Smashwords unveils new affiliate program
The online self ebook publisher Smashwords has announced the beginning of their affiliate program, which will let bloggers, publishers, authors, and website owners promote ebooks sold on Smashwords in exchange for a commission on each sale. Here’s an excerpt from their press release:
“Our mission at Smashwords is to help authors and publishers publish, promote and sell their ebooks,” said Mark Coker, founder of Smashwords. “The Smashwords Affiliate Marketing Program will help authors and publishers expand their digital shelf space while providing affiliate marketers the opportunity to profit from the rapid rise of electronic books.”
According to the Association of American Publishers(AAP), ebooks are the fastest growing segment of book publishing today. Ebooks experienced a compound annual growth rate of 58 percent per year for the last six years, versus an overall industry growth rate of 1.6 percent. In recent months, the growth of ebooks has accelerated to over 100 percent while print books have declined, according to the AAP (source: http://www.publishers.org).
I think this is a win-win for authors and website owners alike. The authors will have a chance to get their ebooks promoted in front of a much wider audience, and website owners will be able to reap the financial rewards for promoting ebooks – something many have been doing for a while now.
Furthermore, with the reluctance of major publishers to fully embrace ebooks (and cling to draconian DRM), I think that the independent author will really flourish in the next few years. The independent author will be someone who is tech saavy, enjoys relating directly with his/her readers and believes that traditional publishing is not necessarily the best way to get their work out into the world.
Will I sign up for the Smashwords affiliate program? I’m seriously considering it and will research it a little more. I really do get excited by the thought of being able to promote these authors who have gone out on their own, and I want to support them in every way possible.
My experience with Smashwords is somewhat limited so I’m asking you if you have any experience with this website. Have you published with them? Do you buy ebooks from them? If so, leave a comment below and give us the scoop (especially if you’re an author who has published on Smashwords). I look forward to hearing from you.
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Read More: Self-Publishing, eBooks
Hi Brad, thanks for this. I appreciate that you get what we’re trying to do.
Mark Coker’s latest blog post..Angel on the Roof
I’m not so much excited about the affiliate program as I am about the idea of a site like Smashwords – authors can publish their own work in ebook format, bypassing the big publishing houses and their atoms and selling directly to the consumer. Kind of like Etsy, but for ebooks. I wish I had thought of it!
Hello,
I am Gaic. I would like to share our new concept for writers to publish their work in collaboration with your group.
I am a writer myself and I know how it could be difficult to get a first step into the business of being published. So, we got this idea of an eBook online store where any writer could publish, keep control of their right and get up to 90% back to them from the selling price. We wouldnot put any hurdle so there is a free membership (60% return). The paid membership is USD 25/3 months which is fair for a 90% return. But the point of sunbookr.com is really to help writers sharing their idea, thought, concept with the world (whitout any hassle, as creating a website…).
We could work together and collaborate to spread the words around the world. We will give 100 paid memberships for free (90% return) to the writers registering on sunbookr.com. We would greatly appreciate your help by letting writers know of sunbookr.com.
If you have any question please contact me.
Looks like your question thing at the end of the post worked. Also not having to sign in is nice too. Good job. Nice list. Thanks.
Wonderful article. I been looking for one on a similar note. I guess you always have something up your sleeve.
What I find most interesting in the comments is that most of us admit that this process works, even from a buyer’s standpoint.
Stumbled across your post while searching through yahoo. I read the beginning and its fantastic! I don’t have time to finish it now, but I have bookmarked your site and will read the rest later. : )
Thank you for your comments and your kind words! I love hearing positive feedback from readers, it always makes my day. Please feel free to drop by anytime and continue to comment.
Interesting stories in this site. Great tips for me to think about
I found your blog on Google. I’ve bookmarked it and will watch out for your next blog post.