Are Paid Reviews Worth It?

About this video

Dale examines whether paid editorial reviews are worth it, distinguishing them from reader reviews. Editorial reviews, he explains, are expert assessments by professional reviewers/critics of a book’s literary and artistic merits, quoted in ads, inside books, or on covers for credibility; he says they can range from free to $600 or more, with no hard rule on number but three to five high-quality ones providing a solid foundation, and quality matters more than quantity. For cash-strapped authors he suggests starting free, citing Readers’ Favorite’s free service, and posting snippets via Amazon Author Central’s editorial review section, which updates within a few business days. He notes he has no experience with Kirkus, priced in the video at $600, but calls it reputable. The bulk is a case study with ebookfairs.com (normally $10/month for access, per Dale), where five authors trialed its editorial review feature. Testimonials report fast turnaround (often 3-4 days, first reviews in 1 day to a month), responsive support in under 12-24 hours, usable marketing quotes, but also warnings: vet reviewers and watch the auto-accept setting or slots fill overnight, and one reviewer was flagged and removed as apparently fraudulent / not having read the book.

Key takeaways

• Editorial reviews are paid expert critiques used for credibility in ads, covers, and product pages — distinct from reader reviews
• Aim for quality over quantity: Dale suggests 3-5 high-quality editorial reviews as a solid foundation, starting with what you can afford
• Start free if cash-strapped, e.g. Readers’ Favorite, and add snippets to your Amazon page via Author Central
• In the ebookfairs trial, authors reported fast turnaround and responsive support, and got quotable lines for marketing
• Vet reviewers and disable auto-accept if you want control — slots can fill overnight and one apparently fraudulent review had to be reported and removed

Episode details: published February 17, 2024 · 12:47 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Dale L. Roberts’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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