A Writer’s Guide to Amazon Advertising
by Mary Kole | Former literary agent, now a freelance editor, writing teacher, and IP/story developer for major publishers and creators.
If you're a writer looking to promote your book, you may be considering using Amazon advertising, especially if your book is already self-published via KDP, or sold on Amazon. Ads are an effective way of getting your book in front of the people who are likely to buy it. But before you jump in and start spending money, there are some important things you need to consider. Here is a guide to help writers get the most out of their Amazon advertising campaigns.
Using Amazon Advertising: Understand Your Target Audience
The first step in advertising a book, including with Amazon advertising, is to understand your target audience. Who is most likely going to buy your book? What kind of books do they already read? What are some comp titles they might use when talking about books and authors they like? What other interests do they have? Understanding your target audience will help you craft more effective ads that reach the right people with the right message. You shouldn’t aspire to use Amazon advertising to sell books to everyone under the sun. You need to start with a very targeted idea of who your best and most enthusiastic audience might be.
Set Budget and Goals for Amazon Advertising
Once you understand your target audience, as well as your genre or category, and keywords and comparative titles you might want to use as reference points, it's time to set a budget and goals for your campaign. How much money can you afford to spend on advertising? How many sales do you want to generate? What conversion rate are you going for? Are you sure you’ve optimized your product page, so that people sent there by the ad will be interested in buying?
These decisions are going to be key to successful Amazon advertising, and a lot of them are made before you spend a single penny. Setting a budget and goals will help you focus on what's most important and ensure that your ad campaigns are successful.
Choose the Right Type of Ads for Amazon Advertising
Amazon offers several different types of ads, including sponsored products, headline search ads, product display ads, and video ads. Each type has its own strengths and weaknesses so it's important to choose the right type for your campaign, using the understanding of your target audience that you’ve developed. For example, if you're looking for quick results then sponsored products or headline search ads might be the best choice since they appear at the top of search results pages but if you're looking for more engagement then product display ads might be a better option since they appear further down on search results pages but can provide greater visibility into potential customers’ interests. You could also try several different options and see which works best for your personal Amazon advertising goals. Ads are living things, not a “set it and forget it” endeavor. You will be constantly fiddling with your campaigns and trying things. If you’re not ready for that kind of book marketing commitment, you might want to hold off on this potentially expensive marketing strategy for now.
Amazon advertising can be a great way for writers to promote their books and one of the best ways to hook a reader. However, it’s important to remember that success doesn’t come overnight—it takes time and effort to craft effective campaigns that deliver results. By following these tips, writers can maximize their chances of success with Amazon advertising and get their work seen by as many potential readers as possible. With dedication and strategy, writers can make Amazon advertising work for them.
Customized Book Marketing Solutions
Marketing services for writers are essential if you’re looking to reach audiences and stand out on shelves. Whether you’re looking to build your platform ahead of publication or already have a book out, we can help with marketing strategy and even do the heavy lifting. Reach more readers, build an audience, and increase your visibility. Good Story Marketing plans and services can help you achieve your goals and tell your story to the world!