Tips for Author Reviews on Amazon
Like most authors, I’m a huge fan of independent book stores. Nothing beats that intimate, eclectic, community atmosphere for discovering a new book, attending an author event, or meeting up with a friend for a coffee—and, contrary to the narrative, many book stores are thriving. But, also like most authors, the majority of my book sales are on Amazon. So getting both quantity and quality of Amazon reviews is important—not to mention the best thing readers can do to support their favorite authors.
Unfortunately, Amazon reviews can be a bit of a black box. Almost every author I speak with is frustrated by how difficult it is to get legitimate reader reviews, let alone the vagaries of the Amazon review process. Readers are frustrated too, many of whom are mystified when their thoughtfully-crafted reviews never appear on the site.
Although Amazon has posted guidelines for customer reviews and rankings, they face a challenging problem: fake reviews. Many authors are approached by shady operators offering paid reviews. I’ve even heard stories of fraudsters attempting to extort money from authors by threatening to flood their page with negative reviews. So I appreciate Amazon at least attempting to enforce a review process that ensures authenticity—even if one of the factors they most heavily consider is whether the reviewer purchased the book on Amazon.
So, for my friends, followers, and readers who have asked about the best way to write a review for any of my books on Amazon, I put together this:
Top 10 Tips for Writing an Amazon Book Review
Writing a review on Amazon is fast and easy. But there are some common objections, questions, and problems people raise, particularly those who have never posted a review for any product on Amazon. Here are my top 10 tips to assuage those concerns:
“I don’t know what to say.” — This is an easy one: say whatever you think. Amazon values authenticity, as do other prospective readers (and authors themselves!). So whatever you want to say is the right thing to say. Just explain what you liked or disliked. Be respectful, but be honest.
“Will the author ‘like’ the review?” — For independent authors (those who most need reader reviews!), many of the reviewers may know the author personally. Even if not, a reviewer can often feel sensitive critiquing someone else’s work. While it’s important to keep your review constructive, most authors I know want honest reviews. In fact, being specific and respectful in your comments can help other readers find books they will like. Imagine sitting down with the author for a cup of coffee and telling them politely what you think.
“I submitted a review, but I don’t see it.” — This is one of the most common problems reviewers encounter. Amazon has an automated and human review process to discourage “fake” reviews. So sometimes it takes a while for a review to appear live on the site. The more sincere, truthful, and trustworthy your review, the more likely it is to get approved. Reviews are also much more likely to get approved if you are logged in to Amazon as yourself, and have spent at least $50 on Amazon in the last 12 months. If it still doesn’t appear, it’s possible the post violates Amazon’s community guidelines (the biggest of which is creating, editing, and removing reviews in exchange for money). Usually, if you give it a few days, it will appear.
“Do I have to give it 5 stars?” — Definitely not. Give the book the number of stars you think it deserves. Obviously, authors always appreciate 5-star reviews, but I’d much rather have someone take the time to post any review, even if a 4 or 3 or 1, than no review at all. Again, it’s useful to be specific. If giving a book one star, don’t just say “it sucks,” say what elements of the story, plot, characters, etc. didn’t resonate for you.
“I don’t have time” — Yes, you do. If you really don’t want to compose a written review, you can simply give the book a star rating. It takes two seconds. Click on the “Write a customer review” button, give it a star rating, click “Submit” and you’re done.
“Do I need to buy the book on Amazon?” — No, anyone can post a review. But Amazon does give preference to “Verified Purchase” reviews (when the review is posted by someone who purchased the book on Amazon and “paid a price available to most Amazon shoppers”), approving them faster and featuring them more prominently. While this policy can be seen as self-serving for Amazon, it is also the most effective way of discouraging pay-for-review schemes.
“Can I post anonymously?” — You can (by clicking the “Edit” button next to your name at the top of the page), but I don’t recommend it. Although Amazon allows you to change your reviewer name from your default user name, in my experience such reviews are more likely to be flagged as fake and never appear on the site.
“What if I haven’t read the book yet?” — Besides a review, the best thing you can give an author is simply to read their work. Between e-books and audiobooks, it’s easier than ever to get through your “to-read” list. Obviously, Amazon has no way of knowing if you have truly read a book or not, but your review will be less helpful to prospective readers if you haven’t read the book yet.
“Do I have to write something long and literary?” — No. Amazon recommends reviews be at least 20 words, but that’s nothing. Nobody is judging you for misspellings or grammatical mistakes. PS, have you seen the internet? ;)
“I hate Amazon. I support indie bookstores.” — Look, I get it. Authors and readers love to hate Amazon and all the ways it has changed the book industry. I support my local indie bookstores whenever I can. But the reality is Amazon drives the vast majority of sales for every book title. And, unlike a local store, authors can advertise their books on Amazon to drive sales. And having lots of high-quality Amazon reviews helps those ads convert.
So if you’ve read something you loved or want to support an author, but haven’t yet written a review, hopefully this list helps. Feel free to add comments with additional concerns or recommendations for effective Amazon reviews below. Happy reading (and reviewing!)