The Value of Amazon Reviews 

by | May 21, 2025 | Book Launch, Influence Building, Marketing

Why Amazon Reviews Matter  

Amazon reigns supreme when it comes to book sales, accounting for an estimated 50-80% of the book market, depending on genre and format. This stronghold on the market provides incredible opportunities—and challenges—for an author trying to “make it” in the marketplace. 

At the center of this complex ecosystem lies a critical component that can greatly influence an author’s success: customer reviews. 

Whether you’re a traditional or self-published author, securing star ratings and customer feedback via the review platform is a powerful marketing tool that can directly impact discoverability, credibility, and, ultimately, sales. 

Read on to learn more about how Amazon reviews support your book launch strategy and should be in your arsenal of book marketing techniques for long-term success.  

Amazon Reviews Impact Visibility 

With over 44 million books available on Amazon worldwide, authors are in competition with a heap of other authors who want to get their books into readers’ hands. 

Throw in Amazon’s A9 algorithm, which is the search engine component behind the consumer-driven website, and the task of how to promote your book can become very daunting. 

The good news is that as of 2024, Amazon has 315 million active users, and that means there are plenty of people buying books; it’s just a matter of making sure your book satisfies the algorithm and appears at the top of search results for your topic/genre/category. 

The more your book reaches the top of the search, the more discoverability it has, which, in turn, produces increased visibility for your work and your message. 

So, where do Amazon reviews come into play?

When your book accumulates reviews, particularly positive reviews, Amazon’s algorithm takes notice and begins featuring your book more prominently in search results. 

This increased visibility leads to more sales, which leads to more reviews, which leads to more visibility. Unlocking this cycle isn’t easy, but it’s a prime example of how strategically incorporating reviews into your book launch strategy can have a big payoff. 

“It’s overwhelming to worry about reaching the huge number of reviews that bestsellers amass over the years. For authors on a smaller scale, it can be helpful to set and work toward modest goals. Aim for 25 reviews, then 50. Once you reach 50, you can work toward 75, and then 100 and beyond.”
Becky Robinson, CEO of Weaving Influence

Additional benefits of a robust book review profile could include: 

  • Being featured in the “customers who bought this also bought…” section 
  • Having your book featured in Amazon’s marketing emails 
  • Becoming eligible for inclusion in special promotions on Amazon 

One important note: Getting reviews from the beginning is critical. 

Early reviews, particularly those received in the first few weeks after launch, signal to Amazon that your book deserves attention. It’s this initial momentum that launches a book from obscurity into sustainable visibility. 

This is a crucial maneuver for all authors, but first-time authors should be especially focused on their Amazon review strategy and the timing of their reviews to ensure they create the biggest splash in that sea of 44 million books. 

Let’s explore how reviews can give you, the author, an authoritative boost and, ultimately, help you secure more sales. 

Amazon Reviews Impact Credibility 

Have you ever purchased—or not purchased—a book because of a review you read? 

Reviews are word-of-mouth marketing. In vast digital marketplaces like Amazon, readers cannot pick up a book, flip through its pages, and examine it before purchasing. Instead, they lean heavily on reviews to inform their buying decisions. 

What are other people saying about this book I want to buy? 

Informed buyers often see the reviews as more important than the book’s description and will look at them to determine if the book sounds like it is for them. So, getting a respectable number of reviews in the early months after your book is released is helpful for increasing the sales of your book.

Amazon reviews provide valuable social proof about a title, demonstrating subject-matter expertise, which is a powerful trust-building mechanism that can be especially vital for first-time authors or those authors who are self-published without established reputations in the market.  

While a critical mass of early reviews can lead to more buzz for your book, don’t overlook the importance of the quality of the reviews. Reviewers can simply leave a star-rating; however, a well-crafted, thoughtful review in addition to the star-rating will carry more weight and be more influential to a potential reader. 

As you think about the quality of a review, it’s important to distinguish between verified purchases and unverified purchases when it comes to Amazon reviews. 

A verified purchaser means the reviewer bought the book on Amazon and paid a price that is available to most Amazon shoppers. Amazon checks these requirements before assigning the reviewer a “verified purchaser” tag. 

However, not all reviews must come from verified purchases to be published on the reviews page. Amazon still considers unverified purchases valuable as long as they meet the pre-determined guidelines. 

For example, if you establish a book launch team as part of your Network Mobilization and ask for reviews in exchange for a free copy of the book, these reviews will show up as “unverified,” but as long as they meet Amazon’s review requirements, Amazon will post them. 

For the sake of credibility, authors should aim for a mix of verified and unverified reviews, as too many unverified reviews may signal to readers that the reviews are not organic or genuine. 

Amazon Reviews Impact Sales 

There is a strong correlation between product reviews and sales conversion rates, with some studies highlighting that products with reviews are 270% more likely to be purchased than those without.

Your book is no exception. Getting a respectable number of reviews in the early months after your book is released signals to readers that there is value in your book and that it’s worth the monetary investment to read it. 

While each new review will not always lead to an immediate sale, the influence found within that review has the power to transform buyers for years to come, especially if your book launch strategy includes continued outreach efforts to cultivate new reviews as time goes on. 

You may want to consider long-term review initiatives to drive more sales like:

  • Following up via email sequences to anyone you know who has a copy of the book, whether gifted by you as part of the book launch or through pre-order and launch week purchases. 
  • Featuring reader reviews in a newsletter or on social media to encourage others to post their review – or possibly buy the book if they haven’t! 
  • Hosting a Goodreads giveaway or other promotional events that will attract new readers and, therefore, fresh reviews. 

Once you begin receiving reviews, you’ll better understand the key takeaways readers are getting from the book, and that knowledge is gold as you determine how to ask for more reviews and generate more sales. 

Research from Automateed found that Amazon generates $28 billion worldwide in one year from book sales alone. That’s a significant volume of books being sold. In today’s competitive publishing market, authors who understand the potential of reviews to drive sales will achieve a stronger return on investment.

Leveraging Amazon Reviews 

Reviews are a versatile marketing tool that can also be utilized outside of the Amazon platform. 

Authors should not hesitate to use reviews to create ongoing interest in their books as these reviews are authentic promotional content that will attract other potential readers.  

Feature these reviews—or at least short quotes from them—by adding them to: 

  • Your website 
  • The next newsletter 
  • Social media graphics 
  • Additional advertising campaigns 

Having a robust number of reviews featured on your book page may also attract professional opportunities. Event organizers, podcast hosts, and media outlets frequently look at reader engagement before reaching out with collaboration ideas.  

If you’re pitching yourself as an author, thought leader, or speaker for any professional event, sharing Amazon reviews can showcase your expertise, in the same way they build trust and credibility for readers. 

Leveraging Amazon reviews is a great way to keep momentum building for your current title but they can also be foundational in future publications, whether that’s an online article or another published book. 

By treating your strongest reviews as long-term assets rather than temporary validation, you create a foundation of social proof that supports your entire author career.

The Bottom Line

Prioritizing early Amazon reviews is an essential part of the book launch strategy and can mean the difference between discoverability and obscurity. Don’t let your book or your message get lost in the depths of Amazon’s algorithm. By incorporating reviews into your book marketing techniques, you set yourself up to receive authentic, quality reviews that have long-term effects on your career as an author. 

Take Action 

Partnering with Weaving Influence to secure early Amazon reviews sets the stage for your book launch and ongoing marketing endeavors. Get in touch with us today to get started!