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KDP Countdown: Running Results

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Okay! So, in my ongoing battle to to kill my Goodreads also boughts I am running a Countdown deal for $0.99 or £0.99 depending on where the market resides, heh heh. This is also sooner than expected. I hadn't planned to do this until after 10 reviews so I could get more promo sites onboard, but I figured what the hell. And seeing as I've seen blogs and commentary ranging from: Countdown deals are awesome all the way to worthless, I figured I'd jot down some real world stats here. Ads being run: taking a stab with bookbub ads (not the big time promo) and FB.

Yes! Bookbub ads so far have been crap, but gave them one more shot with .99 offer.

The US is all quiet... it's 4:30am Central, so no shock there. Countdown started at midnight. Haven't even got spend on Countdown deal ads.

In the UK, it is now 10:30 am in grand ol' Londinium. Still super early.
UK Bookbub ad: 62 impressions, 0 clicks, $0.47 spend.
FB Ad: 324 impressions, 10 clicks, $0.22/click ($2.29 total), SALES: 6 to the UK
NOTE: 2 new clicks in the UK since I sat down this morning (originally was 8 clicks & 6 sales) and there is sales lag, so could've picked up more.

FB AD NOTE: I've also opened up the target audience for this sale... I had it refined down for what was performing well with Kindle Unlimited, but have added back all men and ages to see if .99 performs better with the 18-25 crowd.

YET ANOTHER NOTE: Eve of Snows is also prominent in UK Countdown deal pages... at least when I pulled them up. This is good, but makes it harder to attribute sales to ads. In the US, more hidden. But at least it exists, heh heh.

I'll update things as numbers roll in, just in case it might help somebody in future marketing decision.

Another fun stat: Exactly 100 Digital & Paperback sales before starting the Countdown.
 
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Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
9am Central... 12 total sales, 5 in the US, 7 in the UK.
9:50 am... 15 total sales, 5 in the US, 10 in the UK.

Totally untraceable sales in the US, as none of my marketing streams are showing enough activity to cover 5 sales. Could be folks who had the book on their "wish list"? If they receive notification of a sale, that seems likely as anything. UK FB ads getting some clicks... it'll be more interesting as we head into evening London time.

Bookbub Ads can kiss it goodbye. Maybe I just don't get the ad right, but! Even a $0.99 promo is running horrible per click prices, about 4 times a FB ad if running an impression ad, and per click... well, the bidding on them is always way too high.
 
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Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
1:20PM Central... 23 total sales, 10 in the US, 13 in the UK. Spend: $9.34, FB, $10 Bookbub ads (which I discontinued).

Ranks: Hit 18 (+22) in UK Norse/Viking, and top 47 (+62) in Dark Fantasy, #4564 kindle store overall from a start around 10k. In the US, ranks have been pretty static, but the UK seemed to lag sales by a few hours, so we'll see what happens
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
Thanks for the updates. WRT advertising, as you've seen, it's possible to find enthusiastic supporters and the bitterly disillusioned for each platform, every price point. There's simply too many variables. All you can do is to step up to the plate and take your turn at bat. I'll be doing it in the fall; you've inspired me to make somewhat the same chronicle. Even if it's not directly helpful, it's context.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
I have a weakness for watching numbers, LOL. Today I've had a freaky issue with FB not serving my ads... It's like FB doesn't want to take my money, which is totally not FB. I had $15 set in the US, and its at $6 spent right now, kicked it to $20 to see if it would juice... My UK were doing the same earlier today, restarted the ad sets and the impressions kicked in. So, I lost about 3-4 hours of ad time. Guessing. That slow down was in prime time in the UK too, which sucked.

Anyhow, despite all that insanity... Current numbers...

6:30 pm Central... 34 books sold, 17 in the UK, 17 in the US. Top overall rank 4094 in UK, 12772 in the US (the books been higher on days I spent more and sold less, which gives ma clue on KU downloads). Top rank in Norse Viking: 18 and 27 (UK/US respectively).

Surpassed today's goal in sales... looking more for a sustained burn more than big spikes. We'll see how that goes! Got Bargain Booksy running on last day, this Sunday.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Well, I've spent the last several hours trying to figure out why FB isn't serving all my ads like usual... I've no idea, except...

They think I'm a Russian.

Net, net. Zdes' nechego smotret'

I mean... no, no... nothing to see here.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
End of day results yesterday... 39 books sold: 17 in the UK, 22 in the US. I was not awake to check the rankings... I'm not really awake now.

My page reads seem to be working again after glitches in KDP... 1500+ yesterday, 851 this morning already. These are not outside previous good days, but are high end numbers.

FB didn't even bother to spend all my ad money.

Day 2: 12 books sold by 6:45 am, 11 in the UK, 1 US.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Fun stat of the morning: UK= 52 clicks, $0.14/click, 16 sales. That’s about .05 less than the ad’s lifetime. And 16 almost matches yesterday’s total of 17.

Not so fun stat, the US ad that normally runs about 0.15 is running at .21... Go figer! LOL. The US is also lagging yesterday’s sales with only 2 this morning.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Kiled it in the UK today, but struggling to match yesterday in the US... Day 1: 39 books, Day 2 with 2:15 to go Central time, 44. 28 in the UK, 16 in the US but there is a small surge in the US so far tonight. UK, spent $15.45 for 94 clicks, 0.16/click. Spent about the same in US for 63 clicks... backwards of my KU promotions, go figure!

Rankings highlights of the day are in the UK, no surprise! Hit 13 in Norse/Viking, 21 in Dark Fantasy, and 55 in Epic Fantasy, 2600 or so overall. The us is floating in the 20’s Norse Viking, 11-12k overall, which is back peddling from yesterday. But, there is late movement. So, we’ll see.

Main thing, held overall momentum in sales, even if lagging in the US. No idea why, but the UK was just rocking.

Oh yeah, consolation price in the US... nearly 2k page reads today, almost entirely in the US. Huh!
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Aaaand, the US surged to match yesterday... so, 50 sales for the day total. But, $19.83 for 75 clicks puts it at 0.26/click, ten cents more than in the UK. I've never seen that graphic run so high per click, must be because I opened up the spigots to men and younger folks... but 18-25 performed well today, while the usual wheelhouse of 45-54 women was in the tank.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Would the gods of marketing chaos give a brother some consistency? Oh, hell no.

Woke up today to find the US ad performing slightly better than the UK ad (clicks) and that in the wee morning hours in the states. But! more sales in the UK. Total sales 15, 6 in the US, 9 in the UK.

Running tally: 105 books sold.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Aaaand... today was the opposite of yesterday... US is running 0.10 less than the UK, and UK is behind yesterday with 24 compared to 28, and those 24 burnt more budget. Before today is over, EoS should have its best day in the US (sitting at 22 sales right now) with a couple hours and heft remaining budget left.

Intriguing rank of the day... hit #4 in a UK category and EoS is sitting 500 overall ranks behind #1... but it's the dead of friggin night over there, so doubt many sales are incoming anytime soon, LOL.

Also, a so-so page reads day (500), so I don't think page reads can be attributed to the ads much... that's just same-old same-old chaos.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Friday is looking good... 22 sales in the UK so far, so should be the best day there. The US is lagging at 5, but we aren't in prime time yet. Should be another 50 sale+ day.

And just now... Cracked to #3 in Celtic category in UK, while hitting #9 in Norse/Viking. Overall rank #1846 in the UK, think that's the first time breaking the 2k barrier... at least that I've witnessed. #1 will be tough... the book there is by the writer of the Outlander series... It's in reach if sales should spike, but not holding my breath! Oh, and absolutely rammed its way to #39 in Epic Fantasy, even to hit top 20 there would be sweet... and probably not in reach, but you never know. On the edge.
 
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Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Side Note: Another positive is that EoS has now filled out its Also Boughts in the UK (had 12 going into this promo, now have 97)... Now if only I could transfer those to my whacked out US Also Boughts, heh heh.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
FB ads info... friday evening in the US is expensive. Started a new ad for the fun of it and the impressions cost almost right on .02, when much of the time I get them for .01ish, less in many instances. Nope! To heck with that, LOL. On the other hand, wee early morning ads in the UK cost .004... but its a B getting any with folks asleep.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Continuing to tick up the UK, #18 Epic Fantasy, 1313... now 1285... overall and holding #1 for the time being in the Celtic category. US overall ranks moves up to 7542 despite the slow friday... odd. #21 in Norse/Viking.

Back to more important stuff... 55 total sales yesterday, 34 in the UK, and as always, KU Borrows a mystery. Page reads was right about average at 800+.

Over 200 sales if including this morning.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Moved from the UK to make a run at the US for also boughts after getting distracted in the UK! Foolish, but it gives and ad hook with #1... I am at least FINALLY! (one of my least favorite badverbs) seeing legit also boughts, but only about 4 of them. Hopefully a big sales day today will shift more also's into the fantasy columns.

So, killing it in the US today where yesterday was absolute struggle with impressions selling at high prices.

Today, 32 sales in the US (this includes a Bargain Booksy promo, which appears to be doing well in itself). An old ad renewed is kicking booty, my "peace has a wax cat's chance in hell" ad which tested poorly, but is buzzing along at $0.29/click... which would be under 0.20 during the week, but the impression prices are running higher on weekends.

Still have not even cracked the top 100 in Epic Fantasy in the US... tough market, LOL.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Total: 327 books sold (91 final day) about $228.90 in royalties (not counting currency conversion rates here, keeping it simple, LOL). Spent, $410. It's a good thing the point was not profit! LOL. But, there's also bound to be a pile of KU borrows also, so nothing is clear.

The goal was to drive the book into the hands of readers, while working also boughts into shape, and so I'll call that a success.

The ultimate goal: Amazon reviews will be a time will tell issue. If those start coming through, so the next promo can be Fussy Librarian, Book Barbarian and (fingers crossed, Bookbub) then it'll be a major win.

OH YES! And now the return to normal, with a few sales per day that'll barely show on the bar graph now, heh heh.
 
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