Regardless of the product, customers regularly rely on reviews to help them determine whether to make a purchase or not. And books are no exception. Thus, nearly every indie author is aware of just how important it is to get reviews of their books. One valuable option for authors is to obtain editorial reviews from respected sources, such as Indies Today’s editorial review service. For some readers, seeing legitimate customer reviews can be an even more influential factor than editorial reviews. However, it can be difficult for authors to obtain reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and elsewhere. Thus, we’ve curated a list of some of the more popular and effective ways for authors to get customer reviews for their books. While we attempt to ensure that the services and approaches listed below are in line with Amazon’s guidelines, most of them have not been tested by us so you should verify that any service you use is not breaking any of their rules.
LIST OF WAYS TO GET CUSTOMER REVIEWS
| Option | Amazon | Goodreads |
|---|---|---|
| Ask readers to provide you with a review in your email newsletter or after the last chapter of your book. | Allowed | Allowed |
| As friends and family members to review your book. | Not Allowed | Allowed |
| Offer giveaways / prizes in exchange for reviewing your book. | Not Allowed | Not Recommended |
| Offer your book for free directly to reviewers. (See our List of Book Reviewers) | Allowed | Allowed |
| Offer your book for free directly to readers. (Make your book Permafree, offer Goodreads Giveaways, or use KDP Free Days along with Effective Book Promotions) | Allowed | Allowed |
| BookAwardPro.com (You pay for them to facilitate the distribution of your book to reviewers) | $66 per review * | N/A |
| BookRoar.com (You review other authors’ books or buy credits for $25 to obtain reviews) | Included * | Included |
| BookSirens.com (You list your ARC book on their platform) | $10 per title, plus $2 per reader | Included |
| BookSprout.co (You list your ARC book on their platform) | $29 per month | Included |
| BookTasters.net (They offer your book to their community of reader/reviewers) | $37 to $45 per review * | $15 to $30 per review |
| BookTrib.com (You pay for them to facilitate the distribution of your book to reviewers) | $108 per review * | N/A |
| EdelweissPlus.com (You list your ARC book on their platform) | $200 per year plus $90 per title | Included |
| KBookPromotions.com (They offer your book to their community of reader/reviewers) | $30 to $33 per review * | N/A |
| NetGalley.com (You list your ARC book on their platform) | $575 per six-month period | Included |
| Reedsy.com/discovery (You list your book on their platform) | $50 per title | Included |
| SelfPublishingReview.com (They offer your book to their community of reader/reviewers) | $72 per review * | N/A |
* Some options who guarantee a certain number of reviews may, OR MAY NOT, fully comply with Amazon’s Community Guidelines and should only be used if you fully trust these companies to be in compliance.
This list is provided for informational purposes only. Indies Today does not endorse or support any of these sites. Before taking advantage of any of these options, keep in mind that you are responsible for confirming that you fully comply with Amazon’s and Goodreads’ terms of service.
What Happens if I Pay for Amazon Reviews?
If Amazon believes that a reader was paid or incentivized to review your book they will remove the questionable reviews, they may remove your book, and they may even cancel your KDP account. The only incentive you are allowed to offer a reader is to provide them with a free copy of your book. If readers are provided anything beyond that, including direct payments or entries into drawings for cash or prizes, whether offered by you or a company in your behalf, you are no longer in compliance with Amazon’s community guidelines. When Amazon believes you are not in compliance with their regulations, often the first thing they will do is remove your book from their platform, though they do generally allow you to appeal their decision via email. Here is an example of the email they may send:
All websites on our list can copy & paste the following code on their website to display our “Featured on Indies Today” badge:
Be sure to select all of the code for it to work correctly!
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