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A New Book Review Program for Bloggers

A few months ago, we began an experiment. We offered a free book to anyone who agreed to post a 200-word review on their blog. We started with The Faith of Barack Obama [affiliate link] by Stephen Mansfield. We had almost 200 people request books and almost 70% of them posted book reviews.

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/firstthingsfirst, Image #2991594

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/firstthingsfirst

We were so pleased with the results, we decided to do it again. We offered Through the Storm [affiliate link] by Lynne Spears. However, this time we required bloggers to post their review on Amazon in addition to their own site. We had slightly fewer requests and reviews, but we were still pleased with the results. Almost all the reviews were positive.

Regardless, I challenged Lindsey Nobles, my Director of Corporate Communications, to create a Web site specifically designed for bloggers who are interested in reviewing our books. As a result, we launched the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers (BRB) site yesterday. I am especially proud of what Lindsey and her team accomplished in less than six weeks.

If you are a blogger, this new site has at least three benefits:

  1. Free copies of our best books. We will send you a free copy of the book you are interested in reviewing. In addition, after you have requested a review copy, we will email you a PDF of the first two chapters so you can immediately get started. Meanwhile, we will drop a physical copy of the book in the mail.
  2. Content resources for your blog. We will provide you with free resources to use in your review. These include things like cover art, video or audio clips (when available), external links to other related items, etc. Frankly, this is the part of the site that we need to expand upon the most.
  3. External links to your blog. We will provide a link back to the your actual review of the book. As you may know, external links are what drive up your blog’s ranking on Google. In general, the more links the better.

What do we require? Bloggers must agree to write a 200-word review—good, bad, or ugly—and post it on their blog and on any consumer detail page for that book (e.g., Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, BooksAMillion.com, Borders.com, ChristianBook.com, etc.). Obviously, the review can be longer, but we wanted to set the bar low in order to encourage participation. I think this is a case where if the products are WOW, they will generate enthusiasm and buzz. If not, then that will also help us create better products in the future.

My goal is to recruit 10,000 active bloggers, categorized by subject areas. That’s aggressive, I know. But, why not? Like they say, “Go big or go home.”

Then, when we want to get the word out for a specific book, we can distribute 1,000 or so review copies at a time and use the reviews to jump-start the most important component of any marketing campaign: word-of-mouth.

To get started, click here.

Question: Do you think it will work? What needs to be added to the site to improve it?
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Posted on October 29, 2008

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  • Brittany

    Just realized Holly had addressed some of these concerns already. Thanks.

  • Brittany

    Just realized Holly had addressed some of these concerns already. Thanks.

  • Brittany

    Just realized Holly had addressed some of these concerns already. Thanks.

  • Brittany

    Just realized Holly had addressed some of these concerns already. Thanks.

  • Dan Pritchett

    Mike,

    Great program. It exposes me to some books I might not have read but find interesting – almost like college days and required reading because once signing on, there are responsibilities ;-). As far as "tangible reward", I find a free book a gracious incentive. It also gives me the opportunity of using illustrations from, or encouraging individuals to read a book that would be helpful to them — an added benefit to the ministry to which I have been called. I trust that this will be a beneficial program to Thomas Nelson as well.

  • Dan Pritchett

    Mike,

    Great program. It exposes me to some books I might not have read but find interesting – almost like college days and required reading because once signing on, there are responsibilities ;-). As far as “tangible reward”, I find a free book a gracious incentive. It also gives me the opportunity of using illustrations from, or encouraging individuals to read a book that would be helpful to them — an added benefit to the ministry to which I have been called. I trust that this will be a beneficial program to Thomas Nelson as well.

  • Dan Pritchett

    Mike,

    Great program. It exposes me to some books I might not have read but find interesting – almost like college days and required reading because once signing on, there are responsibilities ;-). As far as “tangible reward”, I find a free book a gracious incentive. It also gives me the opportunity of using illustrations from, or encouraging individuals to read a book that would be helpful to them — an added benefit to the ministry to which I have been called. I trust that this will be a beneficial program to Thomas Nelson as well.

  • http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/ Mike Cane

    It’s unlikely you’d have a book I wanted to read. But if you did, the stipulation about also posting on a commercial site would prevent me from taking up your offer.

  • http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/ Mike Cane

    It’s unlikely you’d have a book I wanted to read. But if you did, the stipulation about also posting on a commercial site would prevent me from taking up your offer.

  • http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/ Mike Cane

    It's unlikely you'd have a book I wanted to read. But if you did, the stipulation about also posting on a commercial site would prevent me from taking up your offer.

  • http://www.evangelicaloutpost.com/archives/2008/11/attention-blogg.html the evangelical outpost

    Attention, bloggers!

    Are you trying to launch the next best place in the blogosphere? Hoping to attract a few new readers? Or perhaps just experiencing writer’s block (blogger’s block?) and looking for some new material? Boy have I been there. That’s why…

  • http://www.evangelicaloutpost.com/archives/2008/11/attention-blogg.html the evangelical outpost

    Attention, bloggers!

    Are you trying to launch the next best place in the blogosphere? Hoping to attract a few new readers? Or perhaps just experiencing writer’s block (blogger’s block?) and looking for some new material? Boy have I been there. That’s why…

  • http://www.evangelicaloutpost.com/archives/2008/11/attention-blogg.html the evangelical outp

    Attention, bloggers!

    Are you trying to launch the next best place in the blogosphere? Hoping to attract a few new readers? Or perhaps just experiencing writer's block (blogger's block?) and looking for some new material? Boy have I been there. That's why…

  • Debabrata Das

    I want to know that since I am from India, can I sign up too for this program? Also I suggest you to put note or something like FAQ to answer some common questions, like this.

  • Debabrata Das

    I want to know that since I am from India, can I sign up too for this program? Also I suggest you to put note or something like FAQ to answer some common questions, like this.

  • Debabrata Das

    I want to know that since I am from India, can I sign up too for this program? Also I suggest you to put note or something like FAQ to answer some common questions, like this.

  • http://www.michaelhyatt.com/ Michael S. Hyatt

    @Debabrata: Yes, you can participate from India. We are compiling an FAQ which we hope to upload shortly. Thanks.

  • http://www.michaelhyatt.com Michael S. Hyatt

    @Debabrata: Yes, you can participate from India. We are compiling an FAQ which we hope to upload shortly. Thanks.

  • http://www.michaelhyatt.com/ Michael S. Hyatt

    @Debabrata: Yes, you can participate from India. We are compiling an FAQ which we hope to upload shortly. Thanks.

  • http://passionsforthesoul.typepad.com/vicki Vicki Small

    I completed my first review, yesterday, and posted it as agreed. I looked at the next group of books and was disappointed to find that none of them appealed to me. I’m not big on “thrillers” or MP3, but I may decide to go back and select the children’s book.

    I was hoping that, if a brb did not see a book that piqued his or her interests, at least three alternative selections might be available. Of course, five books from which to choose does seem, on the face of it, to be sufficient. However, two of the current five are of the same genre.

    So I checked my profile, to see if I needed to change my preferences, and I realized “Biography” is not even listed. That surprises me, given that Billy: The Untold Story… is a biography.

    So I respectfully suggest that you add Biography as a category. I further second the motion for breaking down Fiction into subgenres.

    Thanks so much for launching this innovative program! I have shared the opportunity with several of my blogging friends.

  • http://passionsforthesoul.typepad.com/vicki Vicki Small

    I completed my first review, yesterday, and posted it as agreed. I looked at the next group of books and was disappointed to find that none of them appealed to me. I’m not big on “thrillers” or MP3, but I may decide to go back and select the children’s book.

    I was hoping that, if a brb did not see a book that piqued his or her interests, at least three alternative selections might be available. Of course, five books from which to choose does seem, on the face of it, to be sufficient. However, two of the current five are of the same genre.

    So I checked my profile, to see if I needed to change my preferences, and I realized “Biography” is not even listed. That surprises me, given that Billy: The Untold Story… is a biography.

    So I respectfully suggest that you add Biography as a category. I further second the motion for breaking down Fiction into subgenres.

    Thanks so much for launching this innovative program! I have shared the opportunity with several of my blogging friends.

  • http://passionsforthesoul.typepad.com/vicki Vicki Small

    I completed my first review, yesterday, and posted it as agreed. I looked at the next group of books and was disappointed to find that none of them appealed to me. I'm not big on "thrillers" or MP3, but I may decide to go back and select the children's book.

    I was hoping that, if a brb did not see a book that piqued his or her interests, at least three alternative selections might be available. Of course, five books from which to choose does seem, on the face of it, to be sufficient. However, two of the current five are of the same genre.

    So I checked my profile, to see if I needed to change my preferences, and I realized "Biography" is not even listed. That surprises me, given that Billy: The Untold Story… is a biography.

    So I respectfully suggest that you add Biography as a category. I further second the motion for breaking down Fiction into subgenres.

    Thanks so much for launching this innovative program! I have shared the opportunity with several of my blogging friends.

  • http://passionsforthesoul.typepad.com/vicki Vicki Small

    Q: Are we limited to publishing our reviews on only one commercial retail site, or may we post them on, e.g., Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com?

  • http://passionsforthesoul.typepad.com/vicki Vicki Small

    Q: Are we limited to publishing our reviews on only one commercial retail site, or may we post them on, e.g., Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com?

  • http://passionsforthesoul.typepad.com/vicki Vicki Small

    Q: Are we limited to publishing our reviews on only one commercial retail site, or may we post them on, e.g., Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com?

  • http://passionsforthesoul.typepad.com/vicki Vicki Small

    This is my last comment on here; I promise. At least, for today.

    I went looking for a theater where I might go see Billy: The Early Years. Sadly, while it is “in theaters across the country,” many states are omitted–including my own. I also saw an article saying that the film was not doing well at the box office. If it were shown in more states, more people could see it!

    Will it likely be available on DVD, at any time?

  • http://passionsforthesoul.typepad.com/vicki Vicki Small

    This is my last comment on here; I promise. At least, for today.

    I went looking for a theater where I might go see Billy: The Early Years. Sadly, while it is “in theaters across the country,” many states are omitted–including my own. I also saw an article saying that the film was not doing well at the box office. If it were shown in more states, more people could see it!

    Will it likely be available on DVD, at any time?

  • http://www.michaelhyatt.com Michael S. Hyatt

    @Vicki: Thanks for your comments. First, yes, you can post to as many sites as you wish. Second, we are working to beef up the selection. This will vary from month-to-month, depending on our publication schedule and available resources. Finally, we are not associated with the Billy movie, so we have little influence over the distribution or DVD. Thanks.

  • http://www.michaelhyatt.com/ Michael S. Hyatt

    @Vicki: Thanks for your comments. First, yes, you can post to as many sites as you wish. Second, we are working to beef up the selection. This will vary from month-to-month, depending on our publication schedule and available resources. Finally, we are not associated with the Billy movie, so we have little influence over the distribution or DVD. Thanks.

  • http://www.elyonscircle.com/blogs/Superman Josh Olds

    Just discovered your program and waiting on the confirmation email. I think this is a great program and I look forward to begin reviewing.

  • http://www.elyonscircle.com/blogs/Superman Josh Olds

    Just discovered your program and waiting on the confirmation email. I think this is a great program and I look forward to begin reviewing.

  • http://www.elyonscircle.com Michael Stewart

    Sounds like an awesome program! I’m in! I’m with Josh…waiting for the response email…but I’m sure this program will do lots of good for all involved.

  • http://www.elyonscircle.com/blogs/Superman Josh Olds

    Just discovered your program and waiting on the confirmation email. I think this is a great program and I look forward to begin reviewing.

  • http://profile.typekey.com/vickismall/ Vicki Small

    Michael, thank you for replying. I saw the addition of Rex to the offerings, yesterday, and I’m waiting for my copy. I clicked the link to download the first two chapters and got some kind of error message; sorry, but I don’t remember what it said.

    As for the movie…oops! I confused authors with publisher. I’ll just hope.

    Thanks, again, for the program and for your reply. Have a great Thanksgiving!

  • http://profile.typekey.com/vickismall/ Vicki Small

    Michael, thank you for replying. I saw the addition of Rex to the offerings, yesterday, and I’m waiting for my copy. I clicked the link to download the first two chapters and got some kind of error message; sorry, but I don’t remember what it said.

    As for the movie…oops! I confused authors with publisher. I’ll just hope.

    Thanks, again, for the program and for your reply. Have a great Thanksgiving!

  • http://www.elyonscircle.com/ Michael Stewart

    Sounds like an awesome program! I'm in! I'm with Josh…waiting for the response email…but I'm sure this program will do lots of good for all involved.

  • http://profile.typekey.com/vickismall/ Vicki Small

    Michael, thank you for replying. I saw the addition of Rex to the offerings, yesterday, and I'm waiting for my copy. I clicked the link to download the first two chapters and got some kind of error message; sorry, but I don't remember what it said.

    As for the movie…oops! I confused authors with publisher. I'll just hope.

    Thanks, again, for the program and for your reply. Have a great Thanksgiving!

  • http://profile.typekey.com/blehew/ blehew

    Hi, Michael … I’ve enjoyed your blog, it is on my “Must Read Daily” list in my RSS feeds!

    I signed up for a book through the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers program and have not yet received the book, who can I contact at Thomas Nelson to receive my book to read for review?

  • http://profile.typekey.com/blehew/ blehew

    Hi, Michael … I’ve enjoyed your blog, it is on my “Must Read Daily” list in my RSS feeds!

    I signed up for a book through the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers program and have not yet received the book, who can I contact at Thomas Nelson to receive my book to read for review?

  • http://profile.typekey.com/blehew/ blehew

    Hi, Michael … I've enjoyed your blog, it is on my "Must Read Daily" list in my RSS feeds!

    I signed up for a book through the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers program and have not yet received the book, who can I contact at Thomas Nelson to receive my book to read for review?

  • http://www.thomasnelson.com/ Lindsey Nobles

    @blehew I am sorry you have not received your book yet. You can email me at lnobles@thomasnelson.com or brb@thomasnelson.com.

    When the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers program began, we used USPS’s Media Mail. We realized after several weeks that this service was not working for our needs. We had no way to track requests and it was SLOW. We now are sending books UPS and the turn-around time and the accuracy has greatly increased.

  • http://www.thomasnelson.com Lindsey Nobles

    @blehew I am sorry you have not received your book yet. You can email me at lnobles@thomasnelson.com or brb@thomasnelson.com.

    When the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers program began, we used USPS’s Media Mail. We realized after several weeks that this service was not working for our needs. We had no way to track requests and it was SLOW. We now are sending books UPS and the turn-around time and the accuracy has greatly increased.

  • http://www.thomasnelson.com/ Lindsey Nobles

    @blehew I am sorry you have not received your book yet. You can email me at lnobles@thomasnelson.com or brb@thomasnelson.com.

    When the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers program began, we used USPS's Media Mail. We realized after several weeks that this service was not working for our needs. We had no way to track requests and it was SLOW. We now are sending books UPS and the turn-around time and the accuracy has greatly increased.

  • http://jeffgoins.myadventures.org/ Jeff

    great idea

  • http://jeffgoins.myadventures.org Jeff

    great idea

  • http://jeffgoins.myadventures.org/ Jeff

    great idea

  • http://www.bookpleasures.com/ Norm Goldman

    This is a great idea. However, one of the problems recruiting reviewers is that initially they are very enthusiastic, however, after a few reviews, they drop out.

    My web site, bookpleasures.com, has been around for over 4 years and we have posted over 3000 reviews. One of the main problems is recruiting reviewers.

    Good luck!

    Norm, Bookpleasures.com

  • http://www.bookpleasures.com/ Norm Goldman

    This is a great idea. However, one of the problems recruiting reviewers is that initially they are very enthusiastic, however, after a few reviews, they drop out.

    My web site, bookpleasures.com, has been around for over 4 years and we have posted over 3000 reviews. One of the main problems is recruiting reviewers.

    Good luck!

    Norm, Bookpleasures.com

  • http://www.bookpleasures.com Norm Goldman

    This is a great idea. However, one of the problems recruiting reviewers is that initially they are very enthusiastic, however, after a few reviews, they drop out.

    My web site, bookpleasures.com, has been around for over 4 years and we have posted over 3000 reviews. One of the main problems is recruiting reviewers.

    Good luck!

    Norm, Bookpleasures.com

  • http://bookcritiques.blogspot.com/ Sally

    What a great idea. I already review books on my site, and because I love to read, I always want more. I see plenty of comments from authors I admire. GREAT!

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