6 Ways to Improve Your NetGalley Feedback Ratio

On NetGalley, your Feedback Ratio is one of the key stats publishers consider when approving requests. The Feedback Ratio calculates the percentage of feedback to approved books and audiobooks. Publishers rely on your feedback and are more likely to approve members who provide meaningful reviews of their books. We recommend keeping your Feedback Ratio close to 80%, but getting there and maintaining that percentage takes work. Here are a few tips to help improve your Feedback Ratio.

Avoid the request spree
It can be tempting to request every book that appeals to you when you’re browsing through NetGalley, but that can result in an overwhelming number of books to read and review, which can make it difficult to grow or maintain a healthy Feedback Ratio. Focus on requesting books you truly hope to read and review or consider for your store, library, or classroom. Establishing a system for yourself, such as only requesting a new book after you’ve reviewed another, is an easy way to keep your requests manageable.

 

Utilize ‘Read Now’ and ‘Listen Now’ books
Aptly named, Read Now and Listen Now availability means you don’t need to Request publisher approval before accessing a book or audiobook—so you can immediately start reading and reviewing. Newer members should take advantage of reading and reviewing these books to build their Feedback Ratios.

 

Catch up on your reviews
Reading books and never reviewing them is a surefire way to tank your Feedback Ratio. Some NetGalley members leave a review immediately after finishing the book, while others wait a few days or until much closer to the pub date. Find a method that works for you, and if you choose the latter, consider having a set day and time of the week dedicated to writing reviews. If you find yourself stumped on what to say when you sit down to write, check out these tips for writing reviews and writing critical reviews! Consistent reading and reviewing will keep your Feedback Ratio where it needs to be.

 

Create a goal
If your Feedback Ratio is in rough shape, take stock of the books on your Shelf and make a plan. Setting a number of books you want to read per month or pages to read per day can help give you a sense of direction. Staring at a long list of books can be intimidating, so I’d also recommend creating a short TBR pile. Work through the books on that list and then add more. Before you know it your Feedback Ratio will be envied by all!

 

Join a readathon
Readathons are a fantastic way to check books off of your TBR and to make new bookish friends! The book community is constantly hosting different readathons (there are even ones created for NetGalley books by NetGalley members!). Find a readathon that sparks your interest and then create a TBR based on books from your NetGalley Shelf. This is a fun and easy way to start ticking books off your list. Check out our tips on participating in readathons here.

 

Stay organized
Your NetGalley account can help you organize and prioritize: Your Shelf tracks books that are ready for Feedback, and the weekly NetGalley Checklist email can provide helpful reminders (so be sure to subscribe to the Checklist in the Account Security section of your Profile). Many members also choose to organize their reading schedule using spreadsheets or bullet journals. Our interview with NetGalley member Lili includes her tips, and we have more tricks for making time for reading here.


If your Feedback Ratio is in a truly dire place, don’t panic.
Check out this article on how to recover after you’ve tanked your Feedback Ratio.

NetGalley Tips

Kelly Gallucci

Kelly Gallucci is the Executive Editor of We Are Bookish, where she oversees the editorial content, offers book recommendations, and interviews authors and NetGalley members. When she's not working, Kelly can be found color coordinating her bookshelves, eating Chipotle, and watching way too many baking shows.

11 Comments
  1. Thank you I’m struggling two get my ratio up past five I’m leaving reviews but sometimes after the date published sometimes I’m on time and my ratio still not going up. I love you site net galley I learnt so much from yourself I e been invited on blog tours met lovely authors had plenty of zoom meeting with publishing firms in on Instagram @rhianyddmorris thank you for letting me part of this community I love so much as reading.

  2. Great tips! I am at 88% right now and am about 5 book reviews behind. This happened because I had major surgery recently but I am working hard to catch up. I don’t like being late with anything but I WILL get caught up!! Thanks for your patience, NetGalley.

  3. Thank You for these tips. I was requesting too many books and got swamped and the got sick and could not read them.
    I will try the ‘Read Now’ solution too. I also would like audio books and cannot seem to find them.

  4. Thank you for the tips. How often is the % recalculated. How can I determine it myself? Is there a 90% badge or is 80% the highest badge for this category?

  5. Has any thought been given to coming up with a “like” button or similar? Sometimes I peruse NetGalley and see all sorts of books I want and I go crazy with requests and then have to read myself out of a hole. If I could “like” books and have them show up in a separate category, then I’d have an easy way to go back and request the “best” ones when I have time to read. I would think that the fact that I “liked” the book enough to mark it would be valuable feedback for your customers, even if I never get around to requesting it.

  6. Great tips, I read and listen to books. I only request the books that I know that I’m going to read and will give reviews on. I would love to be approved for the books that I request but often times I’m not.

  7. Another thing that would be great to help keep us organized would be 2 new features.
    1) having your give feedback list in date order instead of order requested.
    2) having a place where you can put books that you are interested in that you don’t want to lose track of. So if you have time for more books you can just check the list and voila!

  8. Kelly, I am a regular contribtor and rarely return a book. I read approximately 9-10 books and REVIEWED same last month. My feedback ratio has been at 74% for a couple of months with no change. What’s the deal? Help?

    Thanks.

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