Books

Promoting a free or discounted book can quickly get expensive, but it doesn’t have to. If you’re using Amazon KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing), you can run a free book promotion for up to five days every 90 days. These windows are perfect opportunities to list your book on websites that don’t charge anything to help spread the word.

The websites in this list let you promote your book at no cost, and many are beginner-friendly. Just keep in mind: you get what you pay for. These platforms are a great starting point to test interest and see how much traction your book can gain organically. After trying a few, you can evaluate whether any are worth pursuing further through their paid tiers or explore other paid advertising options.

Tier 1: Websites That Ask for Both a Start and End Date

These websites request both the first and last day of your promotion, meaning they are likely taking action to promote your book during that exact window. Whether that’s featuring it in a newsletter, highlighting it on their home page, or including it in a genre-specific roundup, these are the websites most actively coordinating with your promotional schedule. If you’re planning a time-limited free or discounted book promotion, start here.

Tier 2: Websites That Ask for a Single Promotion Date

These platforms only require you to provide a start date or a single promotion day. While they may not align as precisely with a multi-day campaign, they still offer a great chance to get extra visibility, especially if you’re doing a one-day push or want to spread mentions across several days during your promo window.

Tier 3: Websites That List Your Book

These platforms don’t require any start or end dates for your promotion. Instead, they’ll list your book on their website once you submit it. While they may not provide time-sensitive exposure, they can still help with long-term discoverability, especially for free books or permanent price drops.

If you’re serious about marketing your book but working with a tight budget, these free platforms are a great place to start. Keep in mind that results can vary widely depending on your genre, timing, and presentation. Try a few during your next Amazon KDP free promotion window and track which ones drive the most downloads or engagement.

Did we miss one of your favorite free promotion websites? Let us know in the comments. We will keep this list updated as new resources emerge.

Top Three Quotes

1. “Amazon ads can help any author grow with incremental improvements. And those small changes make big opportunities for the future.”
2. “You can’t pay your car loan with a low ACoS, but you can pay it down with higher monthly profit.”
3. “If you want something to last that long, then you don’t want to rush it.”

Book Theme

Self-Publishing With Amazon Ads is a hands-on, realistic guide for self-published authors to use Amazon Ads strategically to build long-term royalties, develop profitable advertising campaigns, and regain control of their author career.

Why You Should Read This Book

If you’re a self-published author frustrated with marketing methods that drain your time or money, Bryan Cohen’s approach offers sustainable, low-cost, repeatable strategies. This book focuses on mindset, profitability, and the importance of patience in building ad success, making it invaluable for anyone serious about long-term book sales on Amazon.

Key Ideas and Arguments Presented

• Amazon ads are not a get-rich-quick tactic, but a long-term investment strategy.
• Lower ad bids often lead to greater profitability than high bids.
• Success with Amazon ads depends on consistent practice, not one-time hacks.
• Understanding and targeting relevant keywords is critical for ad visibility and conversion.
• Sales reporting in the Amazon ad dashboard can be misleading—track royalties and profit separately.
• Authors must regularly monitor and optimize ad performance rather than set-and-forget.
• Running ads leads to organic boosts like increased Amazon visibility and recommendations.
• Learning your genre deeply is essential for ad targeting success.
• Patience and a test-and-learn mindset are crucial for ad growth.
• The author provides formulas and benchmarks to determine profitable ad bidding and expected outcomes.

Book Outline

• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Why Is It Worth Trying One More Book Marketing Thing?
• Chapter 2: What Kind of Time Do I Need to Invest in Amazon Ads?
• Chapter 3: How Do I Set Up Amazon Ads for Maximum Profit?
• Chapter 4: How Do I Know If My Ads Are Working?
• Chapters 5–12: Advanced strategies, keyword research, ad dashboard use, genre-based targeting, and more.
• Epilogue
• About the Author

Key Takeaways

• Start slow and aim for profitability over visibility.
• Target relevant readers rather than broad categories.
• Use low bids (e.g., $0.39 for series starters and $0.34 for single books) to improve profit margins.
• Track performance with the KDP dashboard rather than relying only on ad data.
• Set aside weekly time for keyword research, ad creation, and optimization.
• Focus your ad spend on your most profitable book first.
• Relevancy and genre alignment significantly reduce costs.

Key Techniques

• The Split Screen Method: Compare Amazon Ad Dashboard with KDP Reports for true profit tracking.
• Low-Bid Strategy: Bid low (under $0.39) to maintain profitability and control costs.
• Relevancy Targeting: Choose only hyper-relevant books and keywords to train the algorithm.
• Weekly System: Research keywords, create 5–10 ads weekly, then analyze metrics in 15-minute sessions.

Author’s Qualifications

Bryan Cohen is a bestselling author, founder of Best Page Forward, and host of The Sell More Books Show. He has run Amazon ad workshops for over 30,000 authors and helped many reach over $10K/month in royalties.

Comparison to Similar Books

Compared to other books on Amazon Ads, Cohen’s book is practical, humble, and focused on low-budget long-term growth. It avoids hyped-up promises and emphasizes consistency and mindset, unlike many ad-centric books that push high-risk bidding or short-term tactics.

Target Audience

• Self-published authors at any stage
• Writers with limited marketing budgets
• Authors struggling to understand Amazon Ads
• Writers ready to commit to long-term growth
• Authors who’ve tried other ad platforms without success
• Genre fiction and nonfiction authors looking to scale
• Those in KDP Select or Kindle Unlimited programs

Critical Response to the Book

The book was well-received, particularly in the indie author community. It was crowdfunded by over 600 authors via Kickstarter, and praised for being honest, approachable, and results-driven. The mix of narrative and instruction keeps it engaging and motivational.

One Sentence Takeaway

Amazon Ads, when used with strategy, low bids, and patience, can transform a self-published author’s career from stagnant to profitable.

Top Three Quotes

• “Copy cannot create desire for a product. It can only take the hopes, dreams, fears, and desires that already exist in the hearts of millions of people, and focus those already existing desires onto a particular product.”
• “The greatest mistake marketers make is trying to create demand.”
• “Your ad always begins with your market, and leads that market into your product.”

Book Theme

Breakthrough Advertising (not financially feasible to buy currently) centers on understanding and channeling existing consumer desires rather than attempting to create new ones. Schwartz emphasizes that successful advertising identifies the stage of awareness of the target audience and crafts messages that resonate with their existing desires and knowledge.

Why You Should Read This Book

This book is essential for marketers, copywriters, and business owners who seek to deepen their understanding of consumer psychology and enhance their advertising effectiveness. Schwartz provides a framework for identifying consumer desires and tailoring messages that align with their awareness levels, making it a timeless resource for crafting compelling advertisements.

Key Ideas and Arguments Presented

• Mass Desire: Advertising should tap into existing mass desires rather than attempting to create new ones.
• Stages of Awareness: Consumers exist in different stages of awareness about a product, ranging from unaware to fully aware. Effective advertising tailors messages to these stages.
• Stages of Sophistication: Markets evolve, and so should advertising strategies. As markets become more sophisticated, advertisers must find new ways to present their products.
• Headline Importance: The headline is crucial in capturing attention and should reflect the consumer’s stage of awareness and sophistication.
• Seven Techniques of Breakthrough Copy: Schwartz outlines techniques such as intensification, identification, gradualization, redefinition, mechanization, concentration, and camouflage to enhance advertising copy.
• Product Positioning: Positioning a product effectively involves understanding the market’s desires and presenting the product as the solution.
• Mechanism of Action: Explaining how a product works can enhance credibility and appeal.
• Emotional Appeal: Advertisements should connect with consumers on an emotional level to drive action.
• Proof and Credibility: Providing evidence, testimonials, and demonstrations can build trust and persuade consumers.
• Call to Action: A clear and compelling call to action is essential to guide consumers toward the desired response.

Book Outline

While the exact chapter titles are not publicly available, the book is structured to guide readers through understanding consumer desires, stages of awareness and sophistication, crafting headlines, writing compelling copy, and positioning products effectively.

Key Takeaways

• Successful advertising channels existing desires rather than creating new ones.
• Understanding the consumer’s stage of awareness and market sophistication is crucial.
• Crafting compelling headlines and copy that resonate with the target audience’s desires and awareness levels enhances effectiveness.

Key Techniques

• Intensification: Amplify the consumer’s desire for the product.
• Identification: Align the product with the consumer’s self-image or aspirations.
• Gradualization: Build the argument step by step to lead the consumer toward the desired conclusion.
• Redefinition: Present the product in a new light to differentiate it from competitors.
• Mechanization: Explain how the product works to satisfy the consumer’s desire.
• Concentration: Focus the message on a single, compelling idea.
• Camouflage: Present the advertisement as informative content to engage the consumer.

Author’s Qualifications

Eugene M. Schwartz was a renowned copywriter and advertising executive known for his expertise in direct-response advertising. His work has influenced generations of marketers and copywriters, and “Breakthrough Advertising” is considered a seminal text in the field.

Comparison to Similar Books

• “Scientific Advertising” by Claude Hopkins: Focuses on the scientific approach to advertising, emphasizing testing and measurement.
• “Ogilvy on Advertising” by David Ogilvy: Provides insights into advertising principles and practices from an agency perspective.
• “The Boron Letters” by Gary Halbert: Offers practical advice on copywriting and direct marketing through personal letters.

“Breakthrough Advertising” stands out for its deep psychological insights into consumer behavior and its strategic approach to crafting persuasive messages.

Target Audience

• Copywriters seeking to enhance their persuasive writing skills.
• Marketing professionals aiming to understand consumer psychology.
• Business owners looking to improve their advertising effectiveness.
• Entrepreneurs developing marketing strategies for new products.
• Advertising students studying foundational texts in the field.
• Digital marketers focusing on direct-response campaigns.
• Brand strategists interested in positioning and messaging.

Critical Response to the Book

“Breakthrough Advertising” is widely regarded as a classic in the advertising and marketing industry. Despite being out of print for years, it has maintained its reputation for providing timeless insights into consumer behavior and advertising strategy. Many professionals consider it an essential read for anyone serious about marketing.

One Sentence Takeaway

Effective advertising doesn’t create desire; it identifies and channels existing desires by aligning messages with the consumer’s awareness and sophistication levels.