#103: Building An Algorithm-Proof Author Business

Read Time: 3 Minutes

Many authors build their house (i.e. their author business) on rented land.

They exist in a constant state of platform dependency.

If you find yourself in this position, your business hangs by the thread of algorithms you can't control, platforms you don't own, and visibility you haven't earned.

When Amazon changes their recommendation engine, sales vanish overnight.

When Facebook restricts organic reach or updates their ads algorithm, your carefully cultivated page becomes a ghost town and your ads fail to reach the right readers.

This is a losing game. One that keeps you in a constant state of anxiety, forever chasing the next platform, the next tactic, the next temporary solution.

The Alternative

So, what's the alternative to this situation?

Own the relationship.

Direct connection with your readers transforms your author business from a fragile, platform-dependent operation into a resilient ecosystem that thrives regardless of external changes. 

The authors who will dominate the next decade aren't those with the best ads or the perfect keywords. They're the ones who have cultivated an audience that no algorithm can take away.

You may be in a position now where you have impressive sales numbers but a microscopic and/or unengaged audience.

When the algorithm shifts, and book sales go through the floor, you find yourself scrabbling to rebuild from scratch.

The alternative scenario is that you have a relationship with your readers that you are consistently cultivating and nurturing, and you can tap into this relationship to maintain your income.

This isn't about using your audience as a cash machine; it's about building trust and likeability, and putting relevant offers in front of them that they can take or leave.

But know this... selling to someone in your warm audience is 100x easier than selling to someone who has never heard of you or your books. 

Ultimately, what I'm trying to get across to you here is simply about making audience building just as big a priority as books sales, instead of an after thought.

The Permission Asset

The ownership mindset requires you to rethink what you're actually creating. You're not just publishing books – you're building a network of human connections centered around your creative output.

Your email list isn't just a marketing channel. It's a pathway to your true audience. The readers who grant you permission to enter their inbox are making a statement: "I trust you enough to give you access to my attention."

This permission is the most valuable currency in an attention economy. It cannot be purchased, only earned. It cannot be taken away by a platform update or a policy change. It exists between you and your reader, with no intermediary.

From Platform Dependency to Audience Ownership

The path to ownership begins with a shift in perspective; stop chasing sales and start cultivating relationships.

Create communication channels you control. Deliver value directly, not just through retailers. Speak to your readers as individual human beings, not as metrics.

Most authors focus on the transaction – the momentary exchange of money for content.

Instead, I encourage you to focus on the relationship – the ongoing exchange of value that transcends any single book sale.

This relationship-first approach changes how you view every aspect of your author business:

→ Your website becomes more than just a landing page and a portfolio of your work; it becomes a destination.

→ Your newsletter becomes more than just a place to generate some book sales; it becomes a conversation.

→ Your content strategy becomes more than just a marketing plan; it becomes a relationship-building system.

The Reality of Algorithm Dependence

Let's be honest – every author remains reliant on algorithms to some extent; even with email deliverability and your emails ending up in the Promotions or Spam folders.

Complete independence is a myth.

Amazon's search still matters. Email deliverability algorithms still exist. Social platform reach still impacts discovery. Ad platform algorithms still change.

The goal isn't to escape algorithms entirely – it's to minimize their control over your livelihood.

An email list of engaged readers means you're no longer at the complete mercy of retailer, social media or ad platform algorithms to generate sales.

When Amazon changes their recommendation system, it might affect your passive discovery, but it won't devastate your core business if you've built a relationship and a connection with your true audience.

The Algorithm-Resistant Business Model

When you own direct relationships with readers, platform changes become manageable challenges rather than detrimental threats. Retailer algorithms become one factor in your business rather than the deciding factor.

Imagine releasing a new book and having a predictable baseline of sales from your owned audience. Not hoping algorithms will favor you, but knowing your direct connections will deliver results. This could be your reality if you put in the work to build meaningful reader relationships.

You will still need to utilize platforms and algorithms, but you won't need to depend on them exclusively. You will have created a buffer – an audience that responds to direct communication regardless of what any platform decides.

You'll no longer be renting digital real estate owned by tech giants; you'll be building your own territory in an always-on landscape in the digital age.

This is true independence.

To Your Success
– Matt