As a self-published author, you need to take full advantage of your Amazon Author Central, and here’s how!
New authors have one common question: ‘What is Amazon Author Central, and what can it do to help my book sales?’ Amazon Author Central is a 100% free author platform that every self-published author should be using. On your Author Central platform, you can track your book sales, check your book sales ranks, check customer reviews, set up an Amazon Author Page, add all your books, set up your author bio, connect with your readers, and even post blogs.
In this article, you will learn:
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- What is an Amazon Author Central Page, and why should you set one up?
- What makes an amazing Amazon Author Central Page?
- Creating a professional Amazon Author Page
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What is an Amazon Author Page, and why should you set one up?
If you want to sell a book on Amazon, regardless of what book it is, you’ll need to sign up for Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). After that, you go through the steps of uploading and publishing your book. However, many self-published authors fail to take the next step and set up their Amazon Author Central and Author Page.
What are some of the key features of Amazon Author Central?
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- Add Editorial Book Reviews to specific books
- Monitor and track each book’s specific rankings and sales
- See all your new book reviews
- Post photos, videos, and blogs
- Link your books to your author profile
- Post links to your social media accounts, website, and more
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Did you know that anyone who lists a book on Amazon can sign up for their free Author Central Account? If you want to sell books on Amazon, then you’ll need one!
Your Amazon Author Page is your personal spotlight on Amazon!
Not only can people learn more about you, but they can also see all your books and then buy any they like. They can connect with you on a personal level and put a face to the name. If you’re trying to build an all-encompassing author presence, then your Amazon Author Page should be a crucial part of it.
If you aren’t familiar with Amazon Author Pages, head over to Amazon KDP right now and look. Go to Amazon and search for any random book. I’ll show you one of mine as an example below.
If it’s blue, then you can click on it, and the hyperlink will take you directly to that author’s Author Page. Below we’ll take a closer look at my Amazon Author Page, which is listed under my pen name Ben Jackson.
As you can see, it clearly lists some of my best-selling books at the top of the page. In addition, it has my author photo with my author bio underneath. Finally, it also has author updates where I can post a short blog, video, or even recent photos.
If you haven’t already, then here are the top reasons for setting up an Amazon Author Page:
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- You’ll have full access to book sales and statistics, which will help you better understand your audience and track your book sales.
- You’ll have a presence on the world’s biggest book sales platform.
- Readers who discover and love your books will be able to find your other books easily.
- If you have a book series, readers will be able to discover other books from it.
- Your fans will be able to discover and learn more about you as an author.
- Readers can discover your website and social media through your Amazon Author Central Page.
- It makes you look more professional as an author.
- It’s fast and easy to set up.
- It’s 100% free and a great marketing tool.
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What makes an amazing Amazon Author Central Page?
There are several things that go into creating a professional Amazon Author Page, including:
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- A compelling and professional biography
- Professional author photos
- All of your books
- Any book trailers or promotional videos
- RSS feed to your blog
- Follow Author Button
- Social media links and website information
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The good news is that all of this is super easy. There’s nothing that’s complicated, you just add all your information to the right area, and you’re ready to go!
Your Amazon Author Page is where you turn casual readers into committed fans.
Creating a professional Amazon Author Page
Let’s get started and create an Amazon Author Central account.
Before you can create your Author Page, you need an Author Central Account.
- Go to Author Central and click ‘Join for free.’
- Sign in using your regular Amazon username and password.
- Read and accept the terms and conditions.
- Enter your author name, book title, or pen name into the search field. You can add all your book titles later.
- Select any book to create the account. (You must have a book available for purchase on Amazon to have an account).
- You’ll get a confirmation email to finish the setup.
Step 1. Professional Author Bio
As you create content, you should be adding it to your Amazon Author Page just like you add it to other social media platforms. Having a professional author bio in your books is just as important as having one on your Amazon Author Profile.
Tell your readers about yourself. Consider adding things about your awards, background, projects, and interests. Anything that establishes you as an author and helps you to connect with your readers. Part of your bio should include links to your social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Goodreads. It’s also an excellent place to include your author’s website.
Step 2. Professional Author Photo
If you have had professional author photos done, then you can add them as your profile picture. You aren’t just limited to one, though. You can add various photos to your profile, but you can only have one main photo.
Your author photo should portray the image you want your readers to have of you. Funny and quirky, maybe for children’s books or professional for business books.
Step 3. Add Your Blog RSS Feed
You can add an RSS feed directly from your blog to your Amazon Author Page. This will post snippets or teasers of your blog to your page. However, this feature only works on the Amazon.com marketplace, and websites must have a .com address.
Step 4. Add a Book Teaser or Author Video
You have a few options here. For example, you could create an introductory author video, book teaser or trailer video, or much more! You can have up to a maximum of 50 videos and choose which order they appear in.
Step 5. Follow Button
The follow button is crucial. When someone chooses to follow you, they will then be notified every time you release a new book. That’s free advertising every time you release a new book, and that’s priceless!
Complete Guide to Amazon Author Central For Authors – Conclusion
Hopefully, right now, you’re going to set up your Amazon Author Central and Author Pages.
There’s a lot to learn when you first publish a book but don’t worry if you miss out on something. Luckily, you can usually go back and get it all in order.
If you want to find out more about self-publishing in Australia, or you are looking for formatting services, editing services, or writing services in Australia, then don’t hesitate to contact us directly at Author Services Australia. We have years of experience helping self-published authors successfully publish their books with a full range of affordable self-publishing services.
