Mark Dawson’s Ads for Authors course for Self-Published authors has been around for a good five or six years now and, like Mark’s other courses, has a reputation for high quality and excellent content. Ads for Authors typically opens its doors only twice a year, and the next date you can join will be September 2023. You can also check out our Self Publishing 101 Course Review.
Who is Mark Dawson?
Mark Dawson is a hugely successful self-published author who has sold millions of books in the mystery and thriller genres. His fiction makes him 6 to 7 figures a year, mainly off the back of advertising, so it’s safe to say you’ll be in good hands. He has openly shared sales and revenue figures at conferences, so it’s all real. Along with James Blatch, he is also the co-founder of the Self Publishing Show, Fuse Books (imprint) and Hello Books (Book Promotion).
What is the course?
Ads for Authors is a selection of video course bundles supported with PDF downloads to help authors navigate the sometimes complex Ad platforms used to drive sales of their books.
What can the course teach you?
Other experts teach some of the course bundles.
- Facebook Ads for Authors by Mark Dawson
- Advanced FB Ads for Authors by Mark Dawson
- Facebook Messenger Bots for Authors by Mark Dawson
- Ad Design for Authors by Stuart Bache
- Amazon Ads for Authors by Janet Margot (There is also a legacy course by Mark Dawson on Amazon Ads)
- Bookbub Ads by Caryn Robertson
- YouTube for Authors by Garett Robinson
- TikTok for Authors (to be added 2021)
- How to write better simpler ads by Bryan Cohen
You also get bonus SPF university mini-course bundles that include webinar workshops to help authors use key players in the industry, such as BookFunnel, PublishDrive, ProlificWorks and more.
There are also additional mini-courses that you can purchase separately. Some examples include:
- How to write a Bestseller by Suzy K Quinn
- Cover Design for Authors by Stuart Bache (Books Covered)
- Copy Editing by Hayley Milliman
..and more!
Is Ads for Authors right for you?
It’s no magic bullet or click-button route to instant success. This course will only work for authors who are prepared to invest their time and money into actually going through the system and taking action.
So, going into the course, some writers underestimated the time needed to go through each subject. I focused on Amazon Ads and Bookbub ads rather than Facebook or YouTube as those platforms were the ones I wanted to focus on those at the time.
You don’t have to do it all. Not at once, anyway. Perhaps try out one platform at a time and see what works for you.
After following the course materials, you’ll also need a budget for advertising your books on Facebook, Amazon, and Bookbub. It doesn’t have to be a fortune. Mark suggests toe-dipping with $5-10 days regarding Facebook campaigns. Ads for Authors is for writers who want to treat their book publishing as a business rather than a hobby.
What I like is that it’s a one-time, admittedly sizeable investment, so there are no recurring membership costs. The SPF guys add new material and keep it updated, which you’ll also get access to going forward. That keeps the course future-proofed with updates and changes in the industry.
Conclusion
If you’re an author starting on your first book and need to know the basics of self-publishing, I would first look at our free Ecourse: Indie Publishing Roadmap and Mark’s other course, Self Publishing 101. Moving beyond publishing and platform-building basics, Ads for Authors is the next natural step in your Indie Author Journey. It is perfect for those who want to become full-time authors and publishers, as you’ll learn the essential skills to sell books online.
