#123: I Wish I Knew This Before Starting BookBub Ads

Read Time: 2 Minutes

I'll be honest with you.

I've made every single mistake I'm about to share.

When I first started with BookBub Ads, I approached it like Facebook Ads.

Big mistake.

I targeted BookBub Ad categories thinking "broader is better." Another mistake.

I scaled budgets aggressively because that's what worked elsewhere. Strike three.

The result?

Burned through budget with nothing to show for it.

Here's what I learned:

BookBub Ads doesn't work like Facebook Ads. Far from it.

The rules are different.

The psychology is different.

So here are the 5 mistakes that cost me time and money (and how to avoid them):

Mistake #1: Targeting Categories Alone

Facebook Ads taught us that broad targeting works.

BookBub Ads laughs in the face of this logic.

Category targeting (like "Romance" or "Thriller") rarely works well.

The sweet spot? One author per campaign.

Specific. Precise. Laser-focused on readers who already love books similar to yours.

Mistake #2: "Set and Forget" Campaigns

Facebook Ads and Amazon Ads can let you coast for weeks.

BookBub Ads? Not so much.

The audiences are smaller. They fatigue faster. Your ad might peak on Day 7 and start declining by Day 14.

But here's the plot twist...

This isn't a bug, it's a feature.

Less competition means higher intent. You just need to stay on top of your ads and not be shy of making regular changes to your ads.

Mistake #3: Only Advertising Discounted Books

The biggest BookBub myth out there?

It's just for $0.99 or FREE books.

I've seen 15%-25% conversion rates on full-price books with BookBub Ads; that's unheard of even with Facebook Ads and Amazon Ads.

The secret isn't the discount—it's reaching readers who are actively hunting for their next favorite read.

BookBub readers aren't just bargain hunters.

They're book addicts.

There's a difference.

Mistake #4: Making Creative Decisions Without Testing

I used to create one ad image and pray it worked.

Terrible strategy.

BookBub audiences are smaller than Facebook. They see your ad more frequently. Ad fatigue hits faster.

The solution? Volume testing with systematic creative rotation. Test 3 different images per author target. Let them run 3-5 days minimum. Scale the winners. Refresh creative every 1-2 weeks.

Your gut doesn't know what converts. The data does.

Mistake #5: Waiting For The Algorithm To "Learn"

Here's a curveball that threw me with BookBub Ads.

Your ads can start converting from Day 1.

No learning phase. No 50 conversions needed. No waiting weeks for the algorithm to figure things out.

Facebook Ads trained us to be patient and to give the algorithm time to learn.

BookBub Ads?

A different game entirely.

The algorithm optimizes in real-time from the moment your ad goes live.

If you've got the right targeting and creative, you'll see results within the first 24 hours.

Don't wait. Don't "let it learn." 

Collect the data you need and move on.

Look, BookBub Ads isn't magic.

But it's also not Facebook Ads or Amazon Ads.

 BookBub Ads is a different animal entirely.

It's 15+ million readers who wake up every day actively hunting for their next book recommendation.

Not scrolling social media.

Not shopping for random products.

Just looking for books.

The opportunity is real.

The mistakes are avoidable (once you know what to avoid).

That's it for this week.

Thank you so much for reading. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

See you next Saturday.

To Your Success
– Matt