Tips for Self Promotion, Sales, and Advertising discussion

My Author Central page just went live, and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with it. What do you guys make of this new service? Will the old profile pages disappear? There's no 'friend' facility on this new page.

I've added the RSS thingie for two of my blogs, but what will happen to the blog posts already on Amazon book listings? How does anyone find these author pages?

I think this is my link:

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BMIDLS

Old blog posts don't appear?

They only have one of my books showing... apparently the other one has been added but has disappeared without a trace.

Mine just went live, too. According to a representative, all information from your previous Amazon Central page will be transferred to the new page. You can add books, suggest changes to bibliography, etc.
Here's my link: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BLJIQ8

I heard the blog postings will disappear from the product pages. Something about people putting links to purchase their books from sites other than Amazon and Amazon getting all pissy about it. (I think it was from an article I read from a twitter link, but I could be wrong.) It may be just a rumor but it definitely sounds like something Amazon would do.

Anyway, here's mine: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BM7QUW

You know what's stupid? My bibliography only shows my kindle books. Normally, that wouldn't be too annoying but Amazon took away the paperback link that used to appear on kindle product pages.

As for books disappearing and whatnot, this is only the beta version of AuthorCentral so I think we can expect quite a few bugs before all is said and done.

I added the RSS for my two blogs as well but neither one has shown up yet.

I just signed up for my Amazon Central page. That is what I really like about all of you. You are so helpful and those new to goodreads, like me, learn what is available for authors. I signed up for the blogs too, that would make me think they are available but it does state that no URL's or links are allowed to post in your blog other than your own website. It did say Once your account has been activated, you’ll be able to blog from Author Central. If you’re already blogging on your own, you can display those posts by adding an RSS feed. Otherwise, you can create a new blog here.

They say it takes up to 7 days to activate the account and build the site.

Gina wrote: "Will the old profile pages disappear? There's no 'friend' facility on this new page."

I think our profiles will change but not disappear. I mean, we are still Amazon customers after all. They'll probably take the blog and bibliography away. Anytime we do a review, list or guide it will still be part of our profile, as would our friends and favorites.

I should think...

I just signed up recently as well and my page has been activated.

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BMMXGO

I added my blog's RSS yesterday but it's not showing up yet.

Anyone know how to find these author pages? It says you should be able to search for the name and the link will show up in the results but I haven't seen that work yet. Am I missing something? When I click on my name that is linked to my reviews or my lists, it takes me to my user profile page. Is there a way to sync these two profiles?

Bernadette wrote: "Anyone know how to find these author pages?..."

I've been trying to figure that out. No luck so far.

My RSS feed seems to have kicked in. It seems that you have to make a post on your blog before it happens.

Gina wrote: "My RSS feed seems to have kicked in. It seems that you have to make a post on your blog before it happens."

That makes sense. That's what we had to do to make it kick in on our profiles.

Hi everyone, my new Amazon central page is activated now,
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BTB4FI

I won't get a chance to work on the blog until I get home the end of the month. I am on a travel blog to so want to connect them, but for now at least this is done.

www.travelabsurdities.com

I like the fieature. I'm guessing people who browse your book pages will be offered a link to the author page. Mine has my blog posts and both of my books listed. Very nice addition I think.
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BOJ8BU#...

I used the feedback thingie to suggest that they add a facility that allows writers to add their book trailers to their pages.

I hope we will be able to moderate blog comments on Amazon

I wonder if anyone can help me with my problem. I did not realise Amazon.co.uk was totally different from Amazon.com until recently. I have been using Amazon.com for all my tags, and that is where my seven reviews are shown. I have just learned that I have one review on Amazon.co.uk, but the seven on the other Amazon do not show on the uk one. This is confusing a reviewer of mine who could not understand why I couldn't see their review! We were obvioulsy looking on different pages. My tags do not appear on the uk one either. Can anyone tell me how I can even this up and have them both record all eight of my reviews, please?

CAROLE ... Since it doesn't happen automatically, your only recourse is to call amazon customer support and ask them if it is possible to make the link for you. I currently have the same issue between the paperback and Kindle editions of CASE CLOSED. I have asked, but do not yet have an answer. LEW

Thank you LEW for your comments. I'll try customer support and see if they can help. Trying to get help with this sort of problem is very frustrating, isn't it? I hope you get your answer soon.
Carole

CAROLE ... on amazon US, click HELP, click CONTACT US, sign in (you must be an amazon customer), click PHONE, enter your phone number and click CALL ME. The phone will be ringing as soon as you put it down. You are in America, right? I have no idea how this works in the UK or anywhere else. LEW

Lew wrote: "CAROLE ... on amazon US, click HELP, click CONTACT US, sign in (you must be an amazon customer), click PHONE, enter your phone number and click CALL ME. The phone will be ringing as soon as you put..."

Oh wonderful advice Lew, but no, I'm not in America, I'm in Australia, and I hate the telephone as I have a hearing problem. I see I have to be a customer before I can do anything. I'm a customer for the Amazon.com, but not for the Amazon.co.uk --- so I'll have to work on that before asking for their assistance! Thanks again for your help.
Carole

CAROLE ... have you ever heard of SKYPE. It costs 2 cents per minute to make internet calls to landlines almost anywhere in the world. LEW

Good advice. We use Skype for International call at my work all the time. The sound quality is very good and it works well for calling "across the pond".

Lew thanks for the Amazon info. Please let us know how your tagging gets resolved. You don't happen to know how to reach a live person at Createspace do you? :)

NANCY
I tried several times to no avail to speak to anyone at Createspace. After a detailed analysis I went back to the POD publisher who had done my first book, WingSpan Press. They were the best price for what I wanted (no marketing, since I am dubious about what you get anyway), and the service on CASE CLOSED was superb.
LEW

Hi Lew,
I like Createspace because I don't want any services, just books, but I will take a look at Wingspan Press to see what they offer. Thanks
Nancy

Lew, Sorry to hear you were having problems with CreateSpace they are definitely cheaper. I compared a 325 page between the two and the cost is $4.75 for CreateSpace and $6.80 for WingSpan - That's a savings of almost 30% which is huge related to the margins on books.

As for the new Amazon program - ya I think they will be moving the blogs off the book page (which will get lots of exposure) to your own page - which will only get exposure if someone already knows you. I'm really sorry to see them move this way.

-- Robin The Crown Conspiracy | Avempartha | Nyphron Rising (Oct 2009)

Lew,
I did look up Wingspan and will stick with Createspace. They make me crazy because you can't talk to anyone live and their shipping is limited to UPS, but like Robin says, they are considerably less expensive per book. We set up our own micro publishing company before doing this. I have ISBN numbers ($25 each) and bar codes, Library of Congress numbers (free) and copyrighting ($35). I have benefit of an editor and copy editor and my husband is a computer programmer so those parts are covered. Wingspan, even for their basic plan, charges fees, too.
Nancy

Robin wrote: "As for the new Amazon program - ya I think they will be moving the blogs off the book page (which will get lots of exposure) to your own page - which will only get exposure if someone already knows you. I'm really sorry to see them move this way."

I liked it when you could post different posts to different book pages. I had Japanese art posts going to the Utamaro Revealed listing, and funny posts going to the The Wonderful Demise of Benjamin Arnold Guppy listing. When they changed the blogs so that all posts went to all books, I couldn't post any longer... what would Japanese art lovers think if they clicked on the Utamaro book and saw a post about turnips?! So, for me I guess this is an improvement on having no blog at all.

The blog posts have disappeared from my book listings now, so it looks like it's all happening fairly quickly.

Carole wrote: "Lew wrote: "CAROLE ... on amazon US, click HELP, click CONTACT US, sign in (you must be an amazon customer),

LEW - I am already a customer of Amazon.com and have now become a customer of amazon.co.uk Today I ordered "The Time Cavern" by Todd Fonseca. all went well and that is on its way. I also contacted their help line and asked about the reviews and whether we can get them together on both of the amazon pages. No reply yet, too soon, I expect.

Carole, I don't think it's possible to have the Amazon.com reviews show up on Amazon.co.uk with the ratings and all that... I could be wrong, but I think the sites operate independently, have different policies, and there isn't a way of having your reviews migrate over to the UK site. I have an Amazon.com account, an Amazon France one and a UK one, and they all operate differently. I imagine that, as the author, you could submit the reviews to the UK site and have them pasted in the 'reviews' bit of the book blurb, along with your author info.

I'd be very happy to find out that I'm wrong here. I have ten reviews on the .com site and only four on the UK one. If they could migrate, I'd have fourteen, which would be cool.

Gina wrote: "Carole, I don't think it's possible to have the Amazon.com reviews show up on Amazon.co.uk with the ratings and all that... I could be wrong, but I think the sites operate independently, have diffe..."

Thanks for the feedback, Gina. If I get a reply from them, I'll let you know.

Jo-Anne wrote: "Lew wrote: "CAROLE ... have you ever heard of SKYPE. It costs 2 cents per minute to make internet calls to landlines almost anywhere in the world. LEW"

Good morning;

Wonderful discussion. I'm goi..."

I sent my thoughts on this subject in my query email to amazon.co.uk to say that if reviews could be counted as a selling tool, and many people seem to think they can, then it makes sense for the Amazon companies to allow free exchange of reviews in order to boost their own sales.

I still await their reply,
Carole

Hey all - here's my page:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BM7EC2
Carole, thanks for ordering the book on the UK site!
Last month was a good month for me on Amazon - almost 100 copies sold just from US Amazon online! Celebrating today!

Todd wrote: "Last month was a good month for me on Amazon - almost 100 copies sold just from US Amazon online! Celebrating today!"

That's great, Todd! Congratulations!!

Thanks Jaimey - it was a pleasant surprise!

Here is mine: http://www.amazon.com/Cliff-Ball/e/B0...

I don't like Amazon all that much because it doesn't seem very user friendly. The communities seem kind of willy nilly and don't seem very organized. Only my books on Kindle show up too, so that's annoying.

Todd wrote: "Last month was a good month for me on Amazon - almost 100 copies sold just from..."

Congratulations Todd! :o)

OK, here's the answer, folks.

====================
"Thank you for writing to Amazon.co.uk.

Unfortunately, we are unable to transfer reviews from Amazon.com to Amazon.co.uk.
Although we are affiliated, all reviews with Amazon.com are independent of reviews with Amazon.co.uk.

Reviews posted on Amazon.co.uk are submitted via the Amazon.co.uk site.

Thank you for your interest in Amazon.co.uk."
==================================
Any other ideas, anybody? Maybe we should try Gina's idea of author posting reviews they have received in the book blurb space.

Well done Todd -- over what period of time did that 100 sell?

Hey Todd,

Congratulations are in order: 100 in 1 month from 1 site deserves a celebration....To the 'Time Cavern' everybody--brilliant stuff!

ciao Stuart

Congratulations Todd!!! Wishing you continued success!
Kathy

The blog was supposed to disappear from your profile and product pages. It's another one of Amazon's "control" issues. You should still be able to post in the forum.

Carole wrote: "OK, here's the answer, folks.

====================
"Thank you for writing to Amazon.co.uk.

Unfortunately, we are unable to transfer reviews from Amazon.com to Amazon.co.uk.
Although we are affil..."

Hi Carole - the 100 was for one month!

And thanks for the well wishes from all of you - You are a great supportive community!

Author Central: Yes it looks like the blogs are now moving/moved over - I really don't like that they did this - makes it harder for the writer to get the word out as I doubt only "existing" fans will look at an author's page but "potential" buyers will look at the book pages.

Todd - Congrats on the 100 in a month. I use booklert to track a number of titles and you've been having great reankings.

For UK - ya the two sites are independent so only people who buy in the UK can review in the UK.

How does anyone go about finding an author page? I have mine bookmarked or I can't find my way back 0_o

I'm sure there is a search - though I don't know what it is. When I click on the link of his name when looking at a book page - I get the author page so if you go to...

http://www.amazon.com/Crown-Conspirac...

And click on the name you get...

http://www.amazon.com/Michael-J.-Sull...

I think I must be clicking on the wrong thing... I click on the author name and get a list of the books by that author for sale on Amazon.

Robin, I did click on the second link and go directly to Michael's page. I notice that there are web addresses in the biog. The guidelines say not to include them... I'm a bit reluctant to include mine in case they close my page down.

Gina wrote: "I think I must be clicking on the wrong thing... I click on the author name and get a list of the books by that author for sale on Amazon."

I just clicked on the author name and got the same thing you did, Gina.

Those who have Author Central pages, have you noticed there are no tags on books. I inquired and was told it is Amazon's policy to not list tags for books on these pages, though the tags are on the book's detail page. Sounds like another dumb policy to me. Anything drawing attention to a book on any page should be to the advantage of both the writer and Amazon.

I don't think my page is working properly at the moment. I have reviews disappearing and then reappearing, and my blog posts are being imported over and over again, so there are several of the same ones. Me thinks there are a lot of wrinkles to be ironed out yet.

I also have multiple blog posts and not even my most recent.

I did notice, however, that you can now reach the author page from the book pages.

From message 42:
"I really don't like that they did this - makes it harder for the writer to get the word out as I doubt only "existing" fans will look at an author's page but "potential" buyers will look at the book pages."

I agree with this!!! I have a book that is consistently under 4,000 in the sales rank, yet not many people would search for me by name. Before I was able to let customers know about my follow up book right on the detail page. I've seen the sales of my follow up book drop dramatically over the last 2 months and now I know why! Not only does this affect me, it also affects Amazon.

I think we all need to encourage Amazon to add a feature to the detail pages that lists other books by a particular author. I did this today and hopefully it will be routed to the proper group - it's difficult to find who to send suggestions to.

Wow - you folks have got some stuff working. I am new to Amazon author page, and it seems okay. I am a bit of a skeptic, given my book is a technical book, that this will help get my book below the 2,000,000 or so point. My author page is:

http://www.amazon.com/Jon-M.-Quigley/...

This could be another good or interesting site for everybody:
http://booktour.com/