How to Use Amazon KDP Select & Kindle Unlimited to Promote Your Self-Published Book

As a self-published author on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), using KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited has been a great way to get my books seen and increase my sales.

In my experience, using KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited has been a great way to promote my self-published books and reach a larger audience. While there are certainly drawbacks to consider (such as making your book exclusive to Amazon for 90 days), the benefits of these programs could definitely outweigh the drawbacks for most self-publishers, especially for self-publishers who are not well-known.

Let’s dive right in and talk about how these promotional tools from Amazon can help to get you more book sales on KDP.

What is KDP Select?

KDP Select is a program offered by Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) that allows authors to make their Kindle ebooks available in the Kindle Unlimited program and earn a share of a fund based on how many pages of their book are read by Kindle Unlimited subscribers.

The program is free and lasts for 90 days, and is open to all authors regardless of their location. When you enroll your ebook in KDP Select, it is automatically included in Kindle Unlimited, and also becomes eligible for free book promotions and Kindle Countdown Deals. These promotions can help increase the visibility of your ebook and potentially increase sales

Requirements for Enrolling in KDP Select

KDP Select is a program specifically for Kindle ebooks, and you can also enroll pre-order Kindle ebooks in the program. In order to be eligible for enrollment, you must have exclusive rights to the primary content of your Kindle ebook, and the content must not be in the public domain.

Your Kindle ebook must also be exclusive to the Kindle Store for the duration of the KDP Select enrollment period, which is 90 days. During this time, your Kindle ebook can only be distributed through KDP, but you are still allowed to distribute print, video, audio, or other formats of your title through other channels. Please refer to the KDP Terms and Conditions for more information.

Benefits of Enrolling in KDP Select

KDP Select is a fantastic way to promote and market your Kindle ebook to a larger audience. The best part is, it’s completely free. All you have to do is enroll your Kindle ebook in the program, and it will automatically be included in Kindle Unlimited, which gives millions of customers access to your ebook as part of their subscription.

As a participant in KDP Select, you’ll also have the opportunity to earn a share of the KDP Select Global Fund based on how many pages of your ebook are read by Kindle Unlimited subscribers. Your ebook might even be eligible for the KDP Select All Stars bonus, which is awarded to the top-performing titles and authors in Kindle Unlimited.

Also, KDP Select allows you to reach more readers through exclusive Amazon and Kindle promotions such as Kindle Countdown Deals, free Book Promotions, and the Amazon Literary Contest.

How to Enroll in KDP Select

1. Go to your Bookshelf and find the Kindle ebook you want to enroll.
2. Click on the ellipsis button (those three dots) under the Kindle ebook Actions menu.
3. Select “Enroll in KDP Select” from the dropdown menu.
4. On the next screen, click “Enroll.”

Or, you can also enroll your Kindle ebook by following these steps:

1. Go to the Marketing page.
2. In the KDP Select section, click “Enroll an eBook.”
3. Select your ebook and click “Continue.”
4. Click “Enroll.”

You can change your Kindle ebook’s details (like the royalty options or book descriptions) without affecting your enrollment in KDP Select. And if you need to, you can always unpublish a KDP Select-enrolled title and republish it later.

Just keep in mind that your Kindle ebook must remain exclusive through the rest of the current 90-day enrollment period.

What is Kindle Unlimited?

When you enroll your book into KDP Select, it automatically gets enrolled into Kindle Unlimited. KU is a subscription service where customers can read as many ebooks as they’d like, for a small monthly fee. And the best part is for the customer is, they can keep the ebooks for as long as they want! No need to be an Amazon Prime member.

At the end of your KDP Select enrollment period, you have the option to remove your ebook(s) from Kindle Unlimited.

As individual customers read your ebook for the first time, you’ll receive a share of the KDP Select Global Fund based on the number of pages read.

Benefits of Kindle Unlimited

Enrolling your book in the Kindle Unlimited program can be a great way to reach a larger audience and increase your book’s visibility. With Kindle Unlimited, your book is automatically included in a subscription service where customers can read as many eBooks as they like for a monthly fee. Millions of people are subscribed to Kindle Unlimited. This means that your book has the potential to be discovered by new readers who may not have found it otherwise.

Additionally, being part of Kindle Unlimited can also lead to increased sales and revenue, as you’ll earn a share of the KDP Select Global Fund based on the pages read by customers who access your ebook through the program.

Conclusion

In conclusion, enrolling your ebook in KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited can be a great way to promote your book and reach a wider audience. While it does require making your ebook exclusive to KDP for 90 days, the benefits of being included in Kindle Unlimited and being eligible for various promotions can make it worth the temporary exclusivity.

Additionally, the potential to earn a share of the KDP Select Global Fund based on the number of pages read can provide a valuable additional stream of income. Overall, carefully considering the pros and cons of enrolling in KDP Select and Kindle Unlimited can help you make an informed decision about whether it is the right choice for your book.