Should You Go Free? New BookBub Results + Cost/Benefit Framework for Indie Authors

Is getting 12,000 free book downloads in a month actually a bad thing? In this video, I break down my real results from NEW BookBub Free Reads program and show how it affects your author business, backlist sales, and overall indie author revenue. I also cover self-publishing strategies, book marketing funnels, and effective free book promotions to help you grow your readership and make smart decisions for your publishing career. Grab the first book in my mystery-thriller series here: https://bit.ly/heartofarunawaygirl I ran BookBub Free Reads on the first book in my mystery/thriller series and tracked what happened next. I’ll show you: 0:00 My 12,000 Free Downloads: Was It a Mistake? 0:31 The Surprising Backlist Sales Results 1:22 My Secret Write Path Framework: The "Pick 2 of 3" Method 1:51 Analyzing the Results: Readership vs. Revenue 4:39 Who Should Not Use This Strategy I also share the simple 3-part decision framework I use for every paid or free book promotion: Scope (readership & brand growth) Cost (money you’re willing to lose or recover) Time (fast results vs long-term payoff) You can only pick two out of three—and that’s where most authors get this wrong. This video is especially useful if: You’re an indie author considering free book promotions You’re thinking about BookBub Free Reads, Featured Deals, or Deals for Less You have (or don’t have) a backlist and want to know if free actually converts You care about making money, not just downloads Have you tried BookBub Free Reads, Featured Deals, or other free book promos? Drop your results in the comments—downloads, sales, wins, regrets. Other authors will thank you. 👍 If this helped you make a clearer publishing decision, like, subscribe, and happy writing. #BookBub #indieauthor #selfpublishing #bookmarketing #freebook #authorlife #freebooks #writingtips #writingcommunity #selfpublishing #indieauthor #trevorwiltzenauthor