Mark Dawson’s Learn Amazon Ads: Use AMS to Find More Readers and Sell More Books is a concise guide for self-published authors seeking to navigate Amazon’s advertising platform. Written in 2017, this 32-page book introduces key strategies for effectively utilizing Amazon Marketing Services (AMS) to increase book visibility and sales.
Author Background and Context
Mark Dawson is a successful self-published author and entrepreneur best known for his expertise in book marketing. He is also the creator of the Self Publishing Formula, a well-regarded course for indie authors. This book reflects Dawson’s deep experience in marketing books online, offering insights gained from years of practical application. Written during a period when Amazon ads were gaining prominence, the book aims to provide a roadmap for authors to leverage the platform. Dawson’s marketing and self-publisher background strongly influences the book, emphasizing practical, actionable strategies.
Book Overview
The book is organized into five chapters:
- What Does an Amazon Advert Look Like?
- Getting Started with Amazon Advertising
- Reporting
- Ads That Convert and Spending Your Budget
- Final Tips
Each chapter builds upon the previous, providing a progression from understanding basic ad structures to optimizing ad performance. While concise, the book is supplemented with links to Dawson’s masterclass for deeper learning. As a compact resource, its brevity and straightforward organization make it accessible for quick reference, though it may lack depth in certain areas.
Author’s Purpose
The book’s primary purpose is to introduce authors to Amazon advertising and encourage enrollment in Dawson’s video masterclass. While it serves as a standalone guide, its primary intent appears to be promotional, offering a taste of the comprehensive content available in the associated course.
Arguments and Evidence
The book presents several key arguments:
- Amazon as a Sales Platform: Dawson emphasizes that Amazon users are already in a buying mindset, making it a prime platform for advertising books.
- The Importance of Impressions: He explains that impressions are free and that increasing them enhances the likelihood of conversions over time.
- Monitoring Ads: The book stresses the importance of vigilance in monitoring ad performance to avoid overspending and optimize results.
- Manual Targeting and Keyword Selection: While the book introduces manual targeting and keywords, it lacks detailed guidance, instead pointing readers to other resources.
- Reporting and ROI Analysis: Dawson highlights the need for authors to analyze both Amazon’s advertising dashboard and royalty reports for a clearer picture of performance.
The evidence provided is practical but basic, often leaving readers needing to consult additional resources. For example, the guidance on using “customers also bought” data to identify keywords is useful but underexplored.
Evaluation of Effectiveness
The book effectively introduces Amazon ads and provides actionable tips for beginners, such as setting up auto ads and tracking impressions. However, it falls short in offering in-depth strategies or advanced insights. Critical areas like ad copywriting and keyword optimization are only briefly mentioned, leaving gaps for readers seeking comprehensive knowledge. While the promotional tone is understandable, given its purpose, it diminishes the book’s standalone value.
Personal Reaction
As an introduction to Amazon ads, Learn Amazon Ads provides a helpful starting point, particularly for those unfamiliar with the platform. However, its brevity and promotional nature may leave readers wanting more detailed guidance. Having completed Dawson’s masterclass, I found the course far more robust and practical than the book. While this guide offers some useful nuggets, it feels more like an advertisement for the course than a fully realized resource. For authors serious about mastering Amazon ads, I would recommend starting with more detailed books or enrolling directly in Dawson’s masterclass.
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