eBooks have one built-in advantage over paper-based books, and that’s the ability for the author and publisher to include hyperlinks to resources and websites. It’s an especially important benefit for publishers of Kindle eBooks because you can send the reader directly to the page where they can rate and review your book.

Depending on your timeline, and production process, this might be a little tricky for some people but there is a way. It centers around getting Amazon to assign an ASIN to your Kindle edition—an Amazon Standard Identification Number—before your book is released.

Here it is in 5 simple steps:

Step 1: List your eBook for Kindle Pre-order. You do not need the final edition; a copy of Word will do and you can replace it with the final file at least 3 days before your book’s release date. In about 24 hours your Kindle should be live in the store.

Step 2: Find your ASIN. Scroll down the book’s listing and look for Product Details. It will look like this; copy the ASIN.

Step 3: Add it to the end of this link:

http://www.Amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/write-a-review.html?asin=

Like this:

http://www.Amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/write-a-review.html?asin=B009VPQOAA

Step 4: Now paste this entire link at the end of your book along with some text to encourage your reader to click and leave a review (copy this for your swipe file):

Thank you for reading my book, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Won’t you please consider leaving a review? Even just a few works would help others decide if the book is right for them.

I’ve made it super simple: just click this link and you’ll travel to the Amazon review page for this book where you can leave your review.

Best regards and thank you in advance:

http://www.Amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/write-a-review.html?asin=B077FYH28Y

Step 5: When ready, upload your final file to KDP at least 3 days before the release date. The final version of your Kindle eBook will have your message and link directly to a live review page for your reader to leave feedback.

A word of caution

If you are creating eBook files for other retailers you’ll want to remove the link to the Amazon review page. Apple for one won’t allow EPUB files to include links to Amazon, and neither will some aggregators such as Pronoun.

But no worries, chances are someone who buys a book from the iBookstore wouldn’t care to leave a review on Amazon anyway.

PS. Amazon will automatically encourage readers to leave a review when they finish reading the book. By placing this message in another location (near the beginning, or right before your book’s back matter), you can greatly increase the chances of a review.

Image credit: Kaley Dykstra