Posted on June 25, 2026 at 8:00 AM by Jeffrey Bruner
When we updated our newsletter system earlier this year, one of our goals was simple:
Stop thinking of ebook promotions as a one-day event.
Instead of sending your book to the same readers on one day and calling it finished, we wanted our system to continue introducing eligible books to new readers whenever opportunities became available.
Recently, one bargain promotion demonstrated just how powerful the new system can be when everything lines up.
It wasn't typical. It wasn't guaranteed. But it does illustrate what can happen when a wide book in two active genres remains eligible for an extended period.
Promotion Snapshot
-
Genres: 2
-
Retailers: Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, Nook and Google Play
-
Guaranteed promotion: 1
-
Total appearances: 68
-
Promotion period: Approximately one month
The Promotion
One recent bargain promotion received 68 separate appearances over the course of a month. The book met several criteria that allowed our system to continue matching it with readers:
-
It belonged to two different genres.
-
It was available at all major ebook retailers.
-
It remained an eligible bargain.
-
Reader demand and available newsletter inventory created repeated opportunities for additional placements.
Let's look at exactly what happened.
Every Appearance
May 21
-
Bargain Book Newsletter (Guaranteed Promotion)
-
Free Ebook Newsletter (Bargain Section)
May 22
-
Amazon – Mystery & Thrillers Newsletter
-
Amazon – Science Fiction & Fantasy Newsletter
-
Apple Books Newsletter
-
Kobo Newsletter
-
Nook Newsletter
-
Google Play Newsletter
-
Free Ebook Newsletter (Bargain Section)
May 23
-
Free Ebook Newsletter (Bargain Section)
May 24
-
Free Ebook Newsletter (Bargain Section)
May 25
-
Free Ebook Newsletter (Bargain Section)
May 26
-
Amazon – Mystery & Thrillers Newsletter
-
Amazon – Science Fiction & Fantasy Newsletter
-
Apple Books Newsletter
-
Kobo Newsletter
-
Nook Newsletter
-
Google Play Newsletter
-
Free Ebook Newsletter (Bargain Section)
May 27
-
Free Ebook Newsletter (Bargain Section)
May 29
-
Amazon – Mystery & Thrillers Newsletter
-
Amazon – Science Fiction & Fantasy Newsletter
-
Apple Books Newsletter
-
Kobo Newsletter
-
Nook Newsletter
-
Google Play Newsletter
-
Free Ebook Newsletter (Bargain Section)
May 30
-
Free Ebook Newsletter (Bargain Section)
May 31
-
Free Ebook Newsletter (Bargain Section)
June 1
-
Free Ebook Newsletter (Bargain Section)
June 2
-
Amazon – Mystery & Thrillers Newsletter
-
Amazon – Science Fiction & Fantasy Newsletter
-
Apple Books Newsletter
-
Kobo Newsletter
-
Nook Newsletter
-
Google Play Newsletter
-
Free Ebook Newsletter (Bargain Section)
June 3
-
Free Ebook Newsletter (Bargain Section)
June 5
-
Amazon – Mystery & Thrillers Newsletter
-
Amazon – Science Fiction & Fantasy Newsletter
-
Apple Books Newsletter
-
Kobo Newsletter
-
Nook Newsletter
-
Google Play Newsletter
June 9
-
Amazon – Mystery & Thrillers Newsletter
-
Amazon – Science Fiction & Fantasy Newsletter
-
Apple Books Newsletter
-
Kobo Newsletter
-
Nook Newsletter
-
Google Play Newsletter
June 12
-
Amazon – Mystery & Thrillers Newsletter
-
Amazon – Science Fiction & Fantasy Newsletter
-
Apple Books Newsletter
-
Kobo Newsletter
-
Nook Newsletter
-
Google Play Newsletter
June 16
-
Amazon – Mystery & Thrillers Newsletter
-
Amazon – Science Fiction & Fantasy Newsletter
-
Apple Books Newsletter
-
Kobo Newsletter
-
Nook Newsletter
-
Google Play Newsletter
June 19
-
Amazon – Mystery & Thrillers Newsletter
-
Amazon – Science Fiction & Fantasy Newsletter
-
Apple Books Newsletter
-
Kobo Newsletter
-
Nook Newsletter
-
Google Play Newsletter
Total appearances: 68
This wasn't one promotion. It was a month-long series of opportunities to reach new readers.
Why Did This Happen?
Several factors worked together.
1. The Book Was in Two Different Genres
This title was categorized as:
-
Cozy Mystery
-
Urban Fantasy
That meant it qualified for two separate Amazon genre newsletters every week.
Our Amazon genre newsletters are sent twice each week. Because this book qualified for both Mystery & Thrillers and Science Fiction & Fantasy, every Amazon newsletter cycle created two additional opportunities for discovery instead of one. Rather than only reaching Mystery readers, the book also reached Science Fiction & Fantasy readers.
That's one advantage of accurately categorizing books that genuinely span multiple genres.
2. The Book Was Available Wide
This promotion wasn't limited to Kindle.
The book was also available through:
-
Apple Books
-
Kobo
-
Nook
-
Google Play
Each retailer has its own newsletter, and those newsletters are also sent twice each week. That meant every newsletter cycle created additional opportunities to introduce the book to readers on those platforms.
Authors who publish wide simply create more opportunities for readers to discover their books.
3. The Bargain Section Kept Working
One thing many authors don't realize is that our free ebook newsletter also includes a bargain section that matches books with readers who enjoy those genres. Whenever space became available and the book still qualified, it continued appearing there.
Notice how often it returned:
-
May 21
-
May 22
-
May 23
-
May 24
-
May 25
-
May 26
-
May 27
-
May 29
-
May 30
-
May 31
-
June 1
-
June 2
-
June 3
That's 13 additional appearances in front of readers who hadn't previously seen the book.
4. The Promotion Stayed Eligible
Perhaps most importantly, the author gave the system time to work. The sale remained active. The pricing information was accurate. The book continued qualifying as a bargain.
That meant every time another personalized newsletter was assembled, the book could once again be considered for readers who hadn't yet seen it.
Is 68 Appearances Typical?
Probably not.
This promotion represents something close to a best-case scenario:
-
A wide book.
-
Two active genres.
-
A continuing bargain.
-
Available newsletter inventory.
-
Strong reader matching.
Most bargain promotions receive fewer appearances than this. But this example demonstrates exactly what our personalized newsletter system is designed to do. Rather than ending after a single guaranteed promotion, the system continues looking for opportunities to introduce eligible books to additional readers.
Sometimes those opportunities add up in a big way.
The Bigger Picture
Under our previous newsletter system, a bargain promotion was a one-day event.
Today, it's better to think of your promotion as becoming eligible for discovery.
Every time a new personalized newsletter is assembled, our system asks questions like:
-
Does this reader enjoy this genre?
-
Is the book still an eligible bargain?
-
Is there room in today's newsletter?
If the answers are yes, the book may appear again.
That doesn't mean every promotion will receive dozens of additional placements. But it does mean your promotion isn't necessarily over after the guaranteed day.
If you're wondering how to maximize your own promotion, the same principles apply:
-
Choose accurate genres.
-
Schedule your promotion near the beginning of your sale.
-
Keep your pricing information current.
-
Make your book available at as many retailers as possible.
While no promotion is guaranteed dozens of appearances, those steps give our system the greatest opportunity to continue introducing your book to new readers.
And that's exactly what we hoped to accomplish when we redesigned our newsletter system: to keep introducing books to new readers whenever another opportunity becomes available.
Categories: Library Updates