Let's swap amazon book reviews

[GuestUser116]

Getting those reviews on your titles is automatic social proof and it will increase sales guaranteed.

Authors and self publishers PM and we'll swap some reviews.

 

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[Lex DeVille]

Actually, we've already tried this, and it's not guaranteed.

Virtually all of the books that I received reviews in exchange for swaps ended up dropping off completely.

 

[GuestUser116]

Actually, we've already tried this, and it's not guaranteed.

Virtually all of the books that I received reviews in exchange for swaps ended up dropping off completely.

Not in my scenario.

 

[ChasingPaper]

Not in my scenario.

How many books you got out now?

 

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[Peakdesire]

I have a book coming out in a few days, lets do it then!

 

[GuestUser116]

How many books you got out now?

6. I deleted 2 old ones that don't sell.

 

[ChickenHawk]

Actually, we've already tried this, and it's not guaranteed. Virtually all of the books that I received reviews in exchange for swaps ended up dropping off completely.

This is interesting info. Just for clarification, do you mean that you ended up unpublishing the books? Or do you mean that Amazon removed the reviews? Or am I missing the point entirely? I'd love more info on this, if you wouldn't mind providing additional details. I've heard about Amazon deleting reviews, for example, but have yet to experience this personally.

 

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[Lex DeVille]

This is interesting info. Just for clarification, do you mean that you ended up unpublishing the books? Or do you mean that Amazon removed the reviews? Or am I missing the point entirely? I'd love more info on this, if you wouldn't mind providing additional details. I've heard about Amazon deleting reviews, for example, but have yet to experience this personally.

Hey ChickenHawk,

I was referring to the idea that reviews = guaranteed increase in sales. The last time we had a review thread going I ended up with quite a few reviews on a number of books. The sales didn't increase and instead, almost all of the books died off within about a month. Some were children's books, and the others were romance. Some of the people I left reviews for also mentioned a lack of sales afterward.

I have had a few reviews removed, but no idea why.

Savvy readers know to look for the "verified purchase" icon next to reviews to avoid the fake ones. I haven't checked lately, but I assume Amazon still uses this.

One thing I might mention is that I was publishing short books. So I can't say whether or not reviews will significantly increase the sales of a novel.

 

[MakeItHappen]

Just a word of caution about review swaps.
Amazon isn't stupid and can detect fake reviews. If you are swapping reviews it becomes even more obvious. You never know how Amazon will react (some day).

Do it at your own risk and just know that Amazon most likely knows which reviews are from random buyers and which ain't.

 

[Charnell]

One thing I might mention is that I was publishing short books. So I can't say whether or not reviews will significantly increase the sales of a novel.

I've found that reviews are pretty irrelevant when it comes to short stories. I have a series of books with multiple 5 star reviews that get no more sales than books with 1 or 2 single star reviews.

I would assume for novels/novellas, or anything over 20k words, reviews would hold a lot more weight.

 

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[GuestUser116]

Just a word of caution about review swaps.
Amazon isn't stupid and can detect fake reviews. If you are swapping reviews it becomes even more obvious. You never know how Amazon will react (some day).

Do it at your own risk and just know that Amazon most likely knows which reviews are from random buyers and which ain't.

That's stupid, so a friend can't review your stuff on Amazon because you know the person?

 

[ChasingPaper]

That's stupid, so a friend can't review your stuff on Amazon because you know the person?

I wouldn't worry about getting reviews that much, publish more content, that's what you need to do.

 

[youngtrep]

That's stupid, so a friend can't review your stuff on Amazon because you know the person?

Amazon's review tracking is very sophisticated. I don't believe they will track two people reviewing each other's products, but if you ever have a friend write a review for your book/product and they then login to Amazon while at your house (on your wifi network), Amazon will immediately make the connection between the two of you and remove the review.

 

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[GuestUser116]

I wouldn't worry about getting reviews that much, publish more content, that's what you need to do.

How's that rolling for you?

 

[ChasingPaper]

How's that working for you?

Working nicely and I've just gotten started. I've got 3 books being published at this moment and plan to release 15 more this month.

 

[GuestUser116]

Working nicely and I've just gotten started. I've got 3 books being published at this moment and plan to release 15 more this month.

How much you making?

 

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[ChasingPaper]

How much you making?

I'll let you know in the middle of the month bro. I'll PM you then.

 

[Mattie]

Amazon isn't stupid and can detect fake reviews.

Believe it or not they follow the links! And this is what people don't get. When you put a link anywhere, you push on it and go to Amazon, and they go back to that link where it came from. I watched them do this.

 

[GuestUser116]

Believe it or not they follow the links! And this is what people don't get. When you put a link anywhere, you push on it and go to Amazon, and they go back to that link where it came from. I watched them do this.

Give the exact title name and author; problem solved.

 

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[ChickenHawk]

Back a few years ago, I heard of authors having "review parties," where they'd invite all their friends over to their house, pull up their book(s) on Amazon, and have each party-guest write/submit a nice review. Apparently, Amazon put a stop that that pretty quickly. It's not hard to figure out something funny's going on when 20 new reviews appear from the same I.P. address in one evening.

 

[FlamingRemedy]

I once knew of a marketing company that sold this type of service under the name "Seller Reputation Package." Once google, yelp and amazon realized fake reviews were being made they removed them and the client was very mad. There's a fine line that shouldn't be crossed.

 

[Charnell]

There's an issue I have with swapping reviews. People have a tendency to give a top scoring review if they know they will get one in return, as opposed to giving an actual, accurate review. I'd rather take a organic 3 star that says exactly what could be improved on than a nonsense 5 star review that says they've been using my book for weeks and it was published 14 hours ago.

On the flip side, if people gave you a 2 star review because you forgot there was a such thing as an editor, you would be more inclined to give them a lower review.

We can also talk about ethics. How would you feel if you went into an expensive restaurant in a new city, after checking reviews online. 4.8 stars on Yelp, should be good. You go in expecting top sirloin and get Taco Bell meat.

 

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[youngtrep]

We can also talk about ethics. How would you feel if you went into an expensive restaurant in a new city, after checking reviews online. 4.8 stars on Yelp, should be good. You go in expecting top sirloin and get Taco Bell meat.

I can't speak to the need for reviews for books, but for physical products the problem is that you can't get sales on Amazon without having reviews, and you can't get real reviews without having sales. Getting people to write a few reviews for you starting out is almost a requirement if you want to gain any traction.

 

[Charnell]

I can't speak to the need for reviews for books, but for physical products the problem is that you can't get sales on Amazon without having reviews, and you can't get real reviews without having sales. Getting people to write a few reviews for you starting out is almost a requirement if you want to gain any traction.

They have a "system" in place for physical products. Basically there are trusted people on amazon that do reviews in exchange for the product. Usually top reviews for products are reviews by top reviewers or vines or something like that. People that provide plenty of helpful reviews.

You can send your book to those people who will do a 100% accurate review. If its horse crap, they'll call you on it. They have nothing to lose.

If you have a great product, you'll get a great review.

 

[youngtrep]

They have a "system" in place for physical products. Basically there are trusted people on amazon that do reviews in exchange for the product. Usually top reviews for products are reviews by top reviewers or vines or something like that. People that provide plenty of helpful reviews.

You can send your book to those people who will do a 100% accurate review. If its horse crap, they'll call you on it. They have nothing to lose.

If you have a great product, you'll get a great review.

I am almost positive you have to be invited by Amazon to join the vine program so for most sellers that is unfortunately not an option.

 

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[Charnell]

I am almost positive you have to be invited by Amazon to join the vine program so for most sellers that is unfortunately not an option.

Is that for reviewers, or reviewees? It was my understanding that you had to be invited to be a top reviewer, and you just had to get in contact with them to get a review.

There are other ways to get reviews. I know when I was pretty involved on the bodybuilding.com forum, a few times I'd sign up for 7-30 day test runs of supplements to give a review at the end. They were the producer, I was the consumer. It gets shady when producers are reviewing products for other producers.

 

[youngtrep]

Is that for reviewers, or reviewees? It was my understanding that you had to be invited to be a top reviewer, and you just had to get in contact with them to get a review.

There are other ways to get reviews. I know when I was pretty involved on the bodybuilding.com forum, a few times I'd sign up for 7-30 day test runs of supplements to give a review at the end. They were the producer, I was the consumer. It gets shady when producers are reviewing products for other producers.

Both. You can try to reach out to a vine reviewer on your own and ask them to do a review, but in order for Amazon to actually distribute your product to reviewers they need to invite you into the program.

 

[biophase]

I can't speak to the need for reviews for books, but for physical products the problem is that you can't get sales on Amazon without having reviews, and you can't get real reviews without having sales. Getting people to write a few reviews for you starting out is almost a requirement if you want to gain any traction.

You know I have one product that has no reviews and it sells pretty well. And then there's one of my top sellers that has 4 reviews.

I used to think that you could judge a product's sales by the number of reviews but I have found many times where it is not the case.

I have this one product that has over 100 reviews, rated 4.5 stars at $90. A competitor launched a similar product at $50. Well that product is matching my sales (based on amazon ranking in the category) and has 4 reviews, rated 4 stars. A person looking from the outside would say that my product is selling well, but I know that this other one is doing just fine without the reviews.

 

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[biophase]

BTW, I just wanted to mention that at some point the actual review itself may not matter.

So in my category, my products have over 100 reviews. In fact I have the most reviews in the category. But, my closest competition is only 5 reviews behind right now.

I almost feel like now it's a competition on sheer number of reviews, because imagine we have 2 products, fairly equal, both have 4.5 star ratings. One product has 500 reviews and the other has 300 reviews? You aren't going to read the actual reviews because there is so many of them. So do you choose by total number of reviews??? I usually do.

 

[wade1mil]

BTW, I just wanted to mention that at some point the actual review itself may not matter.

That's crazy your best seller has 4 reviews. Makes me wonder how many Chromecast USB things they've sold on Amazon to have like 25k reviews.
I've heard a few different ideas about this. The most recent was that reviews are meant more for social proof than they do for ranking.
You know more about this that me, but after breathing Amazon the past few weeks, it seems like Amazon ranks according to most likely to buy.
I read an article somewhere, may have actually been Amazon, that said their search rankings are catered to each person.
If someone always buys the cheapest, they are likely to see cheaper products ranked higher than someone the buys expensive brand name stuff.