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BookBub Ads Expert: A Marketing Guide to Author Discovery
From the author of Let's Get Digital and Strangers to Superfans comes a guide to advertising on the world's hottest book marketing BookBub Ads.*Create attractive ad images to turn browsers into buyers.*Optimize your targeting to attract the right readers.*Manage your bids effectively to drive more sales for less money.*Learn when to run your BookBub campaigns for maximum impact.*Boost discovery of your books and improve visibility.*Train the retailers to recommend your books to the right customers.*Turbocharge series sales to dominate the charts with multiple books simultaneously.BookBub Ads Expert will teach you everything you need to know, from what makes a killer ad to discovering your comparable authors so you can improve your targeting. It gives you a step-by-step guide to creating your first ads and shows you how to optimize your campaigns until you are achieving excellent results.Not only that, this guide will also show you how to level up and truly master the platform, with tons of strategic advice on how to use BookBub Ads to support launches, promote backlist, create an international audience, push an entire series, or build up your readership at any retailer. You will also learn a series of ninja tricks and killer moves to help take your sales to the next level.EXTRA RESOURCES All purchasers of this book get access to a special set of free resources to help you master BookBub Ads including a gallery of winning images, detailed optimization advice, case studies, and a place to ask questions too!Praise for BookBub Ads "David Gaughran knows more about book marketing than anyone on the planet. He's always on the cutting edge of what's working in a market that is constantly changing. Skip his wisdom at your peril."--USA Today bestselling author Ernest Dempsey"Gaughran's at it making my question my whole marketing strategy. He somehow always knows more than the rest of us, but he always swoops in to spoon-feed us tasty morsels of marketing brilliance like a giant, beautiful mama marketing bird. With BookBub Ads Expert, there's one it's not just a tasty morsel--it's an entire eight-course meal!"--USA Today bestselling author Nick Thacker"I'm so happy with what I learned in this book that as soon as I finished the digital version, I went and bought the paperback version so I could reread it and mark it up with stickies and highlights. Thank you, David Gaughran, for doing all the hard work up front."--USA Today bestselling author AL Knorr"Another winner - everything you need to set up successful ads."--Chris Syme, author of the SMART Marketing series and host of the Smartypants Book Marketing PodcastTable of ContentsPART I--BOOKBUB BASICS1. How BookBub Ads Work2. General Strategy3. Two (or Three) Ingredients For SuccessPART II--ANATOMY OF A KILLER AD4. Attractive Images5. Discriminate Targeting6. CPM BiddingPART III--TEST PREP7. Creating Clickworthy Images8. Generating Author Targets9. Bidding To Be The BossPART IV--OPTIMIZING FOR VICTORY!10. Building A Test Campaign11. Evaluating Results12. Tweakers Of The World UnitePART V--DEPLOYING THE TROPES13. When To Use BookBub Ads14.
234 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 24, 2019
244 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
About the author
David Gaughran
11 books287 followersDavid Gaughran was born in Ireland but now lives in a quaint little fishing village in Portugal, although this hasn't increased the amount of time he spends outside the house. He writes historical fiction and science fiction under another name, has helped thousands of authors publish their work through his workshops, blog, and writers' books - Let's Get Digital, Strangers to Superfans, BookBub Ads Expert, and Amazon Decoded - and has also created giant marketing campaigns for some of the biggest self-publishers on the planet. Visit DavidGaughran.com to get yourself a free book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
February 28, 2019
Like many authors, I tried Bookbub ads, lost some money, and quickly stopped. I have been working to build my author business for several years and have taken numerous training courses, spending thousands of dollars. Oops! I mean a hundred or so... in case my husband sees this. I can't believe I never thought to try (or learned in any course) the FANTASTIC ideas in the killer moves section. Those gems alone make the price of this book a steal. I'm so excited to try them out. Having this guide in-hand makes me confident enough to try Bookbub ads again. Oh, and yes, David, I'll test!
June 18, 2021
Give yourself a budget of $1000 USD and prepare yourself to experiment.
Warning: Alligators ahead to snare the unwary.
Still, much to learn from this volume. Just - what is being taught takes a few seasons to learn in full.
Warning: Alligators ahead to snare the unwary.
Still, much to learn from this volume. Just - what is being taught takes a few seasons to learn in full.
October 10, 2020
I've read and enjoyed the David Gaughran's books I read so far, so this was an auto buy for me, despite the fact that at the time of buying it I wasn't sure what I would get out of this book. Recently I've been more interested in learning about ads, so I picked up this book to get more information about the topic. This is the first book on ads I've read in general as well as the first thing I've read about Bookbub ads. And I am glad I did as it was a great one!
I really enjoyed the in depth perspective the author gives on Bookbub ads. Not only did David Gaughran explain the whole Bookbub system very well, he also gave some great tips on how to design your ads and which 3 things are most important, how to target authors and more. And after that there are more marketing strategies as well, from when to use ads and how they can be used to help other promotions and sales as well as some super ninja techniques and then even more advanced techniques. This really feels like a very complete look at everything related to Bookbub ads.
I really enjoyed this book and thought it was very informative. I love learning new things and I think it's fascinating to learn more about how Bookbub ads work and how to make the most of them. The author explains everything in a way that's easy to follow and understand even for those new to ads. I like how he mentions some differences to other ad platforms, which will be useful to those who have experience with that. And even for those who are already familiar with the basics, there is enough in this book for those as well I think, with advanced tips as well as simply plenty of information that can probably fill in any gaps in your knowledge.
Ever since reading this book I've been giving an extra look at the ads in the bottom of the Bookbub newsletters. Seeing what techniques they use or trying to guess what they're using it for or even trying to evaluate what the ads can improve or what they do well. And recognizing techniques that this book also mentions and seeing how authors apply them. It's been fun.
To summarize: I really enjoyed this book and the insight it gave me in Bookbub ads. I think it's a great read both for those new to Bookbub ads as well as those who have some knowledge already. It's a very in depth look at Bookbub ads, explaining everything from the basics to more advanced techniques and all explained in an easy to follow manner. I really enjoyed learning more about Bookbub ads and feel like I gained a lot of knowledge about ads in general and Bookbub ads in particular. I would definitely recommend this one to authors who want to give Bookbub ads a try or are already using them and want to make the most of them.
I really enjoyed the in depth perspective the author gives on Bookbub ads. Not only did David Gaughran explain the whole Bookbub system very well, he also gave some great tips on how to design your ads and which 3 things are most important, how to target authors and more. And after that there are more marketing strategies as well, from when to use ads and how they can be used to help other promotions and sales as well as some super ninja techniques and then even more advanced techniques. This really feels like a very complete look at everything related to Bookbub ads.
I really enjoyed this book and thought it was very informative. I love learning new things and I think it's fascinating to learn more about how Bookbub ads work and how to make the most of them. The author explains everything in a way that's easy to follow and understand even for those new to ads. I like how he mentions some differences to other ad platforms, which will be useful to those who have experience with that. And even for those who are already familiar with the basics, there is enough in this book for those as well I think, with advanced tips as well as simply plenty of information that can probably fill in any gaps in your knowledge.
Ever since reading this book I've been giving an extra look at the ads in the bottom of the Bookbub newsletters. Seeing what techniques they use or trying to guess what they're using it for or even trying to evaluate what the ads can improve or what they do well. And recognizing techniques that this book also mentions and seeing how authors apply them. It's been fun.
To summarize: I really enjoyed this book and the insight it gave me in Bookbub ads. I think it's a great read both for those new to Bookbub ads as well as those who have some knowledge already. It's a very in depth look at Bookbub ads, explaining everything from the basics to more advanced techniques and all explained in an easy to follow manner. I really enjoyed learning more about Bookbub ads and feel like I gained a lot of knowledge about ads in general and Bookbub ads in particular. I would definitely recommend this one to authors who want to give Bookbub ads a try or are already using them and want to make the most of them.
March 10, 2023
This book was incredibly helpful - before 2021.
David Gaughran offers excellent and actionable advice that I'm sure was extremely helpful to authors with enough cashflow to spend several hundred USD on testing ads. Unfortunately at lot has changed since then, particularly the was Apple counts opening rates, which negatively affects Cost Per Mille ads. David Gaughran himself wrote an article saying that he uses BookBub less and less as their effectiveness has dropped.
There's some good advertising advice here - to be carefully applied depending on genre - but a lot of the book's usefulness has been eroded by how out-dated it is and how much less effective BookBub ads are these days.
David Gaughran offers excellent and actionable advice that I'm sure was extremely helpful to authors with enough cashflow to spend several hundred USD on testing ads. Unfortunately at lot has changed since then, particularly the was Apple counts opening rates, which negatively affects Cost Per Mille ads. David Gaughran himself wrote an article saying that he uses BookBub less and less as their effectiveness has dropped.
There's some good advertising advice here - to be carefully applied depending on genre - but a lot of the book's usefulness has been eroded by how out-dated it is and how much less effective BookBub ads are these days.
April 18, 2019
Impressively detailed and fun
I wasted money on bookbub ads and gave up, but this book gives me hope and I’m excited to try again when I finish some series. In addition to specific strategies, there’s a lot of humor in the book which makes it an enjoyable read.
I wasted money on bookbub ads and gave up, but this book gives me hope and I’m excited to try again when I finish some series. In addition to specific strategies, there’s a lot of humor in the book which makes it an enjoyable read.
April 10, 2021
Great book
David has made sense out of the mysteries of advertising with BookBub and has done it with clarity and humor
David has made sense out of the mysteries of advertising with BookBub and has done it with clarity and humor
February 3, 2023
KSKS
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2023
An excellent, easy to understand reference for authors wanting to try BookBub ads.
Looking forward to implementing what I've learned.
Thanks David.
Looking forward to implementing what I've learned.
Thanks David.
March 13, 2023
Useful guidance for making these ads work for you
October 22, 2021
Very helpful…
This book is packed full of useful insights and ideas that I can’t wait to test out. David writes with humour and makes the learning experience very enjoyable.
This book is packed full of useful insights and ideas that I can’t wait to test out. David writes with humour and makes the learning experience very enjoyable.
April 4, 2019
Another Stellar and Entertaining Guide Packed with Info
I’ve loved David’s entire series on e-publishing and find him to be an authority (through applying his methods) worth trusting. Not only does he provide high quality content packed with TONS of valuable info, he’s also hilarious, and it doesn’t feel tedious at all. Read in one sitting and feel confident that the steps outlined in this book will deliver success.
I’ve loved David’s entire series on e-publishing and find him to be an authority (through applying his methods) worth trusting. Not only does he provide high quality content packed with TONS of valuable info, he’s also hilarious, and it doesn’t feel tedious at all. Read in one sitting and feel confident that the steps outlined in this book will deliver success.
March 6, 2019
You can struggle along losing money on BB ads--or you can read this book. David Gaughran explains what works on BB and what doesn't, and how to design, target, and test your ads. A must read for authors.
August 22, 2019
New authors complain they had no idea marketing would be so difficult after self-publishing a book. I’ve been at it for a while now, and I think it’s gotten worse as promo sites no longer deliver the results they used to. BookBub is the holy grail of advertising, but it’s nearly impossible to get a featured deal in their daily email. What to do? You can tap into these readers by creating your own ad that will appear at the bottom of these daily emails. But it’s tricky. You have to create a good ad image, choose the right comp authors, and set your bids to get a good ROI. Yes, it’s complicated. And this book will explain it all to you. I haven’t tried it out yet, but I’m working on it. I’ve read several of David Gaughran’s books and I always learn something. I also find his weekly newsletters extremely helpful with lots of free advice. I’ve read all his blogs on BookBub ads, but there’s extra information in this book that may turn out to be a gamechanger for me. I also enjoy the humor interspersed with all the information that makes learning more enjoyable.
March 25, 2019
There are so many writer advice books out there, it can all be a little overwhelming. Who do you listen to? Who is offering actual advice or just trying to pad their own ego and make some money on the side? Let me try to help clear some of the confusion by saying David Gaughran is one of the good guys. His expertise should be in top demand. If you aren't already following his stellar blog, what are you waiting for, it's a gold mine.
As is this book. Meticulously researched, and chock full of helpful tips and strategies. If you're a writer thinking of dipping your toe in BookBub ads, start here first. You'll thank David for the advice!
As is this book. Meticulously researched, and chock full of helpful tips and strategies. If you're a writer thinking of dipping your toe in BookBub ads, start here first. You'll thank David for the advice!
September 28, 2019
Great advice and info for how to run Bookbub ads, however nothing is as easy as this book makes it out to be. Be prepared to lose a lot of money figure Bookbub out.
June 21, 2019
This is one of those reviews I might have to revisit once I’ve had some time to put the advice it contains into practice, because make no mistake, this is not a get-rich-quick scheme. David Gaughran lays out a methodical plan for getting BookBub ads to work for your book, using some basic math, decent graphics and a reasonable budget, but it isn’t going to work overnight. Not unless you can afford to do all the testing he recommends simultaneously, anyway, which I definitely can’t.
What I like best about this book is it’s not math-dense. I’m no dullard with math, but my eyes glaze over once statistic-heavy spreadsheets start to come into play, and with Gaughran’s method, you have absolutely no need of them. He gives some very understandable targets you can see right from your BookBub ad dashboard, and then discusses how to go about optimizing your ads to improve against those targets. It’s easy to understand, engagingly written, and with links to best-practice examples, possible for anyone to execute. A formula for success.
I’ve already set up my first trial ads, and while my figures aren’t anything to shout about yet, I have confidence that I can improve them by refining my graphics and targeting using Gaughran’s methods. This is a very solid addition to his Let’s Get Publishing series (I recommend Let’s Get Digital to anyone even THINKING about self-publishing), and I’m giving it a solid five stars.
What I like best about this book is it’s not math-dense. I’m no dullard with math, but my eyes glaze over once statistic-heavy spreadsheets start to come into play, and with Gaughran’s method, you have absolutely no need of them. He gives some very understandable targets you can see right from your BookBub ad dashboard, and then discusses how to go about optimizing your ads to improve against those targets. It’s easy to understand, engagingly written, and with links to best-practice examples, possible for anyone to execute. A formula for success.
I’ve already set up my first trial ads, and while my figures aren’t anything to shout about yet, I have confidence that I can improve them by refining my graphics and targeting using Gaughran’s methods. This is a very solid addition to his Let’s Get Publishing series (I recommend Let’s Get Digital to anyone even THINKING about self-publishing), and I’m giving it a solid five stars.
March 3, 2019
I should start with the caveat that I haven't actually tried any of the tricks and tips in this book--yet. I know I need to get serious about trying out BookBub, but frankly it's all so overwhelming and there are so many ways to spend your money when it comes to book marketing. I'd heard that BookBub while go through it like water through a fire hose, which has made me leery.
This book does indeed say that BookBub will run through your budget like nobody's business if you're not careful, but it gives you clear and useful suggestions for how to set up your ads, how to find and test target authors, and how to time and run your campaigns, with separate ideas for "big blast" campaigns (e.g., for a new release or Kindle Select deal) and "slow drip" campaigns (e.g., for a permafree book). After reading it, I do at least feel ready to dip my toes in BookBub's waters.
Although this book is for information, not entertainment, one of the best things about is the style. It's extremely readable, with lots of humor, so you'll enjoy reading it instead of plowing through it grimly. I wouldn't say just read it for the entertainment value alone, but it certainly helps!
This book does indeed say that BookBub will run through your budget like nobody's business if you're not careful, but it gives you clear and useful suggestions for how to set up your ads, how to find and test target authors, and how to time and run your campaigns, with separate ideas for "big blast" campaigns (e.g., for a new release or Kindle Select deal) and "slow drip" campaigns (e.g., for a permafree book). After reading it, I do at least feel ready to dip my toes in BookBub's waters.
Although this book is for information, not entertainment, one of the best things about is the style. It's extremely readable, with lots of humor, so you'll enjoy reading it instead of plowing through it grimly. I wouldn't say just read it for the entertainment value alone, but it certainly helps!
March 5, 2019
An amazing book to help with BookBub no matter your genre
I will be honest, I have been anxiously awaiting this book for some time. Bookbinding and all its features have been a mystery to me. I am a self-published author in the craft industry and could not figure out how BookBub might help me.
This book has changed everything. David Gaughran is not only one of the most knowledgeable in the self-publishing realm, he's honest and forthright in what information he teaches. Not to mention funny! But what I feel is most important is that he shares information because he really wants authors to succeed in honest practices.
He may have opinions about CPM rather than CPC but that is because he has tested and found the reasons why CPC has issues. Never once did he say not to use it, just beware. Frankly, I agree whole heartedly with it as a designer who advertised on Ravelry, the #1 market to purchase patterns in the knit and crochet industry. Many of their ads are CPM based and I get the most bang for my buck in those ads.
Now that I understand how it works, I'm anxious to try it with my next release!
I highly recommend this book!
I will be honest, I have been anxiously awaiting this book for some time. Bookbinding and all its features have been a mystery to me. I am a self-published author in the craft industry and could not figure out how BookBub might help me.
This book has changed everything. David Gaughran is not only one of the most knowledgeable in the self-publishing realm, he's honest and forthright in what information he teaches. Not to mention funny! But what I feel is most important is that he shares information because he really wants authors to succeed in honest practices.
He may have opinions about CPM rather than CPC but that is because he has tested and found the reasons why CPC has issues. Never once did he say not to use it, just beware. Frankly, I agree whole heartedly with it as a designer who advertised on Ravelry, the #1 market to purchase patterns in the knit and crochet industry. Many of their ads are CPM based and I get the most bang for my buck in those ads.
Now that I understand how it works, I'm anxious to try it with my next release!
I highly recommend this book!
August 9, 2020
This is my first book from David but already its not my last. Like most of us, I had atrocious results with my Bookbub ads, but he was so enthusiastic about them that I decided to pay attention. I am in the process of testing right now so I can "optimize" my ads and discover the ideal authors to target. The first time one of my tests really took off, I was thrilled. It really can work! His advice is painstaking and thorough, and it absolutely makes common sense. (Maybe that's why I didn't think if it myself.) Now that I've had a bit of success I am taking my time and not jumping the proverbial gun. I'm still fine-tuning my ads and my author targets, so the ultimate campaign is in the future. But now I have confidence that I can make progress whereas before I had none. I've already purchased another book of his and downloaded a book from one of his emails. There's hope!
April 5, 2019
A guide to book marketing that keeps you grinning. Okay, that's probably not the expected review, but seriously, book marketing is usually BORING to read about...until you let David Gaughran have a crack at it. The humor might be offensive to some (did I actually read the word "dildo" somewhere in there?), but I loved it.
As for the advice itself. Solid! I'm on DG's mailing list so I read his Bookbub Ad sequence long before this book was published. At first I was worried this might just be a repeat of the same material, but it's not. Well, it is. Some similar stuff is covered, but it's like the enhanced version with plenty of good explanations of WHY you need to do what he's recommending, when to do it, and how to keep improving.
As for the advice itself. Solid! I'm on DG's mailing list so I read his Bookbub Ad sequence long before this book was published. At first I was worried this might just be a repeat of the same material, but it's not. Well, it is. Some similar stuff is covered, but it's like the enhanced version with plenty of good explanations of WHY you need to do what he's recommending, when to do it, and how to keep improving.
April 12, 2019
I've almost finished this and have yet to apply the advice. But it seems sensible enough and gives me great hope for the possibilities of using BookBub ads.
My only problem with the book was that the same points were repeated (repeatedly :) ) throughout. It got a bit tough to click through the extra verbiage. The author is a clever writer. And funny. But after a while, I continued to read only with a shred of hope that a new, important point would come up.
I do highly recommend the book, if only for those very important (and repeated) points about A/B testing, images and text, CTRs and CPCs and that other one (CPM?), budget, bidding, et al.
This is one of the very few ebooks specifically for indie authors that I've found potentially extremely useful.
My only problem with the book was that the same points were repeated (repeatedly :) ) throughout. It got a bit tough to click through the extra verbiage. The author is a clever writer. And funny. But after a while, I continued to read only with a shred of hope that a new, important point would come up.
I do highly recommend the book, if only for those very important (and repeated) points about A/B testing, images and text, CTRs and CPCs and that other one (CPM?), budget, bidding, et al.
This is one of the very few ebooks specifically for indie authors that I've found potentially extremely useful.
May 21, 2019
Composing and managing online ads challenges the best minds publishing today. A good ad must have an attractive graphic, communicate the book’s theme, and motive the purchase. The ad must contribute to an effective sales strategy, reach an inspired audience, and generate enough sales, directly or indirectly to cover the ad expense. With so many moving parts to preparing good ads, the moment I heard about David Gaughan’s BookBub Ads Expert, I ordered a copy.
Gaughran writes:
“Many authors try the [BookBub] platform half-heartedly, and invariably fail—so if you take the time to master it, you’ll have a serious competitive advantage. We’ll cover everything you need to know in this one book.” (xiv)
In my case, I began writing BookBub ads in December 2017 after taking an online class on book advertising and have run campaigns periodically since then to support my efforts to publish worldwide and diversify away from dependence on Amazon. While I have not been half-hearted in my efforts, I write nonfiction books that are harder to market than fiction books and up to this point I have had more success advertising with Amazon Advertising, which has frustrated my efforts to publish wide.
What is a BookBub Ad?
Gaughran emphasizes the need to understand the BookBub platform in order to succeed in running ads. BookBub ads are displayed on the BookBub website, but the primary forum for these ads are daily emails that are sent to avid reads worldwide, but primarily in English. These readers self-select the genre that they are most often read so these ads are being served daily to people who read a lot of books, unlike Facebook or Google ads that reach a more general audience. The ads allow you to target individual genres, readers who like particular authors, and retailers who already stock your book.
BookBub subscribers get a daily email that lists a series of Featured Deals that are nearly impossible for new authors to qualify for. At the bottom of the email is a single slot for paid advertising—this is BookBub ad that we are talking about. The ad itself is a 300 by 250-pixel graphic—think two-thirds the size of a business card—that presumably displays your book cover, the deal being offered/description of the book, and a call-to-action—normally a big, bright button.
How Do You Use BookBub Ads?
Gaughran writes:
“I use them [BookBub Ads] to strategically boost launches and promote backlist, and I’ve also run huge BookBub campaigns for some bestselling authors.” (13)
More generally, he talks about these uses for BookBub ads:
1. Supporting Launches
2. Backlist Price Promotions
3. Creating an International Audience
4. Going Wide
5. Pushing a Permafree [book]
6. Opting for Exclusivity
7. Solidifying Also Boughts [from the bottom of Amazon sales pages] (14-18)
For those new to book advertising, fiction authors will often discount the first book in a series (or make the EBook permanently free) to get readers hooked hoping that repeat sales (Also Boughts) will pay for their ads. Because nonfiction books are less addictive than many fiction books (I offer a prayer book for 99 cents), this marketing strategy is less effective but crossover sales are still important—if you advertise one book and see a spike in sales of another, then this is a crossover sale.
Key Takeaway Points
Gaughran rightly emphasizes that BookBub patrons expect EBook discounts. I typically do not offer discounts and my ad performance has suffered.
Gaughran recommends a strenuous testing process focusing on both the author’s targeted and the ad presentation. He suggests a 10-15-dollar test focused on the U.S. Amazon market, where if you can succeed there, then you can succeed in his experience in other markets. He recommends testing ads until their click-through rate (CTR) is over 2 percent for a 99-cent book ad.
I was surprised to hear Gaughran recommend opting to bid on cost per mil (CPM) rather than cost per click (CPC). A mil is a thousand impressions. His reason for this recommendation is that your ads will serve more quickly and in higher volumes. When targeted properly with well-tested ads yield CTRs over 2 percent, the CPC will decline in his experience.
Assessment
David Gaughran’s book, BookBub Ads Expert, is a helpful book that will likely be a big hit among publishes. He writes in an approachable, breezy style, but don’t let it fool you into thinking he is a marketing lightweight. Although I have used BookBub ads since December 2017, his marketing tips proved insightful and I found myself constantly checking into BookBub as I read the book.
Gaughran writes:
“Many authors try the [BookBub] platform half-heartedly, and invariably fail—so if you take the time to master it, you’ll have a serious competitive advantage. We’ll cover everything you need to know in this one book.” (xiv)
In my case, I began writing BookBub ads in December 2017 after taking an online class on book advertising and have run campaigns periodically since then to support my efforts to publish worldwide and diversify away from dependence on Amazon. While I have not been half-hearted in my efforts, I write nonfiction books that are harder to market than fiction books and up to this point I have had more success advertising with Amazon Advertising, which has frustrated my efforts to publish wide.
What is a BookBub Ad?
Gaughran emphasizes the need to understand the BookBub platform in order to succeed in running ads. BookBub ads are displayed on the BookBub website, but the primary forum for these ads are daily emails that are sent to avid reads worldwide, but primarily in English. These readers self-select the genre that they are most often read so these ads are being served daily to people who read a lot of books, unlike Facebook or Google ads that reach a more general audience. The ads allow you to target individual genres, readers who like particular authors, and retailers who already stock your book.
BookBub subscribers get a daily email that lists a series of Featured Deals that are nearly impossible for new authors to qualify for. At the bottom of the email is a single slot for paid advertising—this is BookBub ad that we are talking about. The ad itself is a 300 by 250-pixel graphic—think two-thirds the size of a business card—that presumably displays your book cover, the deal being offered/description of the book, and a call-to-action—normally a big, bright button.
How Do You Use BookBub Ads?
Gaughran writes:
“I use them [BookBub Ads] to strategically boost launches and promote backlist, and I’ve also run huge BookBub campaigns for some bestselling authors.” (13)
More generally, he talks about these uses for BookBub ads:
1. Supporting Launches
2. Backlist Price Promotions
3. Creating an International Audience
4. Going Wide
5. Pushing a Permafree [book]
6. Opting for Exclusivity
7. Solidifying Also Boughts [from the bottom of Amazon sales pages] (14-18)
For those new to book advertising, fiction authors will often discount the first book in a series (or make the EBook permanently free) to get readers hooked hoping that repeat sales (Also Boughts) will pay for their ads. Because nonfiction books are less addictive than many fiction books (I offer a prayer book for 99 cents), this marketing strategy is less effective but crossover sales are still important—if you advertise one book and see a spike in sales of another, then this is a crossover sale.
Key Takeaway Points
Gaughran rightly emphasizes that BookBub patrons expect EBook discounts. I typically do not offer discounts and my ad performance has suffered.
Gaughran recommends a strenuous testing process focusing on both the author’s targeted and the ad presentation. He suggests a 10-15-dollar test focused on the U.S. Amazon market, where if you can succeed there, then you can succeed in his experience in other markets. He recommends testing ads until their click-through rate (CTR) is over 2 percent for a 99-cent book ad.
I was surprised to hear Gaughran recommend opting to bid on cost per mil (CPM) rather than cost per click (CPC). A mil is a thousand impressions. His reason for this recommendation is that your ads will serve more quickly and in higher volumes. When targeted properly with well-tested ads yield CTRs over 2 percent, the CPC will decline in his experience.
Assessment
David Gaughran’s book, BookBub Ads Expert, is a helpful book that will likely be a big hit among publishes. He writes in an approachable, breezy style, but don’t let it fool you into thinking he is a marketing lightweight. Although I have used BookBub ads since December 2017, his marketing tips proved insightful and I found myself constantly checking into BookBub as I read the book.
March 3, 2019
Some very detailed advice learnt from experience
This was an excellent guide to all things BookBub - in terms of running your own ads. It answered everything I was wondering about and added a few things to leave me lying awake at night.
With all the good advice I've been given in the last few years, I should be richer than Jef Besos by now - and yet sadly I'm still doing a day job between writing.
With great knowledge comes great responsibility, to master the execution of all these techniques and stick with them through stormy seas. The execution falls to me.
Thanks to David, I at least now know what I need to practice and get good at!
This was an excellent guide to all things BookBub - in terms of running your own ads. It answered everything I was wondering about and added a few things to leave me lying awake at night.
With all the good advice I've been given in the last few years, I should be richer than Jef Besos by now - and yet sadly I'm still doing a day job between writing.
With great knowledge comes great responsibility, to master the execution of all these techniques and stick with them through stormy seas. The execution falls to me.
Thanks to David, I at least now know what I need to practice and get good at!
July 13, 2024
This is probably the best resource and explanation of BookBub ads I've read. It really unlocks the mystery of BB ads, plus he explains it with humor. It's a really quick read. I do caution you, though, I can see how you could go broke trying to use this method. It takes a LOT of research and a LOT of testing and if you're not careful, you could burn through cash quickly. I have done some testing using his methodology and have yet to hit the "sweet spot" but I'm getting there. I will continue to test and see how things go. I do see an uptick in CTR, which is what I want. So, definitely a good resource!
March 5, 2019
this is a very rich book. Like others, I've been working with bookbub for some time now and I'm still feeling my way in it, using as a guide the idea from David previous book in Amazon. And wondering why it doesn't work so well as I'd like.
This books contains a lot of actionnable advices on strategies, on tests that can be implemented, on improvments.
It won't magically solve your issues but you'll have a lot to ponder.
The best for me is that David takes a stand on his advice. This is not a description on what can be done. There are real advices and the cautions that go with them.
This books contains a lot of actionnable advices on strategies, on tests that can be implemented, on improvments.
It won't magically solve your issues but you'll have a lot to ponder.
The best for me is that David takes a stand on his advice. This is not a description on what can be done. There are real advices and the cautions that go with them.
May 22, 2019
I'm so glad I read this book. I realized I was approaching my BookBub campaigns all wrong (no wonder they weren't doing anything), and now I have a heap of ideas how to make them actually work. I can't wait to start testing!
I recommend this book to all authors who want to learn to nail their BookBub ads. In addition to being a goldmine of information, David Gaughran is funny as heck. His writing style is humorous and easy to read, and I breezed through this book wearing a happy grin. I can't believe I had so much fun reading a book about ads and marketing.
I recommend this book to all authors who want to learn to nail their BookBub ads. In addition to being a goldmine of information, David Gaughran is funny as heck. His writing style is humorous and easy to read, and I breezed through this book wearing a happy grin. I can't believe I had so much fun reading a book about ads and marketing.
July 31, 2020
This guide is very thorough and is easy to follow. Step by step, David Gaughran explains the ins and outs of BookBub. As an author who is about to launch my next book in the fall, I have begun doing the "tests" for my ads in the way he recommends so that I'm ready to go for the launch. He tells it like it is, with humour as well. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is venturing out into the world of BookBub to use as a promotional strategy, especially if you are about to do a launch. The first 30 days are the most important!
April 14, 2022
David breaks down the process of Bookbub Ads, and keeps his personality on the pages for an entertaining read. There is a lot of incredible information, and insight on how the system works. For updated practices, he has a page on his website to keep his readers updated as Bookbub grows as a platform. (You can only reach by buying his book, so don't think you can get around this.)
I do wish there was a section on how to analyze ad results in more depth, with some further insight, but overall a great book.
I do wish there was a section on how to analyze ad results in more depth, with some further insight, but overall a great book.
March 9, 2019
An excellent resource...
This book is the resource I was looking for to understand BookBub ads.
Chapter 19 is amazing and I see one other author using that strategy with great success - I can’t wait to implement these strategies.
The information is amazing (much of which I’ve never heard before) and it’s written with a lot of humor.
This book is an independent author’s secret weapon.
This book is the resource I was looking for to understand BookBub ads.
Chapter 19 is amazing and I see one other author using that strategy with great success - I can’t wait to implement these strategies.
The information is amazing (much of which I’ve never heard before) and it’s written with a lot of humor.
This book is an independent author’s secret weapon.
May 6, 2019
A guide to running successful Bookbub ads!
This showed me just how many mistakes I have made in venturing into the Bookbub ad world (far more than I thought I had). Step by step, David Gaughran goes through what makes a good ad, when to best utilize those ads, and what not to do. All with a pinch of humor!
I found it extremely informative, and it definitely deserves a second read through to fully grasp the advice offered.
This showed me just how many mistakes I have made in venturing into the Bookbub ad world (far more than I thought I had). Step by step, David Gaughran goes through what makes a good ad, when to best utilize those ads, and what not to do. All with a pinch of humor!
I found it extremely informative, and it definitely deserves a second read through to fully grasp the advice offered.
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