It’s no secret that book reviews are critical for authors. Whether you’re an emerging author publishing your first novel or an established author with years of experience behind you, book reviews are a great way to get new eyes on your work. With Amazon and Goodreads making it easier than ever for readers to leave reviews, there’s never been a better time to request them from your audience.
But how exactly do you get more book reviews? And how do you make sure the ones you get are helpful and well-written, instead of just glowing praise from your mother or a friend who’s never read anything but romance novels? In this post, we’ll discuss both sides of the equation: how to get more book reviews and what to do with them once you’ve got them.
Book Review Blogs
Book review blogs are an excellent place to get reviews, and for many writers, they are their main source of book reviews. Becoming a blogger yourself is not necessary, but if you obviously have a passion for writing and want to be able to write more often, then blogging may be something worth considering. The key here is to find blogs that are relevant to your genre. If you’re writing Christian fiction, look for sites that review Christian fiction novels. If you’re writing romance, look for reviewers who specialize in romance books. Once you’ve found some sites like these, check out their submission guidelines and then submit a query letter with a link to the first chapter of your book. We’ve found that many bloggers are happy to review books that they think their readers will enjoy, especially if they have something in common with the writer or the book’s content. You can usually find a list of Book Bloggers online, or you can contact your local bookstore and ask if they know of any in your area.
Friends and Family
Friends and family are great sources for book reviews. They are people you can trust, and they know you well. They’ll be honest with their feedback, and if they like your book, they’ll be willing to share it with their networks.
Giveaways
Another way to get more book reviews is by giving away free copies of your book on Goodreads. Goodreads is a website where people can rate and review books, and it’s a great place to connect with potential readers. Simply create a giveaway for your book on the site, and be sure to include some information about why you think people will enjoy reading it.
Local libraries and bookstores
Another great way to get book reviews is by having your book on display in your local library. Libraries are always looking for new authors and books, so putting yourself out there will help you gain exposure and get noticed by people who might not otherwise see your work.
In addition to libraries, bookstores can also be a great place for getting more attention from readers. Since they have so much traffic going through them—bring a copy of your book with you when visiting and ask if they’d like to display it on their shelves.
How To Use Book Reviews to Promote Your Book
Once you have a few book reviews under your belt, it’s time to use them as an asset. The best way to promote your book is by using your reviews in any marketing materials you create. This means adding them to the back of your book, including them in press releases and advertising campaigns, blasting them on social media, email newsletters, and more.
Once you have a good amount of reviews, you can use them to get more. When you ask readers to review your book, add a link to your Amazon page along with the book cover. If they click through and leave feedback on your page, it’s likely that others will do so as well.
Then, be sure to use your reviews in your book’s description on Amazon and Goodreads. Include a few lines about each review, explaining why you think it is so positive and what readers will get out of it. This will help boost your sales by making readers more likely to purchase your book.
Now that you know how to get more book reviews, it’s time to put your plan into action. As with any marketing endeavor, the key to success is consistency. Keep reaching out to new readers and reviewers, and soon you’ll see your review numbers start to climb.
Do you need help getting started? Our team at Lucid Books can assist you in every step of the process, from developing a marketing strategy to identifying appropriate bloggers and other reviewers to grow your readership. Let us help you take your book marketing campaign up a notch!
Reach out to our team today to learn more about our book marketing services and partnership publishing opportunities.
