Ethical Reviews for Indie Authors: Building Trust with Your Readers

As an independent author, positive reviews are like gold dust. They boost your book's visibility, build trust with potential readers, and undoubtedly influence sales. But how do you ethically find reviews, especially when you don't have the marketing clout of a traditional publisher? Here are some strategies to secure genuine feedback that benefits both you and your readers:

Embrace Advance Review Copies (ARCs)

ARCs are unfinalised versions of your book sent to reviewers before publication. Offer them to bloggers, reviewers on your social media platforms, relevant Facebook groups, or platforms like Goodreads, or even LibraryThing. Be upfront about the ARC status and emphasise honest feedback. The key here is to target the right reviewers: Not all reviews are created equal. Identify reviewers whose taste aligns with your genre and target audience. Find out where they hang out online and if possible, look for reviewers who leave thoughtful and detailed critiques on similar books.


Run Review Giveaways

Host contests or giveaways on social media with a prize your ideal reader would love. Use platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Announce the giveaway with a catchy post that includes a captivating image of your book cover. Keep entry mechanics straightforward. Common options include following your social media pages, leaving a comment on a post, tagging friends, or subscribing to your newsletter. Consider incorporating entry options that encourage engagement with your book. This could involve asking participants to share their favourite book in your genre or answer a trivia question related to your book's content. If you're promoting the giveaway across multiple platforms, consider offering different entry options on each one. This can help you reach a wider audience.

Giveaway tools like King Sumo can make life easier. These tools allow you to collect entries, randomly select winners, and announce them publicly. Outline the giveaway rules clearly. Specify the eligibility criteria (e.g., location restrictions), the number of winners, and how winners will be contacted. Have a plan for delivering the prizes. This could involve sending physical copies or providing digital download codes depending on the format of your book. Don't just give away the book and forget it. Convert those who enter the giveaway into long-term fans. Follow up with them after the giveaway concludes, perhaps by offering a discount on your book and an invitation to your street team! By running well-structured giveaways that target potential reviewers, you can generate valuable feedback and expand your reader base.

Build a Street Team

This dedicated group of readers have agreed to read and review your book. Offer early access to your book or exclusive content in exchange for their honest opinions. Remember, a street team is about building a community, not guaranteed positive reviews. The bigger your email list gets the easier this becomes. Respect the reviewer's independence: Never pressure a reviewer for a positive review. Thank them for their time, regardless of the outcome. A negative review, handled professionally, can be an opportunity to learn and improve your writing.

Review Services

It violates the policies of Amazon and most other online retailers to compensate for reviews. However, several services enable authors to distribute complimentary copies of their books within their network and connect them with potential reviewers. There are quite a few out there, ranging from the very expensive like Kirkus Reviews, Publisher’s Weekly, or School Library Journal through to some of our favourites that are much more affordable and result in a good boost of reviews for when your book is getting started. Sites like BookSirens or GetBooksReviewed are cost-effective professional book review services catering to authors, publishers, and publicists seeking genuine reviews from influential readers. The platform allows authors to submit their books for review on Amazon Kindle and Goodreads. Reviewers are not compensated or incentivised, nor are they obligated to leave a review, ensuring unbiased feedback. These sites can generate a consistent flow of new reviews across an author's entire catalogue, bolstering ratings and sales. They have proven to be an invaluable resource for many of the authors we collaborate with, offering affordability and a solid starting point for boosting review.

Ethical review practices are about building trust with your readers. By focusing on genuine feedback and fostering relationships with reviewers, you'll attract honest critiques that can propel your independent author career forward. To learn more self-publishing insights listen to Nicky's podcast session here.


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