KDP has been the knight in shining armor for authors everywhere because the need for traditional publishing houses has been all but eliminated. Why?
The authors of today want (and have) FULL CONTROL over the countless aspects of the publishing process, if not all of it.
KDP has allowed authors to embrace the new status of CEO.
Yet, what sometimes gets swept under the rug is KDP’s expansive and extensive reach. While having one of the largest U.S. audiences, Amazon KDP has just as strong potential to reach global audiences like Europe, Canada, Australia, Asia, and more.
So now, let’s talk about how to leverage the international side of your business.
Gearing Up for Success
When expanding globally, be mindful of language and cultural differences. For example, if your book contains a lot of slang or obscure cultural references, keep in mind that your global audience may not pick up on it at all.
As a result, your book’s appeal may flounder and flop.
The best bet would be to consider having your book translated into other languages, thereby drastically increasing its potential reach.
Keyword research
Keyword research is forever and always going to be a mainstay of a good marketing/launch program. When it comes to global platforms, research popular categories and keywords for the countries you’re trying to target. Thankfully, Amazon’s category browser will help you see all available categories in one neat, nice page.
And now, the question of price.
Pricing your book competitively can be a major factor in your sales and overall engagement - it’s something you’re going to want to put some serious time and research into. KDP will allow you to see prices in different currencies and it’s essential to price your book strategically for each market.
This way you can reach key titles in each region to get a clearer idea of acceptable margins.
For example, a book that costs $15 in the U.S. might be considered within the normal range. That same price, in say Thailand, Malaysia, or Mexico might be outrageously expensive!
It’s not enough just to take your country’s market value and translate it into another currency. You MUST do your due diligence and research what the average cost of a book is in that country’s own currency.
Utilize Advertising
Royalty Hero touches upon this point very heavily. Sean teaches that it is both crucial and beneficial to branch out into other markets and run multiple ad sets. (he runs ads in the US, Canada, and the UK.)
As a result, this will allow you to grow in reach, popularity, and awareness.
Fortunately, Amazon Ads is available to ALL KDP authors. It’s also very simple to use, cheap, and offers dizzyingly high conversions. It’s essentially giving you a platform for a growing investment.
With its cost-per-click bidding feature, you’ll be able to pay when someone clicks on your ad and you can also target specific regions.
Fair warning - do be mindful that successful advertising campaigns require meticulous attention and research, as well as the occasional trial and error. It’s all part of the learning process.
Key Factors about Amazon and KDP
It’s crucial for you to know that once you enroll in KDP Select, your book becomes part of the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library and Kindle Unlimited. These services are also available in several countries, which gives your book a significant boost on the international market.
This means that once you publish your book through KDP, it is automatically available in all of Amazon’s thirteen global stores…. And that, my friends, is INCREDIBLY powerful.
It’s important to note that each of these stores also operates somewhat independently, meaning each store has its own best-seller lists and reviews. So what’s posted on one store, doesn’t show up on the others.
This is why it's in your best interest to run targeted promotional campaigns in these different regions, to help you climb to the best-seller lists in each and every one.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that the world is your oyster…it’s time to crack it open and reap the rewards!