Venturing into paid advertising can be a game-changer for authors seeking to broaden their book’s reach. Many authors start with Amazon Ads, given its dominance in the ebook market. However, exploring beyond Amazon can uncover valuable opportunities to connect with readers. BookBub Partner Ads presents itself as an intriguing avenue for authors looking to diversify their advertising strategies and tap into a dedicated readership.
Diving into BookBub Partner Ads: An Author’s Experience
My journey into paid advertising began in late 2019 with Amazon Ads. While the initial results for my fiction book were modest, I’d heard whispers of non-fiction books often performing better due to their ability to address specific reader needs. Driven by this, I decided to explore BookBub Partner Ads, distinct from their coveted Daily Deals. These are cost-per-click (CPC) ads strategically placed within the BookBub network, including their newsletters. Visually, they are clean and direct: a book cover image, a concise tagline, and a prominent call-to-action button.
My initial campaigns on BookBub Partner Ads focused on my non-fiction titles: “Self-Publishing for the First-Time Author” and “Book Marketing for the First-Time Author.” Curiosity led me to also include an ad for my fiction work, “The Infinite-Infinite.” I was keen to see if the non-fiction advertising logic would hold true on BookBub, or if the platform’s broad audience of book lovers extended to fiction as well. Interestingly, I observed that audience sizes for fiction genres were indeed larger on BookBub.
Optimization Challenges and Insights
One crucial aspect of running successful ad campaigns is continuous optimization. I quickly learned this with BookBub Partner Ads. After launching several ads, I noticed some weren’t generating clicks. This signaled the need for tagline refinement. However, unlike some platforms, BookBub Partner Ads doesn’t allow direct text editing for live campaigns. To adjust the ad copy, I had to pause the campaign, duplicate it, rewrite the tagline, and relaunch. While slightly cumbersome, this process became invaluable in segmenting what ad copy resonated and what didn’t. This iterative approach was key to honing my ad messaging.
It generally took a couple of weeks before I started to see consistent clicks on my BookBub Partner Ads. Initially, I configured my targeting to exclude Amazon, as I had concurrent campaigns running on Amazon Ads. My BookBub focus was on reaching readers on Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play, and other platforms. For Apple Books, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble, my distribution is managed through Smashwords. This meant sales updates weren’t as immediate as Amazon’s hourly reports. While I did notice a sales uptick around the time my BookBub Partner Ads launched, definitively attributing it solely to the ads proved challenging. The same applied to Google Play Books; sales were evident that month, but Google Play’s reporting can be less granular.
Results and Reflections
Overall, my experience with BookBub Partner Ads wasn’t a resounding triumph, but it certainly wasn’t a failure. I’ve maintained some campaigns in the background, incurring minimal weekly ad spend. If costs escalate without corresponding results, I’m prepared to discontinue them. As for BookBub’s Daily Deal promotions, I remain undecided.
My initial foray into BookBub Partner Ads provided valuable lessons in ebook advertising beyond the Amazon ecosystem. While direct attribution can be tricky outside of Amazon’s detailed reporting, BookBub Partner Ads offer a unique channel to reach avid readers. For authors seeking to expand their book marketing efforts, experimenting with BookBub Partner Ads is a worthwhile endeavor. The platform’s targeted reach and CPC model provide control and opportunities for optimization, even if the path to clear ROI requires careful monitoring and adjustment.
