Ever feel like you're banging your head against a wall trying to get your Amazon ads approved? You're not alone. When a mystery thriller author's cover featuring a bloody knife was rejected because it looked "too menacing" and appeared to be "pointing at the consumer," we knew we had to address this frustration head-on.

The absurdity reaches new heights when you discover Amazon approved the print version with the identical cover but rejected the ebook ads. This is just one example of Amazon's maddening inconsistency across its various platforms and departments. While the ads team remains vague and often contradictory, other Amazon departments like A-plus content provide clear, specific feedback. Romance authors face similar arbitrary judgments about how much skin is acceptable on covers, with guidelines that seem to shift without warning.

Our battle-tested advice? Channel your inner toddler. Be persistent, submit multiple support tickets, provide examples of similar approved books, and don't take the first "no" as final. We've seen countless cases where persistence pays off, including our mystery thriller author who eventually got approval after multiple attempts. Whether you're dealing with ad rejections or even having your book mysteriously pulled from the platform, advocacy works. Remember: Amazon's only consistent trait is its inconsistency.

Are you struggling with a specific publishing or marketing challenge? Email us and we'll dedicate a show to solving your problem! We prioritize listener questions because we know how crucial timely answers can be when you're in the trenches. And if you've implemented our advice successfully, we'd love to hear about it and give you a shout-out on our next episode.

Send us your feedback!

Help shape our 2026 content by taking our 30-second listener poll!

📱Text Penny & Amy: send us your show feedback, burning marketing questions and new topic ideas!

Text the word PODCAST to (888) 402-8940 to sign up to send us messages and receive new episode announcements. And don't forget to save our number!

Check out our Book Marketing Jumpstart options if you're ready to take your brand, platform and SEO up a few notches.

Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts!

1. Be sure you're following the show: by clicking the + Follow button on the top right of our show page. If you're already following you'll see a ↓ downward arrow.
2. Locate Ratings & Reviews: Scroll down on our podcast page until you find the "Ratings & Reviews" section.
3. Rate the podcast: Click on the stars to give the podcast a rating.
4. Write your review: Under the star rating there will be the most recent review and just below that click "Write a Review" and compose your review in the text box that appears.
5. Save: Once you've written your review, click "Save" to submit it.

Can't use Apple Podcasts? Email us your review and we'll put it on our website: inf...