Maximizing your Kindle profits..

18 replies
Hey All..

Let me share, and then hopefully someone can help me with my issue.


My Share:

One thing that I did when I first started (and still do for some books) is have a call to action at the end of the Kindle book. Not revolutionary there. But what I do, even for a niche that I don't typically write about or have a blog on, is to create a free Blogger blog.

This Blogger blog will have a listing of my other titles, PLUS it will also have Amazon ads for other books and products.

And I use my Amazon Associates ID for it.

So I will publish a book in the baby monitor niche (as an example), and at the end of the book, I direct them to a baby monitor blog where my other baby monitor books are for sale as well as baby monitors for sale on Amazon.

Just a way to get additional income from the same reader.

Now My Issue:

I have not used the author features as best as could be. I have a pen name that I have a photo and bio for. How do I set that all up? I would like to set up a Twitter account and tweet them with each book. How do I do this?

Much Success,

JoeMack
#kindle #maximizing #profits
  • Profile picture of the author TinkBD
    If you have pubbed with that author name, claim it in Author Central. You can have up to Three Author Names per AC accts and unlimited AC accts.

    One of the new features is that readers can sign up for a feed about your new books. Amazon controls it, but... so, don't wait!

    NOTE - an Author Central acct is DIFFERENT from a KDP acct where you can ONLY HAVE ONE!!!!!!

    Grab the Twitter acct for that name and set up a FB business page

    When I decide on a new pen name, I grab the domain, put a WP site on it, start a page on FB and a begin Twitter acct. Last thing that happens is to claim the Author name with an Author Cetnral acct as soon as the first book goes live.

    I have already Tweeted and posted on the Pen Name FB page for months ;-)

    Right now I am coming into the home stretch with a new pen name... Covers are being designed, two books are almost ready to compile... if all goes well, I'll launch the first book in early June.

    I need to get to work on the already installed website, for which the 3 month new site warning won't be an issue, because it is older than 12 weeks

    I am waiting for the cover designer to decide on the Logo/Type for the pen name and I'll make my site and FB page match
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    • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
      Originally Posted by TinkBD View Post

      If you have pubbed with that author name, claim it in Author Central. You can have up to Three Author Names per AC accts and unlimited AC accts.

      One of the new features is that readers can sign up for a feed about your new books. Amazon controls it, but... so, don't wait!

      NOTE - an Author Central acct is DIFFERENT from a KDP acct where you can ONLY HAVE ONE!!!!!!

      Grab the Twitter acct for that name and set up a FB business page

      When I decide on a new pen name, I grab the domain, put a WP site on it, start a page on FB and a begin Twitter acct. Last thing that happens is to claim the Author name with an Author Cetnral acct as soon as the first book goes live.

      I have already Tweeted and posted on the Pen Name FB page for months ;-)

      Right now I am coming into the home stretch with a new pen name... Covers are being designed, two books are almost ready to compile... if all goes well, I'll launch the first book in early June.

      I need to get to work on the already installed website, for which the 3 month new site warning won't be an issue, because it is older than 12 weeks

      I am waiting for the cover designer to decide on the Logo/Type for the pen name and I'll make my site and FB page match
      Wow, that's a pretty involved process. So far I have gotten my author central page updated, and started a twitter account.

      Do you have a sample FB fan page I could see?

      JoeMack
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      • Profile picture of the author TinkBD
        Originally Posted by JoeMack View Post

        Wow, that's a pretty involved process. So far I have gotten my author central page updated, and started a twitter account.

        Do you have a sample FB fan page I could see?

        JoeMack

        I'll send you a PM
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        • Profile picture of the author Kurt@viewswin
          Originally Posted by TinkBD View Post

          I'll send you a PM
          Hi TinkBD. Can you just clarify please. So when you launch a book you have a website, twitter and face book page going 3 months prior to the launch? What is on the website, do you sell the book from there?

          Any chance you could pm me with the links to a website of one of your books?

          Hope you don't mind me asking!
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          • Profile picture of the author TinkBD
            Originally Posted by Kurt@viewswin View Post

            Hi TinkBD. Can you just clarify please. So when you launch a book you have a website, twitter and face book page going 3 months prior to the launch? What is on the website, do you sell the book from there?

            Hope you don't mind me asking!
            Hi Kurt - Let me clarify first... this is for FICTION ;-)

            I am currently in the process the first series of novels by my new Pen Name. At the moment... I am busy deciding on the cover template (I have a WONDERFUL cover artist I am working with). Because this is a series, we are designing the BRAND as much as designing covers.

            This is a 6-8 book series. As soon as I chose the pen name I grabbed the domain, Twitter acct and FB pages. That was in Dec... and I was planning a June launch of Book 1. So, my website is well past the 3 months where some anti-virus software gives warnings. That was deliberate.

            I slapped WP on the website, with a pretty place holder theme. Now that we have figured out the Book covers for the series, I'll be changing the header graphic to match the new branding... and to display the cover for Book 1. Same with Twitter and FB... so the brand carries. On FB, I'll have the Book 1 cover.

            In the next week or two, I'll start posting on the site and FB so that as Book 1 launches, I'll have something there for readers to find. I'll be dripping teasers and hints, along with cover images of the other books as they are ready to go... I will also be interacting with readers IF they visit and post on FB... fingers crossed LOLOL

            I am using Charity's recent WSO as a guide, along with reverse engineering a couple of bestselling authors in my niche.

            I have had friends and fellow writers LIKE my FB page and they comment when I do post, which very soon, will be more frequently. ;-)

            In Twitter... just having the acct and following fellow authors tends to pick up a surprising number of followers and, eventually, leads to the readers -- at least in my genre/sub-genre. Again, as I get closer to launch, I'll start regular posting there too...

            I am not going to be selling books from my site at this point. It would not be a good use of my time.

            Since Select is in a state of flux, I am going to try it for Book 1 and probably Book 2 with a decision made about Book 3 later on. My main interest is to see if I have enough Borrows to justify giving Amazon exclusivity. I am not expecting that to be so.

            I am planning on creating Bundles every two books and again, scatter their launches... I will be doing paperbacks with CreateSpace and, if I decide against Select, I'll be pubbing in all of the other online venues ASAP...

            I would like to do Audio versions, but that will have to wait... I will probably do my own voice work...

            Since I am looking for the long term fiction profits with this business model, my time is far better spent BIC -- Butt in Chair, writing. I am already planing a couple of more series for this Pen Name, but haven't made any final decisions for what will be next...

            I AM carefully branding... and planning book launches for this year and beyond.

            I hope this helps
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  • Profile picture of the author GobBluthJD
    Always a good idea to have a stand-alone site for your book releases (particularly in fiction). If you can make a few extra bucks by splashing some Associate links on there, hey, why not!
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  • Profile picture of the author seobro
    I will share this with you. Get your friends to buy your book early on. It is important to get into the "Hot New Releases" area. That will give you maximum exposure.
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  • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
    Tink,

    I am in awe of the amount of branding and planning that you are putting into the launch of your series.

    I am taking the opposite approach. I am just trying to write and publish as many titles as I possibly can (with the time I am working with). Since I published my first title around April 1st, I have gone out and published 6 more titles.

    Of the 7 titles, 2 are non-fiction under one pen name, the remaining 5 titles for a different pen name. With the second one, which is fiction, I have gotten my author central account and Twitter.

    Made $145 for month one. Should be right around $300 for month 2.

    When in doubt as what to do, WRITE!


    Much Success,

    JoeMack
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    • Profile picture of the author TinkBD
      Originally Posted by JoeMack View Post

      Tink,

      I am in awe of the amount of branding and planning that you are putting into the launch of your series.

      I am taking the opposite approach. I am just trying to write and publish as many titles as I possibly can (with the time I am working with). Since I published my first title around April 1st, I have gone out and published 6 more titles.

      Of the 7 titles, 2 are non-fiction under one pen name, the remaining 5 titles for a different pen name. With the second one, which is fiction, I have gotten my author central account and Twitter.

      Made $145 for month one. Should be write around $300 for month 2.

      When in doubt as what to do, WRITE!


      Much Success,

      JoeMack
      I am putting the effort into THIS series.

      I have another pen name and a 5 book series in a sub-genre that is harder to promote that I am currently ignoring. Part of what I learned on it (I consider it my Fiction Writing college education) is what is prompting the new WSO. I figure other folks might as well learn from my mistakes! LOLOLOL

      I do suspect that it's sub-genre will take off in the next 18 months but for now... I am totally ignoring it. My time and other resources are better spent writing for this new pen name ;-)
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  • Profile picture of the author Kurt@viewswin
    Yikes, thanks guys for taking the time to post such thorough answers. Do you have any tips on title selection? Is there a way of gauging popularity of keywords , like the keyword tool on Adwords?
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    • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
      Originally Posted by Kurt@viewswin View Post

      Yikes, thanks guys for taking the time to post such thorough answers. Do you have any tips on title selection? Is there a way of gauging popularity of keywords , like the keyword tool on Adwords?
      God, I wish it were that easy. As far as I know, there's isn't a way to get exact numbers on what's being searched for on Kindle.

      The way I go about looking for niche (and possible titles) is by reviewing the sales rank numbers, publication date, # of other books written by the author, etc. I'm still tinkering with the process, but I'm getting better at it.

      JoeMack
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      • Profile picture of the author Kurt@viewswin
        Thanks, I've heard you can get some idea of popularity from the terms that autopopulate the search box as you enter search terms. Not sure how much use that would be except for eliminating complete dud title.
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  • Profile picture of the author Stefan Pylarinos
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    • Profile picture of the author cashcow
      Originally Posted by Stefan Pylarinos View Post

      IMO, creating an entirely new blog to list your books is a lot of work. I'd rather spend that time in publishing MORE books! But I'd say to definitely get people on a mailing list, as that's how you can promote them affiliate products and build a following.
      Yes, it is. That's why it's ideal to create all your books in 1 niche. Instead of blasting out 10 books a month, create 1 really good book. Then just add that book to your already existing blog. You will already have a list of buyers from your previous books (If you captured their email and/or created a fan page to communicate with them).

      Plus it's much less tweeting and Facebook posting when you only have to manage 1 account.

      Oh, and, if you stick to one nice then you can benefit from the power of focusing on one thing.
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      Gone Fishing
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      • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
        Originally Posted by cashcow View Post

        Yes, it is. That's why it's ideal to create all your books in 1 niche. Instead of blasting out 10 books a month, create 1 really good book. Then just add that book to your already existing blog. You will already have a list of buyers from your previous books (If you captured their email and/or created a fan page to communicate with them).

        Plus it's much less tweeting and Facebook posting when you only have to manage 1 account.

        Oh, and, if you stick to one nice then you can benefit from the power of focusing on one thing.
        This is true. I don't create a blog for every book published. 5 out of my 7 titles are written in the same niche, by the same pen name. For that author, I created a blog. Took me about an hour, start to finish, to set up the blog. Each time I publish a new title, it takes me about 5-10 minutes to add it to the blog.

        I will say that the blog is just a single post that I keep updating. Adding the image was simple and quick. The title and description are pretty much copied and pasted from my Amazon pages. Really takes very little time to update and maintain.

        And since I am using my Amazon on Associates account to promote them, I can see some stats (ie. how many of those visiting the blog and eventually end up buying another title of mine). I have one title that I can see gets almost half of its sales from people who have purchased a title from me, clicked on the link to the blog, saw my other titles for sales, and made an additional purchase.

        I find that the additional sales that I get from maintaining the blog is definitely worth the time and effort.

        Another benefit that I have noticed is that because I have my newest title listed first, it gets those important initial sales that can be quite powerful in getting the title ranked higher.

        The more titles that I will have available, the more traffic that blog will get, and the more additional sales I will generate from that. It's a beautiful snowball effect.

        In terms of marketing, it's quite easy and quick to do. I should be capturing the emails to further supercharge my efforts and I have plans to set one up soon. I know that giving out a free bonus to get people to sign up may reduce my conversion rates, but I will have an asset in a mailing list.

        JoeMack
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        • Profile picture of the author cashcow
          Originally Posted by JoeMack View Post


          I find that the additional sales that I get from maintaining the blog is definitely worth the time and effort.

          Another benefit that I have noticed is that because I have my newest title listed first, it gets those important initial sales that can be quite powerful in getting the title ranked higher.

          The more titles that I will have available, the more traffic that blog will get, and the more additional sales I will generate from that. It's a beautiful snowball effect.

          In terms of marketing, it's quite easy and quick to do. I should be capturing the emails to further supercharge my efforts and I have plans to set one up soon. I know that giving out a free bonus to get people to sign up may reduce my conversion rates, but I will have an asset in a mailing list.

          JoeMack
          Exactly, thats exactly what I do too. I'm really not trying to do SEO or get traffic to it that way, its more a place for people to go after they've read one of my books so they can find the others.

          But my books are fiction.

          For non-fiction, you could expand on that with blog posts and products etc.. if you wanted and had the ambition. Or you could spend your time writing more books. I like writing more books the best!
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          Gone Fishing
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    • Profile picture of the author JoeMack
      Originally Posted by Stefan Pylarinos View Post

      I generally just have a section at the end my book that has a PREVIEW to another one of my books, then a LIST of all my other books, and then finally a little sales pitch to subscribe to my Life Mastery Toolkit on my blog. I use bit.ly links to track how many clicks I get.


      So you have the bitly links directly in your book? Very ingenious.

      JoeMack
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      • Profile picture of the author TycoonRob
        Originally Posted by JoeMack View Post


        So you have the bitly links directly in your book? Very ingenious.

        JoeMack
        I use Bitly links too as much as I can. It's much easier to track everything. I know how many books I'm selling each day and then I can compare that to how many clicks I'm getting. It's not perfect, but any data is better than none.
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        Doubt everything you believe.

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  • Profile picture of the author GetMoreTraffic
    I always send readers to a squeeze page where they get a free report relating to that market. So all my Kindle books are helping me to build lists that I can monetize for ever. Works for me!
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    Discover the fast way to accelerate your affiliate income
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