quick good vs. bad Amazon listing (pt 2 of 2): 3 secrets, 2 links, 1 quote

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3 Secrets

1. Amazon Reviews: ​
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​The 100 Rating Myth

Many people believe that Amazon magically starts promoting your book once it hits 100 ratings. But the truth is:

So where does this myth come from?

It likely stems from the fact that if you’ve earned 100 legitimate ratings—from readers within your niche—Amazon has enough data to start recommending your book more effectively, either organically or through Amazon Ads.

So is 100 a magic number?

No—but it’s a smart target. With 100+ ratings:

• Amazon can analyze who your readers are.
• It can better predict who else will want your book.
• And that makes your listing more profitable for Amazon, which motivates them to show it more.

What does each rating do?

Think of it like this:

• Each additional rating = ~0.1% boost in conversions (visitors → buyers)
• ~0.5% boost due to the perceived credibility those round numbers bring.

These thresholds psychologically signal trust and quality to potential buyers.
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​One last tip: All readers can leave a review (not just people who buy your book on Amazon)
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2. Strategic Editorial Reviews: There’s more to editorial reviews than just warm fuzzies.

Yes, it feels good to get a fancy-pants name to say something nice about your book. But the real power of an editorial review lies in strategy—specifically, alignment with your audience.

Think of it this way:

The best endorsements come from people who share your target readership. Their quote becomes a referral—and a reason for their fans to give your book a shot.

Editorial Reviews Don’t Sell Books Alone

But they can help sell books when used correctly.

Once someone gives you a blurb:

• Find their audience—many have fan communities, email lists, or Facebook groups.
• Post in those spaces that you’re honored by their endorsement.
• Include a quote + link to your book.
• Target their books with Amazon Ads, using their name and review snippet in your ad copy.

Build that bridge. Then help people walk across it.

Podcast Leverage

Editorial reviews can also help you land podcast interviews.

If you’re trying to get on a big show, and you’ve already gotten blurbs from a few of their past guests, include those in your pitch. It builds credibility and makes you a warmer lead.

Getting Fancy-Pants Names

Take a note from Leidy Klotz, author of Subtract.

He got Adam Grant to blurb his book with just a short message:

How did he do it?

1. He found Adam’s email online.
2. He wrote a short, respectful, personalized note.
3. He explained why the book was relevant to Adam’s audience.
4. He mentioned he was a genuine fan.

The takeaway:

• Keep your ask short and specific.
• Be sincere.
• Reach out to people who are relevant to your topic.

What Actually Matters

Dave Chesson from Kindlepreneur ran a heat map study to see what people notice most in editorial reviews. The results?

So instead of chasing celebrity blurbs, find a:

• Professor
• Doctor
• Executive
• Or anyone with a credible title in your space

Their authority carries more weight than you might think—even if they’re not widely known.
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3. Listing Data: We see it all the time that a publisher has put an author in the wrong age group or stuffed backend keywords with words that aren’t optimized.

Make sure your book isn’t in the wrong age group by seeing what’s listed directly under your book description. If you don’t see a defined age group, you’re good (unless you’re a children’s or YA author)

Backend Keywords

You have two options when it comes to your 7 backend keyword boxes on Amazon.

Stuff them full to get low to average indexing for a lot of terms
or
keep it short and specific for high indexing for your most relevant keywords.
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If you fill those backend keyword boxes up, know that you won’t rank very high for any of them (just from the backend words).
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To figure out which strategy is the best, see how competitive those most relevant keywords/phrases are and if you see lots of books that sell well and have high numbers of reviews (meaning lots of competition) – it might be better to keyword stuff.

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2 Links
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1. BEST social media strategy I’ve EVER hear. Brendan Kane (has worked with everyone from Taylor Swift to Rihanna) came on BTB to talk about how to make going viral a science. Listen to our chat here.

2. For those on your own business building journey’s – I got wayyyy too personal in a recent interview with Mark Silverman but hopefully it’s too your benefit 🙂 Listen here.

1 Quote

“”The first page sells this book. The last page sells your next book”
– Wendy Paine

with love and sincere appreciation,

Alex
​BeforeTheBestseller | ShelfLife​
alex@getshelflife.com