Authors everywhere are in a panic. 

We’re wondering: Now that SEO (keyword search) is being replaced by GEO (AI search), how will people discover new books and writers?

We’re still not sure how ChatGPT or other large language models (LLMs) will surface book recommendations moving forward. But one thing is becoming increasingly clear. At least right now, they don't just browse Amazon to suggest your next beach read.

For the moment anyway, it turns out that LLMs primarily pull from one massive source. And it’s one you've probably never heard of, and one that most authors completely overlook. The Google Books Library.

Google Books is kind of like the Library of Alexandria on steroids. It’s a cloud-based repository thousands of times larger than that ancient wonder. It stores everything: your cover, title, metadata, publication details, genre, and even lets people preview a few pages. Most importantly for our AI-obsessed age, the Google Books LIbrary has a public API that LLMs absolutely love to devour. 

When an editor at Reedsy recently checked 300 books that ChatGPT recommended to him in various queries, he discovered that 99% of them had pages in the Google Books Library. Ninety-nine percent!

That's not a coincidence, my friends. That means if your book isn't in Google’s library, you're essentially invisible to AI. And considering that people are increasingly asking AI for book recommendations, being findable by AI is becoming as important as your Amazon ranking.

The game has changed. AI is helping readers find books. So take two minutes to check if your book is in the Google Books Library yet. And if it’s not, add it now. Then hit “Reply” and let me know what you’ve learned!

Aloha, 

MeiMei

TIP OF THE WEEK:

Add Yourself to the Google Library

Getting your book into this digital treasure trove is completely free and as easy as 1-2-3! 

1. Check if you’re already listed. If you’ve published on Amazon, Google may have already scanned and uploaded your book. Search the Google Books Library for your title or ISBN. 

2. Can't find it? No worries! Create a free Google Play Books Partner Center account and add your book manually. 

3.  If you don’t want to sell through Google Play, you can select "Preview only" and still get your book indexed. My client did this, and within two weeks, her book started showing up in relevant AI searches.

If you're ready to take your book seriously, 
Register Today!