This article is about how to get reviews for your Ebook.
The reason I am ignoring paperback is that production cost can be as low as £4.50 per book. In supermarkets and airports, books sell for as cheap £4.99 for three books. So, it is still a monopoly on giant company’s bulk selling and buying.
First Step.
The first thing you need to do is have a single page at the back of your book that ask for a review. This prompts an action for the reader. It is not in our nature to critique someone if we are not asked. Would you say to a stranger that their zip is undone in the high street? no. So why would you assume someone will critique your book.
The sad news is that around 1% of total readers will leave a review. My ‘Jane Knight Rogue Officer’ book has 15 reviews. That means that 1500 people have read my book. Not 15 people reading my book.
Now, how do you get one hundred people to read your book for your first star? You could be lazy by asking a relative or friend to read it. But my own experience is that people who know you will not do that. They are most likely in fear of finding out it is not their taste. Not everyone loves the same genre.
Fifty Shades has lots of reviews, but how many of your friends have read it if they are not into erotica books. It is the same thing. Your story will be great but not suit all readers.
Second Step.
The best way to get reviews is joining a platform that issues newsletters. A platform that does not ask for already reviewed books.
The platforms that want books to have reviews are companies that have next to no subscribers and want to compete with the big boys. It is nothing to do with your book. The size of newsletter you need to aim for is around 500,000 subscribers. This volume then splits up between all genres that average between 68,000 and 350,000 per genre.
A newsletter with say subscribers of 60,000 will be apportioned to much lesser readers per genre.
The second challenge is price of eBook that has no review. Household name books will be priced at whatever value you choose. The challenge is getting people to read your book that has never heard of you.
Start off with 0.99 that reflects your work as being unfamiliar, not representation of your book. My six books are all at 0.99. I won’t change price until I reach about 10 stars. Books that have almost 1000 stars are on average priced at 1.99.
Finally, to reiterate, the volume of people reading your book gets your reviews up. It works out cheaper paying for a newsletter rather than a reputable blogger.
I read that an author was upset because he had 1 star review from a blogger. His average fans give him 5 Stars. Who would you rely on? A fan or one blogger.
I have personally experienced paying for a review on ‘onlinebookclub.org’. He rated me 1 star out 4 stars.
It upset me for about one second. A second I will not get back. As I said before, I have received 9 reviews in UK and 6 reviews in America. All 15 reviews 5 stars. It even over took the 4 stars.
A case in sample that fans of your writing is more representing than a single blogger.
I imagine the guy had got dumped that day and my character in the book was having a better day.
Platforms
Here is a website for 2020 promotional newsletter site
My favourite site is ‘writtenwordmedia.com’. I find the outcome more reasonable compared to price.