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This is not a BookBub.com review. It’s a review of BookBub reviews.
Confused? Don’t be! BookBub reviews are an excellent tool for authors to engage with their readers.
Maybe you want to learn more about BookBub promotions or just how to maximize your benefits on BookBub. Good news: I cover all that in this article, too.
Does BookBub work? Yes, BookBub works at connecting readers with both New York Times bestsellers and indie authors alike, mainly utilizing promos and huge pricing decreases to sell books like crazy.
Do you have to pay for BookBub? No, consumers don’t have to pay for BookBub. In fact, there are lots of free book deals on BookBub, so it’s almost like they’re paying you. Authors and publishers do have to pay to advertise on BookBub, but not to recommend other books.
Check out our other articles on Book Marketing.
- What is BookBub?
- Why you should bother with BookBub reviews
- Benefits of BookBub
What is BookBub?
BookBub is the largest book promotion site in the world, full of user-generated reviews for books of any genre.
This free service sends daily email notifications to its many subscribers to inform them about amazing audiobook and ebook deals in the genres the reader selects, such as fantasy, children’s books, crime, women’s fiction, mysteries, etc. BookBub takes the reader to a retailer to download onto a Kindle, Nook, etc.
Authors and publishers pay significant money to become a BookBub feature. Since getting a feature is selective and competitive, many writers simply buy less expensive, less exclusive ads on BookBub.
Both features and ads on BookBub are great book marketing tools.
Because a BookBub featured deal leads to proven book sales, authors are willing to deeply discount their books just to feature for a limited time on the site.
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Many writers don’t bother with the paid ads or features on BookBub. Just setting up your author profile, claiming books as yours, and developing an extra following on BookBub can increase your sales and reader retention — readers love to engage with their favorite authors.
You can also link directly to your author website from your BookBub author profile. Getting a backlink from a site this popular is worth hundreds of dollars a year, but you can take advantage of this opportunity for absolutely free.
BookBub is good for readers looking for great books and great deals. It’s also good for authors looking to build an audience, utilizing BookBub’s recommendation feature that increases reader engagement.
How much does BookBub cost for consumers? BookBub costs nothing for consumers. Readers who want to subscribe to BookBub’s great deals in multiple genres can sign up for free.
How much does BookBub cost for advertisers? Advertising your book on BookBub costs $50 or more per day. Getting a BookBub feature can cost up to $3,000 — but it’s usually more than worth it.
Why should I use BookBub reviews?
BookBub reviews and recommendations offer one more way for readers to engage with you. Plus, author recommendations hold extra credibility.
On the one hand, when you, an author, recommend a book — like you can easily do on BookBub — readers feel more connected to both you and the author you’re recommending. Readers can follow you not only for your new release but for your next recommendation, increasing engagement and audience retention between books.
On the other hand, authors may take advantage of BookBub recommendations to promote other writers’ books. As long as everyone is honest, two authors can “swap” recommendations for each other’s books. (Please, don’t recommend a crappy book. Be honest with your readers.)
On the downside, if readers check out your book, and it has few positive reviews — even if that’s because it’s a new book or first book — they may be scared to invest their money. That’s where a book launch team would solve your problems.
How are BookBub reviews unique?
What makes BookBub reviews unique is the ability for authors to leave recommendations on other authors’ books.
These reviews are clearly labeled “Author.” They lend extra credence to a book’s merit since an author is willing to go out on a limb and risk a little bit of their reputation on the quality of another’s book.
If a reader connects with an author, then sees a recommendation from said author, they are more likely to check out a book.
Also, if an author gives out recommendations, a reader is more likely to follow that author, likely increasing engagement and retention between books.
Reader reviews on BookBub function much like reader reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, or other services. A typical BookBub review may include:
- Whether they recommend the book
- Star rating out of 5
- Textual review
- Reasons they liked the book (optional tags)
- How long ago it was posted
- Ability to like, follow, comment on, or share the review
How do I get my book on BookBub?
Books on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books (iBooks), etc., already appear on BookBub. You don’t have to “get your book on BookBub,” although you should attach your books to your author profile, which you do have to create yourself.
Once you claim and create your author profile, click the “My Books” button on the left of your Partner Dashboard. Click the green “Add Books” button. When a search bar pops up, type in your book name, and it should come right up.
BookBub Tips & Tricks
Try these actionable steps to increase your sales, discoverability, following, etc. using BookBub:
- Claim an author profile. Make it look professional by adding a photo and a great bio.
- Make sure all your books are associated with your author profile.
- Recommend other books using your author profile, encouraging reader engagement.
- Get other authors to (honestly) recommend your book on their author profiles.
- Link to your author website from your BookBub author profile and vice-versa.
- Link your social media to BookBub, and BookBub profile to social media.
- Consider paying for BookBub ads (custom ad budget).
- Submit your book for a BookBub feature ($113-$3,984). Remember, it’s very competitive to get accepted for a BookBub feature.
Will you use BookBub?
No matter what, I would most definitely recommend using BookBub’s free features: author profile, linking to your author website, book reviews/recommendations, swapping (honest) reviews/recommendations with other authors.
The paid options on BookBub are also very enticing. BookBub is the most popular book promotion site in the world. If you manage to land a BookBub feature, fork over the money. It is worth it, and you are among a lucky few!
Advertising on BookBub kind of works like Facebook boosts: you set your budget, and BookBub spends as much of it as they can to advertise your book on their site.
BookBub and BookBub reviews are great tools for traditional publishers, as well as self-publishing authors.
Check out these other Kindlepreneur resources for self-publishers:
- Best Book Writing Software: Coupons + Discounts
- Best Proofreading Software for Self-Publishers
- Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs
- The 9 Best Self Publishing Companies
- Best Podcasts for Writers and Self Publishers
- The Ultimate Guide to Goodreads for Authors
- How To Analyze Your Competition And Create Your Own Author Success
BookBub reviews are great for readers and great for authors. It’s free to browse, so it’s definitely worth checking out.
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