NetGalley helps publishers and authors promote digital review copies to book advocates and industry professionals. Publishers make digital review copies and audiobooks available for the NetGalley community to discover, request, read, and review.
We’ve put together some tips and tricks for anyone who is interested in reading books on Netgalley, so that you all can utilize this platform to its full potential, and of course to get as many approvals as possible!
- Fill out your profile completely
Netgalley asks specific questions for your profile, and it’s of the utmost importance that you review and answer all of them. This will help publishers to notice you when they are reviewing your requests, and to make sure you are a legitimate reviewer. - Provide links to your preferred platforms
Some of us thrive on Instagram, others on TikTok. It’s important to share your preferred platforms with Netgalley so that no one has to do any guessing! If you were to look me up right now, you’d see a great following on Instagram, but my TikTok game is WEAK! What if that’s all they thought that I had for social media? I’d be doomed! - Be sure to share your reading preferences!
There are a lot of times that I receive emails based on my preferences, which is a great way for me to find books I hadn’t yet heard of, and even receive download links! If there’s a genre you know that you love, I highly recommend sharing that with the team at Netgalley – you might just get a sweet surprise! - Check out each publisher’s approval preferences
Each publisher is different! Some require a specific number of followers on social media, while others may prefer a high review percentage. Either way, it’s good to know so that you can increase your chances of being approved for books from your favorite publishing house. - Keep up that review percentage!
But really… my current percentage is… not ideal, and it shows in how many books I get approval for. Don’t be like me! Keep that review up to 80%, which is the recommendation of Netgalley. It DEFINITELY makes a difference. I know I’ve missed out on a number of books because of my low rate, and once you get stuck in the hole, it’s hard to dig your way out! - “Read Now” books are especially great for beginners!
If you are just starting out on Netgalley, the “read now” titles are a great way to get access to books, as well as to boost that review percentage! - Don’t request too many books at once!
It’s easy to get excited and request every book you see… and trust me, I’ve been there! But, it’s best to try and only request books you know you can prioritize on that never-ending TBR of yours… - Keep your profile updated
Make sure to update your stats as you have more followers or your reading preferences change! If you mark the date you last updated your numbers, it will let publishers know that you’re staying current. - HAVE FUN!
Netgalley is such a great opportunity for book lovers and educators alike – enjoy your access! 🙂
A former award-winning journalist with national exposure, Marissa now oversees the day-to-day operation of the Books Forward author branding and book marketing firm, along with our indie publishing support sister company Books Fluent.
Born and bred in Louisiana, currently living in New Orleans, she has lived and developed a strong base for our company and authors in Chicago and Nashville. Her journalism work has appeared in USA Today, National Geographic and other major publications. She is now interviewed by media on best practices for book marketing.
