Hi, I wanted to give whoever is reading this a heads up. I’ve been publishing KDP books on Amazon and have had some success. I recently found my books, as well as other books, being sold on TikTok Shops with the price marked up higher. I’m pretty sure what they are doing is buying the books on Amazon, which is cheaper, and then reselling them on TikTok shops at a higher price. Because of this, I will no longer be selling any books on Amazon and have unpublished my books, which broke my heart. I think you should do a video about this and let other authors know what’s going on with TikTok shops. This is a major problem and I don’t think a lot of authors are aware. Thank you.
@@JaneNewAuthor yeah, I’m thinking about doing that. It might help deter them, but I’m gonna file a complaint although it might not get anywhere. It’s just the principle.
What I dont get is - everybody in the KDP space is always on about TikTok. But TikTok is not the place where certain demographics are. So it seems to me that if I publish different types of books aimed at different target groups I am going to have to do TikTok, Instagram and even Facebook. What do you think? Also: in Germany (my market) TikTok is really for under 30s mostly
Thanks, great advice! I'm getting ready for a big launch and will be doing just as you describe, on both TT and IG. I think this type of promotion is actually time-consuming, but it's necessary in our current culture. I spent scads on Amazon ads for several months and yes, trained the algorithm and generated sales as long as I spent money, but never at a profit. I think elbow grease on social media is the key. We shall see! :)
Caroline, I love your videos, you give such clear and good advice. I'm planning on advertising my first Word Search book (it's not live yet) on Tic Tok. Can I use a song for the background without infringement?
Thank you for your videos! I really enjoy them. Is there a way to target audience in USA on tiktok if I am based in Europe? Or the only way is to have a us sim card?
Thank you, Caroline!! What is the system in Amazon that lets you spotlight your book, or maybe other product? I don't know what it's called, but it's free, and you just take an image of your book inside or the cover and place them in a pre-made pic that Amazon has. I wish I could think of the name! if you know what I'm talking about, would you do a video on that please?
Are you saying that Amazon has a mockup option? I’ve used other sites, but never found that option actually on Amazon, and I would love to use it for my books. It can be expensive to do mockups on other sites. Thanks for mentioning this. Maybe Caroline will do a video to help with this.
I am trying to advertise my coloring book on tiktok by showing videos like the ones you showed, so far I cannot make it pass the 500 views and 50 likes but I will stay consistent. No one has even wonder where to get my book or even commented but all it takes, like you said is one video to go viral. I do have an inquiry, I am Latin, I speak Spanish but I want to sell my coloring book to the US because it's a bigger market. I place my description and hashtags in English when I post on tiktok but all I get is likes from accounts from my own country. I learned that tiktok prioritizes showing your videos to your own country first but here we don't buy coloring books online so even though is actually amazing that they like my videos I won't get any sales. Do you, by any chance, happen to know anything in regards on how to target your tiktok videos to be viewed in a certain area? Thanks for reading this comment and also thank you so much for your videos, sometimes I am feeling down that my little business is not going that well but you always have down-to-earth tips and ideas to help get moving. Thanks again.
I'll answer this for you because I'm in the exact same boat. My videos are doing terrible on Tiktok because I'm South African and it's only being shown to my own country. Only way to reach a US audience is to change your region (which is almost impossible because TikTok uses your Sim Card to determine your location). So, unless you can find a US Sim Card and then insert it into your phone while making a new TikTok account, you won't be reaching a US audience any time soon. I even have a registered business account but still get less than 10 views on my videos because people here are simply not interested in buying books like the one I self published. I'm an author and my book is a high content book in the crime fiction and thriller genre. TikTok is insufferable and the worst possible platform to try and advertise on if you're not American. Trust me, I've tried everything. If you're open to it, you can try Pinterest. I've made a few sales by advertising on there and it enables me to reach many other countries except my own. But at the moment, TikTok is a lost cause for me simply because they refuse to show my content to other countries.
@@CateCassena thank you for your comment. Last time I tried Pinterest it told me I cannot pay ads because of the region where I'm at. It doesn't matter if the ads are to be shown in other countries but I will try again. To be honest, is frustrating seeing others succeed and you cannot even start trying. Etsy was the same for me, my money is good enough to spend it there but if I want to sell something then they have a problem with my location 🥲. I hope one day they actually work in a way that help all of us be successful not just selected areas.
Hi,
I wanted to give whoever is reading this a heads up. I’ve been publishing KDP books on Amazon and have had some success.
I recently found my books, as well as other books, being sold on TikTok Shops with the price marked up higher. I’m pretty sure what they are doing is buying the books on Amazon, which is cheaper, and then reselling them on TikTok shops at a higher price.
Because of this, I will no longer be selling any books on Amazon and have unpublished my books, which broke my heart.
I think you should do a video about this and let other authors know what’s going on with TikTok shops. This is a major problem and I don’t think a lot of authors are aware. Thank you.
Republish on Amazon at the higher price.
@@JaneNewAuthor yeah, I’m thinking about doing that. It might help deter them, but I’m gonna file a complaint although it might not get anywhere. It’s just the principle.
That really sucks. I'm so sorry to hear.
What kind of books were they?
I appreciate your videos so much! Thank you.
What I dont get is - everybody in the KDP space is always on about TikTok. But TikTok is not the place where certain demographics are. So it seems to me that if I publish different types of books aimed at different target groups I am going to have to do TikTok, Instagram and even Facebook. What do you think? Also: in Germany (my market) TikTok is really for under 30s mostly
What hashtags would you use for a kids coloring or dot marker book?
Awesome video!! I wznna more video about social media marketing in KDP :) please
Excellent video! Thank you for sharing this valuable information 😁
I love these type of videos. Thank you
Thanks, great advice! I'm getting ready for a big launch and will be doing just as you describe, on both TT and IG. I think this type of promotion is actually time-consuming, but it's necessary in our current culture. I spent scads on Amazon ads for several months and yes, trained the algorithm and generated sales as long as I spent money, but never at a profit. I think elbow grease on social media is the key. We shall see! :)
Caroline, I love your videos, you give such clear and good advice. I'm planning on advertising my first Word Search book (it's not live yet) on Tic Tok. Can I use a song for the background without infringement?
@User-Myfreedomempireekdp I went there and joined and there was nothing?
thank you that was very inspiring, Iam hearing a lot from tiktok marketing and can't wait to start promoting on it
This information is very useful
Thank you for your videos! I really enjoy them. Is there a way to target audience in USA on tiktok if I am based in Europe? Or the only way is to have a us sim card?
and use a VPN
Can you make a video about the type or kind of equipment needed to make these videos. Please.
Thank you, Caroline!! What is the system in Amazon that lets you spotlight your book, or maybe other product? I don't know what it's called, but it's free, and you just take an image of your book inside or the cover and place them in a pre-made pic that Amazon has. I wish I could think of the name! if you know what I'm talking about, would you do a video on that please?
Are you saying that Amazon has a mockup option? I’ve used other sites, but never found that option actually on Amazon, and I would love to use it for my books. It can be expensive to do mockups on other sites. Thanks for mentioning this. Maybe Caroline will do a video to help with this.
I don’t know what a mockup option is. But I looked in my notes, and it’s called A+ something or another. Not sure that’s much help!
A+ Content
I have set up 2 pen names for tiktok accts last year 😂 I still need to make the videos
I am trying to advertise my coloring book on tiktok by showing videos like the ones you showed, so far I cannot make it pass the 500 views and 50 likes but I will stay consistent. No one has even wonder where to get my book or even commented but all it takes, like you said is one video to go viral.
I do have an inquiry, I am Latin, I speak Spanish but I want to sell my coloring book to the US because it's a bigger market. I place my description and hashtags in English when I post on tiktok but all I get is likes from accounts from my own country. I learned that tiktok prioritizes showing your videos to your own country first but here we don't buy coloring books online so even though is actually amazing that they like my videos I won't get any sales. Do you, by any chance, happen to know anything in regards on how to target your tiktok videos to be viewed in a certain area?
Thanks for reading this comment and also thank you so much for your videos, sometimes I am feeling down that my little business is not going that well but you always have down-to-earth tips and ideas to help get moving. Thanks again.
I'll answer this for you because I'm in the exact same boat. My videos are doing terrible on Tiktok because I'm South African and it's only being shown to my own country.
Only way to reach a US audience is to change your region (which is almost impossible because TikTok uses your Sim Card to determine your location). So, unless you can find a US Sim Card and then insert it into your phone while making a new TikTok account, you won't be reaching a US audience any time soon.
I even have a registered business account but still get less than 10 views on my videos because people here are simply not interested in buying books like the one I self published. I'm an author and my book is a high content book in the crime fiction and thriller genre. TikTok is insufferable and the worst possible platform to try and advertise on if you're not American. Trust me, I've tried everything.
If you're open to it, you can try Pinterest. I've made a few sales by advertising on there and it enables me to reach many other countries except my own. But at the moment, TikTok is a lost cause for me simply because they refuse to show my content to other countries.
@@CateCassena thank you for your comment. Last time I tried Pinterest it told me I cannot pay ads because of the region where I'm at. It doesn't matter if the ads are to be shown in other countries but I will try again.
To be honest, is frustrating seeing others succeed and you cannot even start trying. Etsy was the same for me, my money is good enough to spend it there but if I want to sell something then they have a problem with my location 🥲.
I hope one day they actually work in a way that help all of us be successful not just selected areas.
Who else is sick of kdp gurus talking about other people’s books. Raise your hand 🙋♂️
Too bad US banned Tik Tok
Thanks