When it comes to selling a book on Amazon, one of the most important decisions you will make is choosing the right category to list it in. The category you choose can greatly impact the visibility and sales of your book, so it’s important to take the time to research and choose the best category for your book. In this article, we will discuss some tips to help you decide which category to list your book in on Amazon.
Why Amazon category choice is important
Your choice of Amazon category is very important for two main reasons:
- Searchability
- Amazon Sales Ranking
Searchability
Choosing the right category on Amazon can significantly influence the searchability of your book on Amazon. When users search for books on Amazon, they often use specific keywords and phrases related to the topic they’re interested in. By choosing the right category, your book will be more visible to users searching for specific keywords related to your book. For instance, if your book is about vegan cooking, listing it in the Cooking, Food & Wine category or the Vegan & Vegetarian Cooking sub-category can help it appear in front of users searching for these specific keywords. Therefore, by carefully selecting the right category for your book, you can improve its searchability on Amazon, making it more discoverable to potential readers and increasing the chances of driving more sales.
Amazon Sales Ranking
The category you choose for your book on Amazon can also have substantial impact your book’s Amazon Sales Rankings. When you list your book in a category, Amazon’s algorithm places your book in a sales ranking for that specific category. This means that if you choose a highly competitive category, it can be more challenging to rank high on the sales chart. In contrast, if you choose a less competitive category, you may have a higher chance of ranking high on the sales chart. Therefore, it’s essential to select the right category for your book to increase its visibility and sales. The right category can help your book appear in front of your target audience, leading to more sales and higher rankings on Amazon.
How to choose your Amazon category
Now that we know why choosing the right category for your book is so important, let’s take a look at what you should consider when deciding which category or categories to list your book under.
1. Research your genre
Before you start listing your book, research your genre and sub-genre to identify the categories where your book might fit. Start by looking at the books that are similar to yours, and see what categories they are listed in. Look at the top-selling books in your genre to get an idea of what categories are popular and which ones might be more competitive.
2. Consider the audience
Think about who your target audience is and what categories they might be looking for. If your book is a self-help book for women, for example, you might consider listing it in the Women’s Studies category. If your book is a mystery novel, you might consider listing it in the Mystery, Thriller, and Suspense category.
3. Look at the competition
Look at the books that are currently bestsellers in your chosen categories, and see how your book stacks up against them. Are there a lot of books in the category? Are there any gaps in the market that your book could fill? Is your book more or less specific than the books that are currently listed in the category?
4. Consider the sub-categories
Amazon has a lot of sub-categories, and it’s important to consider which ones might be a good fit for your book. For example, if you’re listing a book about healthy eating, you might consider listing it in the Cooking, Food & Wine category, but you could also list it in sub-categories like Nutrition, Diets & Weight Loss, or Special Diet Cooking.
5. Think about keywords
Keywords are important for discoverability on Amazon, so consider the keywords that readers might use to search for books like yours. Make sure to include these keywords in your book description and also consider listing your book in categories that include these keywords.
6. Be strategic
Sometimes it can be a good idea to list your book in a less competitive category to increase visibility and sales. For example, if you have a book about entrepreneurship, you might consider listing it in the Small Business & Entrepreneurship category rather than the more competitive Business & Money category.
In conclusion, choosing the right category to list your book in on Amazon is an important decision that can greatly impact the success of your book. By researching your genre, considering your audience, looking at the competition, considering sub-categories, thinking about keywords, and being strategic, you can choose the best category to increase your book’s visibility and sales.
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I have a few questions if I may Sam
1. Can I only choose 1 category?
2. If I list in a sub-category I’m assuming that I will only be found if someone searches that sub-category? Whereas if I list in the main category, all sub-categories would be included in a search?
3. I’m assuming that ‘a search’ is a random, general one, rather than someone searching by author title or specific book title?
4. if someone searches my name in a sub-category or a category and I’m listed in a different one, would they find me? or, would they need to search in ‘books’ as the category? (I’m thinking Amazon here)
Thank you!
Here’s some answers for you Fiona:
1. You can choose up to 3.
2. No, it’s the other way around. Listing in a sub-category gives your book visibility in the parent category above as well; the better you rank in the sub-category, the higher you will rank in the parent category.
3. Correct.
4. Amazon does default to expanding a search to all departments if it can’t find a reference within the specific category that someone searches in.