Well if you’re not, then you should be! According to Amazon Founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, the Kindle was “the most gifted item ever in our history,” with an estimated 1.5 million sold during the 2009 holiday season. Additionally, Christmas day of 2009 marked the first time ever in which Kindle books actually outsold physical books. Of course, Amazon’s latter accomplishment can probably be attributed to the fact that Kindle gift receivers wanted to play with their new toy after the holiday mayhem wore down, but we’ll still give Amazon credit where credit is due.
When you offer your blog as a Kindle subscription, you’ve got a lot to gain—including the opportunity to reach 1.5 million potential new readers as well as the possibility to make a commission from new subscriptions sold. However, don’t expect to get rich from your subscription commissions—most blogs are offered at either $0.99 or $1.99, and come with a 30 percent commission structure. But nonetheless, it’s an opportunity to give your blog a little extra exposure while earning some pocket change at the same time.
So how do you go about it?
- Step 1: Visit Kindle publishing for blogs (currently in beta) to sign up for an account. Unfortunately, your current Amazon or Kindle accounts won’t suffice as a means for publishing your blog. Therefore, you will need to sign up for a separate account and provide financial information, including bank account information and tax ID numbers. Additionally, you will need a 500×500 pixel screenshot (I recommend a homepage shot), an RSS feed URL and a description of your blog.
- Step 2: Once your blog passes Amazon’s approval process, you can download a badge (note the badge in the right hand sidebar of StraightUpSearch) from Newstex to help promote it as a Kindle subscription. Simply select the badge design of your choice, enter your Kindle blog URL and copy and paste the code where you want the badge to appear.
- Step 3: Watch your reader base and wallets grow!
Although the Kindle is technically an e-book reader, it definitely makes sense to offer blogs as a subscription option. And although the cost might deter some potential subscribers, it’s definitely a great alternative for those who want the portability but don’t have wireless access through their mobile phones.
From blogs to bestsellers, the Kindle is changing the way consumers digest information. And it’s critical that your business keeps up with this ever-evolving marketing landscape. To learn more about the changes your business needs to be making to ensure success in 2010, contact Oneupweb. We’d be happy to help.
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This only works if you live in the US!!
Hi Chris!
Well, yes and no – but I definitely lean more toward agreeing with you
Correct me if I’m wrong, but it’s my understanding that international publishers CAN sign up for a Kindle blog account and publish – it’s the commission payment options available to non U.S. publishers that debilitate the process.
My research concluded that the first payment option of electronic bank transfer is, in fact, only available in the U.S., while the other payment option of U.S. snail-mailed paper check is flawed twice – 1. There is an $8.00 processing fee for both U.S. and international publishers, and 2. The fees associated with cashing a U.S. check internationally can be astronomical, hardly making the commission payment worthwhile if your fees end up greater than your earnings.
Other factors I didn’t initially consider are the possibility of Amazon requiring publishers to hold an account with a U.S. based banking institution or the fact that the required tax ID would be U.S. specific. Were either of these factors a finding in your research or a part of your personal experience?
-Ashley
I started doing this as soon as it was available. I don’t make much, it’s true, but I’m consistently in the top 50 for my category. And that money is entirely free/found money, as all it required was a one-time setup to link in my RSS feed at Amazon.
Karen
Books On The Knob – a blog about free and bargain books
http://booksontheknob.blogspot.com
Twitter – @BooksOnTheKnob
Hi Karen,
Glad to hear you’re finding success. Even if the financial gain is minimal right now, the added exposure is certainly beneficial and could ultimately boost financial gain further down the road!
I love it, a nice and revolutionary reading device. Now i can get rid of the books and magazines i used to subscribe to. My friend recommended me to http://www.unique-stuff.co.cc/products/kindle_reading_device.html After reading their reviews, i decide to purchase kindle 6″ for $259.. Great..