How many times have you checked the reviews before buying a product on Amazon, Target, or Best Buy? For many people it is a regular step in the purchase-decision process.
Online reviews are just as important for books as for other products. They are an important marketing tool, offering social proof that a book is worth reading. They also help readers choose books aligned to their needs and interests.
But getting reviews can seem mysterious or uncomfortable. So let’s look at how you might approach it…
How many book reviews do you need?
How many reviews do you like to see before deciding to purchase a book? Higher is usually better, right? But what number gives you confidence? 100? 500? 1000?
Generally, I would suggest 25–50 reviews up front is great; 100+ is even better. With time, if you get 500+, I would consider that stellar.
I checked the number of reviews for some of the clients I’ve worked with:
- Newer books, those with niche audiences, and those with less active author-marketers tend to have 10–20 reviews.
- Less-niche books with active/semi-active author-marketers tend to have 30–100.
- One of my clients has 1600+ reviews. This is someone with an established audience, international reach (the book is translated into a half dozen languages), and a traditional publisher.
HOWEVER, as with most marketing, I will tell you to make sure your target aligns with your strategy:
- If you want to make a big splash at launch, the more reviews and the quicker, the better.
- If your book has a long “tail” (that is, it is evergreen and sales should continue over the long term), it may be more important to get reviews consistently over time than all at once. This demonstrates your book is still being read.
- If you have a very niche audience (e.g., family) or if you are using your book to market directly to a small segment of people (e.g., mailing a hundred copies out), the volume of reviews might be meaningless.
Align your effort to the goals you have for your book. For those whose strategy aligns with getting reviews…
Who to ask for book reviews
Wouldn’t it be great if all readers were motivated to leave a review? Sigh. Not gonna happen.
But you can encourage readers with a note at the end of your book (when appropriate): “If you found this book helpful, please share your thoughts. Your review helps others discover this book.” And note that when a reader finishes a Kindle ebook, a “Review this book on Amazon” message pops up automatically.
Those reminders help gather reviews over time, but at launch, make personal requests of targeted readers to gather a larger volume of reviews at once. Consider:
- Your professional network – You may have colleagues or know industry professionals who would be interested in your book (and in helping you!).
- Your subscribers and followers – Leverage your existing newsletter email list or active social media followers. Ask the most engaged to become part of your “launch team.” During the launch period, your team members help promote your book and write reviews.
- Book bloggers – There is an entire world of bloggers who review books—some free, some paid. They often have long queues and take books only in their preferred genres, so if you go this route, do your homework on who the right fit is, follow their submission guidelines, and allow plenty of time.
- Social media influencers – Similar to book bloggers, you might look for influencers who review or promote books on BookTok, Bookstagram, or BookTube. BookTok and Bookstagram reviews tend to be shorter and splashier; BookTube reviews tend to be more in-depth, à la traditional reviews. Again, be sure to identify those reviewers who are the right fit for your genre.
Get creative in brainstorming the best reviewers for your book.
Tips for asking for book reviews
Once you’ve got your list, ensure you have a clear process. Here are some tips.
Make personal requests. Don’t send generic requests to a long list of contacts. Personally ask those you’ve identified (above) for their assistance. Provide context: “Your honest review will help readers decide whether the book is the right fit for them.” And if you can link the request to personal experience or background (“Recall [specific business challenge] we faced? I cover that situation in chapter 4.”), all the better.
Provide multiple formats of ARCs. ARC stands for Advance Reader Copy—an early copy of your book. If possible, make the ARC available as PDF, EPUB, paperback—whatever form best serves the reviewer. Platforms such as BookFunnel, StoryOrigin, or NetGalley can help reach reviewers as well as manage the ARC distribution process.
Allow enough time. Start requesting reviews well before your launch, say, two or three months. The people you ask need enough time to fit your book into their schedule—and reading takes time!
Be specific. Give clear instructions on where you want reviews (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads?). If you can, provide links to the review site(s) and specific steps to help reviewers get started.
Ask for honesty. Don’t ask for only 5-star reviews. Readers are savvy—they know how to identify reviews that are fake, spammy, or excessively flattering. Ask for honest reviews.
Follow up. It’s fine to offer a gentle reminder. But please recognize that some folks may run out of time or energy—or they may not write a review because they are following the old adage “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” I’d stick to one nudge and then let it go.
Say thank you! Any time you make a personal request, express your appreciation.
Amazon-specific notes about reviews
Because Amazon is probably the most popular retail site for books, I want to mention a few specifics about their review policies:
- Established customers – To leave a review, a reviewer must have an Amazon account and must have spent $50 on Amazon.com, using a credit or debit card, in the past 12 months.
- Verified purchases – If a reviewer buys the book on Amazon, the review is labeled “Verified Purchase.” Presumably this reinforces the review’s validity, but I also suspect it helps the book perform better in Amazon’s search engine. (Tip: If you have a big launch team, you can set the ebook price to $0.99 for a limited time and ask them to purchase it so that their reviews show as verified purchases.)
- Conflicts of interest – If a reviewer has a relationship with the author, even with clear disclosure Amazon may not allow a review: “We remove reviews posted by someone with financial interest in the product, or any other conflict of interest.” (This is why I do not review client books.)
- Paid reviews – Reviewers may not be compensated. Amazon says: “Reviews should reflect your honest opinion. We don’t allow reviews that are created, edited, or removed in exchange for compensation. Compensation includes cash, discounts, free products, gift cards, and refunds.” To be clear: “It’s OK to review a free or discounted book (advanced reader copy) that you received from an author or publisher. However, they can’t require a review in exchange or try to influence the review.” (My emphasis.) In the case of providing ARCs, it is best to have a disclosure statement added to the review, such as “I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.”
If your strategy is focused on Amazon, be sure to read the full guidelines.
Other promotional tools for getting books reviews
Here are a few marketing tools that are especially useful for getting reviews (as well as book sales!):
- KDP Select (KDP is owned by Amazon) – If you have your ebook enrolled in KDP Select, Kindle’s free-download days or pricing deals can encourage greater sales and more reviews, and you can strategically use these promotions. For instance, if you are speaking at a conference, you may schedule a free-download day for the conference audience, which is already interested in your topic; you also have the opportunity to ask audience members for reviews.
- Goodreads Giveaways (also owned by Amazon) – On Goodreads, a social media platform to find, review, and discuss books, authors who use KDP can do a “giveaway.” Interested readers register for a drawing, and Goodreads draws the winners. You (the author) promote the drawing to gain interested readers and related reviews. There is a cost to this feature. Read more on Goodreads and visit the FAQs.
- Podcasts – Appearing as a guest on a podcast that has an audience interested in your topic is another opportunity for making your book visible and for encouraging reviews.
- Endorsers – If you’ve engaged people to write endorsements (“blurbs”) for your book, if appropriate, ask them to share your book and encourage reviews on their social media pages.
Again, brainstorm for other marketing approaches that are suitable for your book.
Paid book review services
It is a definite no-no to buy fake reviews, and it is not a good idea to pay for individual reviews (but if you clearly disclose it, it may be okay in some cases). However, it is possible to pay reputable review services. Paid review services can be helpful for indie authors who might struggle to get reviews from traditional media or industry sources.
My experience is limited, but here are two services I am familiar with:
- Kirkus Reviews – Kirkus is well-known in the publishing industry and has been doing professional reviews for ages. Their “starred” reviews are sought as a sign of excellence. Costs $400–600 and takes 7–9 weeks.
- BookLife Reviews – BookLife is a platform developed by Publishers Weekly, a major industry magazine. It aims to help indie authors and publishers get reviews and market their books. Costs $400–500 and takes 6 weeks.
The quality of paid reviews can vary—it is frustrating to expect a review and get what amounts to a summary of the book—so for any service, I’d suggest reading some reviews on their website before jumping in.
The services also have rules for how you may use their reviews, so be sure to gain a clear understanding before you commit.
Alignment, alignment, alignment
When it comes to how you market your book—whether via book reviews or other methods—I always come back to strategic alignment. What is your goal for your book? What are the strategies that can help you achieve that goal? And which of them give you the best bang for your buck (including time and effort, not just $$)?
Book reviews are a valuable tool, but they are just one piece of the larger marketing puzzle. By being intentional about how you seek reviews and ensuring they fit within your broader strategy, you set yourself up for long-term success.