How to Run a Successful KDP Free Book Promotion

KDP Select gives you 5 free days every 90 days. Used strategically, these can generate thousands of downloads, boost your visibility, and most importantly, lead to paid sales and reviews.

The Strategy: Stack Everything

A free promo only works if people know about it. You need to stack multiple promotion channels:

1. Book promo sites - Robin Reads, Bargain Booksy, FreeBooksy
2. Your email list - Announce it to your readers
3. Social media - Post across all platforms
4. Facebook groups - Many genre-specific groups allow promos

Optimal Timing

• Thursday-Monday - Captures weekend readers
• 3-4 days is optimal - 5 days often shows diminishing returns
• Avoid holidays - Competition is fierce, promo sites expensive

What to Expect

• 500-2000 downloads - For a well-promoted Book 1
• 3-5% conversion - Readers of Book 1 who buy Book 2
• 2-5 reviews - Per 1000 downloads (realistic expectation)

After the Promo

Your Amazon rank will spike during the free days, then crash when you go back to paid. This is normal. What matters is the "residual" rank improvement from the new readers.