How to Get Book Reviews

Book reviews help your potential readers decide if your book is right for them. (They also help folks determine that your book isn’t right for them, which helps your real fans self-identify.) The more reviews you have, the better your potential readers can determine if it’s a book they want. There are several ways to get book reviews.

One way is to be proactive and ask your readers for an honest review. You can include a request for a review at the end of your book – both in your print copies and digital versions. You might say, “Thank you for reading my book. I hope you enjoyed it. If you found the book useful, please leave a review on Amazon. Reviews keep me encouraged to keep writing.” Include a link to your book page so it will be easy for them to find it to review.

Another source of reviews is to ask those who have written a cover blurb. Once the book has been published, ask them if they would mind posting their review on Amazon.

On Amazon, find reviewers of similar books who include contact information in their profile. Reach out to them with a message such as “I saw you reviewed [title of book in same genre as yours]. I wondered if you’d be interested in reading [title of your book]. I’d be happy to send you a free digital or print review copy. I’d appreciate your honest review at Amazon. Thank you.”

There are other online reviewers and bloggers who review as well. If you offer to send them an ARC (Advanced Review Copy), they may be more than happy to post an online review or review the book on their blog.

One online source for bloggers who review can be found here: http://bookbloggerlist.com/. There’s a section for Nonfiction authors to find bloggers who might review your book. Other places to find reviewers:

https://storycartel.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/

http://www.authorsden.com/BookReviewProgram/

The following is a paid service but one I’ve known people to use and get good, legitimate results.

http://getbookreviewsnow.com/

A good source of reviewers may be your mailing list. Send out a short note letting them know how much you reviews mean to you and that you’d be happy to send them a free digital review copy. Do you have a list of beta readers? Be sure to ask them to review the book also.

You can also use your social media platforms to request reviews. You want to do this sparingly of course. Sometimes readers fully intend to review a book but forget. Seeing a periodic reminder may encourage them to finally do it. Consider holding a Facebook or Twitter contest to give away review copies. Search Twitter for people who have the hashtag #bookreviewer in their bio and reach out to those who review your genre.

Be sure to thank anyone who does post a review. Tag them on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. This encourages other readers to review as well since they know they will receive a public thank you.

What other methods have you used to get book reviews?

What do you think?