Phone: 770-887-1462 Free Newsletter Signup

Rob Eagar

Marketing expertise to spread your message like wildfire.

  • Start Here
  • About
  • Books
    • The Author’s Guide to Marketing Books on Amazon
    • The Author’s Guide to Email Marketing
    • The Author’s Guide to Media Interviews
    • The Author’s Guide to Write Text That Sells Books
  • Coaching
    • 1:1 Book Marketing Master Class
    • Private Author Coaching Sessions
    • Amazon Book Description Service
  • Clients
    • Testimonials
    • Bestseller Case Studies
    • Client List
  • e-Courses
    • Mastering Amazon for Authors
    • Sell Books on a Shoestring Budget
    • Book Marketing for Beginners
  • Free Tips
    • Articles and Hot Tips for Authors
    • Blog
    • Newsletter Archive
  • Contact

Apr 02 2012

Amazon Lets Authors Spy on Their Readers

 

 

Rob Eagar’s Monday Morning Marketing Tip

is written to help authors, business owners, and non-profits

 

spread their message like wildfire.

 

 

This week’s focus:

Thanks to Scott Stratten at www.Unmarketing.com for sharing this marketing tip at a conference we attended together last week.

Did you know that Amazon lets authors see who is highlighting notes in their books and tweeting content to friends? When someone reads a book using a Kindle device or app, Amazon stores the information they highlight. Plus, Amazon displays who used Twitter to spread word of mouth to their friends. How does it work?

 

1. Go to: https://kindle.amazon.com

2. Type in the title of your book in the “Search” box at the top right-hand corner.

3. Click on your title when it appears in the search listing.

4. You will see a picture of your book cover, a list that says “Posts from this book,” and a section called “Highlights,” which shows content that people notated while reading your book on their Kindle.

 

It may seem a little creepy that Amazon tracks all of this reader information. But, keep in mind that Amazon only displays information that readers agree to make public. There’s no blatant invasion of privacy. Kindle readers can turn off this sharing feature if they desire.

 

Amazon’s slogan for their Kindle service is “Read. Review. Remember.” I like that tagline, and I think their new service offers some innovative promotional opportunities for authors. Here’s why:

 

1. Authors get an unprecedented opportunity to peek into the minds of their readers. You can see what parts of a book resonate with readers the most, because you can literally see the passages that people highlighted. This ability allows the author to focus future blog posts, free resources, interview topics, or social media conversations on content that they know people already find intriguing.

 

2. Authors can identify and thank readers who share word of mouth via Twitter. By seeing who tweets your material, you can leave a message at that individual’s Twitter account to show your appreciation for telling their friends. How cool is that?

 

3. If your book doesn’t have many highlighted portions or shared posts, it could indicate that your book isn’t being discovered or the content isn’t capturing reader interest. Knowing that information can serve as a wake-up call to improve your marketing or strengthen the manuscript for your next book.

 

Even though this service from Amazon is unique, I would urge you to take it with a grain of salt. Don’t base your book’s marketing plan or primary promotional activities on the comments you see posted or the passages highlighted. Those comments listed only represent a small fraction of your total reader base. Instead, stay focused on marketing your book based on its overall value. Use the benefit of this service to gauge what kind of conversation is happening around your books.

 

I’m excited to see Amazon offer another ground-breaking service that brings readers and authors closer together. At times, they seem like the only organization dedicated to helping authors break the down the walls of publishing.

 

Once you’ve checked out Amazon’s Kindle service, what marketing opportunities do you see available for your book? Leave your comment below.

 

To receive Rob’s “Monday Morning Marketing Tips” directly to your email Inbox, click here

 

@ Rob Eagar 2012. All rights reserved.

<$BlogFeedsVertical$>

Written by Rob Eagar · Categorized: Monday Morning Marketing Tip

About Rob Eagar

Rob Eagar is the founder of WildFire Marketing, a consulting practice that helps authors and publishers sell more books and spread their message like wildfire. He is one of the rare consultants to help both fiction and nonfiction books hit The New York Times bestsellers list. Rob has consulted with numerous publishers and trained over 1,000 authors. He is the creator of The Author's Guide Series, a comprehensive collection of resources that teaches authors how to sell more books. Find out more at: WildFire Marketing and follow Rob on Twitter.

Three Bestselling Author Clients in 2024!

September 15, 2024 Posted by Rob Eagar

Announcing 3 bestselling author clients in 2024! What an amazing year so far…

Continue Reading »

Book Marketing Master Class
  • About
  • Books
  • Consulting
  • Free Tips
  • Blog
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

© 2025 WildFire Marketing

Website by Wildfire Marketing