HOW TO GET BOOK REVIEWS On Amazon Even If You Have No Following | Free Publishing Course | Video #10

About this video

Sean explains how to get book reviews at launch with no following or email list by building an ARC (advanced review copy) team, aiming for a minimum of 10 reviews at launch. He reviews Amazon rules as he understands them: reviews cannot come from friends and family, incentivized reviews are not allowed, reviewers need an Amazon account that has spent over $50, multiple reviews from the same household are not allowed, and you cannot force reviews or guarantee five stars — only offer the free book in exchange for an honest review. He distinguishes verified reviews, from buying or downloading the book on Amazon including during a free promotion, from unverified reviews, which ARC readers typically produce when given a free PDF outside Amazon; he says verified reviews help the algorithm more. His main method is joining active, relevant Facebook groups in the book’s niche — active but not so active that posts get buried — engaging and providing value, asking about covers and problems, then inviting members to get the book free before release in exchange for an honest review. He advises recruiting 30 or 40 people because not everyone will review, giving readers at least 10 days before launch (starting about two weeks ahead), collecting contacts manually in a spreadsheet or optionally via AWeber with permission, and helping reviewers by suggesting they write a few sentences about what they liked or learned and add a disclosure that they received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Key takeaways

• Aim for a minimum of 10 reviews at launch, which means recruiting a larger ARC team of 30 or 40 people because not everyone reviews
• Reviews must be honest and non-incentivized: you can offer only the free book, cannot require a review or guarantee five stars
• ARC copies sent as PDFs outside Amazon produce unverified reviews; a download during a free Amazon promotion can produce a verified review
• Recruit from active, relevant Facebook groups after engaging and providing value, not by spamming groups
• Start about two weeks before launch so readers get at least 10 days to read, and suggest they disclose receiving a free copy for an honest review

Episode details: published March 25, 2020 · 9:18 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are Sean Dollwet’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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