Pricing a Book on Amazon Kindle
Posted by Lukas Hernandez
When pricing a self-published book we need to consider some important key factors. For starters, if the author is new and does not have an extensive audience then it is important the price is going to gain attention from new fans. The primer goal for a new author is to build their email list and to make sure that many people are buying their book to put them on the map (or at the top of a subcategory on amazon). To get the attention of new fans and to make quick conversions that will help gain reviews the author needs to make sure that the book is priced at a point that won’t make the book seem too cheap but will also make people convert into reading the new hit novel. The issue with many self-published authors is that they want to maximize income for their work and not be patient by building their audience. The sales will come once the author gains an audience because their fans will be waiting for the new release.
Self-publishing is different than if the author had a deal with a big publishing house because big publishing house can price their books at a much higher price because the authors are typically more known. Self Publishing authors are typically unknown and this is why they have to give their book away for free or at a low price to keep their work alive.
Lastly, the best way to know what a self-published author should price their books at is by looking at their competition in their main genre and subcategories. A new author also needs to be playing around with different subcategories to see how they can get to the top of that category. A new author can’t expect to be at the top of the main category: (Fiction, Non-Fiction, Sci-Fi, Romance, etc) but they can be at the top of a subcategory. Remember, once a book gets to the top of an easier sub-category then the author should try to target more challenging one.
After a few months, an author might have to go back and reevaluate their pricing point. It is ok to raise the price or lower it depending on what the ultimate goals are. Pricing a book is not something that is set in stone. Pricing can change depending on the market and goals.