Smart Ways to Reinvest Your KDP Profits

You’ve finally done it — your first royalties from Amazon KDP have landed in your account. Maybe it’s just a few pounds, but that doesn’t matter. It’s yours. You earned it from something you created, which is honestly one of the best feelings ever.

Now comes the tricky bit: what do you actually do with that money?

A lot of people rush straight into spending it — a little celebration, a few new tools, maybe even an ad or two. And that’s fine; you should enjoy your success. But if you really want your KDP side hustle to grow, the smartest thing you can do is reinvest what you’ve earned — not all of it, just enough to help your next project grow faster and stronger.

This isn’t about being overly frugal or holding back fun. It’s about using what you already have to build something bigger. Let’s look at a few practical ways to make your first KDP profits work for you.

1. Upgrade the Tools You Actually Use

When you’re starting out, free tools are your best friends — Canva, WordGenFree, Google Docs, all that. But once you’ve earned a bit from your books, it might be time to make small, smart upgrades.

Not everything has to be premium, though. Pick just one or two tools that you actually use often and that make a real difference.

• Canva Pro — if you’re constantly designing covers, the premium fonts and backgrounds are worth it.
• Book Bolt or Publisher Rocket — if you’re researching puzzle niches or keywords, these tools save hours.
• Affinity Publisher — if you want your interiors to look a little more professional without paying Adobe prices.

Think of it this way: you’re not buying fancy software, you’re buying time. The better your tools, the less time you waste fixing small details, and the more time you have to create. Just don’t upgrade for the sake of it. Wait until you’ve hit a small goal, then reward yourself with something that makes your work smoother.

2. Test Out Marketing — Even on a Small Budget

Once your books are up and running, you’ll want people to actually see them. Marketing sounds scary at first, especially if you’ve never done it, but it doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated.

Start with something tiny — £5 or £10 just to test. That’s it.

• Amazon Ads — run an automatic campaign and see what keywords your book shows up for. Don’t worry if it takes a few tries to understand the numbers.
• Pinterest — if you design pretty puzzle covers, Pinterest can bring free traffic. Later, you can boost your top-performing pins with a few pounds.
• Email lists — tools like MailerLite or Beehiiv let you start free, so you can slowly build an audience for new releases.

The best part about testing small? You’re learning without risking much. You’ll quickly see which platforms bring clicks or sales — and which don’t. Over time, you’ll be able to reinvest more confidently.

3. Improve the Quality of Your Books

You’ve proven that people are willing to buy your work. That’s huge. Now it’s time to make your next releases even better.

Small improvements go a long way. Use your profits to:

• Order a proof copy of your book to check paper quality and layout.
• Hire a proofreader (even part-time) to fix spelling, grammar, and layout issues — or you can use AI if you still want to save! I still use AI every now and then to proofread.
• Buy better puzzles, clip art, or fonts from creative marketplaces.

When your books look and feel professional, readers notice — and reviews reflect that. One better-rated book often sells more than two average ones. Don’t think of this as spending money; think of it as improving your reputation. Each upgrade you make today helps your next book sell better tomorrow.

4. Diversify Your Product Line

Here’s something a lot of creators don’t talk about: once a book does well, it’s easy to just keep making the same thing again. That’s fine for a bit, but over time, one niche might slow down.

That’s why it’s smart to use your profits to branch out.

If you make word searches, maybe try Sudoku next. If you sell on Amazon, maybe test Etsy with digital printables. You could even try themed books — “Christmas Word Search,” “Summer Sudoku,” or “Travel Activity Book.”

Each new product gives your existing readers something else to buy. It also protects you — if one category goes quiet, another keeps earning. And it doesn’t have to cost much. A few pounds reinvested into new designs, fonts, or templates can create an entirely new stream of income.

5. Start Building Your Brand

This step feels small, but it’s one of the most important. At some point, readers will start recognising your style — maybe your covers, your author name, or even your logo. That’s the start of your brand.

Building it doesn’t have to be expensive. Start simple:

• Pick consistent fonts and colours for all your covers.
• Create a small logo for free in Canva.
• Set up a basic website (WordPress or Notion work fine).
• Maybe even start an email list where readers can hear about new releases.

Having a small brand helps you look more professional, especially when you’re reaching out to potential collaborators or readers. Plus, when someone loves one of your books, they’ll be able to find your others easily.

If you want to go a step further, buy your own domain name — it’s usually around £15 a year plus hosting, which costs extra depending on the hosting plan (I use Hostinger). That’s one of the best small investments you can make for your long-term growth.

6. Keep Some Profits Aside — Always

This might sound boring, but it’s probably the most important part of all. Don’t reinvest everything. Keep a bit aside every month, even if it’s small.

A good balance is this: reinvest half, save half. If you earn £40, put £20 back into your KDP journey — ads, tools, designs — and move the other £20 into a high-interest savings account.

That way, your savings quietly grow while your business grows too. Chase, Monzo, and Nationwide often have solid savings options in the UK that pay a decent interest rate. That’s extra passive income without extra effort. And let’s be honest — having savings takes the pressure off. If you ever need to upgrade your tools or fix a mistake, you’ll already have a little backup fund ready.

Final Thoughts

Reinvesting your KDP profits isn’t about spending more — it’s about spending smarter. Use your first few earnings to make your next step easier. Upgrade the tools that save time, experiment with ads, improve your book quality, or test new niches. Little by little, these choices add up.

You don’t need to pour thousands into your side hustle. Just keep moving forward and making better decisions with each payout.

At the end of the day, your first KDP profits are more than just numbers — they’re proof that your ideas work. So make them count. Save a little, reinvest a little, and keep building. The results might surprise you.