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Amazon Advertising

edited July 2017 in Writing
Is anyone else using Amazon advertising to try to help sell books? I had not done so before as it is only possible to advertise on US Amazon and I did not expect my books to do so well there. When the audio version of one of my books came out a couple of months ago I was pleasantly surprised by the excellent reviews it picked up in the US, so wondered if it was worth trying advertising. Amazon were offering a $100 of free advertising as a starting point, so I watched a series of videos on the best way to do things and then moved on to a group recommended by those videos. I'm still at the early stages of learning, but also still working my way through the free $100. The great thing is - I'm selling books. I feel like I should put that in capitals. A title that was selling an odd copy in the US every few weeks / months is now selling books every single day.
It definitely makes a difference to be in the exclusive to Amazon scheme as it looks as though a fair few think there is nothing to lose by trying my books even though I'm English and they've never heard of me. The great thing is that looking at the pattern of page reads once they start they can't put it down.
Interested to know anyone else's experiences.
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Comments

  • That's good to know, Mutley. It's interesting to hear how it works, and that it does work.
  • Mutley, how much does it cost if you are paying, though? How long before you would get £100 back?
  • Yes, Mutley, very interesting to those of us considering dipping our toe in. We all know the very fine balance between expenditure and return (profit?) but sometimes 'exposure' must be the prime consideration. Good to hear it's working for you.
  • This is not like Google ads or Facebook where you plough through the money and get nothing for it. As long as you don't bid too high for the slots and you have got both your ad copy and book blurb right, then this is about selling books and getting a good return. Despite setting up multiple ads some with several thousand keywords I have not yet spent the initial $100 and have been running ads for two months. If you have it set up right then if you do spend more then it's because you are likely to be getting more sales. I have taken risks with the initial money as it was free and will have learnt enough that by the time I start spending my own in another week (because the offer is time limited not because the whole $100 will have gone) I will know which ads to keep running and which to drop.
    Maybe I should suggest to Webbo that I do an article on the basics to explain how it works.

  • Maybe I should suggest to Webbo that I do an article on the basics to explain how it works.
    That's an excellent idea, Mutley.
  • Yes please!!
  • I'd be interested in reading that too.
  • I think a lot of writers would be.

    Knowing what mistakes to avoid is as important as the good things.
  • There aren't enough articles about self-publishing and this would definitely help.
  • Yep. But it would also help authors like me - I can buy my own books to sell at school, so Iam wondering if I can sell those books (which i get half price) from my website...
  • Mutley, did you see the new discussion in the ALLi Facebook group?
  • Yep. But it would also help authors like me - I can buy my own books to sell at school, so Iam wondering if I can sell those books (which i get half price) from my website...
    Don't the adverts link back to Amazon only?
  • Yes... is that a problem?
  • You want to sell them from your website and not via Amazon.
  • Ah, I see. The ad comes up on amazon and takes you to the book on Amazon, and not on my site.

    There would not be any point for me then.

    Only for my other book, where i get royalties, but then the royalties may never pay off the £100.

    Except - you get the first £100 free. Hmmm.
  • That would make a great article, Mutley, or a series of articles if you looked at other paid advertising options. I'm sure it would get multiple hits as a blog as well.
  • That would make a great article, Mutley, or a series of articles if you looked at other paid advertising options. I'm sure it would get multiple hits as a blog as well.
  • Baggy - yes I'm staying close to the discussions on it.
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