As someone who makes a living writing books, I read a lot. I mean, a LOT.
So when I started making the majority of my money through the Amazon Kindle Select publishing program, it only made sense to pay the $80 a year for the Kindle Unlimited program.
And to be fair, it has already more than paid for itself in the few months I’ve been a KU subscriber. Several times over, if I’m being honest. Anyhoo, this is definitely not an Amazon commercial, so let’s move on, shall we?
The reason I shared that info with you is my next point: I read a lot of Kindle ebooks. And it turns out to be a smart practice for me – and for the Great Kindle Publishing Experiment.
Why’s that?
The KU program gives me the option to impulse buy any ebook that’s in the program. And that’s a LOT of books.
Why does my ability to pick up books on impulse benefit me as a Kindle author?
Simple: by analyzing the books I grab, I can figure out what caused me to buy them.
So, according to what I’m gathering, there are three main factors, outside outside of the standard SEO and “you might also like” type stuff.
A few observations on what makes me buy an ebook.
A Kick-Ass Title – Truth be told, the title will make or break you.
Use High-Impact Emotional Trigger Words – certain words naturally evoke a stronger response in most people than others. I’m working on a list of my own, but in the meantime there are tons of great free resources available for writers already out there. Check out the related links at the end of this article for a couple of them.
A Striking Cover – Get my attention!
Yes, the cover matters. A LOT. Almost more than the title. A cover that stands out from the others is important. For me (and lots of others, according to my research), a characerature or cartoon on the cover tends to draw the eye. Ultimately, certain color combinations and the level of professionalism in the cover design matters.
A Powerful Book Description – Now that you’ve got my attention…get my money.
A good description can make me spend money every time. Every ebook I’ve ever bought on impulse had a really strong description that not only included those emotional trigger words but also made me want to know more.
Reviews – Show me people are reading it and getting something out of it.
This is not the first thing I’ll look at but it definitely affects my decision to buy (especially if the book isn’t enrolled in the KDP Select program and I have to shell out actual cash for it). If reviews are very mixed, I’ll check out the negative ones first, every time. Depending on how specific they get and whether I believe them or not, I might also read some of the good ones before I walk away.
