How do you choose keywords for a book?
- Use Publisher Rocket or Amazon auto-complete for keyword research.
- KDP allows 7 keywords per book.
- Mix high-search and low-competition terms.
- Keywords drive Amazon search; BISAC drives category visibility.
- Review and refine keywords at T+30, T+90, T+180 based on data.
You choose keywords for a book by researching what readers actually search for in your subgenre using Publisher Rocket or Amazon’s auto-complete, then picking 7 keywords (KDP’s limit) that combine high-search and low-competition terms. Keywords drive Amazon search visibility; the right choice can lift discoverability 30-100% over default categories alone.
Chapter i·Why it matters
Keywords are how readers find books they didn’t know to look for. The wrong keywords leave books invisible to their actual audience; the right keywords surface books to readers actively searching for them. Most indie authors leave significant traffic on the table by choosing keywords based on what they think the book is about, not on what readers actually search for.
Chapter ii·What to include
- A research tool: Publisher Rocket ($199 one-time) or Amazon auto-complete (free).
- 7 keywords combining high-search and low-competition.
- Avoid: the genre name itself (it’s covered by BISAC).
- Long-tail keywords (3-5 word phrases) often outperform single words.
- A monthly review of keyword performance.
- Genre-specific norms: romance vs thriller vs SFF have different search patterns.
Chapter iii·Example
A self-publishing romance author uses Publisher Rocket to identify 7 keywords for her contemporary holiday romance: "small town christmas romance," "second chance holiday romance," "single dad christmas," "enemies to lovers christmas," "found family romance," "cozy holiday read," "small town heroine." The keyword combo lifts her launch-week organic sales by 65% over her previous book (same author, same genre, weaker keywords).
Chapter iv·Related questions
WriteLoom’s Sell studio holds keyword research, BISAC codes, and metadata in one place.
See the Sell studio