Tips for using KDP Select

When KDP Select was first launched, obviously less available titles meant more sales and profits for the enrolled books. Now the market is flooded and competition is red hot, so the recommendation algorithms and bestseller lists are not as effective.

However, to get the most out of KDP, you need to view it as a tool to be used within a broader marketing strategy, and not as a one-stop solution for all of your marketing needs.

If you are planning to use this program, here is some helpful advice to ensure you get the most out of those free days:

• Removing your titles from other platforms will take a while, so plan to get this in motion well in advance of your KDP promotion

•  Most websites where you can either advertise for free or pay to promote your Kindle eBook/s will require 48 hours notice to add your title/s to their promotional lists for a specific date

•  Shout about your promo on Twitter and set up events on Facebook and Goodreads at least one week before

• I've already mentioned not to pick the first of the month for your free day/s, but don't pick weekends either - and especially not bank holidays

•  Try to get as many reviews for your chosen title/s before the promotion begins. This a requirement from many of the websites that you'll be attempting to advertise on 48 hours before

•  Include a page at the back of your eBook requesting a review on Amazon from your readers. Add your website too

• Set up a mixture of tweets to use every couple of hours during your promotion. This should vary between quotes from the book, reasons why people would like to read your book for free and other tempting material. Oh, and hashtag!

• Be prepared to be stuck to social media during your free promo days and respond to people right away to keep the momentum going

So in conclusion, should you enroll in KDP Select?

If you just have the one book, it might be better to publish across multiple platforms and sell it on your website for maximum exposure.

If you have a few titles, it would probably be useful to try KDP for one of those and see how it performs. The idea of enrolling just the one title is to expose new readers to your work. If they like the freebie, they may consider buying your other books. Then you could continue the rotation.

KDP Select may also be the ideal platform to launch a new project or kickstart a title whose sales are slow.

You have to decide on your objective for selecting KDP. Are you trying to establish your expertise? Do you want to broaden your audience? Are you looking to increase your sales? Are you trying to make the Bestseller lists? Would you like to secure more reviews?

Don't try to do all of these at once in one promotion. Pick one objective and see how you fare. Remember, it's all about experimentation!