Author ads in ebooks

mrsziggs · 04-30-2013, 09:09 AM

Apple requires absolutely no author ads promoting purchase of other items or directing you to a website to do so.

We want to use as little production time as possible doing this so we want to remove the ads across the board (Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Kobo, etc.). Those other distributors, however are not requiring that we remove the ads.

Our marketing department will most likely ask that they stay in the epub file being distributed to those companies, meaning a seperate epub file be sent to Apple. How do we convince them that this should be industry standard and the ads should just be removed across the board?

The only thing I can think of is conflict of interest because an ad may say the author's other books are available at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com.

DiapDealer · 04-30-2013, 09:19 AM

I guess I don't quite understand the definition of "author ad." Does the standard "Other Books by John Doe" page qualify as an ad? Surely Apple's not objecting to that industry standard (provided there's no links or other wording related to specific retailers)?

mrsziggs · 04-30-2013, 09:45 AM

They don't mind "Other books by John Doe" as long as there is no price or reference to purchasing them. Any decent ad for another book is going to use the word "purchase" or "buy" so they get nixed in lieu of sending it back to the Design department for redesign.

I just think there's no way around extra work in removing the ads for just the epub file being sent to Apple. I was hoping there was a way around it but they're outnumbered almost 7 to 1 by distributors that will accept the epub with the ads in it. Right now Apple is the exception to the rule I guess.

Ekaros · 04-30-2013, 09:53 AM

But think positive side, at least books are artistic medium for them, unlike games... So controversial material can be included...

teh603 · 04-30-2013, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrsziggs

They don't mind "Other books by John Doe" as long as there is no price or reference to purchasing them. Any decent ad for another book is going to use the word "purchase" or "buy" so they get nixed in lieu of sending it back to the Design department for redesign.

Sounds kinda like the old "Other books by..." that used to appear in old pulp sci-fi novels.

So what's wrong with just having an old-style un-hyperlinked list of "other books by" instead of providing links to a bookstore? They found your book in that store, so couldn't they find others of yours in the same one?

jgaiser · 04-30-2013, 10:36 AM

I'd also ask if your hyperlinked ads are pushing a specific store? If so I could see both Apple and/or Amazon having problems with the links.

I've got plenty of ebooks with a list of other books by author at the beginning or end of the book. Seems more than enough for me if I'm interested.

patrickt · 04-30-2013, 01:38 PM

Well, gee, if Apple does it, it must be right. If the author wants the ads, I don't think Apple or anyone else should interfere.

Me? I don't mind ads at the end of the book. I started reading a book a few days ago on my Kindle and the first 14% of the book was reviews for other books. I tossed the book and won't buy another written by the same author.

jgaiser · 04-30-2013, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patrickt

Well, gee, if Apple does it, it must be right. If the author wants the ads, I don't think Apple or anyone else should interfere.

Me? I don't mind ads at the end of the book. I started reading a book a few days ago on my Kindle and the first 14% of the book was reviews for other books. I tossed the book and won't buy another written by the same author.

An intersting combinations of statements. Bitch about Apple and then say you won't buy another book by the author who puts ads where you don't like them.

mr ploppy · 05-01-2013, 06:10 AM

I don't see why you would need to use links to purchase from the adverts, if they figured out how to buy the book they see the advert in they can figure out where to get the others from.

CyGuy · 05-01-2013, 09:52 AM

If the ebook was purchased there should absolutely be ZERO ads in the ebook, period. If you are giving away the ebooks then some ads may be acceptable.

theducks · 05-01-2013, 10:35 AM

It is about time for publishers to learn: 'i-won't' (do it)

Magazines/Newspapers have had ads for years. Even ads for other Magazines.

I hear Radio ads for TV Shows on the (parent) Competitors Network

Paperbacks carried ads for titles NOT stocked at my local bookstore.

A hyperlink causes no problem on my portable... It has no WiFi or 3 G

This is not just a walled garden, it is a Police state

Say NO

DiapDealer · 05-01-2013, 10:44 AM

In the words of the enlightened 20th century philosopher Robert Seger: "Turn the paaaaaaaaaaaay-juh."

Seriously, though... just turn the page. Whatever was on it won't be visible anymore.

HarryT · 05-01-2013, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CyGuy

If the ebook was purchased there should absolutely be ZERO ads in the ebook, period. If you are giving away the ebooks then some ads may be acceptable.

Virtually all paper books contain an "other books by the author..." type list at the front of the book. That's certainly a form of advertising. Do you object to it?

JoeD · 05-01-2013, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I guess I don't quite understand the definition of "author ad." Does the standard "Other Books by John Doe" page qualify as an ad? Surely Apple's not objecting to that industry standard (provided there's no links or other wording related to specific retailers)?

What apple objects to is links to a place you can buy the advertised books so as to avoid using in-app purchases of which Apple gets a cut. Amazon fell foul of this rule when they supported redirecting to the Amazon website from within the kindle app to buy new books.

Whether it's restricted to just actual links or also includes "more books available at Amazon" I'm not sure, but the app store/ibook store guidelines will likely clarify that.

I'd be surprised if Apple is asking for "Also available from this Author Book 2 the unamed book, Book 3 thanks for all the fish." to be removed. I've only read the guidelines for apps and not books though, it might be different for those?

gbm · 05-01-2013, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrsziggs

Apple requires absolutely no author ads promoting purchase of other items or directing you to a website to do so.

If you have Hyperlinks in your ebooks that is the no-no. Just remove the link, and use authorwebpage.com with no link. Apple does not want any one click links that take people using Apple hardware away from the Apple store to a different store where Apple will not get its cut of a purchase.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrsziggs

The only thing I can think of is conflict of interest because an ad may say the author's other books are available at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com.

Just say this book and all the authors other books may be purchased at this store and many other fine stores.

bernie

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

It is about time for publishers to learn: 'i-won't' (do it)

Magazines/Newspapers have had ads for years. Even ads for other Magazines.

I hear Radio ads for TV Shows on the (parent) Competitors Network

Paperbacks carried ads for titles NOT stocked at my local bookstore.

A hyperlink causes no problem on my portable... It has no WiFi or 3 G

This is not just a walled garden, it is a Police state

Say NO

04-30-2013, 09:09 AM	#1
mrsziggs Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2012 Device: none	Author ads in ebooks Apple requires absolutely no author ads promoting purchase of other items or directing you to a website to do so. We want to use as little production time as possible doing this so we want to remove the ads across the board (Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Kobo, etc.). Those other distributors, however are not requiring that we remove the ads. Our marketing department will most likely ask that they stay in the epub file being distributed to those companies, meaning a seperate epub file be sent to Apple. How do we convince them that this should be industry standard and the ads should just be removed across the board? The only thing I can think of is conflict of interest because an ad may say the author's other books are available at amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com.

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04-30-2013, 09:19 AM	#2
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,545 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I guess I don't quite understand the definition of "author ad." Does the standard "Other Books by John Doe" page qualify as an ad? Surely Apple's not objecting to that industry standard (provided there's no links or other wording related to specific retailers)?

04-30-2013, 09:45 AM	#3
mrsziggs Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2012 Device: none	They don't mind "Other books by John Doe" as long as there is no price or reference to purchasing them. Any decent ad for another book is going to use the word "purchase" or "buy" so they get nixed in lieu of sending it back to the Design department for redesign. I just think there's no way around extra work in removing the ads for just the epub file being sent to Apple. I was hoping there was a way around it but they're outnumbered almost 7 to 1 by distributors that will accept the epub with the ads in it. Right now Apple is the exception to the rule I guess.

04-30-2013, 09:53 AM	#4
Ekaros Illiterate newbie Posts: 661 Karma: 1702090 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Finland Device: Sony PRS-T1	But think positive side, at least books are artistic medium for them, unlike games... So controversial material can be included...

04-30-2013, 10:36 AM	#6
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,281 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	I'd also ask if your hyperlinked ads are pushing a specific store? If so I could see both Apple and/or Amazon having problems with the links. I've got plenty of ebooks with a list of other books by author at the beginning or end of the book. Seems more than enough for me if I'm interested.

04-30-2013, 01:38 PM	#7
patrickt Wizard Posts: 1,221 Karma: 8381518 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Oaxaca, Mexico Device: Paperwhite 4 X 2	Well, gee, if Apple does it, it must be right. If the author wants the ads, I don't think Apple or anyone else should interfere. Me? I don't mind ads at the end of the book. I started reading a book a few days ago on my Kindle and the first 14% of the book was reviews for other books. I tossed the book and won't buy another written by the same author.

05-01-2013, 06:10 AM	#9
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	I don't see why you would need to use links to purchase from the adverts, if they figured out how to buy the book they see the advert in they can figure out where to get the others from.

05-01-2013, 09:52 AM	#10
CyGuy Avid Reader Posts: 769 Karma: 7777778 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: PocketBook 902, Galaxy Tab 2 7.0, ASUS TF700, and Cybook Gen III	If the ebook was purchased there should absolutely be ZERO ads in the ebook, period. If you are giving away the ebooks then some ads may be acceptable.

05-01-2013, 10:35 AM	#11
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,768 Karma: 54401244 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	It is about time for publishers to learn: 'i-won't' (do it) Magazines/Newspapers have had ads for years. Even ads for other Magazines. I hear Radio ads for TV Shows on the (parent) Competitors Network Paperbacks carried ads for titles NOT stocked at my local bookstore. A hyperlink causes no problem on my portable... It has no WiFi or 3 G This is not just a walled garden, it is a Police state Say NO

05-01-2013, 10:44 AM	#12
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,545 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	In the words of the enlightened 20th century philosopher Robert Seger: "Turn the paaaaaaaaaaaay-juh." Seriously, though... just turn the page. Whatever was on it won't be visible anymore.