Amazon is a business that never rests. They’re always experimenting in the forefront, introducing, and developing new features for their customers to delight in. The same innovation applies to authors.
Amazon recently released several updates that will benefit authors in three areas:
- Amazon Advertising
- Author Central account
- KDP Self-publishing system
Here’s a list of the 10 most crucial updates to be aware of:
The new features available for ads on Amazon:
1. The launch of Brand Sponsored Ads
Have you noticed the unique advertisement box that appears at the highest in Amazon searches? It’s referred to as the sponsored Brand Ad, and it is among the most sought-after and influential areas on their site.
For many years the ad space was reserved only for publishers and authors who had an account with a vendor.
However, Amazon recently made Sponsored Brand Ads accessible for authors who self-publish using Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing).
Want to know how to sell on amazon KDP then check out this article.
This feature evens the playing field for authors who self-publish and those publishing traditional books.
There’s a caveat but. You must have at minimum three books out and willing to pay the highest price for the ad space.
However, any writer with a decent budget for advertising can market their work alongside the best publishing houses, like HarperCollins as well as Penguin Random House.
2. Negative Product Keywords
Amazon added a great new feature to their advertising system, dubbed “Negative Product Targeting.”
This feature was a must because Amazon’s “automatic” targeting function sometimes is ineffective by displaying ads on unrelated details pages of books.
Luckily, the addition of negative product targeting provides more control over the losses resulting from Amazon’s automatic targeting algorithms.
This feature can increase the profitability of author-advertising campaigns. Great job, Amazon!
3. Buy international ads for 8 countries
Are you able to use the phrase “Buy my book” in French or Spanish? Amazon can make it happen by introducing new advertising capabilities for their international websites which include those from the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Canada, and Australia. Additional countries will be added shortly.
It’s never been easier for publishers and authors to connect with readers across the world. There’s also less competition for advertising space on Amazon’s international websites. People who act fast can sell more books for the lower cost of esenyurt escort advertising.
4. KENP reads
If you self-published your book with the Amazon KDP service and have enrolled your e-book in KDP Select, now Amazon displays how ads affect the page reads for KENP and royalties.
If you’re not familiar with KDP Select, it’s the possibility of selling an ebook exclusively through Amazon to earn extra revenue based on “page reads.”
Amazon currently pays $.0045 for each page. Thus, an e-book comparable to a paperback of 300 pages will yield $1.35 of royalty.
Up until now, Amazon’s system did not measure the effectiveness of Amazon advertisements on pages for e-books readings or royalties.
They’ve come up with a way to do it and it’s a great function that KDP Select authors enjoy.
New features added to Author Central:
1. Author Central receives a revamp
Every author should sign up for an account for free on the Author Central account, regardless of whether you’re self-published, traditionally published.
However, Author Central looked woefully outdated until a gorgeous new design was unveiled this month.
Presently, Author Central offers an easy-to-use interface and simpler navigation to locate your books, make changes to your profile as an author and look over useful reports.
2. It is easy to modify different formats
The previous Author Central version had a serious issue. It was difficult to find every kind of book to change the descriptions of your products.
Amazon solved this issue by making each format of the book visually distinct when you select a book within your account, which includes Kindle and paperback editions. This is a welcome improvement. Great job Lord Bezos!
3. Create pages for international authors
Amazon provides multi-national advertising in several countries.
Author Central matched this global update by allowing authors to set up “Author Pages” in the US, UK, Germany, France, Japan, and Brazil. Authors are also able to add bios that are in multiple languages.
Updates to KDP Self-Publishing Service
1. The new edition of KDP Reports
If you’ve self-published your book through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, you’ll love the new beta reporting options.
It’s now easier than ever before to track real-time sales of your book as well as compare performance between titles and estimate monthly royalty rates.
KENP pages are available, along with an updated section on payment history.
To download the beta report version, go to the “Reports” tab within your KDP account. After that, search for the link that reads, “Try the new KDP Reports beta.”
2. Send your book to be considered for the chance to win a Kindle Deal
KDP introduced a new section titled “Marketing” that acts as an online store for all the tools for promoting books. You can find quick access on KDP Select, Amazon Advertising, Author Central, and Price Promotions.
However, KDP also added a new tool for marketing in the form of a beta version dubbed “Kindle Deal Nomination.” Kindle Deals are special-occasion discounts for e-books, typically priced between $.99 or $2.99.
If Amazon accepts your book’s nomination, it might be highlighted on their site for one day, and perhaps for several weeks.
You can nominate two eligible ebooks at one time. If the book’s nomination isn’t approved then you can renew the book every 90 days.
This is an excellent chance to get the best advertising access to thousands of Amazon customers.
3. Manage and create the book series
Writing books as a series is the best method of building your writing career. However, setting up an entire series in KDP required contact with Amazon’s customer support team. Now, you can design and manage your series on your own, directly in KDP.
This is a fantastic feature that saves time and makes it easy to promote similar books to readers. This time, Amazon did the authors an enormous favor. Bravo!
