HelloBooks gets 4.5/5 stars; it’s great for authors who self-publish eBooks on Amazon Kindle and want to get their books more publicity.
At the time of this article, there are over 50,000 results for “free Kindle eBooks” on the Amazon site. New authors often find this discouraging. With so many options, how will readers find your book? Is the marketing in your hands alone? And is it even possible to reach readers when the market is so saturated?
Enter HelloBooks, a weekly newsletter highlighting free and $0.99 eBooks to the readers who will love your book the most. HelloBooks is a relatively new site, leaving readers and authors with plenty of questions about what it is, how it works, and (most importantly) whether it’s worth your time and attention.
- Is HelloBooks real?
- How does HelloBooks work?
- Is HelloBooks worth it?
- Increase your book sales with HelloBooks
Is HelloBooks real?
Yes, HelloBooks is a legitimate website, not a scam. HelloBooks is run by Written Word Media, a marketing company that has worked with thousands of authors to promote their books. HelloBooks was created to match authors who have published their work on Amazon Kindle to reach readers looking for up-and-coming authors. HelloBooks only works with authors who:
- Are published on Amazon Kindle
- Have their books listed for free or $0.99 (or are willing to reduce to free or $0.99) for all readers
- Have a 3.5 or higher rating (exceptions are made for new releases)
- Write in English
- Pass an editorial review
This means that not every author will be able to work with HelloBooks. If your book does meet the criteria for entry, though, your book will be promoted to hundreds of people on the HelloBooks email list!
HelloBooks is one of a few sister companies through Written Word Media, each targeting a specific type of book. Some focus on books listed for more than $0.99, others are specific to genre, others only handle audiobooks, etc. If your book doesn’t meet the criteria to be shared on HelloBooks, check Written Word Media’s site to see if you qualify for other promotions.
How does HelloBooks work?
HelloBooks connects authors with readers through their Friday newsletter. Readers sign up at the link on the homepage of the HelloBooks website with their email and the genres they love to read. Then, HelloBooks sends them books by featured authors. They can download whichever books they like the look of!
HelloBooks doesn’t plagiarize work or send out books without the author’s consent, and it’s not a loaning program like Libby. It links authors directly to the Amazon listing for the book so they can download and keep the book. This exposes readers to new books and new authors that they might not have found otherwise. Readers also get a chance to grab a free or $0.99 copy of an ebook that’s usually listed at a higher price.
How does HelloBooks work for authors?
Authors can apply to be featured in the HelloBooks emails on the HelloBooks site. You should already know which genre of book you want to promote, and whether you plan to list it for free or for $0.99. You’ll go through and select the genre of your book, the date you would like for it to be featured, and a jpg, jpeg, gif, or png of your book’s cover.
You’ll get an email letting you know whether your book was accepted, as well as confirming the date that your promo will run. Promotions with HelloBooks range from $35 – $50, depending on the genre, the price of your book, and whether you’re already a Gold or Platinum member of Written Word Media.
Once your book has been promoted by HelloBooks, you can’t run it again for 30 days to keep a rich variety in the books they promote. However, you can run additional promotions under a pen name or with other book listings you have on Amazon.
Is HelloBooks worth it?
Is HelloBooks worth the entry fee? Absolutely. Even for free eBooks, you can end up turning a profit with HelloBooks. The more downloads your book gets, the higher it’ll rise in the Amazon search rankings. As your book gains popularity, you can raise the price for future downloads. Offering free or $0.99 eBooks also allows readers to get a taste for your work, leading them into higher-priced eBooks, audiobooks, and physical copies of your book.
You might not hit a home run on your first try, but many authors get dozens of downloads from their feature. For $0.99 books, this easily recoups the entry cost, and for free books, those downloads can boost your work much higher in the Amazon rankings than self-promoting alone.
Authors can request to be added to the email list when their book is featured and can share HelloBooks on their social media or with their own reader list to boost their book even more! Many authors announce when they’ll be featured, meaning your book could be boosted by an author featured alongside you. Win-win!
Increase your book sales with HelloBooks
Getting new readers to pick up your book is always a challenge. There are literally hundreds of thousands of books you have to stand out from, and sometimes you need a helping hand. With HelloBooks, your book is one of just a handful of options. And some HelloBooks readers download all of the books from their weekly email list rather than picking just one!
HelloBooks places your book in front of readers who are looking for authors just like you. Boosting your sales couldn’t be easier!
Check out some of our other reviews for authors:
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