Are You Getting the Most Out of Goodreads?

What is Goodreads

When we ask authors if they have an account on Goodreads, we’re often met with: 

Goodreads? What’s that? 

At the reader level, Goodreads is an online platform that helps bookworms find and share books they enjoy. 

At the author level, Goodreads is an integral part of the book launch strategy, where authors can build community with readers to share their message and increase their book’s reach. 

Goodreads is a social cataloging resource that allows authors and readers to keep track of what they’re reading, find recommendations for what to read, collect quotes, participate in group discussions, rate and review books, and more. It was acquired by Amazon in 2013 and is a great place to build your brand, connect with thousands of other readers and authors, and increase the number of readers and reviews for your book.

Read on to learn more about why Goodreads matters and how you can leverage this unique social media network as part of your book marketing approach. 

Why Goodreads Matters for Book Launches 

As a dedicated platform for books, Goodreads provides direct access to a highly targeted audience of active readers who use the website to find their next great read. 

Compare this to other social media sites where book-related content is in competition with other types of content. That’s not to say you shouldn’t show up on these sites, too; it’s just that Goodreads provides a book-specific ecosystem that connects authors and readers in a powerful way. 

When you join the Goodreads Author Program, a free profile page where authors can promote their books, you can expect to:

• Maximize your book’s discoverability. Readers who interact with your book by rating, reviewing, “shelving,” or discussing it in groups are automatically sharing your book with friends who, in turn, see it in their feeds. This exposes your book to potentially hundreds of new readers.  
• Gain insights into your audience. As your book receives traction on Goodreads, you’ll soon learn more about reader preferences and behaviors. These insights can influence your book marketing techniques, allowing you to refine and target your message in ways you may not otherwise know to do. 
• Amplify your brand long after the book launch. Goodreads can serve as a long-term home for your book and your brand. Whether you are a first-time author or have written multiple books, Goodreads builds value over time as more readers using the platform find your book. 

The Quotes feature is another important aspect of establishing yourself as an author on Goodreads. 

As part of your author profile, Goodreads encourages you to add quotes from your book, which are then tagged by topic or category – i.e., leadership or emotional intelligence. The quotes are then cataloged into an extensive database on Goodreads that is highly optimized for external search engines like Google, Bing, and others. 

If you’ve ever searched for an inspirational quote by a specific author or on a particular topic, you’ve likely discovered Goodreads often appears as the top result. Having your quote appear in a top search result on Google also establishes credibility and social proof—both of which are integral to an author’s journey. 

Goodreads requires very little time investment and is open to all authors from any genre anywhere in the world, making it an easy add-on to your book launch strategy. 

Setting Up Your Goodreads Author Profile 

A well-crafted profile on any social media platform is crucial. Goodreads is no exception. 

Getting started with Goodreads is as simple as the following steps: 

1. Set up a standard user account. You may already have a Goodreads account if you’ve used the platform as a reader, but if you don’t, establishing a standard account will give you access to the Goodreads Author Program. 
2. Claim your author profile. This is done through the Goodreads Author Program and requires acceptance into the program from Goodreads. This process can take some time and may even require reaching out to Goodreads directly. 
3. Optimize your author profile. Once you receive verification, carve out some time to update your bio, headshot, and other pertinent information. Additional options to create brand continuity: your personal website or blog, your X handle, up to three genres that you write about, and videos (book trailers, behind-the-scenes, etc).
4. Add quotes to the author page. As noted above, selecting a handful of quotes to add to your Goodreads author profile can result in wider reach as more people find your book in search engines. We recommend ten quotes to start, but you can certainly add as many as you’d like. 
5. Connect your books (and your blog). Goodreads has a fun feature that allows you to connect your RSS blog feed to your author page, which will then add new blog posts to the page. You will also want to ensure all your books and all their versions are connected to your author page. A Goodreads Librarian can help with this if you experience difficulties. 
6. Add friends, favorite genres, and the books you’ve read, are currently reading, or want to read. Let others know you’re engaged and active in the community as you share work beyond your own. 

Your Goodreads author profile should be compelling, engaging, and kept up-to-date over time. 

Now, let’s explore how to utilize the community features on Goodreads, as interacting with this community could increase the reach of your author profile incredibly! 

Engaging with the Goodreads Community 

Actively building and maintaining a community is essential on any social media platform, but what’s unique about Goodreads is that authenticity and genuine interest in your book launch are valued more than self-promotion. 

Authors who approach this community as active participants versus marketers will benefit significantly as they establish relationships with people who can then help them share their book with others.  

Here are some fun ways you can interact with the community: 

Ways to Engage Organically

You can use Goodreads’s organic features to help build up an engaged community, including ideas like the following:

• Accept questions from readers through Ask the Author. 
• Join groups and start discussions about your book’s message.
• Share quotes about your book and related topics. 
• Add trivia questions or quizzes for those interested in your books.
• Participate in annual reading challenges. 
• Host a virtual book club to discuss key themes in your book. 
• Get to know Goodreads influencers like top reviewers and Goodreads Librarians.
• Publicize upcoming events, such as book signings and speaking engagements.
• Post your own book reviews and recommendations with your community.

The Ask the Author feature is a particularly powerful opportunity to connect with readers and create meaningful conversations through direct interaction. 

When you answer reader questions utilizing this tool, you are not only establishing reader relationships, but you’re also generating content that remains visible on your profile, giving you credibility as an author and supporting your message.

What about responding to reviews left on your book? 

Reviews are certainly a part of the Goodreads community and serve as incredible social proof that supports spreading your message to other readers; however, while it can be tempting to respond to all reviews on all platforms, successful authors thank positive reviews and selectively answer negative reviews. 

Both types of feedback provide insights to you as an author, but defending yourself against a negative review could cause more harm to your brand than not, so tread carefully. 

The key to maintaining your Goodreads network of readers is to adopt a reader-first mindset, approaching each interaction as a valuable opportunity to generate additional, organic interest in your work. 

Paid Opportunities to Engage

Whether you’re trying to generate pre-launch buzz, gather early reviews, or re-invigorate a backlisted title, Goodreads giveaways can quickly generate added momentum.

While no longer free, Goodreads giveaways are one of the best ways to find readers and reviewers. Giveaways can be done for either Kindle ebooks (fulfilled directly by Goodreads) or print books (you must supply and mail them yourself) at any stage of pre- or post-publication. 

Goodreads promotes your giveaway and helps drive entries by notifying anyone who has followed you or added one of your books to their shelves; others who have added similar books will see the giveaway in their news feed. 

Readers can enter to win by adding your book to their To Read shelf. Once the contest ends, Goodreads randomly selects the winners, and your book is sent to excited readers.

The benefits of a giveaway don’t stop at getting your book into readers’ hands: After the giveaway ends, winners receive an email from Goodreads to remind them to rate and review the book, which adds credibility to you as an author.

Remember: Books are seeds, and when generously shared with others, they can fuel reviews and sales, and put your book favorably in front of new readers. Giving away as many books as possible is a key strategy in any book launch campaign. 

Defining Success on Goodreads 

As with any book launch strategy, you’ll want to reflect on your goals to adequately measure success in any given area of the process.  

Understanding Metrics 

Hard and fast metrics are not always available, so keep that in mind as you pursue the various marketing techniques to promote your book. The key incentive should be more exposure for you, your book, and your message. 

As you analyze your Goodreads strategy, here are three ways to look at your investment: 

• “Want to Read” – Goodreads tracks when readers add your book to their “Want to Read” shelf, which indicates the level of interest in your book. 
• Reviews – The quantity and quality of reviews on Goodreads impact visibility and how other readers perceive your book. 
• Website Traffic – Monitoring how many visitors to your website are coming from Goodreads can be another indicator that your book is getting attention on the platform. 

Setting realistic benchmarks for your book, genre, and audience is key in determining what metrics to focus on.

Pitfalls to Avoid  

Successful authors understand that every marketing technique has the potential for pitfalls. Knowing what can go wrong makes you more likely to excel at what can go right. 

These top three mistakes could cost you your reputation on Goodreads: 

• Don’t Spam: The Goodreads culture is built on authenticity. Avoid being overly promotional when sharing about your book, and remember to provide value. 
• Negative Reviews: As mentioned above, replying to negative reviews can backfire, so be mindful about expressing frustration or defending your work.
• Ignoring the Platform: An active community requires active involvement. To make Goodreads work for you, show up regularly, even in between book launches, and contribute in a way that makes your work as an author stand out.

Remember: While promoting your book is part of the process, remember that Goodreads is a reader platform first and foremost. Approach your interactions from that mindset, and show up with the same passion for books and reading that your potential new readers are. 

The Bottom Line

Don’t overlook Goodreads as part of your book marketing strategy. By tapping into this community-driven platform, you can boost your book’s visibility and add credibility to your author journey. Help meet your pre- and post-launch goals by prioritizing Goodreads in your book promotion approach. 

Take Action 

Working with a partner like Weaving Influence can set you up for success on Goodreads with author profile establishment, optimization, and a Goodreads giveaway! Get in touch with us today to get started.

Kelly Edmiston

Kelly expertly supports authors through their book launches through strategic account management, with a specialization in mobilizing their networks and building impactful launch teams. She coaches authors throughout her launch management on how to best influence bestseller opportunities and secure Amazon reviews, ultimately increasing visibility, media coverage, and opportunities for growth and success.