Launch guideContent products
How to launch an ebook
An ebook launch has one big decision: Amazon-only through KDP Select, or sell everywhere including your own site. KDP Select adds Kindle Unlimited and promotions in exchange for a 90-day enrollment period for the ebook. Whatever you choose, the cover and the first lines of the description do most of the selling on Amazon.
Updated · platform facts checked against the official docs linked below
At a glance
Where people find ebooks
- Amazon Kindle Store: The largest ebook store; categories and keywords drive discovery.
- Kindle Unlimited: Available through KDP Select enrollment; readers borrow instead of buying.
- Your own site and Gumroad: Direct sales and email capture, if you're not exclusive.
- Your newsletter and social audience: Most first-week buyers already know you.
Assets to prepare
| Asset | Spec or guidance |
|---|---|
| Cover | 2,560 px tall × 1,600 px wide ideal, RGB, JPEG preferred, under 5 MB; add a thin gray border if the background is light.[1] |
| Description | Up to 4,000 characters including HTML tags; Amazon suggests around 150 words.[2] |
| Sample chapter | Give away the best chapter to build a list before launch. |
| Author page | On your site, with all your books and a signup form. |
Store and listing rules
What the platform itself says, with a link to the page we checked.
- The 70% royalty option now covers list prices from $2.99 to $12.99 (effective July 7, 2026); delivery costs still apply.[3]
- KDP Select is a 90-day program for Kindle ebooks that includes Kindle Unlimited and promotions such as Free Book Promotions and Kindle Countdown Deals.[4]
- While enrolled in KDP Select, the digital edition must be exclusive to KDP; print and audio editions can still be sold elsewhere.[5]
- Covers under 500 px on the shortest side aren't displayed on the website.[1]
A 4-week launch timeline
Week 1 · four weeks out
- Decide exclusive (KDP Select) vs wide.
- Commission or design the cover at 2,560×1,600.
- Publish a sample chapter to build a list.
Week 2 · three weeks out
- Write the description; front-load the first two lines.
- Pick categories and keywords.
- Line up early readers for honest reviews.
Week 3 · two weeks out
- Upload and proof the ebook on multiple devices.
- Set the price in your chosen royalty band.
- Prepare launch emails.
Week 4 · launch week
- Schedule launch-week promotion.
- Prepare posts with a quote from the book.
- Build the author page.
Launch-day checklist
- Email your list with the store link.
- Post one strong idea from the book on social.
- Add the book page to LaunchRanked.
- Ask early readers to leave honest reviews (never paid ones).
After launch: SEO steps
Launch boards reset; search pages don't. These steps keep people finding you after launch week.
- Publish articles based on chapters, each linking to the book.
- Target the problem the book solves, not the title.
- Keep the author page as the hub for all books.
Common mistakes
- A cover that's unreadable as a thumbnail.
- Enrolling in KDP Select and still selling the ebook elsewhere.
- Buying reviews.
Templates for this launch
- Launch email to your waitlistA launch email for people who joined your waitlist: one link, one ask, a reason to act now, and the sender rules that keep it out of spam.
- Testimonial request emailAn email that asks happy customers for a testimonial with three easy questions, clear permission, and an option to review a draft, with a filled example.
- Press releaseA plain press release template for a product launch: headline, dateline, lead, quote, details, availability and boilerplate, with a filled example.
FAQ
What size should a Kindle ebook cover be?
Amazon's ideal is 2,560 pixels tall by 1,600 wide (1.6:1), RGB, under 5 MB. Covers under 500 pixels on the shortest side aren't shown on the site.
What royalty does KDP pay?
35% or 70%. As of July 7, 2026, the 70% option covers list prices from $2.99 to $12.99, with delivery costs deducted.
Should I enroll in KDP Select?
It adds Kindle Unlimited and promotions for 90-day periods but ties the ebook to Amazon for that time. Choose it if Amazon is where your readers are.
How long can a KDP description be?
4,000 characters, including any HTML tags you use for formatting.
Sources
- Amazon KDP: eBook cover image guidelines
- Amazon KDP: Book description guidelines
- Amazon KDP: eBook royalties
- Amazon KDP: KDP Select
- Amazon KDP: Self publishing and KDP Select
Checked . Platforms change their rules; open the source before you rely on a number.
Related launch guides
- How to launch an online courseLaunch an online course: validate with a pilot, choose a platform and fee model, build a sales page with a real curriculum, and a 4-week plan.
- How to launch a newsletterLaunch a newsletter: pick a platform with a recommendation network, write the first issues ahead, meet sender rules, and build archive pages that rank.
- How to launch a Notion templateLaunch a Notion template: creator profile, Marketplace submission and fees, publishing with duplicate on, previews that sell, and channels.