3 Things That Keep You From Making KDP Sales
Hey there, fellow self-publishers! Are you feeling a little down about your KDP sales lately? Don't worry, you're not alone. It's a common struggle that many authors face. But have you ever wondered what might be holding you back from making more sales on Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing platform? Today, I'm going to share with you three things that could be keeping you from making KDP sales, and I'll even throw in some relatable stories to keep things fun.
1. Your book is not in the right category
Choosing the right category for your book is essential for getting it in front of the right readers. If your book is not in the correct category, it could be lost in a sea of similar titles, or worse, not show up in search results at all.
I have a story about this one. A client of mine once self-published a book that I thought was a young adult novel. She selected the young adult category on KDP and waited for the sales to roll in. But they didn't. After a few weeks, together we did some research and found that my book was not actually a young adult novel but a new adult novel. She quickly updated the category, and my book started to sell. Lesson learned: make sure you research and choose the correct category for your book.
2. Your book description is lacking
Your book description is another crucial element in making sales on KDP. It's your chance to hook the reader and convince them to click the "buy now" button. If your book description is lacking or doesn't accurately portray your story, you could be missing out on potential sales.
Here's a story for you:
I once stumbled upon a book with an intriguing cover, but when I read the description, it was confusing and didn't make much sense. I couldn't tell what the book was about, so I moved on to the next one. A few weeks later, a friend recommended the same book to me and raved about how great it was. I was surprised to hear this since I had dismissed it earlier. I asked her why she liked it so much, and she told me about the compelling storyline that was missing from the book's description.
Lesson learned: make sure your book description accurately represents your story and hooks the reader.
3. Your book cover is not eye-catching
You may have heard the old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Well, that may be true for people, but it's not true for books. Your book cover is the first thing a potential reader sees, and it's what makes them stop scrolling and take a closer look. So, if your book cover isn't eye-catching or doesn't accurately represent the content of your book, it could be turning readers away.
Let me tell you a little story about a friend of mine who recently self-published a book. She spent months writing and editing her manuscript and thought her book was ready to publish. But when she showed me the cover, I knew she was in trouble. It was a plain, white cover with black text. The title was barely visible, and there was no image or design to catch the eye. I had to break the news to her that her cover was not going to attract readers. She was hesitant to spend more money on a new cover, but I convinced her to invest in a professional design. After updating her cover, her book started to sell like hotcakes.
Lesson learned: a good cover can make or break your book sales.
In an upcoming post,, I’ll be breaking down the top MUST-HAVE eye-catching cover elements that will help you boost your book sales, so stay tuned.
Until then, happy publishing!