Launching your book on Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is a huge milestone. Congratulations! But now you’re asking the real question: how do you promote it so readers actually find it? The second week in, without any sales, can feel discouraging, but it’s also an opportunity to refine your strategy. Let’s walk through a practical plan.
Step #1: Make Sure Your Book Page is Solid
Before pouring time into marketing, check your Amazon book page. This foundation matters more than you might expect. Authors often find that even the best promo efforts underperform if the page isn’t compelling.
Ask yourself:
- Is the cover professional and genre-appropriate?
- Does the title/subtitle clearly communicate the book’s benefit or story?
- Is the description engaging, reader-focused, and formatted cleanly?
- Have you chosen relevant categories and keywords so Amazon’s algorithm can serve your book?
- Do you have early reviews (even just a few) so readers see buying signals?
If any of these parts are weak, fix them first. A strong page will improve conversion when you start driving traffic.
Step #2: Launch Visible Promotions
When the book is live, it’s time to create momentum. Here are promotion tactics others have found effective:
Use Amazon’s Built-In Tools
- If your book qualifies, enroll in KDP Select: the free promo or countdown deal can generate downloads and expose your book to more readers.
- Use Amazon Ads (Sponsored Products): start small, track performance, and focus on keywords that convert rather than just clicks.
- Optimize your Author Central page, ensuring your bio, photo, and links look polished.
Leverage Free or Discounted Deals
Promotions that lower the price or make the book free for a short time help you reach new readers and start generating reviews. Consider announcing it on social media and in reader groups during the promo period to boost visibility.
Step #3: Build Your Reader Base Outside Amazon
Sales today might be slow because readers don’t yet know you. Building a reader community gives you long-term leverage.
- Offer a free bonus (short story, worksheet, extra chapter) in exchange for email sign-ups. Then use your email list to talk about upcoming releases, behind-the-scenes stories, and special deals.
- Engage in social networks relevant to your genre. For example:
- Facebook groups or forum threads for your niche.
- Instagram or TikTok if your genre has visual appeal.
- Reddit communities where readers talk about books similar to yours.
- Share snippets of your writing journey, fan comments, and valuable insights rather than just “buy my book” messages. Authenticity builds trust.
Step #4: Track Performance and Adjust
Marketing isn’t “set it and forget it.” Monitor how things perform, then tweak.
Some metrics to watch:
- Click-through rate (CTR) on Amazon Ads or external links
- How many book page visits do you get vs. how many purchases (conversion rate)
- Which promotion channels bring traffic: ads, email list, and social posts
- Cost per acquisition (how much you spend for each sale) if you’re running paid ads
If something isn’t working (e.g., an ad gets clicks but very few purchases), pause it, rethink your copy/image, or try a different keyword or audience. If something does work, scale it up.
Final Word
Marketing your newly published Amazon book is a mix of setting a strong foundation, making smart promotional moves, building your audience, and learning from the data. Having 2 weeks without sales isn’t a failure; it’s just a pause. Treat this time as your launch runway.
Focus on:
- Making your book page as strong as possible.
- Running one or two visible promotional efforts.
- Building your reader community.
- Reviewing what’s working, and iterating.
You’ve got the book now… let’s make sure people read it. If you need help or have questions, feel free to reach out.
