SFFMP 179: Marketing Wide vs Marketing in Kindle Unlimited + Turning Strangers into Super Fans

We had a great chat with David Gaughran this week. He’s a historical fiction author who dabbles in science fiction now and then, and when he’s not writing fiction, he’s keeping an eye on the publishing scene and analyzing what’s working for authors who are going wide and selling well on Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, etc. and also what’s working for those who are sticking with Amazon exclusivity and Kindle Unlimited.

We chatted about all that and also about the tactics he outlines in his new book, Strangers To Superfans and some of the mistakes authors are making.

Here are a few specifics of what we discussed:

• Using “Audience Insights” on Facebook to figure out who your Ideal Reader is.
• Why David recommends Stephen King’s On Writing.
• Realizing that you can choose to sell your books all over the world or to be exclusive with Amazon but that whether you’re in Kindle Unlimited or not, you’re affected by it.
• Why David prefers a lower spend over time rather than blowing a bunch of money on Facebook advertising in a couple of days.
• He’s open to doing boosted posts to get more followers but says you shouldn’t advertise for likes.
• Making sure to mention your Facebook page at the end of your books, so you can get your readers to like and follow (and you’re later able to get more complete demographic information on your fans).
• Understanding that “most digital advertising platforms actively reward good targeting through delivering cheaper clicks or free exposure for well targeted ads.”
• Realizing that if you’re not in KU, you’re competing with people who are earning more (70% on 99 cent books during Countdown Deals) and can afford to spend more on advertising.
• How Kindle Unlimited has a separate recommendation engine for subscribers.
• Taking advantage of places where fewer people are being advertised to, such as countries and platforms where Amazon KU isn’t a thing.
• Advertising something written for mass appeal versus something written for a smaller niche audience.
• What David calls the Discoverability Myth and why we shouldn’t get caught up in it.
• Being careful not to confuse the Amazon algorithms or mess up your also-boughts when you launch a book, especially if you’re switching genres.
• The different types of advertising that work for Kindle Unlimited books versus books on all the platforms, a steady drip versus a big blast.
• Some mistakes David sees “wide” authors making (those who are marketing books on Apple, B&N, Kobo, etc.).
• Best practices for mailing list building and emailing subscribers.

Visit David’s blog to stay up to date on Amazon, scammers, and nefarious entities taking advantage of authors, as well as other important topics that he feels compelled to write about. If you sign up for his mailing list, you can get his book, Amazon Decoded: A Marketing Guide to the Kindle Store.

Also, pick up a copy of Strangers To Superfans: A Marketing Guide to the Reader Journey.

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