Are you a thought leader or C-Suite professional looking to write a non-fiction book as your business calling card? Learn how to transform your expertise into a book you can use as a networking tool to increase your reach and expand your online presence.
Amazon changed the rules (here's what works now) π―
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Hey Reader, When you live in the Pacific Northwest, you need to accept the rain. It rains for about six months out of the year - no joke! Those images you may see or the YouTube videos of the PNW region blanketed in snow? These are the high elevations around the mountains, because it rarely snows in the winter. We only had one snowstorm this past season, and it was an inch, which melted in two days. This is why you can grow vineyards of grapes for making wine or olives. Yes, olives! I actually went to olive farming school when I first moved here. That was an experience! Now that summer is almost here, I'm planning an awesome birthday road trip in my new (bought it used) camper van! Oregon lighthouse on the coast trip. Spending one week driving down the beach. πππΎπππΎπππΎπππΎπππΎπππΎπππΎπππΎπππΎ πππΎ Did You Know? πππΎπππΎπππΎπππΎπππΎπππΎπππΎπππΎπππΎ Our new Skool community has 35 members! Come and join us! Surfacing with this week's insights... π One stumbling block many new authors face is not knowing how to start writing their book. They have ideas, but they don't know how to organize them in a format that readers will understand. New authors aren't sure what to write in their book, how to write it for their avatar, or how to organize their information. A book is one of the most powerful business tools you will ever own. Itβs not just a tool; itβs your professional legacy. Books attract clients. They open doors that a business card wonβt budge. Today, those new (and returning) authors have a solution! I recently published "From Idea to Outline in One Weekend," specifically for professionals like you. Busy, experienced, full of ideas, and ready to finally write a book about it. Your book idea has been waiting long enough. Grab your copy today! π π βοΈ π π βοΈ π π βοΈ π π βοΈ π π βοΈHere's a story for you... π One of our community members recently asked me why his KDP ads weren't working. It's because Amazon just changed its policy on which books it shows in its algorithm. Yes, the algorithm of another platform has changed. AGAIN. KDP, instead of rewarding authors for the big push to sell their book at launch, is now rewarding them for more consistent book sales. Thank goodness, someone came to their senses. This makes it easier for indie authors and authors without a huge launch budget to compete with everyone else publishing on Amazon, including the Big Five. So, how does this affect you as an author or a soon-to-be-author? Here's what you need to know... π π¬ Why aren't my Amazon ads working like they used to? Amazon devalued internal ads traffic with the A10 update. The algorithm now weighs external traffic (from your email list, social media, newsletter sites, and paid ads from platforms like Facebook or TikTok) more heavily than Amazon ads. If you've been relying solely on Amazon ads on autopilot, you're probably seeing a significant drop in effectiveness. π¬ How do I optimize my book page now that keyword stuffing doesn't work? The new algorithm uses AI that can "read" your book cover images and parse natural language in your descriptions. Instead of cramming keywords into your title and description, focus on natural language that describes outcomes and benefits. Use context-rich descriptions that hit your tropes, subgenres, and themes while explaining when and why readers would enjoy your book. Make sure your cover visually aligns with your genre, and invest time in creating robust A+ content with thematic images that increase dwell time on your page. π¬ Why did my one-day book promotion spike not move the needle on my rank? Amazon now values consistent sales over multiple days more than one-day spikes. The ranking system updates daily rather than hourly, and the algorithm rewards sustained traffic and conversions over several days or weeks. If you're still doing massive one-day pushes, you're not optimizing for the way Amazon now measures book performance. π‘Final Thoughts: The A10 algorithm update isn't designed to make your life harder as an indie author. It's designed to improve the reader experience by surfacing books that genuinely match what readers want and keeping quality content visible over time. While it's frustrating to abandon tactics that used to work, this shift actually rewards authors who focus on the fundamentals: writing good books, presenting them professionally, building genuine audience connections, and marketing consistently over time. Adapt your strategy now, and you'll be positioned for long-term success instead of chasing short-term algorithmic tricks. ποΈπͺποΈ How to Use Podcasting to Build Your Business ποΈπͺποΈ Want to write a bookβbut unsure how youβll actually get people to read it? My friend Virginia, at Podcast Abundance, who was a guest on Episode #26, How to Promote Your Book Using Your Podcast, publishes a weekly newsletter that teaches you how to use podcasting to build your audience while youβre writing, so youβre not launching to silence or struggling for book sales later! She provides clear strategy, simple systems, and real ways to expand your reach before your book is even done. Subscribe here β https://podcastabundance.kit.com/podcasttogrowβ πππ― πππ― πππ― πππ― πππ― πππ― πππ― πππ― πππ― π€ Client Testimonial of the Week A new author, Archer, wanted to submit his work to a contest to win awards and land a publisher for his upcoming book. He didn't have much marketing knowledge and wanted to find out what steps he needed to take to start building his digital footprint now to meet his goal of landing a publisher in the future, so we hopped on a Publishing Consultation Call. "Lynn has been terrific in helping me navigate the tough first steps of the publishing industry, and I recommend her for anyone looking to get a good start!" -Archer Cole Ready to take your book content to the next level? βThen hop on my Self-Publishing Discovery Call calendar.β πWant to learn more? I've compiled a playlist of my top book marketing episodes from my podcast, Self Publishing for Professionals. Click here to listen to the playlist! While you're there, make sure to leave a review! π₯Upcoming Free Publishing Coachingπ₯ Do you want to avoid the most common misconceptions that new authors have when it comes to publishing? βJoin my free community for access to my upcoming workshop, where I'll reveal misconceptions and why they aren't true. This is free, interactive, and designed to save you time, money, and a whole lot of frustration! β¬οΈ Click your preferred calendar button below to automatically add this event to your calendar! β¬οΈ Your Publishing Partner, Lynn "Elikqitie" Smargis P.S. β Are you looking for a fresh set of eyes on your manuscript for a review? Grab a spot on my Self-Publishing Discovery Call calendar to find out how quick and easy this process can be! |
Lynn Smargis Ghostwriter
Are you a thought leader or C-Suite professional looking to write a non-fiction book as your business calling card? Learn how to transform your expertise into a book you can use as a networking tool to increase your reach and expand your online presence.
Hey Reader, Gardening, gardening, gardening. Lots of tomatoes, purple potatoes, string beans and sunflowers. I've been eating watermelon gazpacho with the fresh tomatoes and basil from my garden. One of my favorite garden experiences? Smelling the warm garden goodness of tomato plants and tomatoes on the vine in the summer! Now that we've talked veggie power, let's dive into this week's newsletter! ππ π ππ π ππ π ππ π You know what I noticed? π π π π π ππ π ππ π π That authors who receive...
Hey Reader, If you like a great dystopian story, with so many plot twists you're having to watch every recap to keep up with the story line, then I would highly recommend watching SILO on Apple TV. Not giving away any spoilers, but I will say this: The actress they chose for the main protagonist, Juliette, is phenomenal, as are many of the cast members. They are truly believable! Excellent plot, fabulous acting, and a world so immersive you'll find yourself thinking about it long after the...
Hey Reader, Gardening, and finding the right plants for your garden, can be tricky. Sometimes I feel more like a scientist doing an experiment than a gardener! Luckily, you eventually find out what works by trial and error, and gathering data. Using native plants is also helpful, but you need to figure out which plants work for your garden, how much you want to invest, and which plants are the most attractive. Then you have a short-list of plants you want to maintain, taking the guesswork out...