"Should I advertise my other books in my current one?"
It's a frequent question from new writers and publishers.
Easy answer: Yes!
You absolutely can advertise your other books within your most recently uploaded offerings.
Nuanced answer: Absolutely! But…
You need to do it correctly; if you're not, you're leaving growth potential on the table and endangering your standing with Amazon KDP.
It’s like the movie Inception, but less confusing and without the irritating "Does the top fall over?!" question.
One thing is for sure: you don’t want to be shouting “BUY MY BOOK!” for all to hear.
It’s all about taking that subtle and tactful approach when addressing your existing audience.
But… how?!
More importantly, how do you execute proper marketing without Amazon KDP penalizing you?
Before we get into the HOW, let’s address the WHY.
Why Advertise in Your Own Books?
Why would you advertise your existing books within your new book?
Err…. to tell readers about the books you've already authored while you have their undivided attention.
By reading one of your books, they've already shown interest in what you have to offer. They’ve connected with your perspective, your voice, and your process. The likelihood that they'll want to read more from you is at an all-time high.
You may be hesitant, thinking this strategy is only permitted if your book is part of a larger series, but that's just not true.
Whether your other books are in a series or not, you can – and should – mention any of the other offerings you've authored while you have the reader's attention and assumed buy-in.
Okay, now for that pesky “How?”
Here's an example of “The How” to get you started –
Say you've created a new coloring book…
Now, let's assume you also have two other coloring books and a Dad-Joke book available.
You’ll want to mention these three books (by name and with an Amazon link; we'll get more into this later) on the last page of your current offering.
You could write something like, "If you enjoyed this book, please check out my others. Available on [insert delivery steams here], and anywhere fine coloring and joke books are sold.”
Keep your ad concise and not too "salesy" and ensure you’re executing while you have the audiences in the mindset to consume more of your content.
Now, just because you're advertising directly through your books doesn't mean you should stop marketing on Amazon KDP.
Doing both is recommended and can act as a force multiplier.
The more you tell people about your content, the more successful your publishing business becomes.
So now you might be asking…
How Do I Advertise While Remaining Amazon KDP Compliant?
Great question. We don't want to bite the hand that feeds us.
KDP is designed to promote its authors and their books. They want you to sell more books so that they sell more books. Further marketing your offerings helps them achieve these aims.
As discussed earlier, you'll end your book with a page listing your other offerings.
List your other books, starting with offerings and titles adjacent to the book they're currently enjoying. Something like:
"If you enjoyed this, check out other offerings by [Author / Imprint name ],
Dad Jokes 2021 [Amazon KDP Linked]
Dad Jokes 2022 [Amazon KDP Linked]
Dad Jokes 2023 [Amazon KDP Linked]
Coloring Books 101 [Amazon KDP Linked]
Coloring Books 102 [Amazon KDP Linked]
It's VERY IMPORTANT to include your Amazon links!!!
Make it easy for readers to view and purchase directly from this page of your book. You DON’T want people leaving the Amazon KDP ecosystem to buy from a competitor.
A significant advantage of eBooks is that you can easily go back and update links and titles to include new items as your library grows.
This strategy is especially effective for evolving story series or books that will likely have new editions or annual releases (E.G., "The 2023 Book of Dad-Jokes" to be followed by "The 2024 Book of Dad-Jokes", and so on.)
It's your duty to keep alerting readers to new and exciting offerings. It creates a reason for them to return and provides a sense of legitimacy by showing you update regularly and aren't some "one-and-done" dilettante (a fancy word for a one-hit-wonder.)
The best voice to sing your praises is your own, so do all you can to grow your reader base and get the word out about your other works.
All that's required now is some gentle guidance on the tips, tricks, and nuances that ensure growth without wasting time and effort or, worse yet—running afoul of Amazon KDP's algorithms.
We understand that while growing your readership, you may feel overwhelmed. That’s normal, to get back on track, simply refer to back to the steps and processes laid out in Royalty Hero and if you haven’t taken advantage of the course yet, there’s never a better time to learn new tactics and build a strategic foundation for success than right now.