If you’re an author, you know how important being on Amazon is. It’s like the Google of books. The site is basically a major search engine, and will help anyone searching for a book on a topic you’ve written about find your book.
All that being said, competition is still fierce on Amazon, just as it is on Google. You’ve got to use every available tool to ensure that readers find your book…and not some other author’s.
Amazon Author Central
Amazon recognizes how important its authors are, and to that end, it created Author Central: a resource for authors to help market their books. With this free tool, you can set up an Author Page that includes your bio, links to books you’ve written, and social media URLs. Additionally, you can add your blog RSS feed and any videos you’ve created that relate to your books.
You can also track book sales, as well as your Author Rank, which positions you against all other authors on Amazon based on book sales.
Your Book Page
Another place you can enhance to help readers find you is the individual book page. The books that have a more substantial description tend to sell more, but don’t stop there. (If you’re published through a traditional publisher, that company should handle the listing, but don’t be afraid to ask for more)
There are a few other features that can beef up your listing:
- So You’d Like To…Guide: You can create a guide to do just about anything, and list books that will help readers succeed. Include your book.
- Reviews: Encourage your readers to leave reviews to help other shoppers decide to buy your book.
- Kindle Lending Library: By making your book free to Prime shoppers, you increase readership, and you still get paid.
- Forum: Start a related topic conversation in a forum on your book page to engage visitors to the page.
It’s harder than ever to get the attention of readers, what with digital books and rock-bottom prices crowding the market. But with a little innovation and help from Amazon, you’ll increase book sales and fans of your writing.