SFFMP 151: All About Bookbub CPM Ads and Becoming a #1 Bestseller on Amazon with Adam Croft
Today’s guest, Adam Croft, had a lot of great information to share about how he hit it big with a stand alone novel after writing two thriller series. Facebook ads played a part in his success with his first breakout novel, and we asked him about that, but lately, he’s been experimenting with Bookbub’s CPM ads (banners that you can pay for that run in their emails independent of their sponsorship program). We asked him about how authors can make the most of that program, even if they haven’t been able to get sponsorships with the big gorilla of advertising.
Here are some of the details we touched on:
- Not following all the write-in-series advice all the time — Adam’s biggest hit was a stand alone thriller.
- Writing hooky Facebook ads that draw people in and can sell a full-priced book.
- Reaching #1 in the entire Amazon.com and Amazon UK stores with a new release.
- If it’s possible to leverage former bestseller status to sell more books.
- The difference between Bookbub’s paid sponsorships that we all covet and rarely get and their CPM advertising program that anyone can sign up for.
- Targeting categories versus targeting specific authors.
- Why targeting big names with Bookbub’s ads isn’t necessarily the way to go.
- Whether the Bookbub ads are better for new releases or older titles or both.
- Using affiliate links to help gauge how successful your ads are.
- How the Bookbub CPM ads can work even if you’re marketing cross-genre novels or books in niches that don’t usually get picked up for their regular sponsorships.
- Using ads to restore interest in older titles but doing tighter targeting for these, whereas you might go broader for a new release to get as many eyeballs on it as possible.
- How Bookbub lets you link to individual stores in specific countries.
- Making sure, before you get that big hit, to have your mailing list set up so that it’s easy to sign up for and people get something.
You can visit Adam on his website, his Facebook page, or Twitter, and make sure to check out his books. His series starters, Too Close for Comfort, and Exit Stage Left are free on Amazon and in other stores.
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Great interview with Adam Croft. That Mark Dawson advertising course sounds like a good investment some day although I am just a beginner at the moment. Fascinating what he was saying about not targeting big name authors. Does this mean that traditional publishers are not taking online marketing seriously yet? I can recall many evenings stood in the wind and rain and cold (do rail stations have their own eco system?) of a local rail station staring at a book advert poster and Mark is right, by the time I get home I can’t even remember the author’s name unless it is someone I already read. I love your shows – please keep it up.
I do see trad published books on Bookbub, but it’s often old stuff. Like I saw a Dave Duncan series I read 20+ years ago on there last week. I haven’t seen too many big name authors that are publishing right now on there, though there are exceptions. Illonda Andrews just had a book come up on there.
Thanks for listening!