One of the things that is most often discussed on epublishing discussion groups on Linked In is Amazon KDP select – that is the program on Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) where you sign a title up for 90 days exclusivity on Amazon and in return get paid for loans, get extra marketing (which is not clearly defined) and the opportunity to have your book listed for a maximum of 5 days in the 90 period.
- Is it worth it?
- Even if you get your book downloaded hundreds or thousands of times during the free period, does this guarantee actual sales afterwards?
- Does it lead to reviews?
- Does it lead to sales of your other titles?
The fact is, the answers to these questions will vary depending upon all sorts of things like the strength of your cover, the potential readership of your subject matter or genre, whether your pricing is right … and the list goes on. But one thing is for sure – just listing your book for free, posting a mention on your blog and social media channels, and then sitting back expecting a miracle is, well highly unlikely to result in your title becoming a bestseller.
Using Amazon KDP Select free days takes planning and research and I made a fantastic decision in buying ‘Boost Your eBook Sales Success! The Essential Guide to Online Marketing & Sales Resources for KDP Select and Beyond‘. What a fantastically long title! Author Marquita Herald obviously has a good grasp on how to use SEO keywords as well as KDP select.
Now most things I have read on the topic say that you should list on sites that advertise free KDP titles. They say you should post on Facebook sites that readers have Liked. They say that there are paid options and some are good and some are not. They say all these things and then end with a full stop. Not this book. This book has pages and pages of well organized information and links about where you can list KDP free days. She explains the pros and cons of each and suggests strategies. This book is unusual in the amount that is shared – most authors once they find these things, keep their lists to themself.
So I am giving credit where credit is due. ’Boost Your eBook Sales Success! The Essential Guide to Online Marketing & Sales Resources for KDP Select and Beyond‘ is well worth its $4.99 list price. It doesn’t guarantee a success with a KDP free campaign, but it hands you the resources available and says, go drive the campaign as much as you can.
