Also Boughts Hurting Not Helping New Authors

[idontknowyet]

So I noticed something today instead of getting my words done.

Also boughts for years used to be an authors best friend. The way to get organic readers without advertising.
People now say they get sticky and have organic readers but they dont know where they are getting them from.

I would surmise that is populating also boughts.

But baby authors cant seem to find that sticky zone.
Why?
Because big name authors are populating our also boughts. With just a few sales they show up in our also boughts but we can't generate enough sales to populate their also boughts. So sales only flow up to them and not out to authors on the same level or even with similar books as our own.  This creates a cycle of sales flowing up.

Until we generate enough of a reader base we always struggle to fight our way up hill.

Is there a way to get those big name authors out of baby author's also boughts?

[TimothyEllis]

Because big name authors are populating our also boughts. With just a few sales they show up in our also boughts but we can't generate enough sales to populate their also boughts. So sales only flow up to them and not out to authors on the same level or even with similar books as our own.  This creates a cycle of sales flowing up.

I don't think that's true.

The only way a 'big name' author is on your also-bought slider is one of their readers bought your book as well.

The most likely event is their reader found your book and bought it.

So it's a flow to you from them.

The appearance on the also-boughts appears mutual to me. You might be on page 15 where they're on your page 1, but you should be findable on their also-boughts. At least for the day in which your sales happen, that creates the AB swap.

I've noticed some big flows my direction when one of the more prolific authors in my genres goes #1, like in Space Opera. Even though I'm on their page 3 or 5, there is a flow to my book. And I've picked up some whale readers that way.

[alhawke]

Because big name authors are populating our also boughts. With just a few sales they show up in our also boughts but we can't generate enough sales to populate their also boughts. So sales only flow up to them and not out to authors on the same level or even with similar books as our own. 

A counter argument to consider is that some authors that are less known but are more similar to your book may be more valuable. For instance, Harry Potter readers might not like Indie fantasy writers as well as trad fantasy authors. Some readers make it their business not to buy Indie books. On the other hand, some readers don't buy books over $4.99 and don't care much for trad published books.

I think it's complicated to decipher patterns with also boughts. For my books, I find also boughts hard to associate with sales. So I don't concern myself much with them. But these are my books. I'd think some authors with very similar books to another writer can benefit well with them.

[LilyBLily]

I just looked at the Also Boughts for one of my women's fiction novels. They were mostly the same subgenre, although there were a few omnibuses from other genres like Christian and cozy mystery. They were indie and trad, from 99 cents to $15.99 (that price was for a Kindle ebook, not a paperback). What I wonder about is the position in the 17 pages of also boughts. Which books are first? Why? And how much or how often do these lists change?

[Post-Crisis D]

Ha!  I don't have to compete with other authors because I have no also boughts on my books. 

[notthatamanda]

The also boughts come and go and I imagine Amazon is always experimenting with them. They may even use algos to factor in the other stuff someone purchases to decide what to show you. They could favor higher ranking books one time, newer releases the next or some combination of both plus other factors.

Since also boughts can't be bought they are the levelest playing field we have, I think. Right now also boughts are showing first on my book pages above sponsored ads.

[Hopscotch]

For most but not all of my books, after a few pages the Also Boughts degenerate into books that have no relation to the book to which they're attached.  Reflecting I presume readers' eclectic search for a good read.  So I don't see a great deal of benefit.  Not past the first few screens.

[LilyBLily]

Checked the first five also boughts on my most popular women's fiction and did not find my book on their also boughts until I got to page 10 of the fifth title; that person's title was on page 2 of the 17 pages of my also boughts.

I don't see any significant reciprocity at all. A listing on one book out of five is not much.

[Crystal]

ABs almost always show up if you browse Incognito. If you're signed into your account, you're more likely to see You May Also Like, which seems more weighted towards historical browsing patterns.

Apparently, Amazon doesn't realize I was checking the rank on that book because I was hate-stalking it. Jeez... don't be so oblivious, Amazon! Hate-stalking is normal reader behavior.

But really, the You May Also Like is going to be weighted towards that specific reader.

I think Amazon recs, in general, have trended towards the more popular (and Apub books). There used to be more recommendation love to go around. Now, it's more winner takes all. At least in my genres. I see more recommendations for hot popular book than book actually similar to book I just read, whether I'm reading a comp romance author or a non-fiction book.

[RBC]

Checked the first five also boughts on my most popular women's fiction and did not find my book on their also boughts until I got to page 10 of the fifth title; that person's title was on page 2 of the 17 pages of my also boughts.

I don't see any significant reciprocity at all. A listing on one book out of five is not much.

Why would it be equal reciprocity? I wouldn't have expectations that high. Any ABs on popular books is a good sign.

The sales of books are probably accounted into where they are shown in ABs so popular books will be higher/closer to page 1. That's honestly how it should be. If other books are out longer and/or have more reviews, Amazon has more data to know which books are more similar and more relevant - thus they rank better for ABs. Sounds completely fair. Maybe not ideal, but not wrong either...

I'd focus on the positive and just keep trying to climb the ranks as time goes. That's one way to see progress if you keep gaining on ABs. Eventually you might be on the 1st page!

[RBC]

The also boughts come and go and I imagine Amazon is always experimenting with them. They may even use algos to factor in the other stuff someone purchases to decide what to show you. They could favor higher ranking books one time, newer releases the next or some combination of both plus other factors.

Since also boughts can't be bought they are the levelest playing field we have, I think. Right now also boughts are showing first on my book pages above sponsored ads.

I'd totally bet dollars to donuts that they have algos for ABs for sure and they are at least somewhat tailored to individuals. They certainly have data to do so.

[Crystal]

Case in point: I bought a non fiction positive psychology book yesterday. What did Amazon say?

Based on this book, you may also like:"

Two of my romance novels (I'm on the pages a lot checking details) and a friend's romance novel.

My last 10 purchases or so were evenly split between legal thrillers, romances, and non fiction. But I don't usually browse non-fiction on Amazon.

[TimothyEllis]

Amazon don't have a clue what I read, in spite of knowing what I bought.

They continually recommend what I already have, and keep sending me Romance lists even though I've never bought or even read a romance in my life. They keep sending me 99c and 1.99 discount lists for stuff I'd never in a million years even look at.

And all I want from them is new release announcements, which they no longer do.

[Eric Thomson]

Amazon don't have a clue what I read, in spite of knowing what I bought.

They continually recommend what I already have, and keep sending me Romance lists even though I've never bought or even read a romance in my life. They keep sending me 99c and 1.99 discount lists for stuff I'd never in a million years even look at.

And all I want from them is new release announcements, which they no longer do.

They sent out new release notifications for my last two books (March and July) 10-11 days after publication.

[TimothyEllis]

They sent out new release notifications for my last two books (March and July) 10-11 days after publication.

How do you know?

I'm not getting anything from any of the authors I follow. The only time I find out they have a new book out is when I see it on my own also-boughts slider, or it's on an email trying to get me to buy my own books.

[Eric Thomson]

They sent out new release notifications for my last two books (March and July) 10-11 days after publication.

How do you know?

I'm not getting anything from any of the authors I follow. The only time I find out they have a new book out is when I see it on my own also-boughts slider, or it's on an email trying to get me to buy my own books.

Because I follow myself on the Zon and received the email. And the biggest proof is that in the hours after I received the email, the sales of my new release shot up dramatically.

[Jeff Tanyard]

And all I want from them is new release announcements, which they no longer do.

I got an email for your latest book on July 28th.

[TimothyEllis]

And all I want from them is new release announcements, which they no longer do.

I got an email for your latest book on July 28th.

That's good to know.

I follow myself, and I don't get them. I wonder why?

[Jeff Tanyard]

That's good to know.

I follow myself, and I don't get them. I wonder why?

I have no idea.  But I get notifications of your releases every time you publish.

[Jeff Tanyard]

Just got this today:

[TimothyEllis]

I got something similar, much to my surprise.

Maybe Amazon has finally decided telling people about new releases has merit after all.

Or whatever the reason was they cut down the number of emails they were sending has finally been fixed.