Author Topic: How is permafree working for you in 2019?  (Read 6858 times)

Joe Vasicek

How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« on: March 13, 2019, 12:50:10 PM »
How many of you are still using a permafree strategy to find new readers and sell your books? How many of you used to have a permafree, but don't anymore?

What, in your experience, are the challenges with using a permafree strategy in today's publishing environment, and does the strategy still work?
 
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Jeff Tanyard

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2019, 04:08:56 PM »
How many of you are still using a permafree strategy to find new readers and sell your books?


 :mhk9U91:


Quote
What, in your experience, are the challenges with using a permafree strategy in today's publishing environment, and does the strategy still work?


The biggest challenge, in my opinion, is Amazon tinkering with the also-boughts.  That uncertainty surrounding the also-boughts is the main reason why I'd like to get as much momentum going on other retailers as possible.  My recent Bookbub for my permafree has helped in that regard, and that's what pleases me the most about it.  I'd love to get to a point where I can make a decent income without needing Amazon.  I love Amazon, but I fear it, too, precisely because of its importance in the marketplace and what I think are questionable decisions regarding changes to the product pages.

Does the permafree strategy still work?  Sure.  Even when I'm not doing any promotion, the also-boughts drive downloads of my freebie--on retailers with which I have algorithm traction, that is--and a small percentage of those downloaders will go on to purchase the other books in the trilogy.  The exact sell-through percentage varies by retailer, by the way, and it's interesting to note those differences in audience habits.

The psychology of readers' buying habits hasn't changed.  The psychological rationale for permafree is the same now as it was five years ago.  That doesn't mean it's the right decision for every author.  It just means it's not obsolete, and it will never be obsolete so long as retailers offer free ebooks.  I'm still just a prawn, but I'd be much prawnier without permafree.

Hope that helps, Joe.  :)
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Jack Krenneck

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2019, 07:13:22 PM »
There's no doubt permafree works.

Overall, I don't think anyone would argue that free (permanent or otherwise) works the same as it used to. Results have declined.

A glut of free books, year after year, has made the tactic less effective. So too KU.

KU continues to grow. I can only see a future where free continues to offer declining results.

The free and permafree model could get killed off by Amazon. It's possible.

Many authors sell well without permafree. Competition is greater than ever, and the skill set of indies greater than ever. I would be worried that staying afloat by using permafree is a short-term strategy, liable to leave me adrift when the current moves on. A better long-term strategy is to learn how to succeed with book one at full price. 

 
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cecilia_writer

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2019, 11:07:00 PM »
My permafree first in series seems to work well on its own (ie without any advertising) on Amazon UK, Apple and Kobo even after at least 5 years. My Amazon.com sales are currently at an all-time low but I am not too worried as long as the others stay afloat. This is the first in a long series of sort of cozy mysteries set in Scotland. I have also tried and failed with permafree in another series of mine so have reverted to paid for that one, without any noticeable effect one way or another.
Cecilia Peartree - Woman of Mystery
 
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Maggie Ann

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #4 on: March 13, 2019, 11:32:41 PM »
Permafree used to be great. Daily downloads were in the triple digits with appropriate sell-thru. Then KU2 came along and permafree plummeted to single digits. Hard to get sell-thru with such a small amount of first in series sales. I went all-in with KU at that point and made up for it.

But a year ago, Zon changed something and my KU page reads jumped off the same cliff as permafree had a few years before. No choice but to go wide with permafree first in series. I have three permafrees at this point. Two of them are direct on Kobo.

Even though I haven't climbed back up to triple digit downloads, I'm at least into doubles and some days even reach midway across all venues. Sell-thru is okay, but that's because I lowered my prices to 99c with bundles at $2.99. Sell-thru to the second book of the most popular permafree on Kobo this month is 8% with about 75% of that going on to books 3 and 4. A few bundles have also sold.

D2D is lagging way behind for some reason the last week or so and I don't even want to talk about Zon.

As Jeff said, "I'm still just a prawn, but I'd be much prawnier without permafree."


           
 
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notthatamanda

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2019, 11:37:56 PM »
The typical sights, freebooksy, etc, have gotten more expensive and don't deliver as many downloads as they used to, but that could be because my books have been out a while.  When I went wide my, admittedly not great, read through held on the other platforms, so I'm glad I did it.  I'm focusing on full price sales right now on my standalones and letting the permafrees trickle along however much they do. 
 
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Maggie Ann

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2019, 11:47:32 PM »
The typical sights, freebooksy, etc, have gotten more expensive and don't deliver as many downloads as they used to, but that could be because my books have been out a while.  When I went wide my, admittedly not great, read through held on the other platforms, so I'm glad I did it.  I'm focusing on full price sales right now on my standalones and letting the permafrees trickle along however much they do.

I gave up on Freebooksy. Way too expensive for little return. I gave up on Bargainbooksy long before that. Right now, I'm using Fussy Librarian and I'm pretty happy with them.
           
 
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Bill Hiatt

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Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2019, 03:55:25 AM »
As some of you have pointed out, the steady increase in the number of free books and the expansion of KU have diminished permafree as a strategy, but enough people still say it's better to do it than not to convince me to try it when the time comes. (My one first-in-series book that's wide is about to be joined by a sequel.)

My biggest questions--which it would be hard for anyone to answer--is how the earnings on sell-through compare to the earnings one would get from the first book and sell-through if the first book weren't permafree. (In general, people wouldn't sell as many books as they could give away, but if they sold enough, they might conceivably make more money that way. On the other hand, their overall audience size would probably be smaller.)


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notthatamanda

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2019, 07:00:30 AM »
My biggest questions--which it would be hard for anyone to answer--is how the earnings on sell-through compare to the earnings one would get from the first book and sell-through if the first book weren't permafree.
Like you said, this is really hard to quantify.  What I do know is that when my books were in KU, and the first in the trilogy was only free 5 days a quarter, no one bought it at any price.  One book a month was something to celebrate, and that might have been because of the visibility sales on books 2 and 3 got me.
When I was in KU I never took my promo days in June, July or August.  All my sales/reads in those months were on books 2 and 3.  People did take several months to read the free book, but if they liked it enough they went onto books 2 and 3.  The trickle effect with the permafree keeps the visibility up.  If only one in a hundred people who grab a copy of it actually read it, turning off the faucet won't help that cause.
The one thing I'm internally debating about permafree right now is; would it look more attractive to Bookbub if it was a full price book offered free, than a permafree.  In romance I'm up against books with dozens, if not hundreds, of reviews.  Maybe David's law of the more the see it, the more likely they will accept it will kick in someday, but for now I treat it like my weekly lottery ticket purchase.  The buck buys me a nice bit of fantasy on the drive home from the grocery store and that's it.

Edit.  I decided I wanted a semicolon.
 
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Maggie Ann

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2019, 07:26:18 AM »
As some of you have pointed out, the steady increase in the number of free books and the expansion of KU have diminished permafree as a strategy, but enough people still say it's better to do it than not to convince me to try it when the time comes. (My one first-in-series book that's wide is about to be joined by a sequel.)

My biggest questions--which it would be hard for anyone to answer--is how the earnings on sell-through compare to the earnings one would get from the first book and sell-through if the first book weren't permafree. (In general, people wouldn't sell as many books as they could give away, but if they sold enough, they might conceivably make more money that way. On the other hand, their overall audience size would probably be smaller.)

IF they sold enough. But that's a big IF. It's like saying that I'd have to sell six books at 99c to make the same money as one book at $2.99. But that's also an IF. The reality is that if I sell one book at 99c, I'll make more money than if I sell no books at $2.99.

It's the same with permafree. IF you have a history of that first book selling at full price, whatever that full price is, then yes, you'll make more money.

I've been at this since 2009 so I have a long history to rely on. Anything before 2012 were the golden years when I could make, on average, $800 a month (and one unbelievable month of $1K) and freeloads ran about 10K a day. Higher for many. Those days are long gone. But again, the reality is, at least for me, I make more money with permafree and 99c sell-thru books than I do otherwise.

Permafree worked for me until it didn't. KU worked for me until it didn't. Now permafree and 99c are working for me. When it no longer works, I'll try something else.
           
 
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notthatamanda

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #10 on: March 14, 2019, 08:28:27 AM »
freeloads ran about 10K a day. Higher for many.

Wow that is mind blowing.
 
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Simon Haynes

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #11 on: March 14, 2019, 03:59:54 PM »
The only reason I'm not doing perma-free is because my current strategy is $2.99 for the first in each series, occasionally applying for a bookbub featured deal at 99c. (Okay, CONTINUALLY applying.)

However, two of my series now have audiobook editions (or soon will have), and I'm wondering whether a perma-free for the ebook might not generate sales of the audiobook. I could still apply for a BB with the boxed set of books 1-3.

The downside is that the boxed set doesn't link to the audiobook - at least, not until I have an audiobook boxed set to match.
 
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Maggie Ann

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #12 on: March 14, 2019, 11:58:44 PM »
The only reason I'm not doing perma-free is because my current strategy is $2.99 for the first in each series, occasionally applying for a bookbub featured deal at 99c. (Okay, CONTINUALLY applying.)

However, two of my series now have audiobook editions (or soon will have), and I'm wondering whether a perma-free for the ebook might not generate sales of the audiobook. I could still apply for a BB with the boxed set of books 1-3.

The downside is that the boxed set doesn't link to the audiobook - at least, not until I have an audiobook boxed set to match.

Two of my permafrees have audiobooks. Yes, they generate sales through whispersync but they are both short audios. That means the whispersync price is $1.99. The longer audios are priced at $7.49 which definitely does not encourage as many sales. At least for my books.

I've sold about twice as many for the first book as I have of the boxed set but more than half of the boxed sets were bought through member credits.

I've read advice from the other side that you should wait a year after releasing the individual audios before doing a boxed set.

           
 
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angela

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Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2019, 01:04:24 AM »
If you're not going to invest time and money in PPC advertising, a permafree book 1 is still better than nothing.

I can't compare to the early days because I wasn't writing the same material in the same series structure back then.
 
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Simon Haynes

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2019, 01:04:40 AM »
Thanks for that. I rushed into the boxed set (ebook) for books 7-8-9 and it probably cannibalised the sales of 9 a little. On the other hand, the omnibus itself has done well, so who knows?

I'm holding off on a box set for my fantasy trilogy. (Again, ebook. The audiobooks are in production now.)

Makes sense to me to bring out the box set as a new release further down the track. Makes an author look busy and productive.
 
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Jeff Tanyard

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #15 on: March 15, 2019, 06:07:43 AM »
On a related note, I would add that Baen Books has been doing the permafree thing for two decades.  They even used to send out free ebooks on CD-ROMs.  Jim Baen was an absolute visionary, and he proved the worth of his vision in the marketplace.  The appalling thing is that the major publishing houses never learned a dadgum thing from him.


Baen Free Library (Wikipedia page)

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Baen Free Library
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Morgan Worth

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #16 on: March 23, 2019, 03:36:15 AM »
On a related note, I would add that Baen Books has been doing the permafree thing for two decades.  They even used to send out free ebooks on CD-ROMs.  Jim Baen was an absolute visionary, and he proved the worth of his vision in the marketplace.  The appalling thing is that the major publishing houses never learned a dadgum thing from him.


Baen Free Library (Wikipedia page)

Jim Baen (Wikipedia page)

Baen Free Library

This is fascinating. I had no idea Baen was such an innovator.
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notthatamanda

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #17 on: March 23, 2019, 05:53:04 AM »
Can I ask how people find Smashwords for permafree?  I have to stylize my two trilogies to get them on there, and I should do it anyway, but the mindnumbing dullness of it, zzzzzzz.  Have you found it worth it.
 

Maggie Ann

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #18 on: March 23, 2019, 08:55:16 AM »
Can I ask how people find Smashwords for permafree?  I have to stylize my two trilogies to get them on there, and I should do it anyway, but the mindnumbing dullness of it, zzzzzzz.  Have you found it worth it.

I used D2D, not SW. D2D uploads are much easier. Just upload your docx file.  Free on SW doesn't impress Zon at all, but if you're free on Itunes, Kobo and B&N through SW, you're good. Same with D2D. For many reasons, I prefer D2D.
           
 
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guest169

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Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #19 on: March 24, 2019, 09:24:57 AM »
For the sake of information, here's my most recent experience with permafree:

Three book series.

Book One and Two were released in KU in 2018 (July and October).

Books One and Two made $5036.51 in 2018.

Book Three was released in January 2019 and was wide. Books One and Two were taken wide and put on all platforms.

Book One was put to permafree.

I got a free Bookbub for Book One in February.

The three books made me so far this year (Jan - March 2019) $30,223.10.

I made more after I took the books out of KU and put them wide and with a permafree series starter. Of course, the free Bookbub was the special sauce that made it work, but that was like spending $900 in advertising. I spent about half that advertising my first two books in KU. For me, the results were far superior to being in KU with a 99c series starter.

This doesn't include Audio so you can add on another $1500 in audio sales of Books one and two.

Again, this worked for me, but it doesn't work for everyone. The Bookbub made all the difference. While my sales did increase after going wide and with a permafree, they really increased significantly after the free Bookbub.

YMMV.

ETA: I did a Freebooksy and while there were downloads, they were paltry compared to Bookbub and there was no sell through, whereas with Bookbub there was immediate sell through to the other two books.

 
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Maggie Ann

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #20 on: March 24, 2019, 12:36:55 PM »
How did you price books 2 and 3?

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TimothyEllis

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Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #21 on: March 24, 2019, 05:23:54 PM »
The Bookbub made all the difference.

For those reading though, getting a Bookbub can be impossible for some authors.

Unless you've already had one, never make plans based on needing a Bookbub, because if you haven't had one yet, the chances are you still wont get one wide.

Going wide does not get you a BB.

Having already had a full BB, makes it easier to get another one.

But even then, getting one when you need one cant be taken for granted.

If your permafree requires a BB to work, the strategy needs a rethink.

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guest169

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Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #22 on: March 25, 2019, 05:12:00 AM »

If your permafree requires a BB to work, the strategy needs a rethink.

My strategy works well for me and needs no rethinking. I made more money after I went wide with a permafree series starter even before I had a free Bookbub for the series starter.

Here's a deeper breakdown of my results, including while in KU, after I went wide but before the Bookbub, and after the Bookbub.



As you can see from my 2018 sales, each month saw a further drop in revenues for the series. If I had stayed in KU, I would not likely have gotten a Bookbub for the series starter. I tried to get a Bookbub for the series opener when it was in KU but was turned down.

When I went wide and applied for a free Bookbub promo, they approved the application.

You can see that even before I had the BookBub, which was mid-February 2019, I was making more money wide than I had in the months prior to going wide.

In Jan and Feb before my Bookbub I earned as much on the three books as I had earned in 6 months in KU.

As far as strategies go, since I was lucky enough to get Bookbub promos in the past, I took the risk of going wide.

With a permafree series starter, I did better right out of the gate even before the Bookbub.

With the Bookbub, my series made me close to an extra $25K compared to how I did in KU and likely would have done in KU if I stayed.

For those who can get a BookBub, this strategy works really well. My advice is to try everything but have a strategy in place in case it doesn't work out. Try to get Bookbubs even in KU. If you can get a Bookbub while in KU, then you might be able to get one more easily if you go wide and might make more money with a permafree series starter wide.

But in the end, we're all different, our books are different and our risk aversion is different. I decided back after KU 2.0 came out to go wide with permafree series starters and it made the difference a number of times.

Some people do really well in KU and get great results from KCD deals and Prime reading. I do better wide because I am able to get frequent Bookbubs.

If I had never tried for a Bookbub, and if I had never tried to go wide, I may never have succeeded in this strategy.

YMMV.
 
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guest169

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Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #23 on: March 25, 2019, 05:16:13 AM »
How did you price books 2 and 3?

Excellent figures. Congratulations.

Thanks! Book 2 and 3 are $3.99 each. They are more expensive on the non-Amazon platforms because of the revenue share ($4.49 I think) but it doesn't seem to deter buyers.
 

Jeff Tanyard

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #24 on: March 25, 2019, 05:26:18 AM »
Thanks for the data, Sela.  The dramatic swing in those numbers is fascinating.
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Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #25 on: March 25, 2019, 05:36:27 AM »
Thanks for the data, Sela.  The dramatic swing in those numbers is fascinating.

It's actually quite scary, and this biz is not for the risk-averse. I know that those increased sales will decline quite quickly, seven weeks out from the Bookbub, but I have another book in the series coming out in May and another after that in August or September so I hope by the time the fifth book comes out, I will be eligible for another Bookbub to goose the series once more. I will also have a boxed set of three books ready to go and hope I can apply for a 99c Bookbub deal at some point.
 

Maggie Ann

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #26 on: March 25, 2019, 05:52:54 AM »
IF I try for another BB, it will be International only with a full length novel. I think I have a better shot at it with this book. My other permafrees aren't as strong of a lead-in.

The problem is that Zon has priced the US book at 00 but the others countries at 99c. I just noticed as I'm running an ad on Fussy Librarian on a different permafree that I'm getting some paid sales. Checking all three of my permafrees, Zon has them all priced at 99c. I guess I'll have to write to them and get that (hopefully) taken care of. Not just for a BB, but for any promo anywhere.

           
 

Mysterywriter

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #27 on: March 25, 2019, 06:06:01 AM »

If your permafree requires a BB to work, the strategy needs a rethink.

My strategy works well for me and needs no rethinking. I made more money after I went wide with a permafree series starter even before I had a free Bookbub for the series starter.

Here's a deeper breakdown of my results, including while in KU, after I went wide but before the Bookbub, and after the Bookbub.



As you can see from my 2018 sales, each month saw a further drop in revenues for the series. If I had stayed in KU, I would not likely have gotten a Bookbub for the series starter. I tried to get a Bookbub for the series opener when it was in KU but was turned down.

When I went wide and applied for a free Bookbub promo, they approved the application.

You can see that even before I had the BookBub, which was mid-February 2019, I was making more money wide than I had in the months prior to going wide.

In Jan and Feb before my Bookbub I earned as much on the three books as I had earned in 6 months in KU.

As far as strategies go, since I was lucky enough to get Bookbub promos in the past, I took the risk of going wide.

With a permafree series starter, I did better right out of the gate even before the Bookbub.

With the Bookbub, my series made me close to an extra $25K compared to how I did in KU and likely would have done in KU if I stayed.

For those who can get a BookBub, this strategy works really well. My advice is to try everything but have a strategy in place in case it doesn't work out. Try to get Bookbubs even in KU. If you can get a Bookbub while in KU, then you might be able to get one more easily if you go wide and might make more money with a permafree series starter wide.

But in the end, we're all different, our books are different and our risk aversion is different. I decided back after KU 2.0 came out to go wide with permafree series starters and it made the difference a number of times.

Some people do really well in KU and get great results from KCD deals and Prime reading. I do better wide because I am able to get frequent Bookbubs.

If I had never tried for a Bookbub, and if I had never tried to go wide, I may never have succeeded in this strategy.

YMMV.

Thanks for this Sela. Very interesting and almost certainly where I’ll be heading at some point.
 

notthatamanda

Re: How is permafree working for you in 2019?
« Reply #28 on: March 25, 2019, 10:17:47 AM »
Can I ask how people find Smashwords for permafree?  I have to stylize my two trilogies to get them on there, and I should do it anyway, but the mindnumbing dullness of it, zzzzzzz.  Have you found it worth it.

I used D2D, not SW. D2D uploads are much easier. Just upload your docx file.  Free on SW doesn't impress Zon at all, but if you're free on Itunes, Kobo and B&N through SW, you're good. Same with D2D. For many reasons, I prefer D2D.
Thanks.  I'm direct on Kobo and Google Play.  D2D for Apple and B&N since B&N won't give me an account.  Books one in the trilogies have been free on Amazon since June 2018.

Thanks also to Sela for all the great data.