#118: 15 Million Readers Actively Looking For Books

Read Time: 2.5 Minutes

Something clicked for me a few months ago.

I was reviewing our Facebook Ads performance – costs had been creeping up, conversion rates had been dropping. Nothing dramatic, just the usual platform evolution that forces you to constantly adapt.

That's when I started thinking about our advertising strategy differently.

We'd built a solid business with Facebook Ads as the backbone of it, along with Amazon Ads.

These platforms work. Very well. They've helped us generate over $1.5 million in revenue.

But I realized we'd become completely dependent on these platforms whims.

Algorithm changes. iOS updates. Policy shifts. Any one of these could tank our traffic overnight.

That's what got me seriously looking at BookBub Ads for the first time.

Not as a replacement, but as insurance.

The Intent Problem

Most social media advertising platforms have a fundamental problem:

They're trying to interrupt people who aren't looking to buy anything.

Facebook users are scrolling to see what their friends are up to. Instagram users are looking at photos. TikTok users want entertainment.

None of them opened the app thinking, "I need a good book today."

You're fighting for attention against cat videos, political rants, and holiday photos.

The BookBub Ads Difference

BookBub have built something different.

They've created a platform where millions of readers are actively hunting for their next book.

Think about that for a second.

These aren't people you need to convince to read.

They're already readers.

They're not browsing randomly – they're specifically looking for books in their favorite genres.

Your ad isn't interrupting their day. It's answering their question: "What should I read next?"

The Numbers Game

Here's where it gets interesting.

Facebook has 3 billion users. Sounds massive, right?

But how many of those 3 billion are actively looking for books? Maybe 1%-5%. Less?

BookBub has 15 million subscribers. Every single one signed up specifically to discover books.

That's 15 million people who wake up excited about finding their next read.

Which audience would you rather advertise to?

The Reach Reality

This is where most authors get it wrong (ourselves included).

They think bigger is always better.

But would you rather reach 1,000,000 random people who might buy your book, or 10,000 people who are actively looking for exactly what you're selling?

Quality trumps quantity every time.

BookBub's audience might be smaller than Facebook's, but it's infinitely more focused.

The Platform Portfolio

Let me be clear: I still 100% believe in Facebook Ads and Amazon Ads.

But here's what I've learned over the years: relying on any single platform is dangerous.

What I'm advocating for isn't abandoning what works.

It's adding another engine to your advertising machine.

Each platform serves a different purpose in your reader journey.

The Strategic Shift

This isn't about switching platforms.

It's about understanding that different audiences require different approaches.

Facebook audiences need to be educated about why they should read your book.

BookBub audiences need to be convinced that your book is the right choice among many options.

Completely different conversations. Completely different strategies.

Where This Leads

In my opinion, the future belongs to authors who understand audience intent.

Who recognize that the best advertising doesn't feel like advertising – it feels like discovery.

Who realize that reaching the right 1,000 people is infinitely more valuable than reaching the wrong 100,000 people.

BookBub Ads offers a fundamental shift in how we think about advertising books.

Not as interruption, but as connection.

Ready to Connect?

I'm building something specifically for authors who want to master this audience-first approach to BookBub Ads.

The BookBub Ads Mastery For Authors course launches in November, but the learning has already started.

Join 230+ authors on the waitlist here and you'll get weekly insights into audience psychology, targeting strategy, ad creative, and the mindset shifts that turn BookBub Ads into a reliable source of new readers.

Because understanding your audience isn't just the first step in great advertising (on any platform).

It's the only step that matters.

That's a wrap for today.

Thank you so much for reading and have a wonderful weekend.

See you next Saturday.

To Your Success
– Matt