Reviews are not the only thing that impacts book sales – and, in fact, their power is affected by things like your genre, reputation, even your marketing efforts, but there is no doubt that positive reviews are important. And what you do with these positive reviews is critical.
Reviews help you to build credibility, attract readers, and (ultimately) boost sales, but you need to leverage them beyond their standard role of just providing feedback on the quality of your book.
I’ve worked with writers who get great feedback, or even win awards, and they shout about them once on their Instagram stories and then park them. How much more powerful could they be if you used them as a marketing tool? Well, this is what I think…
1. Social Proof
Positive reviews are endorsements by past readers that will influence the purchasing decisions of potential readers. In marketing we call this ‘social proof’ or, in pre-digital speak, Word Of Mouth Marketing.
When readers see multiple positive reviews from credible sources, they are more likely to trust the book’s value and be willing to invest in it. That’s why it’s important when you share a review you need to include the person’s name and the place this review was left. Otherwise, we sceptics out there will think ‘Oh, their mum just said it to them.’
ACTION: When you share reviews as proof that your book is great, include proof that the review is REAL.
2. Algorithm Gold
Online reviews can have a real impact on a book’s position in search results both on search engines, and in places like Amazon and Goodreads.
If the reviews are posted on reputable platforms (Waterstones, Barnes & Noble, Amazon etc.) then search engines like Google will include these positive reviews in their ranking algorithm, and we all know that ecommerce sites will prioritise books with more positive reviews.
ACTION: Point people to your preferred place for reviews, so they all leave them in one place and you build a big bank of reviews, rather than have a few dotted in different places.
3. Engaged Readers
Engaging with readers by responding to reviews can also be a valuable way to build relationships and foster a loyal fanbase. When you reply to a review, no matter if it’s positive or negative, you are showing how committed you are to giving your readers what they want, and that you value their feedback. This can help to create a sense of community around the book and encourage readers to share their experiences with others.
ACTION: Respond to reviews as soon as they come in, and try to be unique in your answers rather than using cookie-cutter responses.
How to Encourage Reviews
You can be proactive and encourage readers to leave feedback without being, well, salesy about it. Here are a few tips:
- Always include a call to action: Add a clear request for reviews in the book itself, on your website, and on your social media posts/channel.
- Make it easy to review: Provide links to your preferred review platform and make the review process as simple as possible.
- Offer incentives: Consider offering incentives, such as giveaways or discounts, to encourage readers to leave reviews, but BE WARNED, this is unacceptable to some review websites and can get your reviews taken down, so CHECK FIRST.
- Respond to reviews promptly: Show your appreciation for reviews by responding to them promptly and thoughtfully and this will encourage potential reviewers to leave their own thoughts, safe in the knowledge that it means a lot to you.
I teach an entire workshop on managing negative reviews – mentally and practically, so if this is a big fear of yours, get in touch. Otherwise, look out for my next article on reviews soon where I’ll tackle some of the challenges of ‘when reviews go wrong’!
Your story matters, so go tell it.
J x
