It isn’t always easy to find independently-published books. There are a couple of things indie authors need to get any sales. A good cover. And good reviews – the more, the better.
Beyond that, there are all sorts of promotional activities that can work, if the cover and reviews are doing the heavy lifting. But even then, it’s generally a bit hit and miss.
Recently though, I’m seeing one platform where indie authors are finding success, fairly consistently. That platform is Bookbub.
So what exactly is Bookbub?
BookBub is a free service that helps readers discover books through deals and reader recommendations. They don’t sell books so it isn’t in their interests to push books that don’t look good.
Authors pay to advertise their book deals, and Bookbub picks their favourites to be ‘featured deals’. This enables readers to try great new books without breaking the bank.
It isn’t just about finding new authors, though. You can follow authors you already know, and find out what they’re reading and when they have a new book available. And yes, that includes me!
What most readers don’t know about book advertising
Until an author has a large backlist of books available, ads usually cost more than they earn back. And even then, they are not a guarantee of success. I know authors who’ve spent large sums on advertising and not sold a single book.
Bookbub ads seem to be ahead of the curve on this. Their featured deals, in particular, can propel an author to a level of success that ads on other platforms can’t reach. But they are very difficult to get selected for. Books that do make it are generally those with plenty of reviews. So it might be a while before I can get a book in that coveted spot!
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Deborah Grant-Dudley 