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Why is Amazon Author Central so Important for Authors?

Posted by Sherrie Wilkolaski on Wed, Feb 08, 2012 @ 09:00 AM
  
  
  
  
  
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It is amazing to me that most authors aren’t even aware that Amazon provides a FREE author page to each and every author who has an ISBN and listed on their site.  It’s true!  It’s a great marketing tool to help authors, better market their books.  AAC mashable resized 600

Setting up your Amazon Author Central page.

First step, is registering for your account.  Go to authorcentral.com.  If you already have a personal Amazon account, you can log in with your standard login, however you do need to register as an author via the above mentioned link.

Once your account is activated, you then can set-up your author profile.  This is where you tell your potential readers about yourself.  Be sure to fill in as much information as you can and don't forget to include your photo.  To maximize this valuable sales tool, you will want to link to your Twitter account, and if you have a blog...which I hope you do, please be sure to sync that up as well.  Both of these tools will keep your author page active, every time  you post a blog or send out a Tweet.  It can take 3-5 days for your page to appear on Amazon, so be patient.

Where do you find an author’s individual page on Amazon.com?

Great question!  Go to Amazon and find your favorite book.  Notice that the author’s name is hyperlinked.  Click on that hyperlink and if they have an Amazon page. 

Here are some links to several Amazon Author Pages for review: James Patterson, John Grisham and Amanda Hocking.

If they don’t have an Amazon page, it will simply go to a page that lists the author’s book(s) but that is it.   

Benefits of having an Amazon Author Central page.

There are a lot of reasons to have an Amazon Author Central page. 

Author Has Control.  There is no better way to control your destiny at Amazon than by taking control of personal page.  You’ll be able to manage what buyers see on your book(s) page(s). (i.e. book synapsis, search inside the book feature, etc.)

Improves Amazon Search. If you want to compete, you’ve got to be ready to play alongside best-selling titles.  If you’re active on your Amazon page, that will help with key word searches on Amazon.

Amazon Author Central SalesTrack Your Sales.  From within your Amazon Author Central account, you can track your sales and also see what part of the country your sales are coming from.  Great feature.

Add More Books.  As you launch new titles, you’ll be able to quickly add them to your personal Amazon page and start tracking sales. 

Connecting with Readers.  There is a section of your author page that allows you to start discussions.  Use this to get feedback from your readers and fans.

Dealing with Issues.  From time to time, you may run into issues with your book listing, etc. and you can reach out to Amazon via your account.

Create your personal Amazon page today if you don’t already have one and if you do, be sure to use it more.  If you have questions on how to set-up your page or information on any other features Amazon has a wonderful help section. 

https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/help  

Feel free to post a link to your Amazon Author Central page in the comments below for added exposure to your page. 

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Comments

amazon.com/author/donnahernandez 
It is easy and so quick. Love the idea of being able to track sales and see where people are buying rom. Not ready yet it takes about 48 hrs for them to get it done.
Posted @ Wednesday, February 08, 2012 9:45 AM by Donna
Hi Sherrie, 
Re tracking your sales: Amazon doesn't keep up with the royalties they send you as the author, so this tool is pretty much useless. I suppose in some sense it's not that easy, but it's just computer programming, folks. Of course, Smashwords doesn't do this either...and Infinity doesn't even show eBooks on their BuyBooksOnTheWeb (all just requiring a programmer to set it up). 
Other than that, I suppose Author Central is a good idea, but hardly a substitute for a website. 
All the best, 
Steve 
Posted @ Wednesday, February 08, 2012 10:03 AM by Steven M. Moore
Many places offer free author pages (ManicReaders, Amazon, etc.) but if you have a shelf on Shelfari, and a Seller's Account on Amazon, and a space on Author Central, it becomes a jungle to navigate. Although I do have an author page on Author Central, I sure don't love the resale side of Amazon where folks can sell my book, Blessings in the Mire as used. I think it's akin to fruitcake: There's really only one, but it gets continuously re-gifted (in Amazon's case, re-sold). I try to send readers, as much as possible, directly to bbotw to purchase, even though the price is considerably higher than on Amazon.
Posted @ Wednesday, February 08, 2012 11:19 AM by Jan Deesltra
I love how easy Amazon makes it for authors to get some link love and publicity. In today's world, Amazon and CreateSpace are a writer's best friend!
Posted @ Wednesday, February 08, 2012 12:09 PM by Priya Florence Shah
Steve, royalties are paid by your publisher so Amazon has nothing to do with that. As an author you want to be able to have checks and balances on your sales, and being able to see where in the country your sales are coming from can help with marketing. There are improvements coming on the ebook tracking for your BBOTW account, so be patient. Thanks!
Posted @ Thursday, February 09, 2012 1:01 PM by Sherrie Wilkolaski
I have just published my first book and am beginning to discover the beauty of the Amazon Author Central Marketing tool. 
My first book: Discover the Genius in the Mirror will soon appear on Amazon and Brnes & Noble web sites. 
 
Please visit amazon.com/author/slakshminarasimhan
Posted @ Saturday, February 25, 2012 4:26 PM by S Lakshmi Narasimhan
Having just launched my novel 'Roppongi' on Amazon (I nearly went with Infinity but ended up using Createspace) I have to say it was and is an amazing experience. Highly recommend it.
Posted @ Wednesday, March 07, 2012 4:25 PM by Nick Vasey
Oh, and don't forget to harness the power of blogs to promote and market your novel and engage with new readers! Check out mine - Roppongi the Novel by Nick Vasey - brand spanking new!
Posted @ Wednesday, March 07, 2012 4:27 PM by Nick Vasey
I agree with Steve on the value of the sales tool...Showing I sold 7 books in three months, not quite true. Programming is a simple task, if Amazon chooses to make the author center a useful tool.
Posted @ Thursday, April 05, 2012 10:18 AM by Ken Pottie
Hi, Sherrie - 
 
 
 
Thank you for this. I have a question. Can I list an Amazon Kindle book at Barnes & Noble, or does it have to be exclusive to Amazon?
Posted @ Tuesday, April 17, 2012 7:32 AM by Elisa
@Elisa, 
The short answer to your question is no. First, there is a difference between KDP and KDP Select. The latter requires you to be exclusive to Amazon, the former doesn't. They both give you the same royalties on eBooks sold but Select allows you to have special sales etc. 
So, let's suppose you just use KDP. You still can't put your Amazon eBook on B&N. You either have to use B&N's Pubit! all over again or use a multichannel distributor like Smashwords. I prefer the latter since your eBook will be sent to all eBook distributors, including B&N, but excluding Amazon. 
WD has a good article this month on the ins and outs of eBook pubbing. BTW, not mentioned there as a multichannel distributor, is our good friend Infinity. If you format your eBook with them (I've not tried them for an eBook alone, but Sherrie can fill in more detail), Infinity will distribute to all on-line eBook retailers, just as they do with the trade paperbacks. They still haven't quite got their act together about selling eBooks at their own website, though. Coming real soon? 
I hope this helps. 
As an additional note, though, I'm hearing more and more about special apps for smartphones, iPhones, iPads, and the like that will allow you to read any eBook format. I don't know why anyone would want to read a book on a smartphone, but I guess it's done. If this is the case, being exclusive to Amazon is not a major hurdle. 
All the best, 
Steve Moore
Posted @ Tuesday, April 17, 2012 8:29 AM by Steven M. Moore
Yes, you're right about the importance of using the author page with links. The links help because I'm always short of time.
Posted @ Saturday, April 21, 2012 11:50 AM by Eric E. Wright
Being new to the book business, this is good information. I plan on setting up my registration tomorrow. Having had a software business before, I know writing is only 10 percent of the problem.
Posted @ Friday, April 27, 2012 9:33 PM by ronald townsen
An author's page is indeed great to have, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to link all the blogs, facebook, this author's page, my website,etc. and how to increase traffic and exposure without spending hours on the computer. I have three children's stories now listed on my author's page; most of my sales have come from direct contact not from the internet. Beryl
Posted @ Saturday, June 16, 2012 3:11 PM by Beryl Reichenberg
Beryl, You need to log into your Amazon Author account and drop in the link to Twitter and your Blog RSS feed. You can list your website URL in your bio. good luck! 
Sherrie
Posted @ Monday, June 18, 2012 2:06 PM by Sherrie Wilkolaski
Thank you Author Central! I love all the features your site offers. I check regularly to see if the book ratings have gone up. Each Friday I can track sales including numbers and from where they were purchased. It is very helpful. 
Sandy http://www.amazon.com/Sandra-J.-Warren/e/B007QPWTE2
Posted @ Saturday, September 29, 2012 9:41 PM by Sandra J Warren
How can an author post a video on their Amazon book site? I have searched, but can not find the magic to make it happen.
Posted @ Monday, November 19, 2012 1:01 PM by Lindy Schneider
Hi Lindy, 
You must be logged into your Amazon Author Central account to upload a video. Follow the instructions in the article above to set-up your account. It in the profile section. You have to upload the file, not just link to it on YouTube.  
 
Post the link to your video when it's live.  
 
Good luck! 
Sherrie
Posted @ Monday, November 19, 2012 1:24 PM by Sherrie Wilkolaski
 
I need help understand Amazon's Author Central 
Amazon's Author Central's sales by geography map. What is "Total Units" mean on the top. 
I am very confused. When Amazon's Author Central has "Total Units: 61, yet on the sales by geography map has 117 ares with 2 copies sold in each combined area, plus one area having 59 copies sold, it is confusing. What does it mean by "Total Units?" Is that how many books are sold or books per unit? I"m confused. If you want I can send you a print-screen of the sales by geography map of my book sales. If I am reading this correct, then my print sales are well over 300 in 10 weeks, which means my e-book may be equal to that or double which puts my book sales at over 1,000 in the first 10 weeks. I'm a newbie, this is my first book and outrageous, it must be a mistake on my part.
Posted @ Wednesday, March 13, 2013 10:12 PM by Kristina Louise
I have just published my debut novel, A New Dawn Rising, on amazon and smashwords. As this is my first foray into publishing, I would greatly appreciate any views/ideas on promotion and marketing besides using author central, twitter & facebook.
Posted @ Wednesday, March 20, 2013 6:28 AM by Michael Joseph
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