It’s an open secret that authors who publish their Books via Amazon really value book reviews- good reviews can unlock thousands of dollars in revenue and make a previously unknown writer a global sensation in just a few months.
Amazon itself relies on book reviews for honest and un-biased feedback when it comes to rating books and other publications on its publishing platforms.
This means a greater opportunity for book worms to make their voice heard and help other avid readers make good book choices.
Plus, you stand a chance to get your hands on lots of amazing reads for free as Amazon policies allow writers to send free advanced copies of books to validated reviewers.
In this guide, we’ll teach you how to become a book reviewer for Amazon.
Let us tackle the basic questions first…
What is the compensation?
Sadly, you won’t be paid to review books on Amazon- it’s against Amazon TOS and your biggest reward will be reading books before everyone else, of course, without paying a dime.
But there are other ways that book lovers can benefit by reviewing books selling on Amazon…..
For example, you can use the book reviews that you’ve published on Amazon to apply for book reviewing gigs (there are tons of publishers looking for book reviewers) or even freelance book reviewer jobs with various Journals, Magazines, and Newspapers.
Here now is how to become a book reviewer for Amazon.
How to become a book reviewer for Amazon – general guidelines and tips
We have some good news and some disappointing news if you want to start reviewing books for Amazon..
The bad news is that authentic Amazon book reviewers are part of Amazon Vine, an invite-only program so not every bibliophile will be lucky.
But there’s some light at the end of the tunnel- everyone has an equal chance of being invited to the program as long as they have met these simple requirements:
· Be a regular reviewer of books
Your first step is to start leaving reviews on books you have purchased.
Remember it’s a must to have purchased products – including books- worth at least $50 from Amazon.com using your credit/debit card in 12 months (the past twelve months) to be allowed to write a book review.
· Consistently Make Helpful and Relevant reviews
While Vine Voices are usually selected based on a variety of criteria, the primary requirement is that your book reviews must be helpful and relevant.
As such, you have a better chance of eventually landing the coveted invitation to the program if you consistently write useful reviews while demonstrating a great understanding of the specific book.
· Respect others
You must always respect other reviewers’ opinions even if you don’t agree with their school of thought.
This is important because Amazon values and encourages diverse opinions as it’s the only way the book reviews can be helpful to book shoppers.
· You must never ask for incentives
To preserve the credibility of the reviews, Amazon doesn’t allow reviewers to solicit cash, gift, or other rewards from authors or independent publishers in exchange of reviews.
Needless to say, such commercial solicitations will severely impact your chances of landing an invitation.
In fact, even if authors and publishers are allowed to give free (or discounted) copies of books to readers, they must not request you to write a review or attempt to influence your review in exchange!
· How to become a book reviewer for Amazon : Additional Guidelines
There are other guidelines to observe as you continue buying and reviewing books on Amazon if your sole goal is to ultimately get invited to the Amazon Vine program.
Find them below:
- Do not resubmit removed book reviews– If your book review has been removed/rejected because it violated Amazon’s guidelines, you may not re-submit it, even if it now includes different content.
- Only link to Amazon books– Reviews can only include links/URLs to other books or other products selling on Amazon.
- You cannot write multiple reviews– You cannot post more than one review on the same book.
- Be careful about proprietary rights –You must not post content that infringes proprietary rights (or the intellectual property) of others
How to write a Book Review on Amazon
Step 1: Log into your active Amazon account (I’m assuming that you have met the $50 purchases condition).
Step 2: Scroll to the specific book you want to write a review for then choose the book format- Kindle, paperback, audiobook, hardback, etc.- you’ve read.
Step 3: Navigate to the customers reviews section then click on the write-a-customer-review button.
Step 4: Now rate the book (5 stars= I love it, 4 stars= I like it, 3 stars= it’s okay, 2 stars= You don’t like it, and 1 star= I hate it).
Step 5: Finally write your review (or paste it from a Word processor) in the text box below the stars.
Step 6: Press on the submit button.
Tip: You’ll see a ‘Thanks for reviewing the [book]’ message. A congratulatory email will also be sent by Amazon once your review is approved.
How to become a book reviewer for Amazon – Frequently asked questions
Are reviews expected to leave only positive reviews?
No. Amazon welcomes honest opinions about books – positive or negative provided that they conform to the posting guidelines.
Like with other products, customers may vote on the usefulness of book reviews.
Are reviewers paid for writing book reviews or influenced to write positive reviews?
No.
As I had mentioned, you’ll not be paid to write reviews or participate.
The helpfulness of your reviews will be voted on by Amazon customers so always try to write honest, useful reviews.
Will writing a negative review impact my reviewer ranking?
No.
Writing a negative book review will not impact your reviewer ranking in any way.
Remember the ranking is calculated from the number of customers who have marked it as helpful.
Do I receive books before they’re released?
Yes- if and when you join the program as some publishers pre-release books to reviewers prior to launch.
However, before then (and there is NO GUARANTEE that you’ll be invited), you’ll be buying books at your own cost (and after release).
That may not be a big issue for you if you’re just a voracious reader who is reading and reviewing books for fun.
Where to get more information:
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