Diversifying for Discoverability – Pt.2

By M.J. Moores on July 10, 2015 • ( 1 )

Publicity Tip #93 ~

In the past few years it’s become common knowledge that if you can get an e-version of your book into the virtual marketplace then you’re making your writing available to twice as many potential readers (1/2 of all book sales are eBooks).

But then you need to decide whether you want to stick with only one platform (Kindle Unlimited via Amazon) or diversify with a farther-reaching distribution method.

One way is not more “right” or “sound” than the other. What it comes down to is preference and results: you might prefer to only deal with one e-reading medium to keep things simple for formatting your book and tracking your sales. By utilizing the “Kindle only” options available, your in-coming royalties go up and you have a wide number of options for ‘in house’ advertising to help move your book up in the ranks.

But this option doesn’t work for everyone. Certain genres tend to do better than others and what works for one author who shares your genre, might not work for you or your target audience. You’ll need to do your homework and maybe even allow yourself a bit of trial and error in this marketplace.

On the flip side.

If 1/2 of all books sold are eBooks and 1/2 of all eBooks sold are Kindle… what about the other 1/2 of the eBook market? Are you missing out on possible sales? Maybe…

With diversification you can handle things in two ways:

1) Go with ONE alternate distribution site (like Smashwords) who will connect you with the various other major platforms all for the basic fee of having their company name listed in your copyright as a “Smashwords Edition”. They offer fantastic royalty options and have one of the highest-traversed marketplaces second only to Amazon. Of course, by going this route while you continue to “keep things simple” you are losing a percent on your royalty earnings when sales are made beyond the Smashwords marketplace… because all those distributors they deal with still want their “cut” of the profit.

2) Go Direct with as many of the ‘big’ eBook retailers as you can in order to get a higher royalty rate at each (this also requires you to have a different ISBN for each ‘Edition’ of your eBook) and those who you are unable to reach directly you can then utilize another broad distributor (like Smashwords, Draft2Digital, Lulu, etc.) so that you don’t miss out on the readers in those markets. But this means having an ability or way to track all of the eBook sites you’re earning revenue from so that come TAX TIME you don’t forget to claim any earnings.

At the very least, something to consider is using one of the free eBook distributors (like Smashwords) to launch free material related directly or indirectly to your book(s) as a way to draw another source of e-readers over to your author website and then on to your preferred e-retailer 😉

For more information about Smashwords check out my article with Authors Publish Magazine HERE 😀