Who doesn’t love something for nothing? How about more Amazon real estate for your books? Yes, please!
Here’s a look at three marketing tools available to KDP authors for free! They are, in my opinion, seriously underutilized and fully deserving of your attention, given that they offer decent bang for no bucks.
#1 – Amazon Author Central
Have you noticed that some books on Amazon have an author photo and link below the book’s cover image? As a KDP author, you too can have those perks. There’s even a “Follow” button for you to gather reader fans on Amazon.
It’s all courtesy of Amazon Author Central, a page dedicated to you, the author, and your book(s). If you have published multiple books with KDP, you can add all of them to your Author Central page so they show up in one place. Also add your bio, headshot, editorial reviews and in some markets, you can add photos and videos.
To get started, log into your KDP account and select Marketing at the top of the page. In the Author Central section, choose the marketplace where you want to create your Author Page (likely Amazon.com) from the drop-down menu, then click Manage author page and follow the prompts.
Voilà! Your name, photo and that captivating Follow button now appear on your book’s page too.
#2 – Create a Book Series
Did you think this one is only for fiction? Think again. Admittedly, it only applies to authors who have published more than one book with KDP, but it’s just as relevant for nonfiction. And if you are thinking about writing another book, perhaps knowing about this option will nudge you further in that direction.
I am a big fan of having a book series, because it is such an easy (and free!) way to claim more digital real estate on Amazon. It is also a hands-off way to cross-promote multiple titles. A book series links all your related titles and displays a link to the full series on each book’s page (highlighted below). Depending on a book’s sales activity (translation: determined by the algorithm), the other titles in the series may also be displayed, as shown below. Hello free advertising!
Creating a series is simple. All you need is a title for the series and a description, both of which should be broad enough to encompass the range of content in the series. In your KDP account, click Create and select Series page. Then link existing titles to the series and choose to order them, which means they will be referenced as book 1, 2, 3… in the series, or leave them unordered. That’s it! Your series page will be processed and live on Amazon within a few days. Don’t forget to add future books to the series as they are published.
#3 — Amazon A+ Content
You know how when you’re shopping for widgets or gizmos on Amazon and as you scroll down, there are photos and expanded product info? Your book page can have the same sort of material, known as A+ Content, which appears under a “From the Publisher” heading between the description and customer reviews.
The goal of A+ Content is to attract and engage potential readers with text and visuals that enhance a book’s story beyond the standard description. Since so few indie authors leverage this tool, creating any amount of A+ Content can set your book apart, but of course, high-quality graphics will garner more attention and establish professionalism.
Amazon provides several modules for A+ Content, including image and text combos, comparison charts and gallery formats. KDP authors use the modules to build their content, which are then submitted to Amazon for review, a process that takes several days. If approved, the modules are added to your book’s page. If you are notified that the material does not meet Amazon’s content guidelines, revise as needed and submit again.
As with Author Central, getting started with A+ Content is also done via the Marketing page of your KDP account. There’s no cost to add A+ Content to your books, but if you are design challenged, you may want to enlist a professional to help you produce quality material.
So there you have it, three ways to boost your presence on Amazon. Contact me if you have questions about any of them.
