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Lame Newbie Attempt to Dissect the Kindle Search Engine

by xparte
14 replies
  • SEO
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Hi all. About 3 months ago I posted a few questions in the following thread.

warriorforum.com/main-internet-marketing-discussion-forum/560321-completely-lost-newbee-seeks-kindling-advice.html#post5846898 (can't post a link, sorry).

I'd like to use another chance to thank everyone who responded. You helped a lot!

Now that my book's been listed on the Amazon Kindle site for whopping 48 hrs, two things have happened (or rather have not).

1. There are no sales (expected).
2. My most important keywords are not working, which means no one even knows it's there.

Is that normal for an entirely new book that hasn't been marketed yet, or
am I doing something totally wrong?

Here is my title in all its glory:

Travel For Free Like a Pro Frequent Flyer - Learn Hidden Credit Card Secrets and Grab up to a Million of Airline Miles and Hotel Points Every Year!

The key words from my title that auto-finish in Amazon Kindle store search engine are: Travel for Free (or travel free), Frequent Flyer, and Credit Card.

My seven keywords are: Travel free, travel for free, frequent flyer, frequent flyer miles, credit cards, budget travel, travel secrets

Out of these keywords one will not autofinish: 'frequent flyer miles'. I believe I also wasted two other: 'travel free' (same result as 'travel for free') and 'credit cards' (same result as 'credit card'). Anyway, here are the results I'm getting when searching for those keywords:

Travel Free (same for travel for free): 15th page - #172 out of 496 - I believe ths keyword is the most important for people who want to find this information
Credit card (same results as credit cards): 9th page - #98 out of 336
Frequent flyer: 1st page - #6 out of 16
Frequent traveler: 1st page - #3 out of 4 (funny because I haven't even used it)
Airline: 14th page - #168 out of 394
Travel Secrets: 10th page - #112 out of 317
Budget Travel: 21st page - #242 out of 500

Of course, when I enter "Travel for free like" the book opens right up. But it is a very weak comfort.

Please note that I used Amazon Kindle search, not Google.

OK, aside of the obvious need for marketing outside Amazon, is there anything I could optimize on the Amazon site? Also, how would you, guys, go about writing a bio when there are no real credentials--other than that you know what you're talking about?
#attempt #dissect #engine #kindle #lame #newbie #search
  • Profile picture of the author tpw
    I can post links

    http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post5846898


    Travel For Free Like a Pro Frequent Flyer - Learn Hidden Credit Card Secrets and Grab up to a Million of Airline Miles and Hotel Points Every Year!

    With a book title like this, it is really apparent to me why you have seen no sales.

    While the title successfully squeezes in your keywords, it reads like a 3rd grader wrote it, leaving the reader with the full expectation that the writing style and grammar inside the book will also make the book a challenging read.
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    Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
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    • Profile picture of the author xparte
      Thank you for your candor. I truly appreciate it. Compliments don't sell stuff unless you compliment a buyer.

      The second part of this title is actually a subtitle which is easily identifiable on the book cover. You're right, I did put it in the title in order to increase keyword exposure. Would "Travel For Free Like a Pro Frequent Flyer" be better?

      Also, I think, a big part of the problem why it doesn't sell is that no one who's looking for this info can't find the book, which brings us back to the keyword issue.
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      • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
        xparte, I took a look at your listing on Amazon, and you have bigger fish to fry than just the title. That does need work, but it isn't the main reason you haven't made a sale, IMO.

        Let's start with the cover image. 3D 'book' images may be standard on Clickbank, but not in the Kindle marketplace. Try going with a regular 2D flat cover image.

        The cover itself isn't a real 'grabber'. Nothing about it generates any excitement - a map with a box of pushpins, a pencil, and what I assume is a compass. If, as you say in the preview, your book is about leisure travel, find an image that evokes people having fun travelling.

        The book description reads like a sales letter written by someone with English as a second language.

        You have zero reviews, even by non-buyers. Consider giving review copies to a few travel bloggers to get things started.

        I even skimmed the 'look inside' sample. To my eye, based on the same kind of quick skim potential buyers will give, it looks like you are trying way too hard to be clever. Focus less on being clever and trying to inject forced humor, and more on delivering solid information.

        I know people keep saying 'write like you are talking to a friend', but that isn't meant to be taken literally. You need to clean things up quite a bit here, too.

        How did you arrive at your price point? Most of your direct competition seems to be in the free to $2.99 range.

        The good news is that none of these things are fatal - yet. That's the plus side to not having people find you. Right now your book is like one of those houses you see on TV - good bones but needs some cosmetic work to shine.
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        • Profile picture of the author xparte
          John, thank you so much for your suggestions and taking the time to check it out, and you are right about so many things (unfortunately).

          With the cover, I was trying to come up with something different. Most of other travel book covers are palms and oceans. Or Eifel Tower, o Machu Picchu. I wanted to make mine stand out somehow. I guess, I'll need to rethink it.

          If my BD reads like ESL, that's because it is. I was hoping it wouldn't show, but I guess there isn't much I can do about it. I cannot spend $$$$ to hire a really great writer to re-write my book, and the ones I've dealt with, turned out to be pretty much useless. So, my question is really how to convince readers to overlook style imperfections in favor of great and unique content. If one can reap thousands of dollars in benefits out of reading one, even imperfect and not the most entertaining book--wouldn't it be worth it?

          OK, reviews. I have zero reviews because I haven't done anything about it yet, and the reason I haven't is because I keep tweeking with the book. I haven't given it to friends yet, either.

          About forced humor, I thought it was a problem, too. The thing about it, though, is that my book is loaded if not overloaded with information. If I do not "dilute" it a little, it will read like a textbook. The funny part is I kept getting complimented by so-called editors (yes, there were more than one).

          As to the price point, there is no specific reason for $7.95. I'm just experimenting. But I do not have direct competition as you presume--I know it sounds preposterous, but i's true. There are only three other books on the same subject I've been able to find. Two of them are utterly useless PLR garbage, the third one is good, but seriously outdated.

          All other books that might look like my competition are not. They are all about finding travel opportunities by doing gigs, from writing to teaching ESL to volunteering. My book is all about using frequent-mile programs for leisure travel. While this info can be found elsewhere, the mere number of opportunities presented in my book is enormous. And it's organized in order to make it easy to use. When I say that nothing like that has ever been written before, I'm not being cute, believe me.

          Anyway, thanks again, John, and if you or anyone else have any ideas what to do with those keywords (for now), please weigh in.


          Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

          xparte, I took a look at your listing on Amazon, and you have bigger fish to fry than just the title. That does need work, but it isn't the main reason you haven't made a sale, IMO.

          Let's start with the cover image. 3D 'book' images may be standard on Clickbank, but not in the Kindle marketplace. Try going with a regular 2D flat cover image.

          The cover itself isn't a real 'grabber'. Nothing about it generates any excitement - a map with a box of pushpins, a pencil, and what I assume is a compass. If, as you say in the preview, your book is about leisure travel, find an image that evokes people having fun travelling.

          The book description reads like a sales letter written by someone with English as a second language.

          You have zero reviews, even by non-buyers. Consider giving review copies to a few travel bloggers to get things started.

          I even skimmed the 'look inside' sample. To my eye, based on the same kind of quick skim potential buyers will give, it looks like you are trying way too hard to be clever. Focus less on being clever and trying to inject forced humor, and more on delivering solid information.

          I know people keep saying 'write like you are talking to a friend', but that isn't meant to be taken literally. You need to clean things up quite a bit here, too.

          How did you arrive at your price point? Most of your direct competition seems to be in the free to $2.99 range.

          The good news is that none of these things are fatal - yet. That's the plus side to not having people find you. Right now your book is like one of those houses you see on TV - good bones but needs some cosmetic work to shine.
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          • Profile picture of the author tpw
            Originally Posted by xparte View Post

            If my BD reads like ESL, that's because it is. I was hoping it wouldn't show, but I guess there isn't much I can do about it. I cannot spend $$$$ to hire a really great writer to re-write my book, and the ones I've dealt with, turned out to be pretty much useless.

            You don't need to hire a writer to fix your book.

            You do need to hire an editor to fix your book and your marketing copy.

            Comparatively, the editor could be cheaper or more expensive than the writer, because the editor does less work but has more skills.

            You can shop around to find an editor to take care of this for you, and depending on who you hire, you will be able to get great work for a reasonable cost.

            You can shop the forum for an editor, or I have hired most of my editors out of Craigslist for very reasonable rates.
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            Bill Platt, Oklahoma USA, PlattPublishing.com
            Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
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          • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
            Originally Posted by xparte View Post

            If my BD reads like ESL, that's because it is. I was hoping it wouldn't show, but I guess there isn't much I can do about it. I cannot spend $$$$ to hire a really great writer to re-write my book, and the ones I've dealt with, turned out to be pretty much useless. So, my question is really how to convince readers to overlook style imperfections in favor of great and unique content. If one can reap thousands of dollars in benefits out of reading one, even imperfect and not the most entertaining book--wouldn't it be worth it?
            IMO, the way you get around sounding like you are writing in a second language is to haul the issue out in the open and deal with it. Celebrate it, even.

            I'm not sure where you are located, but in the USA many immigrants with limited English skills are known for being able to wring the most out of every dollar and find unique ways of doing so.

            Tell a story, either about how you wanted to travel but had no money or about how you want to travel but you have no money. So you did your homework and figured out how to make banks (which issue credit cards) pay for it.

            Tell that English is not your first language, so people should not buy your book if they want great literature. But if they want to learn how to travel for free by 'working the system', you're their guy.

            Originally Posted by xparte View Post

            About forced humor, I thought it was a problem, too. The thing about it, though, is that my book is loaded if not overloaded with information. If I do not "dilute" it a little, it will read like a textbook. The funny part is I kept getting complimented by so-called editors (yes, there were more than one).
            One way to get around that is to section things off, and break up the 'textbook' parts with your personal stories, maybe with travel photos.

            ***
            As for the keywords, you could try going to the print book section and look for the "Tags Customers Associate with This Product" section for any title that looks like it might be close to relevant. Do this for the most popular titles, including the ones you are different from but might sound similar.

            Add those tags that feel like they fit to your own listing, but don't try to force them into your title/description.
            ***
            Bill gave you some good advice on finding an editor. There are a lot of qualified editors either out of work or looking to make some extra money on the side. Craigslist is a good way to find them.
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  • Profile picture of the author Paul Gram
    I'd recommend that you definitely change the cover to a 2D as John said above. In addition, I'd use a different color and larger font for the title.

    Once the editing is done and the cover is changed and sales copy improved, it's time for marketing. Do you have an author blog and social media accounts etc?
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  • Profile picture of the author xparte
    John, thanks again for your suggestions and keyword tips. I've contacted a couple of Craigslist writers/editors and will see what comes out of this. I'm reluctant to make my English skills a public matter on Amazon and give potential readers an additional excuse not to hit that button. On the other hand, it's a 40,000-word book, and good editors don't come cheap. Hell, from my experience, even bad ones do not come cheap. I'm in NYC, btw.

    Paul, thanks for your suggestions. I have a landing page for my blog and a facebook page built, but I agree that I probably should delay any actions until those issues are dealt with. Thanks again, guys.
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  • Profile picture of the author xparte
    Guys, I've completely redone my book--meaning editing, title and the cover. Would you take a look and tell me what you think?

    The Lazy Traveler's Handbook: Use Frequent Flyer...The Lazy Traveler's Handbook: Use Frequent Flyer...
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  • Profile picture of the author sharpturn
    Hi Xparte,

    Here are my thoughts:

    1. I'm not a fan of the font style for the main title. Looks a little squished. Maybe have "The Lazy Travelers" on one line and then a slightly larger font for "Handbook" underneath that. Also not too sure about the white stroke around the letters, especially the tagline at the bottom.

    2. Drop your price. I would drop it to something like 3.97, 4.97, 5.27.....something with a seven. Then when you begin making sales and your ranking goes up you can raise the price again.

    3. Great description but it needs to be broken up a bit. Add a couple sub-titles, add proper bullet points, use bold text in important areas. To do this go into your Author Central acount and edit it there.

    Apart from that looks very interesting.
    These are just my thoughts.
    Hope they helped.

    Andy
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  • Profile picture of the author darrenlc
    Hey xparte. I'll probably get shot down by the big posters like I normally do but here is my 2 cents . Someone above gave you a nice long post about what you were doing wrong and one word in that post stood out a mile to me - Clickbank. Get other people to promote it and give them a 50% commission. Yes it may seem a lot but 50% of nothing is nothing. You do what your good at and let other people do what you can't do. Many of the people on here do it for nothing initially and then work hard to make money for themselves by making sure they get something out of it. The next thing you know they have done the research and got into Google competing with keywords for you. Oops just seen the suggested price up above. Shot myself in the foot again I think.
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  • Profile picture of the author xparte
    Darren, thanks for your Clickbank advice. I'd like to invite some more opinions on using Clickbank to sell a Kindle book. Also I didn't get your remark regarding the price. Could you elaborate on it?

    ST, thanks for your suggestion, as well. I've kept the price artificially high for two reasons--to avoid too many sales (which I've managed to achieve) until I completely re-edit and redo the info and such and to test their KDP Lending Library feature which is supposed to work better on higher-priced items. I am going to reduce the price, of course.
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  • Profile picture of the author darrenlc
    I added the last bit about the price because I had just noticed the previous comment and the price suggested was pretty low. However if you got some thing to sell and there is a market for it then the price could easily be inflated. I mean if people are promoting you and they have the top ten positions on Google then you could have the market to yourself based on a certain keyword . I've seen loads of book's selling for really high prices and loads of people promoting it. Either way good luck with it and never give up. The harder you work at something the better the feeling of reward once it comes.
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    • Profile picture of the author xparte
      Originally Posted by darrenlc View Post

      I added the last bit about the price because I had just noticed the previous comment and the price suggested was pretty low. However if you got some thing to sell and there is a market for it then the price could easily be inflated. I mean if people are promoting you and they have the top ten positions on Google then you could have the market to yourself based on a certain keyword . I've seen loads of book's selling for really high prices and loads of people promoting it. Either way good luck with it and never give up. The harder you work at something the better the feeling of reward once it comes.
      Darren, no plans on giving up. Thanks for great advice.
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