Learn about Amazon Algorithms for Free

“Amazon is more than just a retailer: it is a search engine as well as a book discoverability website. In fact, it’s the world’s leading search engine for books, where the majority of buyers go to find their next read.”

— Reedsy site

Reedsy is offering a short, free introductory course for those interested in using Amazon advertising for their books. The course covers the following topics:

• The fundamentals of how the algorithms work

• How to optimize your product page for the algorithm

• How to pick the right categories and keywords

• How to ascend the various lists on the Kindle store

• The right way to launch your book

Amazon KDP now printing in Australia

After years of printing in the US and shipping all the way to Oz, Amazon has finally opened a printery in Australia to service print on demand customers. This is very good news for independent authors, especially that subset who want to concentrate on Amazon. IngramSpark’s service has many pluses, but it interposes a layer between the author and Amazon, and costs a good deal more, particularly when authors wish to upload updated book files. With the new printing facility, Australian authors will finally be able to order author proofs and copies.

With the new printery, postage costs will be reduced and turnaround times improved. Here is the Amazon page addressing the topic.

POD Providers Head to Head Battle

Book discovery and author resources service Reedsy runs the big print on demand providers (IngramSpark. Bookbaby, KDP print, Blurb and D2D Print) head to head. They have many interesting points to make (read it all) but in the end boil it down to the following formulationL

Upload to Amazon KDP for listing on Amazon, and opt out of extended distribution. Then upload also to IngramSpark for all other platforms and bookstore discoverability and orders.

This essentially mirrors the advice given by several prominent independent authors. An additional point not covered in the article is that non-American authors printing with KDP have to consider the issue of printing offshore and huge postal costs. For Australian authors, using the IngramSpark platform with local printing can make a lot of sense, with volume discounts for print runs and refund of the title setup fee if more than 50 copies are ordered.

Amazon/KDP Not Posting Discounted Print Copies to Australia....

An interesting thread about Amazon’s refusal to send discounted author copies to Australia. Naturally this policy is driving local authors into the arms of IngramSpark, Blurb or Lulu. As we have posted before, there is still a strong argument to be made for uploading to both services.