Was Kindle Select beneficial to you?

[Aquilonian]

A question for those who have published on Amazon. Did you go for Kindle Select and if so was it beneficial to you?

 

[LeonStevens]

I enrolled my book in Kindle Select. The royalties are lower than what you would get with the eBook purchase, but if a reader subscribes to KU, then it becomes another target market. They may try your book because there is no risk, and if they don't finish it, you still get something.

If you advertise with Amazon, often the CPC negates and profit, or cuts into it substantially. In that case it is the exposure you are getting.

So, it beneficial? Well, it's not profitable, but people are reading it.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Not beneficial enough to remain monogamous with Mr Bezos

 

[Robert Zwilling]

No, it didn't help me any.

 

[Aquilonian]

I'm thinking that doing Kindle Select for a while might get me more readers and thus more reviews, which is presumably an important factor in growing one's readership, even if not much money in first instance. Because you join it for a limited time don't you?

 

[LeonStevens]

I'm thinking that doing Kindle Select for a while might get me more readers and thus more reviews, which is presumably an important factor in growing one's readership, even if not much money in first instance. Because you join it for a limited time don't you?

You sign up for 3 month terms, but you have to opt-out or it automatically re-enrolls you.

 

[Robert Zwilling]

You may get readers, but translating that into reviews is probably long odds.

 

[Droflet]

You can't spend exposure dollars.

 

[Laura R Hepworth]

It was in the beginning, but my KU reads have dropped to nothing in the last year or so. I used to get 1k+ page turns a month of my book, but now it's rare for me to even see a single page turn. Currently debating whether or not to stay in Kindle Select.

 

[LeonStevens]

You may get readers, but translating that into reviews is probably long odds.

I believe that ~5% of readers will leave reviews.

 

[tinkerdan]

I believe that ~5% of readers will leave reviews.

That would suggest to me...
That of the of the 2500 books I sold through smashwords; perhaps only 60 people actually read them.
5 percent of 60 is three reviews, which is what I have.
however of the 2500 sold that would be 0.12 percent.
Very few people leave reviews except perhaps in the case where it is a popular author--because that would give the reviewer much more exposure or a wider audience.

However, a majority of those sold were when I had the books on sale.
So lets take the full price sales which are 266 books.
So that would be closer to 1.2 percent of the readers did reviews which is still a far cry from the 5 percent.

 

[Montero]

Do you have to be on Kindle Select to qualify for your books being in Kindle Unlimited?

 

[Laura R Hepworth]

Do you have to be on Kindle Select to qualify for your books being in Kindle Unlimited?

Yes.

 

[LeonStevens]

So that would be closer to 1.2 percent of the readers did reviews which is still a far cry from the 5 percent.

There are so many factors, and of course it will vary from book to book and author to author.

 

[Plucky Novice]

I had a good experience with KDP Select and I'm fairly sure that increased my sales too as it pushes you up the rankings and you get a little love from amazon's algorithms.

I published in October and am probably at about 1.5m page reads in KU. That has also driven my reviews. However, I am seeing a decline in page reads in the past couple of months.

Maybe I just got lucky...

 

[LeonStevens]

I published in October and am probably at about 1.5m page reads in KU. That has also driven my reviews. However, I am seeing a decline in page reads in the past couple of months.

That's a great amount of page reads! How did you drive traffic? I published in October as well.

 

[Plucky Novice]

That's a great amount of page reads! How did you drive traffic? I published in October as well.

I didn't do anything special, but I do feel I have a consistent package that is appealing and delivers on its promises. I.e. Title, cover, blurb and book. Then you need some reviews for social proof.

I gave away about three thousand e-books in the first month using a freebooksy promo. I think that eventually helped reviews.

After that I've run email promos roughly once a month and given away a book magnet and excerpts through bookfunnel promos.

 

[LeonStevens]

I didn't do anything special, but I do feel I have a consistent package that is appealing and delivers on its promises. I.e. Title, cover, blurb and book. Then you need some reviews for social proof.

I gave away about three thousand e-books in the first month using a freebooksy promo. I think that eventually helped reviews.

After that I've run email promos roughly once a month and given away a book magnet and excerpts through bookfunnel promos.

That will do it!

 

[Magic_Muscle]

I published with Amazon and tried 3 months with and without. I republished a 2nd edition of my book when amazon wouldn't fix a minor listing issue on their site.

I've sold exactly 0 books.

But I admit at least with KU if I make the book free with those once every three months(enrollment period) promos.... at least people will take the book if its free.