Rules Re: Links and Promotions

[SigilBear]

Can anyone give me a general overview of the rules of the road regarding allowable links and promotions in books, or point me to an online reference?

For example, I think I read somewhere that Apple iBooks doesn't accept epubs that link to "the competition."

I would like to create a blog page for each of my books. I would use the page to publicize the book before and after its publication. The page would also include a variety of information about the book and would allow comments from viewers.

I would like to include a link to this page in each of my books, inviting people who buy the book to visit the page and post a comment or review. Is this something Amazon or other parties would disallow?

What if the page invited people to "buy this book from Amazon, iTunes or RIGHT HERE," allowing them to buy the book directly from me?

Another thing I want to try is creating a book that's more or less the parent of a series and sell it through Amazon, iBooks, etc. In the book, I would then mention forthcoming books in the series, which I may or may not sell through Amazon and other vendors.

I just wanted to get some idea about the rules and how strictly Amazon and others enforce them.

(I thought I posted this question earlier, but I can't find the post; I think this conversation actually crept into a thread on a different topic.)

[Notjohn]

It is certainly true that Apple won't sell a book that has links to Amazon.com.

Amazon used to send any link with an affiliate code to the generic Amazon front page. Dunno if it still does that. That is one of several reasons I link only to my author page, which in turn has links to the book at Amazon (I use booklinker.net so the clicker goes to the right store), Apple, B&N, and a few lesser sites. No outlet that I know of has a problem with that.

[Jellby]

Moderator Notice
How is this related to ePub as an ebook format? Moved to Writers' Corner ("A place to discuss [...] (self-)publishing")

[SigilBear]

Originally Posted by Notjohn

Amazon used to send any link with an affiliate code to the generic Amazon front page

Are you saying that some people advertise other books in their books? For example, if you write a book about Aardvarks and sell it through Amazon, then you would include a link in your book plugging a book about Zebras - complete with an Amazon affiliate code? I would think Amazon would ban people for that practice.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by SigilBear

Are you saying that some people advertise other books in their books? For example, if you write a book about Aardvarks and sell it through Amazon, then you would include a link in your book plugging a book about Zebras - complete with an Amazon affiliate code? I would think Amazon would ban people for that practice.

Why would they ban you? You are linking straight back to Amazon.
I know 3 six or seven figure authors that put links to all their books on Amazon in their Amazon ebooks.

The affiliate links that you keep referring to have absolutely nothing to do with you.
The ones that got in a fix were people that make money primarily off advertising other's books. The problem came in with they were known for FREE ebooks and Amazon made it where they could only show x number of free books to y number of paid books.
You are not advertising other people's books. I am not sure what the number is now. I haven't talked to Ed in a while.

My friend Wayne makes almost as much off his affiliate links as he does his books. He puts links to all his books in all his books.

Now you can put Amazon links in books you are selling on Amazon.
You cannot put links to the competition in that particular version.
It is called marketing.

Wayne writes books, Ed promotes other people's books.
Big difference.

Now is that clear?

[SigilBear]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Now is that clear?

Dude, can the attitude.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by SigilBear

Dude, can the attitude.

Sorry, it seems to be getting close to that time of the month.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by SigilBear

Can anyone give me a general overview of the rules of the road regarding allowable links and promotions in books, or point me to an online reference?[...]

I am not aware of any central reference, probably because the rules vary by site and over time. If you intend to do anything more elaborate than direct readers to your website for more information then your only reliable reference is probably the resellers themselves. ... But literal interpretation of their terms and conditions can be highly restrictive.

For example the KDP Terms and Conditions include the following statement:

You may not include in any Digital Book any advertisements or other content that is primarily intended to advertise or promote products or services.

And yet elsewhere on the KDP site they suggest placing the first chapter of your next book at the end (providing it is available for at least pre-ordering). And what is just the first chapter of a next book there for except "primarily intended to advertise or promote products" ? The same difficulty arises with a list of "other books by this author" lists.

The first two books of my series both include a page at the end directing readers to my website "to find out more", and no one has complained about that. In this case I suppose I could try to argue that it's not "primarily intended to advertise" ... but my heart wouldn't be in it.

Ultimately I think it comes down to: look at similar books and see what they got away with, then suck it and see.

[SigilBear]

@ gmw - Wow, great tips. If Amazon or Apple reject a book because of advertising (or other problems), do they explain why it was rejected and give you a chance to fix it and resubmit it?

I'm working on three separate series, and I definitely want to let readers know they are reading a book in a particular series. I also want to link to a blog page where readers can make comments (including tips for improving the book) and learn about updates, etc.

I guess I just have to handle it diplomatically.

[gmw]

My interaction with Apple goes via Smashwords, I have had no difficulty resubmitting books through them, nor through Amazon. It is not something I make a habit of. I have never had a book rejected due to advertising problems, but I doubt if they treat it much differently to any other issues (unacceptable cover sizes and so on).

Judging from my own experience, and what I see in other books, no one is going to complain if you make it obvious that the book is part of a series and provide information relevant to the rest of the series - providing such information does not advertise reseller competitors. Linking to your own website does not seem to be a problem, and you can do what you want on your own website. If you were to create separate editions for each reseller, I imagine you could probably get away with inserting relevant links back to that reseller, but it's not something I have ever bothered with (but I am very lazy with regard to marketing).

As a reader, I would look on any request from the author for "tips for improving the book" with an unkind eye. Such a request smacks of amateurism. I buy a book with presumption that the author has already done everything they can to produce a finished product, it is not my job to help the author fix it. (Note: technical and educational material is a bit different in this regard.)

[SigilBear]

Originally Posted by gmw

As a reader, I would look on any request from the author for "tips for improving the book" with an unkind eye. Such a request smacks of amateurism. I buy a book with presumption that the author has already done everything they can to produce a finished product, it is not my job to help the author fix it. (Note: technical and educational material is a bit different in this regard.)

Hmmm...that's a good tip. However, I would still like to include a link to a page where readers can find updates. For example, I'm working on a book about state symbols, and new symbols are adopted every year. So it would be a nice to have a web page that lists the latest symbols.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by SigilBear

Hmmm...that's a good tip. However, I would still like to include a link to a page where readers can find updates. For example, I'm working on a book about state symbols, and new symbols are adopted every year. So it would be a nice to have a web page that lists the latest symbols.

I don't think I am being overly old-fashioned to say that when I buy a book (e or p) I am expecting to buy a finished product (or maybe I am, I am getting on ). If I want a truly dynamic resource I will bookmark the website where that resource exists and probably ignore the book. For all that an epub is assembled from HTML, it is not a website; the two server different purposes, just as PDF serves a different purpose to epub.

By all means offer additional/updated information on your website, but I would limit epub updates to significant editions that do not change too often. I expect websites to change often, I expect epubs to be (relatively) static. How much my view of such things reflects others', I cannot tell you.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by gmw

I don't think I am being overly old-fashioned to say that when I buy a book (e or p) I am expecting to buy a finished product (or maybe I am, I am getting on ). If I want a truly dynamic resource I will bookmark the website where that resource exists and probably ignore the book. For all that an epub is assembled from HTML, it is not a website; the two server different purposes, just as PDF serves a different purpose to epub.

By all means offer additional/updated information on your website, but I would limit epub updates to significant editions that do not change too often. I expect websites to change often, I expect epubs to be (relatively) static. How much my view of such things reflects others', I cannot tell you.

Your view is spot on with my view. I don't want to have to take the time to update an ebook every time the author changes his/her mind or some little something changes. But then, I wouldn't be buying a book that would be changing every few weeks. I would just go to a website with the same information.
Personal opinion coming up, if I see an author that is constantly updating their book, I think total amateur and the book probably isn't worth my time.
Also if the author asks how they can improve the book, it is another turn off. That is what Beta readers are for.
Now if an author asks for my input before the book is published, that is great. I have beta read a few books. Given my ideas for a couple of others. Even contributed a character or two. But all those were while the books were still ideas.
If I am paying good money (from free & up), I expect a professional book. Not something that looks like a free writing assignment in a first year college English class.