Writing an Amazon.com best-seller is one way to be perceived as a subject matter expert. People visit your page, they buy your book – and they read the reviews.

When I met Brad Shorr, blogger at WordSell, Inc. his Amazon review success intrigued me. Listed as the first reviewer for at least one best-selling Amazon.com business book, Brad says writing book reviews is worth the time it takes to collect your thoughts and submit a review to run on the same page as a best-seller.

We chatted for about 25 minutes and recorded an MP3 for you. Next time I’ll test my headset first.

Listen to Barbara Rozgonyi interview Brad Shorr about how to be a top Amazon reviewer.

Don’t have that much time? Glance over these notes . . . and  study Brad Shorr’s Amazon Profile. Ranked in the top 1000 Amazon.com reviewers, Brad’s 232 reviews garnered 3,036 helpful votes.

Before you start, you have to have a reason to write reviews.

Here’s what Brad has to say about that on his Amazon review profile: 

Hi there!
I’m a sales coach, copywriter, and blog/marketing consultant. Not not surprisingly, I love to READ! Several years ago I started writing reviews on Amazon to help me remember what I just read, and because, more that anything, other reviewers helped me figure out what to read next.

What books would you like to review?

In our interview, Brad explains his process for writing reviews, including

- take notes as you read so you’ll remember later

- be honest and say what you think, keeping in mind that you’ll want to back up strong opinions

- reference passages you like in your review

- think about what the reader would want to know and answer their questions

- focus on one or two subjects that relate to your area of expertise or diversify if you like, a niche approach works better for business

Benefits to You as an Amazon Reviewer

1. Enhanced Google results – I found 6890 results for “Brad Shorr” + Amazon

2. Qualified referral traffic – people who come to your site after reading your review already know something about you

3. Offers from authors to review books before publication – while this might not happen right away, Brad’s been contacted to preview final editions

What other benefits would you realize?

About Brad Shorr

Brad Shorr is a marketing consultant and writer who lives near Chicago, Illinois. His company, Word Sell, Inc., specializes in business blog development, Web content strategy, and Web copywriting services. He has an extensive background in B2B sales, marketing, and executive management.

Technorati Tags: Amazon Book Reviews,Podcast,Brad Shorr,Subject Matter Expert,Barbara Rozgonyi,Wired PR Works

About the Author

Written by Barbara Rozgonyi

Barbara Rozgonyi publishes WiredPRWorks.com and directs CoryWest Media, an integrated social media marketing and PR firm. As Social Media Club (SMC) Chicago’s founder, Barbara is a recognized spokesperson for brands, bloggers and the social media marketing PR industry. Barbara invites you to join the Wired PR Works community on Facebook or to contact her regarding interviews, partner promotions or speaking engagements at 630.207.7530.