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The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Effective Keywords for your Amazon KDP Book

Updated: Feb 20


Keywords for Amazon KDP

As an experienced self-published author, I know how important book ranking is on Amazon. With more than 5.5 million books available on the platform, mastering KDP keywords is crucial for your book to stand out and get discovered by potential readers. But with so many keywords to choose from, how can you optimize your book's visibility? That's where both Free and Paid tools come into play. In this post, you'll learn about the significance of KDP keywords for sales, book revenue, how these tools can help you conduct efficient keyword research, and the key elements you need to know to take full advantage of keyword optimization.

So, let's get started!


KDP keywords are one of the most powerful elements when it comes to optimizing your book’s visibility. By using targeted phrases and terms that customers use to search for books on Amazon, you can increase your chances of ranking higher in the search results and make sure that potential readers find your book more easily. In fact, many authors report a direct correlation between the use of effective KDP keywords and improved book sales.

In order to conduct efficient keyword research, you'll need helpful tools that provide relevant and reliable data. Fortunately, there are free as well as paid solutions available online.

But first, let's outline where you need to use the keywords and then we'll expand into the various tools you can use.

Keywords in Titles, Subtitles, Backend Metadata


When it comes to keyword optimization, your book's title, subtitle, and backend metadata play a significant role in boosting its visibility. Including relevant keywords in these elements will increase the chances of your book showing up in search results. Make sure to research the most relevant and popular keywords related to your book's content and use them strategically.

Your keywords are used in three different areas during the writing, creating and uploading of your book to Amazon KDP:
1. Your Title (Comprising of your Main Keywords but ensure you don't keyword stuff. Your title must make sense!)
2. In the Subtitle (Use those important keywords here that couldn't be weave into your title)
3. In the 7 Backend Keyword Boxes (This is a step in the Amazon KDP Upload Process that permits you to add 7 additional keywords related to your book that you may not have been able to fit into your title or subtitle)

Essentially, your title and subtitle should have two to four effective keywords that are related to your book and you can use up to seven keyword phrases in the backend boxes provided by KDP. Keep in mind that Amazon only allows 250 characters total for all of these fields.
View my video on the 7 Keyword Boxes HERE



Niche Research. The Core of Successful Keyword Strategy:

Researching your book's niche is vital in developing an effective keyword strategy. Knowing your audience and their search habits will help you to target the best keywords for your book's optimization. Consider investing time in competitor research and look for unique keyword opportunities that will help your book stand out in a crowded market.

An Effective Keyword Tracker:

Organizing keywords for analysis is an integral part of mastering KDP keywords. An effective tracker will help you filter search results and find the most relevant and profitable keywords for your book. Some tools, like Amazon's suggested keywords, will give you a head start. You can also try the AMZ Suggestion Expander Chrome extension which will generate more relevant and long-tail keywords for your book. I'll cover that tool further down in this post.

Download the FREE Keyword Tracker Spreadsheet below:

Keyword Tracker Spreadsheet
.xlsx
Download XLSX • 13KB

Tools I Personally Use and Recommend


DS Amazon Quick View (Chrome Extension) - Competitor Insights:

Understanding your competitors' keyword strategies will help you identify additional opportunities for your book's optimization. DS Amazon Quick View is an extension that allows you to view competitor's BSRs, prices, reviews, and some of their keywords. By analyzing this data, you can pinpoint which keywords are generating sales and use the information to improve your optimization.

AMZ Suggestion Expander (Chrome Extension) - Customer Keywords

Another great Chrome Extension tool I use is the AMZ Suggestion Expander. It uses Amazon's Autocomplete API to generate more relevant and long-tail keywords that customers are actually searching for, giving you a better chance of being found in search results. This extension will provide your book with more visibility and increase its chances of ranking higher in Amazon searches.

Keywords Everywhere (Chrome Extension): Related Keywords:

This comprehensive browser extension allows you to see related keywords for Google and Amazon searches. By analyzing the data generated by the extension, you can broaden your list of relevant keywords and get insights on how users search for content related to your book. Keywords Everywhere is a great tool for discovering new niches or sub-genres to target.

For all Google Chrome Extensions, visit: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions

Helium 10 - Untapped Opportunities:

Helium 10 offers a range of tools that can help you find untapped keyword opportunities for your book's optimization. One of the most popular and POWERFUL tools for keyword research, Helium 10 will generate a list of high-volume, relevant keywords for your book plus so many other features it can sometimes feel overwhelming! Visit Helium 10: https://www.helium10.com/

BookBolt - Keyword Tool:

BookBolt is an all-in-one tool for self-published authors. Their keyword research function allows you to research, analyze, and ultimately use keywords for your book's optimization. Once you have your keywords ready, you can use their platform to format your book, design your cover art, and market your book with ready-to-use ads and promos. BookBolt offers a well-rounded strategy that tackles the entire self-publishing process including the location of important keywords.
Visit BookBolt: www.bookbolt.io

Publisher Rocket - Ultimate Keyword Assistant:

Publisher Rocket is one of the most, if not the most popular keyword research tool for KDP authors. Their search function allows you to analyze popular keywords for title, subtitle, and backend optimization. Additionally, Publisher Rocket offers valuable insights into your competition's metadata, categories, and pricing. By using this tool, you can build a comprehensive list of relevant, high-volume keywords for your book's optimization.
Visit Publisher Rocket: https://publisherrocket.com/

KDSPY - Grab Important Keywords from your competitors:

KDSPY is the perfect tool for uncovering popular keywords your competitors are using and ranking for. It allows you to analyze best-seller lists, top categories, and book reviews with just a few clicks. KDSPY can also help you monitor changes in competitor rankings over time, giving you valuable insights into what strategies they are employing to stay ahead of.

How do I find all my Keywords using the above tools? Find out via my YouTube video.

Want the FULL List of TOOlS for Amazon KDP? Click HERE to Download or visit my website at www.globalselfpublishing.com

And Finally....

I can't emphasise enough how essential it is to mastering KDP keywords to increase your book's online visibility, sales, and income. Importantly, software tools are also integrating AI technology to further enhance and improve their ability to find keywords therefore becoming the perfect companion in your research and optimization journey. By utilizing these tools to conduct keyword research, niche research and competitor analysis, you can develop a comprehensive and well-rounded keyword strategy that will boost your book's visibility on Amazon. Take advantage of the tools outlined to find untapped keyword opportunities, generate fresh ideas, and take your self-publishing project to the next level.

Wishing you all the best with your self-publishing,

Kind Regards,
Romney

Romney Nelson is an international Best-Selling Author and Best-Selling Course Instructor on Udemy.

He is the Founder of Global Self-Publishing, where he is committed to empowering individuals with the tools and resources to Self-Publish. www.globalselfpublishing.com


Visit all of Romney’s Best-Selling Udemy Courses on Self-Publishing here: https://www.udemy.com/user/romney-nelson/


Grab Yourself a FREE Copy of ‘Self-Publishing on KDP – All the Tools You Need’: https://rebrand.ly/KDP-ToolsAndResourcesPDF


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*Please note that Affiliate Links may be used throughout this article. By clicking on the links, you will not pay anymore, in fact, on some occasions you will pay less with discount codes I may provide.

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