(Gaius Konstantine /Justine Castellon) If you’ve spent time around other authors, you’ve probably come across the term “editorial review” as though it’s something everyone already understands. Some writers confuse it with a reader review, while others assume it’s just another word for a blurb. It’s actually neither. Understanding the distinction can be a helpful part of your book marketing approach this year.
This guide walks through what an editorial review is, why many authors find it useful, how to make the most of one once you have it, how to add it to your Amazon page, and — since several of you have asked — how to request the Just Reading Nook seal and use the seal card effectively.
What Is an Editorial Book Review?
An editorial review is a professional assessment of your book written by a qualified reviewer, reviewing outlet, blog, magazine, or industry publication. It differs from a reader review, which is left by a customer after purchasing the book.
This distinction matters because Amazon treats the two types of reviews differently. Reader reviews appear in the Customer Reviews section and reflect individual reactions — star ratings, personal opinions, and sometimes spoilers. Editorial reviews sit in their own section higher on the product page, just below the title and author name, so potential readers often see them before scrolling down to customer comments.
That placement can be useful. An editorial review is frequently the first third-party perspective a shopper encounters, sometimes even before the star ratings or the full book description.
A thoughtful editorial review usually includes:
- A short, spoiler-free overview of the book
- Observations about the writing — craft, structure, pacing, and character development
- Thoughts on themes, tone, and what makes the book distinctive
- A sense of who the book might appeal to
- Often a rating or recommendation (stars, a letter grade, or a phrase such as “Highly Recommended”)
The goal is evaluation rather than promotion. That outside perspective is what many readers find reassuring, and it can help a browser feel more confident about a purchase.
A well-written review often contains phrases that work well as pull-quotes for your website, newsletter, social posts, press materials, or even a future cover update.
Why Editorial Reviews Can Matter to Authors
1. They offer third-party credibility.
Anyone can describe their own book as “gripping” or “unputdownable.” Readers often appreciate hearing from someone outside the author or publisher. An editorial review supplies that independent viewpoint.
2. They can support the Amazon algorithm indirectly.
Amazon doesn’t rank books solely on editorial reviews, but the reader actions those reviews encourage — longer time on the page, clicks, adds to cart, and purchases — do influence visibility. A clearer, more convincing product page tends to perform more strongly.
3. They provide usable marketing material.
A well-written review often contains phrases that work well as pull-quotes for your website, newsletter, social posts, press materials, or even a future cover update. One solid paragraph can be divided into several pieces of content.
4. They help fill the early “social proof gap.”
New books start with zero reader reviews. An editorial review can appear on day one, so the page doesn’t look completely empty to the first shoppers.
5. They can signal care and professionalism, especially for indie authors.
Traditionally published books often carry reviews from trade publications. When an independently published book includes one as well, it can help narrow the perceived gap between the two paths.
How to Make the Most of an Editorial Review
Receiving the review is only the beginning. Many authors use only a small portion of its potential. Here are some practical ways to get more value from it:
- Share it beyond Amazon. Add it to your website’s book page, Goodreads profile, press kit, and (during launch periods) your email signature.
- Create quote cards. Lift the strongest line or two and design simple graphics for Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook. A clean quote card often performs better than a plain screenshot.
- Include it in advertising. When running Amazon, BookBub, or social ads, a credible pull-quote can build trust more effectively than adjectives written by the author.
- Highlight audience fit. If the review mentions “perfect for fans of slow-burn enemies-to-lovers,” consider using that framing in your own marketing — it already does some of the targeting work.
- Update print interiors and back matter. The review can appear on the inside front pages of a print edition, much as trade-published books often do.
- Time additional promotion around the review’s release. A strong review arriving after the initial launch can support a second wave of visibility
- Use different excerpts on different platforms. Rather than pasting the entire review everywhere, select the synopsis line for one place, a craft-focused comment for another, and the audience note for a third. This keeps the material feeling fresh and relevant.
How to Add an Editorial Review to Your Amazon Author Page
Many authors skip this step because they don’t know it’s possible. Amazon doesn’t make this section obvious, and you can’t always add it through KDP for every marketplace. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Get your review in writing, from a credible source.
Amazon wants attribution — the reviewer’s name and/or the publication or platform they represent (e.g., Reviewed by Just Reading Nook, Kirkus Reviews, IndieReader).
Step 2: Go to Amazon Author Central.
Log in at authorcentral.amazon.com with the account linked to your KDP publishing account.
Step 3: Select your book.
Under the Books tab, find and click into the specific title you want to update.
Step 4: Find the “Editorial Reviews” section.
Depending on your marketplace and interface version, this may appear as its own tab or within the book’s detail-editing screen.
Step 5: Add the review text.
Paste in the review or an excerpt. Amazon has a character limit, so many authors use a strong pull-quote instead of the full review. Be sure to include the attribution line.
Step 6: Submit and wait for it to publish.
Changes typically take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to appear live on your product page, depending on Amazon’s review queue.
A few notes:
- If your book is enrolled through a publisher account rather than your personal KDP account, you may need publisher-level access to Author Central, or you’ll need to submit the update through your publisher.
- Some authors find the Editorial Reviews field isn’t visible for every book immediately after publishing — if that happens, it’s worth checking again after your book has been live for a few days, or reaching out to KDP support directly.
- You can add more than one editorial review to the same section. The most successful book pages include two or three reviews from different sources, so it feels more like a critical consensus than just one opinion.
In conclusion, a good editorial review can be a valuable tool…but only if you wield it.
Justine Castellon is a brand strategist and the author of Gnight Sara and the Through the Seasons series.
Gaius Konstantine is a professional book reviewer and the author of the novel Fading Away: Dark Bay.
