My fabulous Virtual Assistant Geri Lafferty told me to snag my Amazon Central Author Page a few weeks ago. Last night, my husband, Tom,an expert on SEO (search engine optimization) and Google searches echoed her suggestion. Tom often tells me what to do–and his advice works–I usually come up first and second place for searches on “writing coach,” “book writing coach” and “book proposal coach” on Google. I finally hopped to it, staying up past midnight to complete it.
No. That’s not because it was complicated at all. It’s because I started on the project around 11:30 pm and couldn’t figure out my RSS feed blog address (I finally got smart, e-mailed my web guy at BoomTown Internet and heard back first thing this morning) !
It will take you anywhere from 15 – 45 minutes, depending on whether you already have a bio you like. You can import your twitter feeds, blog posts, upcoming events and even videos (that’s the part I still need to complete).
Yes, any links are “No Follow” which means you may not get credit with Google for them but here are 3 reasons to do it anyway:
1. Amazon Author Central provides sales data for your book(s) from Bookscan. Okay, this is huge. When distributors stopped making sales data available to authors a few years back it meant that the only data you got was from your publisher. Have you ever tried to read a publisher’s report? Confusing, and not terribly detailed. In contrast, Amazon Author Central provides sales data over a period of time, by geography and Amazon ranking. While Bookscan data does not reflect all sales, it includes about 75% or more. This is awesome.
2. The Internet rewards those who reach out to their tribe (readers) wherever their tribe hangs out. If your tribe hangs out at Amazon, you want a presence and you want to be approachable and interactive. And does your audience hang out at Amazon? I should hope so, if you want them to buy your book.
3. You can offer several ways for new readers and existing fans to interact with you, meeting their specific needs and interests: blog, twitter feeds, videos, etc. You can even start a discussion with your readers.
Sold? Check out my Author Central Page to see how I did it. (and please give me a like while you’re there). Then, start your Amazon Author Central Page today and set it up with your bio, book(s), photo, twitter and blog feeds, etc. and tell me what you like most about it. Share your link here as well, so we can look you up and like you!
I just saw your post and wanted to know how I could do the same thing.. Because my new book titled ” How I Turned My Disbility Into An A$$et” is almost ready to go to print. This will be followed up by my autobiography.. titled for now “Who Is This Man.. Fantastic Frank?” plus my comic book titled the Young Explorers is now available for sale and the second issue will be shortly.
LOVE
FF
A great title and gets me curious! Good luck. Did you put up your author page?
It seems you cannot have an Amazon Author Page unless you have a book available for purchase on the Amazon.com website. Selecting the book creates the account.
Another great reason to get your book written and PUBLISHED.
When Amazon’s Author Central has “Total Units: 61, yet on the sales by geography map has 117 ares with 2 copies sold in each combined area, plus one area having 59 copies sold, it is confusing. What does it mean by “Total Units?” Is that how many books are sold or books per unit? I”m confused. If you want I can send you a print-screen of the sales by geography map of my book sales. If I am reading this correct, then my print sales are well over 300 in 10 weeks, which means my e-book may be equal to that or double which puts my book sales at over 1,000 in the first 10 weeks. I’m a newbie, this is my first book and outrageous, it must be a mistake on my part.
Definitely contact Amazon to ask them Kristina–and congratulations. What’s the name of your book?
Hi, thank you for trying to answer my question but you do see the confusion don’t you? It seems like I can assume 2 copies sold for each shaded area, and 59 for my hometown area because I know who the 59 are. I bought them off Amazon and sold them as signed to those who requested them. Long story, but, doesn’t that make sense? So, according to that, I figure 117 times 2 plus 59 equals 293 times 1.25 because Neilsen BookScan reports 75% which is s total of,366 print copies sold in less than 10 weeks. If that is the case and e-copies usually double print copies, conservatively speaking, that is 732 e-books, plus the 366 which brings it to 1098 in 10 weeks. I could be way off on the e-books, even so, at one to one, that is still over 700. This is why I’m confused. I am a newbie nobody and this is my debut book. Does that blow your mind? This is why I think I may have done this wrong, it sounds too good to be true. On the other hand, when the Lord ordains something, look out! Here is a link to my book on Amazon as it is now. I am revising and will be republishing under Amazon CreateSpace most likely. http://www.amazon.com/Bipolar-Im-Just-Fruitcake-Dream-ebook/dp/B00ARE0L9Y
The Today Show is doing a series on parents of estranged adult children. I am the ONLY author that I can find who has written a book about the aftermath of that family devastation. This is a silent epidemic as told by Dr. Joshua Coleman who’s sole goal is to get this out. I want to blow the lid off this epidemic and hoping the Lord has chosen my vehicle to do it. It is a touching, heart-wrenching and funny book. We all need to laugh more don’t you think? We have enough sadness in this world. We truth, candor, transparency, laughter, and to be uplifted and encouraged to achieve that which God has prepared for us. I hope you will check it out.
Blessings,
Kristina