Revive Your Book Sales Part 6: How to Get Positive Book Reviews

Publishing Secrets

In this episode, you’ll also hear:

• How online reviews help increase your book’s visibility, credibility, and more
• 5 tips for getting more positive book reviews
• Where to find potential book reviewers
• Special training: How to keep your book at #1 on Amazon

The Importance of Online Reviews

In today's digital age, online reviews are increasingly important. Research reveals that a staggering 91% of people regularly or occasionally read online reviews, and 84% trust them just as much as personal recommendations. What's even more interesting is that 68% of people form an opinion after reading between one and six reviews!

Think about that for a minute. If your book gets six or more positive reviews, that can be a powerful endorsement. Plus, when readers leave reviews for your book on sites like Amazon and Goodreads, the algorithms on those sites take notice. Books with higher ratings and more reviews are often highlighted, making them more visible in search engines and ultimately driving more sales.

This means the more positive reviews your book receives, the more popular it becomes, because positive book reviews lead to even greater visibility and more sales. So if you want your book to stand out in a crowded market, getting more positive reviews could make all the difference.

Not only do reviews help with visibility and credibility, but they also provide a valuable feedback loop for you as a Christian author. They offer insights into what readers liked and what they didn't like so much about your book. This feedback is invaluable in helping you improve future books and tailor your message to your ideal reader.

5 Tips for Getting Positive Book Reviews

Even knowing how important positive book reviews are, getting them for your book can feel like an uphill battle. But with some strategic planning and a commitment to put your faith in action, you CAN do this! Here are five tips to help you get started.

1. Find Book Bloggers on Instagram

Many bloggers hang out on Instagram, and they may be willing to review your book if you reach out to them. But how do you find them?

One useful strategy for getting positive book reviews from Instagram is to find people who are using popular book review hashtags. For example, at the time of this episode, the hashtag #bookblogger had almost 8 million posts, #bookrecommendations had over 5 million, and #bookreviewer had over 1 million.

So head on over to Instagram, type those hashtags in the search bar, and you will see people who regularly blog about books, provide book recommendations, and review them. Once you sort through that and find some potential reviewers who enjoy your genre, just reach out to them by direct message and start a conversation.

2. Find Book Reviewers on YouTube

YouTube is a great platform for finding book reviewers and getting positive book reviews. Many book reviewers record videos walking their audience through their reviews of various books. So if you head on over to YouTube, type in “book reviews” and your genre, you'll likely find several channels that review books.

Once you find a YouTuber that's a good fit, just scroll down to the link section of their video. There, you'll likely see a link to their Facebook, Instagram, or website. You can use one of these channels to reach out to those reviewers and see if they'd be interested in reviewing your book.

3. Ask for Honest Reviews in Your Book

This might sound crazy, but dedicating a page in your book to ask for genuine reviews can be a giant game-changer. This is your opportunity to explain the importance of positive book reviews — and even honest negative reviews — and how they help you as an author. So let readers know that their feedback can help you improve your craft and reach a wider audience.

Not only does this show that you value your readers' opinions, but it also empowers them to take part in the creative process. You never know how this can translate into more sales and exposure for your book! So go ahead — update your book and add a page asking for those honest reviews. You just might be surprised by how many people are willing to help you out.

4. Offer Your Book for Free on Amazon Kindle

Yes, you read that right: for free! It might seem counterintuitive to give away your hard work, but offering free downloads can ultimately lead to more positive book reviews and more sales. As the saying goes, sometimes you have to spend money to make money. And in this case, the money you're spending is your book's download price.

If you include a plug in your book asking for honest reviews, and you get all these people to download your book, just imagine how many more reviews you will get. And let's face it — reviews are crucial when it comes to the success of your book. So if you take this leap of faith, offer your book for free, and see where it takes you, who knows? You might just have a bestseller on your hands.

5. Attend Literary Events

Yes, promoting your book online may be the go-to tactic right now. And it is a great way to attract some readers and build up hype. However, if you're limiting your promotional efforts to online spaces only, you might be overlooking a whole lot of potential.

Going to literary events such as book festivals or author readings can be an incredible opportunity for you to put yourself out there and connect with people who might find your book interesting. Not only that, but you're more likely to meet potential reviewers who can help you spread the word about your book through positive book reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations. So expand your horizons! Get your book seen by more people by attending local literary events. This is a fantastic way to introduce yourself and get your name out there.

Worth the Effort

Keep in mind that these strategies for getting positive book reviews will require effort, creativity, and patience. But it's worth it! Positive reviews not only boost your sales and royalties, but also your confidence and your sense of fulfillment as a Christian author.

However, remember that reviews are subjective, and not everyone will love your book — and that's okay. Focus on the ones who do, and celebrate every review that comes your way. Keep writing, keep promoting, and keep believing that the message God has given you is designed to impact the right readers who are waiting for it. So if you're ready, let's get this party started. Go out there and get some positive book reviews!

Stay at #1 on Amazon

Have you been trying to make your book a bestseller? Do you want to jump up the rankings on Amazon to get more readers for your work? Here is your opportunity to access free training that will teach you exactly what you need to do in order to get your book to #1 on Amazon. With three simple keys, you’ll be able to drastically increase visibility and bring in long-term success.

By mastering these simple strategies, authors like you gain recognition as an expert with lots of visitors to their site, and their book stays at #1, no matter what curveballs life throws their way. Access the training today to learn how these three techniques can unlock new possibilities for making sure your book stays ahead of the competition. Don't wait! Join now, and experience success like never before.

BIO:

My name is Tamara "Coach Tam" Jackson and I am a published author, Facebook© Certified Digital Marketer, host of the Top 100 Publishing Secrets podcast, and founder of The Christian Authors Network (C.A.N.) Facebook© community. I specialize in helping mission-driven authors, coaches, and entrepreneurs increase their exposure, impact, and income through strategic self-publishing and digital media appearances. Just say yes and we will work together to attract a tribe of loyal followers that 1) "get you", 2) love what you do, and 3) are happy to invest in your book, business, cause, or movement. Plus, we will accomplish all of this without fake, salesy, sleazy, or manipulative tactics. Yes you CAN write, publish, and profit in a way that honors God; join the community today at https://christianauthors.net/fbgroup.

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