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Amazon Ads Unleashed: Advanced Publishing and Marketing Strategies for Indie Authors
Do you sell as many books as you want to?
Amazon ads revolutionized publishing. But how do you get them to work?
Have you bought books that promised answers, or paid hundreds of dollars for courses, yet still struggle to profit? Do you belong to a secret Facebook group . . . but fear you're being ripped off?
Amazon ads are hard to master. But if you do, they’ll reward you. They tap into an audience hungry for books, and willing to pay full price.
The ads follow a standard pay per click advertising model. Marketers have had two decades to figure out how that model works. There’s a skillset for the job.
This book explains it.
If you’re tired of rumors, guesses and secret strategies, this book shows
How to tap into a buying audienceThe neuroscience behind clicks that don’t convert (and how to get more that do)The tactics of expert optimizationAd types to avoid (and why)Why scaling is so hard, and how to do itThis book gives you the knowledge to advertise at profit. It’ll surprise you, and bust the myths holding you back.
You’ll never look at advertising the same way again. Are you ready to unleash your Amazon ads?
Newly updated for 2021 conditions.
What writers think about this series…
“This is, by far, the best indie how-to guide I have read.”
“Best advice I’ve seen yet.”
“Brilliant!”
“This author's expertise is truly awesome, as is his flair for communicating complex concepts painlessly.”
“This guy SO knows what he's talking about.”
“Wow, powerful stuff. Loving this series!”
“Game changer.”
Amazon ads revolutionized publishing. But how do you get them to work?
Have you bought books that promised answers, or paid hundreds of dollars for courses, yet still struggle to profit? Do you belong to a secret Facebook group . . . but fear you're being ripped off?
Amazon ads are hard to master. But if you do, they’ll reward you. They tap into an audience hungry for books, and willing to pay full price.
The ads follow a standard pay per click advertising model. Marketers have had two decades to figure out how that model works. There’s a skillset for the job.
This book explains it.
If you’re tired of rumors, guesses and secret strategies, this book shows
How to tap into a buying audienceThe neuroscience behind clicks that don’t convert (and how to get more that do)The tactics of expert optimizationAd types to avoid (and why)Why scaling is so hard, and how to do itThis book gives you the knowledge to advertise at profit. It’ll surprise you, and bust the myths holding you back.
You’ll never look at advertising the same way again. Are you ready to unleash your Amazon ads?
Newly updated for 2021 conditions.
What writers think about this series…
“This is, by far, the best indie how-to guide I have read.”
“Best advice I’ve seen yet.”
“Brilliant!”
“This author's expertise is truly awesome, as is his flair for communicating complex concepts painlessly.”
“This guy SO knows what he's talking about.”
“Wow, powerful stuff. Loving this series!”
“Game changer.”
139 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 2, 2019
207 people are currently reading
129 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
December 18, 2020
As an author who's published a lot of books in the last 30 years of my career, I try to stay on top of marketing and promoting and what is working. I've read quite a few of these types of books, and with most I can get a few good ideas from them but not too much when it comes to utilizing their method and moving the needle on sales.
This book was different for me. Recommended by a fellow author and friend who's hitting five figures in sales a month like it's nothing, I stated to use the book once I had read and marked it up. I didn't want to review until I was 100% sure it worked or didn't. And it did. My sales have nearly doubled in the four months I'm using this system. Lots of great insight and a constant reminder to not take anything written at face value. Do some research. Highly recommended.
This book was different for me. Recommended by a fellow author and friend who's hitting five figures in sales a month like it's nothing, I stated to use the book once I had read and marked it up. I didn't want to review until I was 100% sure it worked or didn't. And it did. My sales have nearly doubled in the four months I'm using this system. Lots of great insight and a constant reminder to not take anything written at face value. Do some research. Highly recommended.
March 9, 2020
Can I give this book, like all the stars because five seems inadequate. Robert J. Ryan has written a marketing masterpiece here. It's chock full of shocking revelations that will help my indie career.
If you're an indie author, and you aren't reading this book, you NEED to read this book!!
Huge thanks to David Gaughran for recommending this jewel to his newsletter followers :) Pure epic goodness!!
If you're an indie author, and you aren't reading this book, you NEED to read this book!!
Huge thanks to David Gaughran for recommending this jewel to his newsletter followers :) Pure epic goodness!!
March 13, 2020
The Best Book on Ads for Authors I’ve read
Honest. Not overstated. Clear. Specific. And full of thoughtful practical advice. If you’re going to advertise books on Amazon, you’ll want to read this book.
Honest. Not overstated. Clear. Specific. And full of thoughtful practical advice. If you’re going to advertise books on Amazon, you’ll want to read this book.
March 15, 2020
Very interesting
I read it, might have to read it a few times before it all sinks in but Some of it definitely sank in. Great to see someone having a pop at all the ‘Indie gurus’ who have cropped up over the last few years who I have wasted a great deal of money on.
I read it, might have to read it a few times before it all sinks in but Some of it definitely sank in. Great to see someone having a pop at all the ‘Indie gurus’ who have cropped up over the last few years who I have wasted a great deal of money on.
March 16, 2020
This was exactly the guide I needed right now. Also, it opened my eyes to the fact that marzipan brownies are a thing.
October 20, 2022
De lo mejorcito que he leído sobre marketing digital de libros.
April 21, 2021
4.5/5
Amazon ads may seem easy on the surface, but if you've had your first go at it, you've probably discovered just how confusing it can be like I did.
I picked this book up after reading a slightly more elementary marketing book for a solid foundation. Man, am I glad I did!
So like the blurb says, this is a book about marketing, specifically Amazon Ads. Inside it is valuable knowledge and strategies you can employ to help make your ad campaign a success regardless of where you're at in your career.
First and foremost, this book was really useful to help me analyze what went wrong with my first Amazon ad. The author provides many cases where certain criteria may be emphasized and others ignored, which can cause an ad to fail. My impressions were great, but no one was clicking or converting. I found the answers in this book, and a heck of a lot more than that.
There are many elements that make up an Amazon ad. Your sales rank, CTR, CVR, bids, CPC, the list could go on and does. Ryan takes the reader through each element in different views to help explain why they matter, and to help educate on potential misconceptions you may have.
With the plethora of terms and information to go over, it may get exhausting here and there. You may want to throw the book at the wall a couple of times. I kept asking myself why's it got to be so complicated (cue Avril Lavigne music), but it's the nature of marketing these days and something you'll have to come to terms with.
I'm glad I bought a physical copy of this book so I could highlight and mark sections (haven't quite done the latter yet, but it's on my to-do list!) for future reference.
I'm definitely going to be using this book again as I continue my journey with ad campaigns with Amazon, and with the knowledge I've gained, I know that in time I can get to a good place with my marketing. Definitely worth a read if you want to up your game on Amazon!
Amazon ads may seem easy on the surface, but if you've had your first go at it, you've probably discovered just how confusing it can be like I did.
I picked this book up after reading a slightly more elementary marketing book for a solid foundation. Man, am I glad I did!
So like the blurb says, this is a book about marketing, specifically Amazon Ads. Inside it is valuable knowledge and strategies you can employ to help make your ad campaign a success regardless of where you're at in your career.
First and foremost, this book was really useful to help me analyze what went wrong with my first Amazon ad. The author provides many cases where certain criteria may be emphasized and others ignored, which can cause an ad to fail. My impressions were great, but no one was clicking or converting. I found the answers in this book, and a heck of a lot more than that.
There are many elements that make up an Amazon ad. Your sales rank, CTR, CVR, bids, CPC, the list could go on and does. Ryan takes the reader through each element in different views to help explain why they matter, and to help educate on potential misconceptions you may have.
With the plethora of terms and information to go over, it may get exhausting here and there. You may want to throw the book at the wall a couple of times. I kept asking myself why's it got to be so complicated (cue Avril Lavigne music), but it's the nature of marketing these days and something you'll have to come to terms with.
I'm glad I bought a physical copy of this book so I could highlight and mark sections (haven't quite done the latter yet, but it's on my to-do list!) for future reference.
I'm definitely going to be using this book again as I continue my journey with ad campaigns with Amazon, and with the knowledge I've gained, I know that in time I can get to a good place with my marketing. Definitely worth a read if you want to up your game on Amazon!
July 4, 2020
Connected the dots
I've read countless articles on Amazon ads, plus watched plenty of videos...but still felt lost and unsure of where to start. A successful indie author friend recommended this book. Boom! I bought without reading the full description. At first, I felt a little overwhelmed with all the terms...PPC, CTR, CVR...but soon it started to make logical sense. By the end of the book, I felt ready to tackle my first ever ad campaign. I know there's more to learn with experience but finally, I feel like I get it. Highly recommended.
I've read countless articles on Amazon ads, plus watched plenty of videos...but still felt lost and unsure of where to start. A successful indie author friend recommended this book. Boom! I bought without reading the full description. At first, I felt a little overwhelmed with all the terms...PPC, CTR, CVR...but soon it started to make logical sense. By the end of the book, I felt ready to tackle my first ever ad campaign. I know there's more to learn with experience but finally, I feel like I get it. Highly recommended.
Read
March 15, 2020We will see how some of the ideas work and keep you posted
October 7, 2020
Some of this absolutely went over my head. I'll have to read it again. But I appreciate his willingness to take on a tough topic and help others be good!
June 18, 2021
So helpful and really made me think about what I want to get out of advertising and how to analyse what works for me.
March 28, 2020
Mind = Blown
Wow, I wish I had come across this book sooner. While I’ve been doing Amazon ads for over two years with quite a lot of success, I have been unable to scale and as of the last three months, sales have started to faulter. Before reading this book, I was on the verge of throwing in the towel on AmaZon ads, mostly because of how time consuming they have been for me and I can’t seem to get a big breakthrough.
This book, however, has re-inspired me. It showed me that the way I have been doing it is probably not the best way.
I kind of felt like I was waking up from the Matrix when I was reading this book, as a lot of the advice is directly against what I have been taught.
I look forward to testing the strategies in this guide.
Wow, I wish I had come across this book sooner. While I’ve been doing Amazon ads for over two years with quite a lot of success, I have been unable to scale and as of the last three months, sales have started to faulter. Before reading this book, I was on the verge of throwing in the towel on AmaZon ads, mostly because of how time consuming they have been for me and I can’t seem to get a big breakthrough.
This book, however, has re-inspired me. It showed me that the way I have been doing it is probably not the best way.
I kind of felt like I was waking up from the Matrix when I was reading this book, as a lot of the advice is directly against what I have been taught.
I look forward to testing the strategies in this guide.
February 16, 2020
I thought I understood Amazon ads for selling books, but willingly ceded control too much to the mystery of the algorithms. Then I read Robert Ryan’s book, and so much of about what I’d seen in my own campaigns started to make sense. I’ve picked up smart strategies and realigned my campaigns.
Coming from a marketing background, I respect Ryan’s solid focus on the buyer’s behavior as well as the Amazon algorithms.
Most of all, I respect Ryan’s advice to constantly test and validate practices for your own book. If you’re serious about doing Amazon ads right, this is the book I’d recommend.
Coming from a marketing background, I respect Ryan’s solid focus on the buyer’s behavior as well as the Amazon algorithms.
Most of all, I respect Ryan’s advice to constantly test and validate practices for your own book. If you’re serious about doing Amazon ads right, this is the book I’d recommend.
November 22, 2019
Great book! Very in-depth.
The author walks the walk and urges readers to test while taking nothing for granted. He also offers a wealth of info that most indie author's may not have considered.
The author walks the walk and urges readers to test while taking nothing for granted. He also offers a wealth of info that most indie author's may not have considered.
January 22, 2020
Learned some new things about Amazon Advertising and look forward to experimenting with some new optimization techniques recommended in this book. If you're trying to get a handle on Amazon ads, this is a worthwhile and quick read that might help.
March 12, 2020
A must-read for any author
An incredible resource for any author who advertises on the Amazon platform. Every page is filled with practical and useful tips, demystifying Amazon Ads. Quite frankly, the best resource on the subject out there. You won't be disappointed.
An incredible resource for any author who advertises on the Amazon platform. Every page is filled with practical and useful tips, demystifying Amazon Ads. Quite frankly, the best resource on the subject out there. You won't be disappointed.
June 25, 2021
Very technical but good
The author really knows his stuff. I found some of it to be too technical but all in all I found the book helpful. He didn’t focus much on my genre which is Children’s picture books.
The author really knows his stuff. I found some of it to be too technical but all in all I found the book helpful. He didn’t focus much on my genre which is Children’s picture books.
February 22, 2022
Half-baked.
I've bought a lot of business books lately, and thus my expectations were high going in. Ryan is not a teacher. He is likely a good marketer and has splendid rankings but that does not mean he has the skill to impart his knowledge to others. Others (he calls them "gurus") might have less than stellar rankings on their fiction but they know how to guide their readers from point a to point b in a book that seeks to instruct.
This was purported to be for Advanced Publishing and other than outlining 4 strategies, there was very little else advanced in the way of content. Likely it is very clear to the author (and all we have to do is Google everything--thanks! If I wanted to Google everything, I would not have bought your book!) and he's instructed us fully, but in what? What exactly do I know now that I didn't know before?
Not recommended.
I've bought a lot of business books lately, and thus my expectations were high going in. Ryan is not a teacher. He is likely a good marketer and has splendid rankings but that does not mean he has the skill to impart his knowledge to others. Others (he calls them "gurus") might have less than stellar rankings on their fiction but they know how to guide their readers from point a to point b in a book that seeks to instruct.
This was purported to be for Advanced Publishing and other than outlining 4 strategies, there was very little else advanced in the way of content. Likely it is very clear to the author (and all we have to do is Google everything--thanks! If I wanted to Google everything, I would not have bought your book!) and he's instructed us fully, but in what? What exactly do I know now that I didn't know before?
Not recommended.
Read
March 19, 2022Pretty useful, especially the part where some invest in loss and just barely break even in their ad campaigns. That was interesting. The rest involves using ASINs to run ads. Of course, ads aren't everything; the product (or book) must be good as well. So this is a good book to learn something new. Only problem is it doesn't show you how to run those ads or find the keywords, which is odd because this is an "advanced Amazon" ad book. Simply screenshots would have been very useful, even if it's just to show a single ASIN ad. Nevertheless, the book was useful, and I'll apply what I learned and see what happens.
December 30, 2023
This book is almost 4.5 stars. My only complaint is that it could have benefitted from a little better organization or structuring. The author clearly knows his stuff, but it felt a bit like a knowledgeable friend talking to me rather than a teacher instructing me.
However, that is a minor complaint. This book is full of useful information.
Reading this right after reading Bryan Cohen's book on Amazon ads also made it painfully clear how much fluff Cohen padded his book with. Ryan and Cohen have very different approaches to Amazon ads, and I personally think Ryan approach is sounder, though I haven't experimented myself yet and can't personally verify.
However, that is a minor complaint. This book is full of useful information.
Reading this right after reading Bryan Cohen's book on Amazon ads also made it painfully clear how much fluff Cohen padded his book with. Ryan and Cohen have very different approaches to Amazon ads, and I personally think Ryan approach is sounder, though I haven't experimented myself yet and can't personally verify.
March 29, 2021
A deeper dive than most
I've taken a few dozen webinars over the last year, enrolled in ad courses, and picked up some solid information. This book distilled about 50 hours of classes into an afternoon. It's a competing marketing strategy (several) that go against the grain you'll see in a lot of ad courses - but I'm overall very happy I picked this up.
It isn't light reading (and there's one glaring topic I plan to email the author and ask about) so be prepared to take notes. Still, this is a business, and like any other textbook, it's worth taking seriously.
I've taken a few dozen webinars over the last year, enrolled in ad courses, and picked up some solid information. This book distilled about 50 hours of classes into an afternoon. It's a competing marketing strategy (several) that go against the grain you'll see in a lot of ad courses - but I'm overall very happy I picked this up.
It isn't light reading (and there's one glaring topic I plan to email the author and ask about) so be prepared to take notes. Still, this is a business, and like any other textbook, it's worth taking seriously.
September 10, 2021
There’s some useful information in this short book of advanced strategies. None of the basics are covered such as how to set up ads and interpret the dashboard. But what I was hoping to learn was how to find keywords that work and approximately how many to use. This is the tricky part. Can you turn off keywords that aren’t working? I don’t think I was able to in the past. I had no success with Amazon ads a few years ago. I’ll try again but I’m not sure this book gave me the tools to be successful this time, though it did give me some clues about troubleshooting.
May 10, 2020
This book is by far the easiest to understand when it comes to discussing amazon ads. The author plainly and honestly discusses amazon ads and shares his perspective on what works and what doesn't and why. He certainly opened my eyes to what I could be doing better and what I liked most is that I wasn't left scratching my head as has occurred with most other books on this topic, because he makes it accessible. A must read if you really want to take off with your books.
September 9, 2021
Packed with awesome insights
This was a really great read. There are so many tips and things to consider, plus I love how things are explained so clearly. I really appreciated the way Robert kept saying, “find what works for you.” It made the writing and advice feel genuine. I will definitely be referring to this book again as I test out his advice. Thanks for a fantastic read, Robert 🙂
This was a really great read. There are so many tips and things to consider, plus I love how things are explained so clearly. I really appreciated the way Robert kept saying, “find what works for you.” It made the writing and advice feel genuine. I will definitely be referring to this book again as I test out his advice. Thanks for a fantastic read, Robert 🙂
November 6, 2021
A must have for indie authors who wish to succeed
Full of valuable insight into the often mystifying world of Amazon advertising. I’ve read it three times and am still having lightbulb moments. The best thing? Robert Ryan always recommends questioning and testing—which in my book is excellent advice. He doesn’t provide a magic pill or silver bullet but rather sound practical guidance to find success both with Amazon ads and with your author career. I highly recommend.
Full of valuable insight into the often mystifying world of Amazon advertising. I’ve read it three times and am still having lightbulb moments. The best thing? Robert Ryan always recommends questioning and testing—which in my book is excellent advice. He doesn’t provide a magic pill or silver bullet but rather sound practical guidance to find success both with Amazon ads and with your author career. I highly recommend.
May 16, 2024
Great, Detailed Information
Concise and highly applicable information laser targeted to Amazon Advertising. Direct and to the point and easy to understand if you have some experience with Amazon Advertising. Going through the information I noted several mistakes I was making and intend to correct, with hopefully a good outcome. Looking forward to diving back into Amazon Advertising. Highly Recommended.
Concise and highly applicable information laser targeted to Amazon Advertising. Direct and to the point and easy to understand if you have some experience with Amazon Advertising. Going through the information I noted several mistakes I was making and intend to correct, with hopefully a good outcome. Looking forward to diving back into Amazon Advertising. Highly Recommended.
August 20, 2024
not up to date and undermined by caveats
I will give an example of the simple information this book does not explicitly state: unless you have several books in your series, don’t use Amazon ads. You cannot get a ROI when the authors of huge series can bid $3 knowing the read through will pay off, because so many books to sell. Also, bids are way higher than this out of date book suggests
I will give an example of the simple information this book does not explicitly state: unless you have several books in your series, don’t use Amazon ads. You cannot get a ROI when the authors of huge series can bid $3 knowing the read through will pay off, because so many books to sell. Also, bids are way higher than this out of date book suggests
May 17, 2020
The straightforward approach to AMS!
I’ve learned a lot from this book and the author’s advice on using ASINs effectively resonates with me even greater. The tips provided were by far the best I’ve read on this subject along with Deb’s book; both are members of the AMS Optimization FB group. Now the real work begins for us to make profits...
I’ve learned a lot from this book and the author’s advice on using ASINs effectively resonates with me even greater. The tips provided were by far the best I’ve read on this subject along with Deb’s book; both are members of the AMS Optimization FB group. Now the real work begins for us to make profits...
March 27, 2021
Another great book
I’ve been running ams ads for over a year now, and I wasn’t aware of half the different strategies and tactics discussed in this book. I realize it’s because of who I listened to before searching out more information, and I highly recommend reading this one even if you’re already dabbling in ppc ads.
I’ve been running ams ads for over a year now, and I wasn’t aware of half the different strategies and tactics discussed in this book. I realize it’s because of who I listened to before searching out more information, and I highly recommend reading this one even if you’re already dabbling in ppc ads.
November 4, 2021
this book is giving me the courage to try Amazon ads
I’ve never done Amazon ads for my books but I will try using this book to help. As a newbie there’s some stuff that’s hard to understand but the author says it’s an advanced book. I recommend this to people in my shoes who don’t know how to start.
I’ve never done Amazon ads for my books but I will try using this book to help. As a newbie there’s some stuff that’s hard to understand but the author says it’s an advanced book. I recommend this to people in my shoes who don’t know how to start.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews