Do You Really Need Reviews?

Last week, we discussed how the landscape of Facebook marketing was changing. The landscape of Amazon and Goodreads is also changing. For how long have your relied on reviews from contest winners, ARC team members, and family and friends who read your book? It may be years that you have had this practice in place, and you wouldn't be alone. Many authors believe that this is one of the most important pieces of book marketing, having good reviews on their book to make others want to purchase and then review as well. It has been a cycle that has worked for many authors throughout their career. However, as Amazon attacks these types of reviews and it seems Goodreads might as well, is there any chance that Indie authors will still be able to prove their book are just as worth buying as a well known author's?

It is time to take a hard step back and look at the purpose of reviews. Are they worth the risk of losing your ability to publish on Amazon? The truth is, according to the terms of the website, that could very well happen. So, which do you choose, have possibly less than 5 reviews on your books, or losing the ability to lose the most popular ebook platform for publishing?

I am not saying whether these rules are right or wrong. the problem is, they just are, and until one of those alternative in the works makes headway, this is what we all have to work with. So, what can we do instead?

The first thing to remember is that reviews are not truly guaranteeing anything. What might serve you better is to have a professional cover and blurb, drawing the attention of readers who are looking for a book like yours.

If you still want a way to get reviews out there, then have them posted other places; on blogs and social media websites. Don't think that no reviews means no sales. Don't lose hope.