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KDP Free Promotions: A Strategic Guide to Giving Your Book Away
In the world of Amazon KDP marketing, one of the most powerful and counterintuitive promotional tools is the KDP Free Book Promotion. This is a feature, exclusive to authors enrolled in KDP Select, that allows you to make your Kindle ebook completely free to all customers for a limited time.
While the idea of giving away your hard work for free might seem strange, it is a proven and highly effective marketing strategy. A well-executed free promotion can generate a massive surge in downloads, introduce your work to thousands of new readers, and dramatically increase the visibility of your author brand. This guide will explain the strategy behind a free run and how to use it effectively.
Key Takeaways & Summary
- A KDP Select Exclusive: To run a Free Book Promotion, your ebook must be enrolled in the KDP Select program, which requires exclusivity to Amazon.
- The Goal is Maximum Visibility: The primary goal of a free run is to get your book into the hands of as many readers as possible. You do not earn any royalties on free downloads.
- A Surge in Downloads: A successful promotion can result in thousands, or even tens of thousands, of downloads in just a few days.
- A Strategic Tool: A free run is not a random giveaway; it’s a strategic tool used to launch a series, build an audience, or revive a backlist title.
The Strategic Benefits of a KDP Free Promotion
Why would you give your book away for free? The benefits are all about long-term gain, not short-term profit.
Massive Increase in Visibility: During your promotion, your book will be listed in Amazon’s “Top 100 Free” charts. Hitting the top of these charts can expose your book to a huge audience of readers who actively browse these lists for new authors.
The Perfect “Hook” for a Series: This is the #1 strategy for a free promotion. By making Book 1 of your series permanently or temporarily free, you create a frictionless entry point for new readers. If they love the first book, they are highly likely to pay full price for the rest of the series.
Build Your Fanbase and Email List: A free run introduces your work to a vast new audience. By having a clear call to action in the back of your free book to sign up for your newsletter, you can convert these new readers into long-term, loyal fans.
The “Halo Effect” on Sales Rank: While a free run won’t affect your paid sales rank directly, the increased visibility can lead to a “halo effect.” When your book returns to its paid price, the new readers and increased algorithm attention can result in a significant spike in sales.
How to Set Up a Free Book Promotion on KDP
Setting up your promotion is a simple process on your KDP dashboard.
Eligibility: Your ebook must be enrolled in KDP Select. For each 90-day enrollment term, you can use up to 5 days for a Free Book Promotion. You can use them all at once or spread them out.
Go to the “Marketing” Tab: From your KDP dashboard, find the book you want to promote and click the “Promote and Advertise” button.
Choose “Free Book Promotion”: Under the “Run a Price Promotion” section, select this option.
Click “Create a new Free Book Promotion.”
Select Your Dates: Choose the start and end dates for your promotion.
Save Changes: Your promotion is now scheduled. It will automatically start and end on your chosen dates.
For a full walkthrough, you can refer to Amazon’s official KDP help page.
Stacking Your Promotion for Maximum Impact
To get the most out of your free run, you need to drive external traffic to your book’s page during the promotion.
Book a Promotion Site: The most effective strategy is to pay for a feature on a “free book” newsletter service. Websites like Freebooksy, Bargain Booksy, and Fussy Librarian will email their massive list of subscribers a direct link to your free book. This is a core part of a professional Amazon book promotion strategy.
Announce it to Your Audience: Share the news of your free book on your social media channels and with your email list.
A free run is a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal and a key strategic component of a successful career on the Amazon KDP publishing platform.
Short FAQ
Q: Will I get paid for page reads if a Kindle Unlimited subscriber downloads my book for free?
A: No. During a Free Book Promotion, the book is free for all customers, not just KU subscribers. You will not earn any royalties or page read income during the free run.
Q: What’s the difference between a Free Book Promotion and a Kindle Countdown Deal?
A: A Free Book Promotion makes your book $0.00, and you earn no money. A Kindle Countdown Deal is a paid discount (e.g., to $0.99), and you still earn your 70% royalty. You can only choose one of these two promotion types during each KDP Select term.
Q: What is a “permafree” book?
A: “Permafree” is a strategy where an author makes the first book in a series permanently free. This cannot be done directly through KDP. Authors achieve this by setting the book to free on other platforms (like Apple Books) and then waiting for Amazon to “price match” it to free.
