The importance of online booksellers to book marketing is increasingly significant today, and it's why consumer reviews are so important – they spark purchases. Algorithms are known to recommend books to others based on their recent sales volume – and reviews. Taking reviews a step further, they also can be verified and unverified, and the verified ones are favored. Each website selling books online has special provisions, but all encourage people to leave reviews. Shortly after publishing a book, many authors ask friends and colleagues to leave reviews to get the ball rolling.  

Is there a quota or a minimum number of reviews to find success? While many would shy away from providing such concrete information, it's believed that 15 online reviews posted during the month your book is released will help. It's also important the review be three stars or higher if the website has a star system in addition to the reviewer's written comments. Besides the algorithm side of things, it's also "user friendly" to provide a range of opinions about your book for people to consider before buying it. Written comments can answer people's questions and pique their curiosity.

There was a time when media reviews drove the book-buying process, and you still want to seek them. But it's a highly competitive game even to get your book considered. Celebrity book clubs and their recommendations spark huge sales if you are lucky enough to make the list. For most authors, it's much wiser and safer to count on consumer reviews which are much easier to request and land than those in big-time media or celebrity book clubs. There is no right or wrong thing for people to say in their reviews, and sometimes the one that does your book the most good might be surprising. 

If you're the kind of person who likes to get a head start, some platforms allow people to post reviews slightly before or as a book is being published. But for the most part, the process begins after your book is released. As noted earlier, sales, also known as eCommerce conversions, are heavily weighted in the recommendation process, so as your book sells copies, it will be spontaneously recommended to more people. When you add a steady stream of reviews, things will gather more momentum. It's a multi-faceted process, and understanding all parts is helpful. When you do, you can help your book succeed.