Amazon book self-publishing is an option for authors who want to publish their own books.
The pros of Amazon book self-publishing are that the author owns all the rights to the book and has total control over pricing, promotion, and distribution. The cons are that authors must invest in their own marketing and promotions.
Self-publishing can be done on Amazon or on your own website. There are benefits and drawbacks to both options.
Amazon is a great option if you want to reach a broad audience of readers, as they have a large customer base with many different devices. If you want more control over your pricing and how your book appears, then self-publishing on your website is better, as you can customize it any way you like.
Most of the self-publishing success stories revolve around selling books on Amazon. However, if you're thinking about self-publishing, you should know that there is another option: selling eBooks on your own website. This route can also be incredibly lucrative if you can carve out your little corner of the Internet.
I'd like to discuss each approach's advantages and disadvantages in this piece. When should you sell your self-published book on Amazon, and when should you sell on your own website instead?
Here are some things to think about while making this decision.
Your pricing approach, as well as the books you write
If you sell on Amazon, you're required to price eBooks similarly to everyone else, usually between $2.99 and $9.99. However, if you sell on your own website, you may pick your own pricing, ranging from $2.99 to $59 or more, which might mean making much more for each eBook.
Of course, you only want to sell your eBook at a premium price if potential purchasers find that much value in it. This is frequently determined by the sort of eBook you publish. If you write novels, as many self-published authors do, you're forced to sell them for less than $9.99 since that's what people expect to pay for fiction. Nonfiction, especially how-to or advice-heavy manuals, will often command a substantially higher premium from consumers (also known as informational eBooks).
Why? Because they’re accessing your brain, experience, and guidance, all of which are worth more than a story. And, while the help-you-make-money category has a bad image, if your eBook helps people make money, they'll be more ready to pay to read it.
Your reach online
Someone has to buy your self-published books if you want to make money from them. This is the most difficult step for many new authors; they must learn how to publicize their work.
This is when Amazon enters the picture. You can utilize the millions of individuals that purchase on the site monthly if you self-publish on it. You have a plethora of potential purchasers at your disposal! Several factors influence whether Amazon displays your book to potential purchasers, but if you understand how to optimize for the Amazon search engine and acquire positive reviews, you'll reach readers beyond your friends and family.
If you sell on your own website, it is totally up to you to generate sales. You will never sell a single book if no one reads your blog or sees your website.
Surprisingly, most successful self-published writers we hear about use the same strategy to build their readership, whether they sell on Amazon or their own website: an email list. Email marketing is the most effective technique to build a fan base that will buy your books.
If you sell more than one book on Amazon, Amazon will promote your following books to purchasers who have already purchased an item with your byline. This referral engine is invaluable for creating a community of repeat purchasers, and it is one of the major benefits of selling on Amazon.
Your technical know-how
Some authors tell us that they sell their eBooks on Amazon since selling them on their own websites is too difficult. If this is your first time blogging, this may be true. However, if you already know how to write in WordPress, you may easily create your own shop on your website.
Questions to help you decide
To summarize, if you're attempting to decide where to sell your eBooks, consider the following:
- What kinds of eBooks do you create?
- Fiction or memoir: Amazon may be a better option for you, depending on the other responses below.
- How-to and instructional manuals: Sell them on your own website for a premium price!
- Can you create your own devoted readership and customer base?
- Yes, consider selling on your own website. However, you'd probably be successful on Amazon as well.
- No, instead, sell on Amazon. And start building your community today since you'll need it later!
- Do you understand the technical aspects of running a blog?
- Yes, based on your previous responses here, consider selling on your own website.
- No, you'd be better off with Amazon (or hire someone to set up an online store for you)
- Do you value autonomy?
- Yes, sell from your own property, over which you have entire authority.
- No, don't be concerned about turning up everything to the behemoth!
5 Sure-Fire Ways to Market Your Self-Published Book
The concept of self-publishing is not new at all. Many authors self-published their books every year, but only some of them are successful in selling their copies. Writing needs a lot of time and effort. Authors want to save the time and effort they put into writing. To get the attention of readers, there are many marketing strategies adopted by various authors.
Every author's dream is to get into the list of best sellers. To make a dream come many true, try hard but only sometimes get successful. Marketing is the main strategy to get more sales and public attention. Marketing a self-published book needs a lot of hard work. The wrong strategies can ruin your whole efforts. The top ways through which you can market successfully will be discussed in this blog.
A best-seller doesn't mean that it is written quite well. A good story indeed attracts readers but marketing is the key to getting more sales on the board. The top ways to help you market your book successfully are discussed below.
Get in Stores
Bookstores are a great way to market your self-published book. Your book kept in the shop display shelving will surely attract the readers. You can contact the librarians and bookstores via email to discuss your book. You will also need to contact the wholesalers who provide books to the stores. The top wholesalers are
- Ingram
- Baker & Taylor
- America West
- Broadart
- Follet
Plan Launch According to Your Goals
You need to identify your goals for launching your self-published book. Many authors want to get into the New York Times' best-seller list. This could be hard but possible. A new writer still has a chance to get on the list. You need to sell thousands of copies from the vendors that directly report to the New York Times. Promote according to your goals, and you will achieve the desired results.
Engage Your Audience
Engaging the audience means letting them know about your self-published book and yourself. The description of author describes the material right in the book. For example, if the writer is a content creator and has written a book on how to be a successful content writer, then surely a reader will know which type of material will be in the book. Running a blog will help you market and engage the audience.
Make Trailer
As it is said that people judge what they see, you must create a positive impact by producing a book trailer for your self-publication. Your book trailer can get viral, which can bring more sales.
Use Social Media to Market
Using the social media platform is the best way to market your self-published book. Remember that selling and marketing are different, so make sure to understand them before listing your book on Amazon or anywhere else try to get known by your readers. You can run ads telling about your experience in a certain field. Also, try to get into the watt pad groups, where you will find a lot of potential readers.
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