How founders who publish books use Goodreads
TL;DR
Goodreads is Amazon's site for readers and book recommendations, launched in January 2007. Founders who have published a book, or have one about to come out, join the free Goodreads Author Program to claim their author profile, with approval within 2 business days. It suits founder-authors. A startup without a book has no listing here.
What is Goodreads?
Goodreads calls itself the world's largest site for readers and book recommendations. Members rate, review and shelve books and follow authors. The footer labels it "An Amazon Company".
For writers, the Goodreads Author Program turns the automatic author page into one you control. Approved authors get the Goodreads Author badge, edit their photo, bio and book list, connect a blog, answer reader questions through Ask the Author, run giveaways and buy ads for their books.
Who should use Goodreads?
- Founders who wrote a business book, memoir or practical guide connected to their startup.
- Founders preparing a book launch who want readers to discover the title before release day.
- Skip it if you have no published or upcoming book. Goodreads lists books and their authors only.
How much does Goodreads cost?
The Author Program is free. Two paid options help you market a book:
- Giveaways: a Kindle giveaway sends up to 100 copies, and Goodreads delivers them at no book or shipping cost to you. It requires a Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) account, and the book must be in the Kindle Store and already on Goodreads. A print giveaway is open to all authors and publishers. You mail the books yourself within two weeks after the entry period ends, and targeting is available for the US and Canada.
- Advertising: self-serve ads for your books.
Goodreads charges a fee for giveaways and shows it during setup. We could not confirm the current amounts on a public page, so check the giveaway page before you plan a budget.
How do you share your startup on Goodreads?
- Sign in or create an account on Goodreads, then search for your most popular book by ISBN, ASIN or title.
- Open the book, click your author name and scroll to the bottom of your author profile.
- Click "Is this you? Let us know!" and submit the application, as described on the Author Program page.
- Wait for the approval email, which arrives within 2 business days. Your login details stay the same.
- Complete your profile: a clear photo, a bio that names your startup and its website, and your full book list.
Tips to get more out of Goodreads
- Write the bio for readers of your book, then add one line about the startup with its URL. People arrive for the author first.
- Plan a giveaway in the weeks before release, so the book collects readers and shelf adds before launch day.
- Answer Ask the Author questions with specifics from your founder story: numbers, mistakes, what you would change.
- Stay out of review threads. Arguing with a reviewer under their review looks defensive to every later visitor.
- Judge Goodreads by shelf adds, followers and visits to your site. The DA of 93 belongs to goodreads.com.
Our verdict
Goodreads is the right place for a founder with a book, and the Author Program costs nothing. It does nothing for a startup without one. If you publish, claim your profile on day one and connect it to your startup's website.
More options: see all startup directories and launch sites. Planning the launch around this listing? The Fe/male Switch startup game walks women founders from idea to first customers.