Hi Writer Friends!
When I mentioned on Instagram that The Long Shadow on the Stage was approved for advertising on a book promotion website, many of you requested that I write a blog post about book promotion websites I’ve tried, websites I recommend, and ones to avoid. This blog post will provide a summary of all the book promotion websites I’ve used as of December 2nd, 2021. Please keep in mind that at this point in time, I have two published books in a thriller trilogy, and can only speak for my experience as an indie author who writes thriller books. You may have different results with any of these websites if you write books in a different genre, have more published books, or have a larger following. I also chose to discount The Long Shadow on the Stage eBook to 99 cents while promoting it. Many promotion websites require the eBooks they advertise to be free or 99 cents.
Best Paid Promo:
Book Adrenaline is my top recommendation for mystery and thriller writers to promote their books. The first time The Long Shadow on the Stage was approved for promotion on their website was in March 2021. I sold 24 books. Then, I decided to try Book Adrenaline again in November 2021. I sold 10 eBooks this time; 9 of The Long Shadow on the Stage and 1 of The Long Shadow of Memory. I paid $20 for each promotion. https://bookadrenaline.com/
Worst Paid Promos:
Whisper Reads is a website that I would highly suggest staying away from. The Long Shadow on the Stage was approved for promotion, which cost $15. I sold 0 books, so I emailed their customer service to ask what happened. They were extremely rude in their response and said my “unprofessional book cover” was most likely a result of my lack of sales. I paid hundreds of dollars for my book cover that was designed by a professional book cover designer and matches genre standards. I always get compliments on my book cover, so not only was Whisper Reads unnecessarily rude, but they also didn’t know what they’re talking about. They’re a company that I won’t work with again. http://whisperreads.com/
Book Doggy is a paid promotion website for books. I paid $20 for their promotion and only sold 1 eBook. I would suggest avoiding this website. https://bookdoggy.com/
The Fussy Librarian promotion was extremely disappointing because I’ve heard them recommended so many times and had unsatisfactory results. Their promotion prices differ for each genre, but the paid thriller promo was $21. I sold 0 books and wouldn’t use this website again. https://www.thefussylibrarian.com/
Best Free Promo:
Reading Deals is a great option for indie authors who don’t want to spend any money on promoting their books. I discounted The Long Shadow on the Stage and sold 4 eBooks. https://readingdeals.com/
Other Free Promos:
Fiction Gateway is another great option for a free book promotion website. I sold 3 eBooks from their free promotion. https://fictiongateway.com/
Book Bongo is a book promotion website that I would avoid. I was approved for their free promotion, but they never posted about my book on their website, Twitter, or any social media. However, their promotion was free, so I didn’t lose any money. https://bookbongo.com/
Armadillo eBooks is another free book promotion website. I didn’t sell any books with this website’s promotion, but may try them again in the future since it’s free. https://armadilloebooks.com/
Pretty-Hot is a free book promotion website. I didn’t sell any books from their promotion, but may try their featured book listing in the future, which costs $25. https://pretty-hot.com/
Book Angel is a free book promotion website also. I sold 1 eBook from this promotion and would consider trying it again since it’s free. http://bookangel.co.uk/
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