Understanding reader behavior is key when it comes to selling books. Yes, not everyone feels the same, and some genres may vary, but by putting yourself in the shoes of readers, you will have more success communicating with them.
So, how do you put yourself in a reader’s shoes? Well, a great place to start is right here!
We recently polled our reader audience to find out how they choose what to read next, what makes a good book, how much they spend on their reading habit and how they like to connect with authors.
The readers surveyed are subscribed to one of our email promo brands, like Freebooksy or Bargain Booksy, and we think this data can help inform where you focus when it comes to marketing your books.
Here are our results, and what they mean for authors.
Before we get into site specifics, here are some takeaways that held true across readers from all five of our promo sites.
You can also view a summary in this infographic.
What this means for authors: Invest in your covers and take time with your descriptions. Also, once a reader knows your work, your author name will help them purchase your books in the future.
Cover ranked third, but it shouldn’t be underestimated how important a good cover is. Many readers are hooked by a cover first, and then move to the description and author name to decide whether to buy.
What this means for authors: Your content is important. Books with robust plots and interesting storylines will resonate with readers. Yes, covers and descriptions play a big role in driving sales, but once someone begins to read, it’s the quality that matters.
What this means for authors: Focus on getting reviews so you have a score for readers to assess. Don’t get sidetracked by a low review here and there. It’s the average that matters.
What this means for authors: Make sure to put that review ask at the end of your book. A simple line of text in your backmatter asking for a review is a great way to maximize how many readers actually write one!
What this means for authors: When creating and sharing content on social and in author newsletters, include details about your characters and storylines. This content could even potentially be sold to readers, or given away as bonuses to readers who share your book with others.
What this means for authors: Running a promotion in a Written Word Media newsletter is a great way for authors to start building a reader audience.
What this means for authors: Running a promo with Written Word Media will likely boost your KENP reads, even if you’re running a free day during the promotion.
What this means for authors: Having other books in a series, or by the same author, will lead to buy-through. Highlighting your other titles in your back-matter can result in future sales.
That covers the high-level takeaways from our survey. Below we’ve taken a deep dive into each of our promotion sites and their associated reader behavior:
Freebooksy is our oldest and largest promo site, and, as you might have guessed, it is for promoting free eBooks. Here is what stands out about the Freebooksy audience.
Bargain Booksy promotes books priced between $0.99 and $4.99. Here’s what we’ve learned about Bargain Booksy readers:
Red Feather Romance is a romance-specific promo site, and this list boasts some of our most active and ravenous readers.
NewInBooks is focused on promoting new releases. These readers want the newest hottest reads, and we find that this audience is one of our most unique.
As always, we are continuing to add new readers and engage our existing subscribers to get authors the results they want. If you have a question about one of our promo sites, feel free to contact us or ask it in the comments below.
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Great article, rich with information for authors like me. Thanks!
Great article, although I used FreeBooksy, but I haven't had anything back from it. No new reviews. It would be good to have feedback from it as you pay for the service.
I had a lot of reviews from two of the Freebooksys I ran. The one I did on my MG novel didn't get any, but I did give away a good number of ebooks.
This was extremely informative. I've got to step up my game!
I really enjoyed reading this article. I've always thought their selection had more to do with the number of reviews. Thanks so much for posting. I'll be sharing it with my author friends. This is very informative!!
How do I subscribe to the NewInBooks newsletter?
Hey Susan, here's the link: https://www.newinbooks.com/email-signup/
It would be even more helpful to poll your subscribers re how they discover/select books when their primary source is the Amazon website.
For instance, what % choose based on:
keyword search
category browse
new release search
best seller search
ad (by type)
author new publication alert
Amazon recommendation
other (specify)
Hey Reid, great idea! Perhaps we can do some more consumer habits research and learn more about how readers use Amazon.
That would be terrific
I look forward to the Written Word Media's newsletter every month. This is especially true when you release those types of surveys. I find them invaluable to me when planning my book marketing strategies. Thank you for this!
Thank you for providing such great information. I am especially intrigued by #5, where readers most want to know from an author about the characters and storylines. Good information to have as I plan blog and social media posts.
As someone new to the author game and embarking in the journey to be published this is very informative and useful. Thank you for the article!
I overheard the author saying that he resisted blogging until he realized that every blog is a preparation for a chapter in his books. Although she probably knew what that meant better, there are many bloggers who don’t know. I agree that even without being cut and glued together, especially without indicators, it is cowardly and reckless, but never to be called plagiarism by that thought.
Informative! a must read guide on reader behavior. Great read.