Keep checking on Amazon

augustjen · 07-26-2012, 04:52 PM

I didn't realise, not until I read John McLean's book ´Get Published Now', that there appears to be a marketing system for Kindle books.

John McLean advises to load your digital book to Amazon setting your price, then after a few weeks or so, you offer your book for free. Amazon apparently allows you to drop the price for several days. By offering the book for free, it is hoped the 'word is spread' about your book. This means your book will receive more customer reviews, and more downloads, which pushes your book up to the top in search results.

I have been watching a few books do this, and I've taken advantage of the freebies. Everyday, simply add the 'search word-string' that interests you, click the 'Sort by price: low to high' - and all the $0.00's should rise to the top of the search page.

I am working my way through the books I have downloaded, remembering to post a customer review by way of a thank you.

It doesn't feel legit really, but I feel that so long as I place a review, there is no harm done. I'm simply working with the 'system'.

CWatkinsNash · 07-26-2012, 11:00 PM

Just curious as to why you say it doesn't feel "legit"? With the exception of the odd pricing error, these are all being offered legitimately.

Many authors have been offering limited time freebies for quite a while now. I've gotten hundreds of them. Many are featured in our Deals subforum here on MR.

augustjen · 07-27-2012, 02:22 AM

Conditioning I guess / getting something for nothing. It's a personal (silly) thing. Thanks for pointing out the Deals subforum, I'm still finding my feet on the boards.

mr ploppy · 07-27-2012, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by augustjen

John McLean advises to load your digital book to Amazon setting your price, then after a few weeks or so, you offer your book for free. Amazon apparently allows you to drop the price for several days. By offering the book for free, it is hoped the 'word is spread' about your book. This means your book will receive more customer reviews, and more downloads, which pushes your book up to the top in search results.

I'm guessing that is old advice because that's not the case any more. Amazon changed the way they measure free downloads, they only count as a small fraction of a sale now. So giving away thousands of free copies won't get you onto the bestseller lists like it used to. It won't get you many reviews either because less than 1% of the people who download it will ever get around to reading it.

Soldim · 07-27-2012, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

I'm guessing that is old advice because that's not the case any more. Amazon changed the way they measure free downloads, they only count as a small fraction of a sale now. So giving away thousands of free copies won't get you onto the bestseller lists like it used to. It won't get you many reviews either because less than 1% of the people who download it will ever get around to reading it.

But I thought it were the price changes that gamed the system. Initially 2.99, then a while for free and then back to 2.99 -- if I understood correctly the 'sales' of the free copy were counted as full sales.

Of course, I would expect Amazon programmers also to be smart enough to detect the gaming and fix their system

augustjen · 07-27-2012, 09:00 AM

These comments are interesting - THANKS!

07-26-2012, 04:52 PM	#1
augustjen Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 620820 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: UK and Spain Device: Keypad Kindle	Keep checking on Amazon I didn't realise, not until I read John McLean's book ´Get Published Now', that there appears to be a marketing system for Kindle books. John McLean advises to load your digital book to Amazon setting your price, then after a few weeks or so, you offer your book for free. Amazon apparently allows you to drop the price for several days. By offering the book for free, it is hoped the 'word is spread' about your book. This means your book will receive more customer reviews, and more downloads, which pushes your book up to the top in search results. I have been watching a few books do this, and I've taken advantage of the freebies. Everyday, simply add the 'search word-string' that interests you, click the 'Sort by price: low to high' - and all the $0.00's should rise to the top of the search page. I am working my way through the books I have downloaded, remembering to post a customer review by way of a thank you. It doesn't feel legit really, but I feel that so long as I place a review, there is no harm done. I'm simply working with the 'system'. Last edited by augustjen; 07-26-2012 at 05:00 PM.

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07-26-2012, 11:00 PM	#2
CWatkinsNash IOC Chief Archivist Posts: 3,950 Karma: 53868218 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Fruitland Park, FL, USA Device: Meebook M7, Paperwhite 2021, Fire HD 8+, Fire HD 10+, Lenovo Tab P12	Just curious as to why you say it doesn't feel "legit"? With the exception of the odd pricing error, these are all being offered legitimately. Many authors have been offering limited time freebies for quite a while now. I've gotten hundreds of them. Many are featured in our Deals subforum here on MR.

07-27-2012, 02:22 AM	#3
augustjen Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 620820 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: UK and Spain Device: Keypad Kindle	Conditioning I guess / getting something for nothing. It's a personal (silly) thing. Thanks for pointing out the Deals subforum, I'm still finding my feet on the boards.

07-27-2012, 09:00 AM	#6
augustjen Enthusiast Posts: 37 Karma: 620820 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: UK and Spain Device: Keypad Kindle	These comments are interesting - THANKS!

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