Can I still rely on Amazon to help people discover my book?

Not by itself, and whether you’re looking ahead to a new book launch or your book launched three years ago, this is very important.

Amazon’s A10 algorithm changed how books are ranked, recommended, and discovered.

Keywords, categories, your cover, title, description, and metadata still matter.

But one of the biggest shifts is this: Amazon now places significant weight on genuine reader demand coming from OUTSIDE Amazon.

That means intentionally driving readers to your book’s Amazon page is no longer an optional marketing extra. It needs to be part of how you market your book, before, during, AND after launch.

External traffic can come from a myriad of places, such as …

• Your email list
• Social media
• Podcast interviews
• Your website or blog
• Influencers and ministry partners
• Local or niche media
• QR codes on printed materials
• Your email signature

Whenever possible, give readers a direct link to your book on Amazon instead of simply telling them to search for it.

If you’re preparing to launch… Don’t build everything around one big launch day.

Begin driving outside traffic during your launch and plan for at least a 21-day launch window, followed by a minimum of 30 days of continued focused promotion.

And prepare early for reviews. A strong target is 50+ early reviews, so don’t wait until launch day to begin thinking about who will read, share, and review your book.

If your book has already launched… This matters to you too!

You can create new momentum by giving readers fresh reasons to visit your Amazon page. Talk about your book through a new angle. Tie it to a timely topic. Pursue podcast interviews. Email your readers. Partner with a ministry. Share reader stories. Add your book link to resources you already use.

And if you haven’t reached that 50-review benchmark, continue intentionally encouraging readers to leave an honest review.

Amazon wants to see ongoing, authentic interest, not simply a sales spike.