorite review of your book say? Please share it in a comment.

(Editor’s note: This article was first published in March 2015. It has been updated and expanded.)

You send a book announcement press release, and every book needs one. This book publicity tool tells the media and others why and how your book will make a difference. It’s the author’s equivalent of a birth announcement.

It’s not optional — it’s a necessity. And because of that, it can be the single determinant of how much attention your book receives.

Potential impact of your book’s press release

Why?

When you send a book announcement press release with a copy of your book to reviewers, they skim the document to decide if the book is a good fit for their publication, website, and so on. If it’s badly written or doesn’t have the information they need, want, or expect, your book won’t be reviewed.

Simply put: If you want your book reviewed by media outlets and credible bloggers, you need a good book announcement press release.

It’s a multi-purpose tool

Book publicity is about more than book reviews, though. That’s why you need a press release for your book to get other kinds of valuable exposure, including:

• Interviews with local media outlets
• Short news items in newspapers and magazines
• Radio and TV interviews
• Blog interviews on your virtual book tour
• Speaking engagements
• Website traffic

Most traditional publishers will write and distribute book announcement press releases for their authors. If you’re self-published, you need to go the do-it-yourself route, even if you’ve never seen a press release before.

Get started with these tips

If this is a new concept for you, here are a few tips that will help get you on the right track.

1. Study what the big publishers send to the press. Use Google to find the press rooms of a few big publishers and read their press releases. What can you learn from them?
2. Search for press releases on paid press release distribution sites such as eReleases (that’s an affiliate link, which means I’ll receive a small commission if you use their services) and PR Newswire. Use them as samples that guide you.
3. Avoid the mistakes made by most new press release writers. They including putting your name in the title and ditching the expected format in favor of being unique or clever.
4. Take the time to learn. I wrote Get Your Book in the News: How to Write a Press Release That Announces Your Book so that you would have absolutely everything you need to know about how to write an attention-getting press release for your new book. Follow the clear instructions and you’re done.
5. Proofread, proofread, proofread. Your book announcement press release tells media reviewers, blog reviewers, and others what to expect from your book. If it’s loaded with mistakes, they’ll presume that your book will have lots of mistakes, too.

Your book’s press release can be the difference between success and failure. Take the time to write one that matches what media reviewers and others expect. It’s not hard when you have a little help.

Have you written yours yet? What has been your biggest press release-writing challenge? 

(Editor’s note: This article was first published in July 2012. It has been updated and expanded.)

You need readers sharing their opinions for many reasons, including:

• They provide others with evidence that they won’t be wasting their time or money on your book. Marketers call this “social proof.”
• Your advertising dollars will be wasted without them.
• You can often use reader feedback to tweak your description or correct mistakes.

It’s one thing to know this and another to know how to make it happen. Often, the big question is: “Where can I find readers to review my book?”

Where are the readers?

Here are nine places you can look to find the right readers to review your book. To save this article as a PDF so it’s always handy, click on the blue bar below.

Please note that in all cases, you’re offering a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review posted on Amazon or Goodreads.

Why those two sites? Amazon sells the most books online; Goodreads is where readers gather to discuss books. You want your readers to review your book on either or both.

1. Social media

Offer a free copy in exchange for an honest review on the network or platform where you have the highest quality connections – the right types of readers.

If you don’t have a strong online following, ask a friend who does to make the offer for you.

2. Your email list

People who add themselves to your email list are interested in what you write about it. Take advantage of that and use your list to find reviewers.

Ask for more volunteers than you need, because a significant percentage won’t follow through.

3. Online reader groups

Online groups can be an excellent resource for reviews.

For novels, use genre-specific or reader review groups on Facebook. Search there for your genre — for example, “romance book reviews” — or “Kindle reviews” — and select “Groups” in the top menu.

You’ll have to ask to join a private group before you can see the group’s content and its rules for soliciting reviews. (You’ll know that it’s private when you click on the group name and get a “Sorry, this content isn’t available right now” message.) The Kindle/Ebook/Book Promo & Reviews group is public, though.

If yours is a business book, use the groups you belong to on LinkedIn.

When your book is related to your profession, offer a review copy in forums hosted by trade associations you belong to, also.

4. Public speaking audiences

When you’re speaking at conferences or other events, ask for volunteers from the audience. That’s what life coach and speaker Andrieka J. Austin, author of Secrets of a Socialprenista, does.

“I’ve used several of my past clients and event attendees for reviews,” she says.

Use a signup form or collect business cards.

5. Free book offer newsletters and websites

The first step is setting your sales price as free so it’s easy for readers to use their favorite online retail sites to get it.

Once it’s free, advertise in newsletters and on reader sites that tell readers about free e-book offers. (The Digital Reader has done a lot of the work for you; scroll down to “Free Book Promotion Sites.”) In addition, let your email list and social networks know that the book is free so that they may also download it.

Keep in mind, though, that many people grab a free book simply because it’s free. And, even if they intend to read it, it might not be for months. This means you won’t see instant results.

6. Services that send e-books to readers for reviews

One of the best ways to reach new-to-you readers who review books is to pay for a service that connects authors looking for reviews with readers who agree to write them.

Options include:

• Bookfunnel
• NetGalley
• The Kindle Book Review
• BookRazor
• Edelweiss
• Hidden Gems Books
• Book Boast
• Book Sprout
• Prolific Works
• Book Sirens

7. A request at the end of the book

As a reader, I love it when I see a personal request from the author at the end of the book.

Make yours heartfelt and specific. Tell readers how much it would mean to you to learn what they thought of your book.

Be certain to provide a direct link to your book’s page on Amazon and/or Goodreads. For the print version, use a URL shortener such as TinyUrl or Bit.ly so it’s easy for readers to type into a browser.

8. Bloggers

Do a Google search to find two types of bloggers: those who review books in your category or genre and those who blog about your book’s topic. (See the “Tip of the Month” below for a list of bloggers who review books.)

A topic blogger receives fewer review requests and is therefore more likely to be willing to review a free book that’s related to the blog’s subject.

9. Influencers

For fiction, people who influence your ideal readers are often popular authors in your genre. You aren’t going to get Danielle Steele or Stephenie Meyer to review your book, of course. You have a much better chance of connecting with authors who are doing well, but are still on their way up.

Nonfiction writers can approach thought leaders in their fields, as Sonia Frontera does for Solve the Divorce Dilemma: Do You Keep Your Husband or Do You Post Him on Craigslist? In her case, that’s divorce and domestic violence professionals.

To save this article as a PDF so it’s always handy, click on the blue bar below.

Make it easy for readers write reviews

Your goal whenever you’re asking anyone to do a favor for you (and writing a review is a favor) is to make it as easy as possible for them. It’s the best way to ensure that they follow through with their commitment.

That’s why when you send a free copy of your book in exchange for an honest review, you want to include a Build Book Buzz Reader Book Review Form.

This fill-in-the-blanks PDF document saves readers time by walking them through the review process. Simply by answering a few questions that helps them focus their thoughts on what other readers want to know, they can write a meaningful review in less than 10 minutes.

Buy your Reader Book Review Form once; send it to as many readers as you need to.

Learn more at www.ReaderBookReviewForm.com.

Where do you find readers to review your books? Please tell us in a comment!

Tip of the Month

I like to share a “Tip of the Month,” a free resource or tool for authors, on the last Wednesday of the month.

Today it’s Reedsy’s “Best Book Review Blogs of 2019,” a sortable list that offers a short blog description, the blog URL, and the blogger’s name. You’ll need to visit each blog to get contact information.

The list is primarily for fiction writers, but does include a couple of nonfiction categories. Use the category drop-down menu to select your book’s category — children’s, horror, young adult, and so on.

You can also sort the list according to domain authority, average visits, and when the blog was added to this database. The first two will help you gauge which of the blogs are more popular.

The Reedsy blog is an excellent source of helpful information in general, so while you’re using the bloggers list, be sure to see what else is there.