How to Display Book Reviews on Your WordPress Site (Complete Guide)

Your Amazon and Goodreads reviews are powerful social proof, but they're hidden on other platforms. Learn how to bring those reviews to your WordPress author website where they can actually help sell books.

Why Display Reviews on Your WordPress Site

You've worked hard to earn reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. But when readers visit your website, they can't see that social proof unless you bring it to them.

Displaying reviews on your WordPress site offers several advantages:

• Increased conversions — Visitors see social proof immediately without leaving your site
• SEO benefits — Review content helps your book pages rank in Google with rich snippets
• Build trust quickly — New visitors see you're a credible author with real readers
• Reduce friction — Readers don't need to visit Amazon to verify your book's quality
• Highlight your best reviews — Choose which reviews to feature prominently

Now let's explore how to display reviews on your WordPress site professionally.

Method 1: Using AuthorKit (Recommended)

AuthorKit is a WordPress plugin built specifically for authors that includes a complete review management and display system. Unlike generic review plugins, AuthorKit understands book-specific needs.

Step 1: Install AuthorKit

1. Log into your WordPress dashboard
2. Navigate to Plugins → Add New
3. Search for "AuthorKit"
4. Click Install Now, then Activate

AuthorKit is completely free and includes review display for up to 10 reviews per book.

Step 2: Set Up Your Books

Before adding reviews, make sure you have your books set up in AuthorKit:

1. Go to Books → Add New
2. Add your book title, description, and cover image
3. Fill in metadata (ISBN, publication date, genre, etc.)
4. Add buy links for Amazon, Goodreads, and other retailers
5. Publish your book page

Step 3: Configure Review Settings

Set up how reviews will appear on your book pages:

1. Go to Reviews → Settings
2. Configure Review CTA Buttons:
   • Enable Amazon review button (directs readers to leave reviews)
   • Enable Goodreads review button
   • Optionally add Google Form for reader feedback
3. Customize the "Share Your Thoughts" section text
4. Click Save Changes

How to Add Reviews from Amazon & Goodreads

AuthorKit lets you manually add reviews you've received on other platforms. Here's how to import them:

Finding Reviews to Import

From Amazon:

1. Visit your book's Amazon page
2. Scroll to the Customer Reviews section
3. Copy the review text, reviewer name, and rating
4. Note the review date

From Goodreads:

1. Visit your book's Goodreads page
2. Click "Community Reviews"
3. Copy review text, reviewer name, and star rating
4. Note the review date

Adding Reviews to WordPress

1. In WordPress, go to Reviews → Add New
2. Enter the review headline as the title (e.g., "Couldn't Put It Down!")
3. Paste the review text into the editor
4. In the Review Details meta box:
   • Select the book this review is for
   • Choose the star rating (1-5 stars)
   • Enter reviewer name (or initials for privacy, e.g., "Jane D.")
   • Enter the review date
   • Check "Verified Purchase" if applicable
   • Select source platform (Amazon, Goodreads, etc.)
   • Add the URL to the original review
5. Click Publish

Review Display Options

Once you've added reviews, AuthorKit automatically displays them on your book pages. Here's what readers will see:

Automatic Display

AuthorKit automatically shows reviews on each book's single page, including:

• Aggregate rating — Average star rating calculated from all reviews
• Review count — Total number of reviews displayed
• Individual reviews — Each review with stars, text, and reviewer info
• Source attribution — Links back to original Amazon/Goodreads reviews
• Verified purchase badges — Shows when a reviewer purchased the book

Custom Shortcode Display

For more control, use AuthorKit shortcodes:

Shortcode parameters:

• book_id — The WordPress post ID of your book (required)
• limit — Number of reviews to show (e.g., limit="3" shows top 3)
• rating — Filter by star rating (e.g., rating="5" shows only 5-star reviews)

Adding Review Platform Buttons

Beyond displaying existing reviews, AuthorKit lets you encourage readers to leave new reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

Configure Review Buttons

Go to Reviews → Settings and enable:

• Amazon Review Button — Links to your book's review page on Amazon
• Goodreads Review Button — Links to your book's Goodreads review form
• Google Form Option — Collect feedback via a custom form

Add Amazon & Goodreads URLs

For each book:

1. Edit the book in WordPress
2. Find the Review Links meta box in the sidebar
3. Add your Goodreads URL (e.g., https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123456)
4. Amazon URLs are automatically pulled from your purchase links
5. Update the book

Now a "Share Your Thoughts" section appears on your book pages with buttons directing readers to leave reviews.

Schema Markup for SEO

AuthorKit automatically adds schema.org markup to your book pages, which helps Google display rich snippets in search results.

What Schema Markup Does

With proper schema markup, Google can show:

• Star ratings directly in search results
• Review counts (e.g., "Based on 47 reviews")
• Book metadata (author, ISBN, publication date)
• Enhanced book listings

This makes your book pages stand out in search results and can significantly improve click-through rates.

Review Display Best Practices

Choose Quality Over Quantity

Don't feel pressured to display every review. Focus on quality:

• Display 5-10 of your best reviews per book
• Prioritize 4-5 star reviews with detailed feedback
• Include a mix of short and long reviews
• Feature reviews that mention specific elements readers enjoyed

Keep Reviews Updated

Regularly add new reviews to keep your book pages fresh:

• Check Amazon and Goodreads monthly for new reviews
• Add the most compelling new reviews to WordPress
• Remove outdated or less relevant reviews as you get better ones
• Aim for at least 5 reviews per book for credibility

Maintain Review Attribution

Always give credit to reviewers and link back to original sources:

• Include reviewer names (or initials)
• Link to the original Amazon or Goodreads review
• Show the source platform (Amazon, Goodreads, etc.)
• Include review dates
• Respect reviewer privacy (use initials if preferred)

Make Reviews Scannable

Help readers quickly assess your book's quality:

• Display average star rating prominently at the top
• Show total review count
• Use clear typography and spacing
• Highlight verified purchase badges
• Keep individual reviews concise (edit long reviews with [...] if needed)

Start Building Social Proof on Your Website

Displaying book reviews on your WordPress site doesn't require technical skills or complicated plugins. With AuthorKit, you can import reviews from Amazon and Goodreads, display them beautifully, and add review buttons to collect new reviews—all from one simple interface.

Key takeaways:

• Import your best reviews from Amazon and Goodreads
• Display them professionally with automatic formatting
• Add review buttons to collect new reviews
• Benefit from automatic schema markup for SEO
• Start with 5-10 quality reviews per book

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I automatically import reviews from Amazon?

No. Amazon's Terms of Service prohibit automated review scraping. You need to manually copy reviews from Amazon to your WordPress site. AuthorKit makes this easy with a simple form.

How many reviews should I display per book?

Start with 5-10 of your best reviews. Focus on quality over quantity. You can display up to 10 reviews per book with AuthorKit's free version.

Do I need permission to display reviews on my site?

Reviews on public platforms like Amazon and Goodreads are publicly available. As long as you attribute the review properly and link back to the original source, you can display them on your site.

Will reviews help my book pages rank in Google?

Yes! Reviews add fresh content and AuthorKit automatically adds schema markup, which can make star ratings appear in search results. This improves visibility and click-through rates.

Can I edit reviews before displaying them?

You can fix obvious typos, but don't change the meaning or sentiment. Readers trust authentic feedback. If a review is too long, you can excerpt it with [...] to indicate trimming.

What's the difference between displaying reviews and collecting reviews?

Displaying reviews means showing reviews you've received on Amazon/Goodreads on your WordPress site. Collecting reviews means having a form on your site where readers can submit new reviews directly. AuthorKit displays reviews and provides buttons linking to Amazon/Goodreads where readers can leave new reviews.

Recommended Next Steps:

1. Download AuthorKit
2. Read: Why Reviews on Your Site Beat Amazon-Only
3. Learn: How to Ask Readers for Reviews