Book Promotion Articles | Self-Publishing Review

Why 5-Star Reviews Aren’t Ideal for Self-Published Authors

For self-published authors, Amazon customer reviews are more than just nice-to-have — they’re essential. They influence how often your book is shown to readers, how it ranks, and whether someone clicks “Buy Now” or keeps scrolling. While racking up five-star customer reviews may seem like the goal, a wall of perfect ratings can actually hurt more than help.

In fact, readers today are savvy enough to recognize when a book’s reviews seem “too good to be true.” If you want sustainable success as an indie author, focusing on authentic feedback rather than perfect ratings is key.

Why High Ratings Help

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Cate Baum2025-04-28T10:22:38+02:00April 27th, 2025|Categories: Features|Tags: Amazon News and Tips, Book Promotion Articles|

The Long-Term Value of Metadata: How to Best Choose Your Keywords, Categories, and Book Description

In the vast and often unforgiving landscape of self-publishing, the difference between a book that thrives and one that languishes in obscurity often comes down to something invisible to most readers: metadata. Like a hidden force, metadata determines how your book is discovered, who sees it, and whether it has a chance to claim a place in the hearts and libraries of readers worldwide.

For self-published authors, mastering keywords, categories, and book descriptions is not just an exercise in optimization – it is a necessity for survival in a marketplace where thousands of books are released daily.

Why Keywords and […]

Arthur2025-04-27T12:21:20+02:00March 22nd, 2025|Categories: Features, Resources|Tags: Book Promotion Articles|

How to Promote Your Book on Bluesky

The world of book promotion has always been tied closely to the latest trends in social media. In 2025, authors are grappling with major changes in the digital landscape, forcing them to rethink how they connect with readers, and how to convince those readers that their words are worth reading, their labors of love worth the scant price of a paperback. With ongoing controversies surrounding X (formerly Twitter) and the potential banning of TikTok in the United States, many authors are searching for reliable alternatives.

One rising star in this evolving space is Bluesky, a decentralized social platform that […]

Arthur2025-02-03T16:37:35+02:00February 3rd, 2025|Categories: Features, Resources|Tags: Book Marketing Advice and Tips, Book Promotion Articles, Social Media|

5 Tips For Promoting Your Book This Christmas

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Cate Baum2020-12-11T05:31:13+02:00December 9th, 2020|Categories: Features|Tags: Book Promotion Articles|

How To Get An Agent For My Book – Part One: The Submission Letter

Thousands of writers submit their books to literary agents every year, but only very few are chosen. Why is this, and how can you give yourself the best chance?

Part One: The Submission Letter

Literary Agents are jumpy as all hell. Slip up on one aspect of your submission and you’re written off forever. Sounds dramatic, but it’s true. Agents are like this because they get literally hundreds of crappy submissions every week. They can only sign one or two people a year. That is why you must follow their submission guidelines to the letter because they will probably only […]

Cate Baum2020-08-25T05:19:05+02:00August 18th, 2020|Categories: Features|Tags: Book Editing Tips, Book Promotion Articles|

How To Rank Higher on Amazon Without Selling Books

Seems like a dream, doesn’t it? Rank highly on Amazon, but sell no copies of your book? This very simple method of moving your book into a much more prominent position with minimal effort is the perfect way to get seen and sold.

Drowning in your Category

So why is it your book has sold a few copies, and yet you are still in the weeds on Amazon in your category? Simply, there are too many books in your category to ever be seen. The most full categories in Amazon are typically Science Fiction and Fantasy and Romance, and all […]

Cate Baum2020-06-25T08:10:33+02:00June 25th, 2020|Categories: Features|Tags: Amazon News and Tips, Book Promotion Articles|

How To Win A Book Contest – 7 Pitfalls To Avoid

This year’s SPR Awards has thrown up some points that we’d like to share with you to help you avoid the pitfalls when entering your book for a contest. You can take a look at the entrants here.

1. Book Covers

Time and time again we’ve said it, and time and time again, authors don’t listen. If you are selling a book, it needs to have a professional finish. If we are staking a reputation on a book by choosing it as a winner, it must have a well-designed book cover. That probably means not using a beloved drawing or […]

Cate Baum2020-04-09T08:39:07+02:00April 9th, 2020|Categories: Features|Tags: Book Promotion Articles, Writing Tips|

All About Book Reviews and Amazon – A Quick Guide and Rules

What reviews are allowed on Amazon?

There’s been some panic in the self-publishing streets about reviews being removed from Amazon and who is going to get sued for their reviews – and a lot of outrage blogging about Evil Amazon. Here’s a quick guide to why you should stop worrying too much and start understanding the different types of book reviews a little better.

There are three kinds of reviews on Amazon:

1. Customer Reviews

These are the reviews that Amazon is exercising their right, as a private company remember, to investigate more closely. What Amazon is trying to achieve […]

Cate Baum2020-02-21T06:33:58+02:00February 17th, 2020|Categories: Features|Tags: Amazon News and Tips, Book Promotion Articles, Book Reviews|