Book Launch Strategy: The 90-Day Timeline That Moves Units

Why Launch Strategy Matters

Your book is finished. Edited. Covered. Ready. Now what?

You could just publish it and hope for the best. Some authors do. Most of them watch their books disappear into the vast ocean of content, never reaching the readers who would love them.

A strategic launch maximizes your book’s initial visibility—that crucial window when Amazon’s algorithm is watching, when review opportunities are open, when reader attention is available. What you do in the 90 days surrounding launch can determine your book’s trajectory for years.

The Pre-Launch Phase: Days -90 to -30

Set Your Launch Date

Choose a date 60-90 days out. You need this runway for preparation. Consider:

Avoiding major holidays (people are busy; algorithms are noisy)
Tuesday-Thursday launches (industry norm, though less critical for self-publishing)
Your genre’s seasonal patterns (romance readers buy more around Valentine’s; beach reads peak in summer)

Finalize Your Assets

Cover: Done and approved

Blurb: Tested if possible (social media polls, reader feedback)

Author photo and bio: Updated for this book

Website: Book page created with buy links (ready to go live)

Build Your Launch Team

Your launch team reads early, reviews on launch day, and helps spread the word. Recruit:

Existing newsletter subscribers who volunteer
Readers from previous books
Writing community friends
Genre-appropriate book bloggers

Aim for 20-50 committed launch team members. Provide clear expectations: read the ARC, leave an honest review on launch day/week, help promote on social media.

Set Up Pre-Order (If Using)

Pre-orders have pros and cons:

Pros: Build anticipation, aggregate sales to launch day, provide buy links early for promotion

Cons: Pre-orders on Amazon don’t count toward launch week rank (a complex algorithm consideration); risk of having live buy links before reviews exist

Many indie authors skip pre-order on Amazon while using it on other platforms, or set a short pre-order window (7-14 days).

Plan Your Promotions

If you’re running paid promotions:

Book newsletter features (BookBub, Bargain Booksy, etc.): Apply early; spots fill up
Amazon Ads: Prepare campaigns to launch on release day
Price promotion strategy: Many authors launch at $0.99 or with a discount period

The Building Phase: Days -30 to -7

Distribute ARCs

Send Advance Reader Copies to:

Your launch team
Book bloggers and reviewers
Bookstagram/BookTok reviewers in your genre
Newsletter reviewers

Use NetGalley, BookSirens, or direct distribution through BookFunnel. Track who receives copies and follow up.

Social Media Buildup

Begin your launch campaign on social:

Cover reveal (if not done earlier)
Behind-the-scenes content
Character aesthetics and inspiration
Excerpt reveals
Countdown posts

The goal isn’t to sell yet—it’s to build anticipation and awareness.

Email Sequence

Plan your newsletter launch sequence:

Announcement email (“The book is coming!”)
Behind-the-scenes email (why you wrote it, what it means to you)
Early review sharing (as reviews come in from ARCs)
Pre-order/launch reminder

Podcast and Interview Outreach

Pitch yourself to podcasts in your genre 4-6 weeks before launch. This gives them time to schedule and allows episodes to drop during your launch window.

Launch Week: Days -7 to +7

Day -7: Final Prep

Confirm all promotional newsletter slots
Remind launch team of review expectations
Schedule all launch week social posts
Double-check all buy links work

Launch Day

Send launch day email to your list (your biggest single sales driver)
Post across all social platforms
Launch your Amazon Ads
Reach out to supporters for same-day reviews
Monitor rankings and reviews

Days +1 to +7

Follow up with launch team non-reviewers
Stack promotional newsletters if you secured them
Continue social media momentum
Adjust Amazon Ads based on early performance
Send “thank you” email to supporters

The Sustain Phase: Days +8 to +90

Momentum Management

Most book sales happen in the first 30 days, then drop dramatically. Fight the decay:

Run a price promotion 3-4 weeks post-launch
Secure additional newsletter features
Continue Amazon Ads (if profitable)
Pitch podcast appearances for sustained visibility

Review Acceleration

More reviews improve conversion and visibility. Keep building:

Include review requests in back matter
Use BookSirens or similar for ongoing review recruitment
Follow up with readers who engaged on social

Retarget and Remarket

Email subscribers who opened but didn’t buy
Run Amazon Ads targeting readers who clicked but didn’t purchase
Adjust ad copy based on review language

Plan the Next Book

The best launch for book two is finishing book one’s launch well—but start building anticipation for what’s next. Tease future projects. Capture the readers you’ve just won.

Launch Metrics to Track

First week sales: Your baseline for comparison
Amazon rank: Category rankings show visibility
Review count and rating: Social proof matters
Ad spend vs. sales: Profitability tracking
Email open and click rates: List engagement
New subscriber signups: List growth

Adjusting When Things Go Wrong

Low Sales

Diagnose first: Is it visibility (no one’s seeing the book) or conversion (people see it but don’t buy)? Visibility problems need more promotion. Conversion problems might indicate cover, blurb, or price issues.

Few Reviews

Follow up with launch team. Lower the barrier—remind readers that short reviews help. Consider services that connect you with reviewers.

Negative Reviews

Don’t respond. Ever. Every book gets some negative reviews. Focus on generating more positive ones to balance them.

The 90-Day Reality

A strategic launch doesn’t guarantee success. Markets are unpredictable, algorithms are opaque, and luck plays a role. But preparation dramatically improves your odds.

Your book deserves the best chance you can give it. Plan the 90 days, execute the plan, adjust based on results, and keep writing the next one.

Each launch teaches you something. Each book is another opportunity. The authors who succeed are the ones who keep launching—smarter each time.