Fifteen Dollars Won't Get You Far in Book Marketing

I have some "found money", thanks to one of those million class action emails we all get. I never remember if I was affected by the particular situation, but if they're emailing me, I guess I was. So, I always opt in. Generally, if I get anything, it's something like $2.63---woo hoo! But this time I got a whole fifteen dollars. 

I asked Google for the best place to invest that $15.00 in book marketing, but it was less than helpful. It listed The Fussy Librarian, whose pricing starts at $22.00 for women's fiction, which seems to be my closest option. That's for a one-day ad. And Google tells me the best price point is between ninety-nine cents and $2.99 (so, in other words, $0.99, because everybody wants a freakin' bargain). Naturally, I've used The Fussy Librarian in the past; I've used every marketing site in the past. My ad resulted in zero purchases. 

It also mentioned Bargain Booksy, although where Google comes up with $15.00 is puzzling. Women's Fiction, again my only option, costs $30.00, and it would require reducing my price. The site suggests a price point of between $0.99 and $5.00. (Spoiler alert: No one is buying at $5.00.) I also used BB in the past, and got 3 whole downloads, although I don't remember how I priced my novel. 

Amazon ads is another suggestion. I've never figured out Amazon ads, and my past results prove that. Google specifies that an Amazon ad should only use "5–10 highly relevant keywords to maximize the $15 budget." Is there some secret society of ad buyers I'm unaware of? Do I need a special code word? The only thing Amazon allowed me to do was exclude certain keywords. I would have loved to use some highly relevant ones, given the option. (Sometimes I wonder if it's the browser I'm using or if I'm starting on the wrong landing screen, because these wondrous options that are supposedly available aren't available to me.) Regardless, every indie publisher says that Amazon ads are useless. One of the few times I've ever agreed with a Reddit poster.

And that about does it. Google does list social media ads, too, but that's like flushing money down the toilet (which could be another option, I guess.) 

Thus, I'm sitting here with a "windfall" and no place to spend it. Bummer.

One social media poster claims that a boosted Facebook post works great for selling books. As you know, I hate Facebook and only go there if I have...(I'm trying to think of when I go there)...The few times I've posted, FB gets up in my face and asks me if I want to boost my post, and I always X out. But who knows? Something I've never tried, at least.

If I transfer my PayPal money into my savings account rather than buying an ad, I could earn approximately $0.0015 to $0.012 of a cent in a year! (depending on my account's annual percentage yield.) Tempting.

Maybe I'll just let the fifteen dollars ride. Who knows? I could prevail in another mysterious class action suit, and then I'd have $17.63!