Maybe you’ve thought about self-publishing but aren’t sure where to start. I won’t lie to you. It’s not quite as simple as “tossing your book onto Amazon”—at least not if you want to do it right and reach a wider audience. And while I can’t possibly list every step you’ll need to take to go from finished manuscript to (bestselling) published author in this post, I can tell you this: electing the right categories and keywords can make a huge difference in your overall success and marketing initiatives.
So, what exactly are categories and keywords, who assigns them, how are they selected, and why are they important? I’m glad you asked.
1) WHY: If you’ve ever paid attention to the Best Sellers Ranking on Amazon (found on the book page under Product Details), you’ll notice that in addition to an overall sales ranking there are three categories listed for each title. For example, when writing this post, Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind was #9,933 overall on Amazon’s Kindle Store, but within its listed categories it sat at #26 in Classic Literary Fiction, #77 in Action & Adventure Romance (Books), and #84 in Romance Literary Fiction. Trust me when I tell you that authors covet those Top 100 spots. Reaching the Top 10 (or #1!), well, screenshots for shameless self-promotion don’t get much better.
2) WHO: The Book Industry Standards and Communications (BISAC) codes (#AR)—the U.S. categorization standard employed by online retailers, brick and mortar stores, and libraries—are the “who” behind categories. In fact, BISAC codes are the basis for the categories used by all publishing platforms (e.g., Kindle Direct Publishing, aka KDP, for Amazon). Here’s a link to the complete list: https://www.bisg.org/complete-bisac-subject-headings-list
3) HOW: As the publisher, you’ll be directed to a drop-down menu of categories under the “book details” when you’re uploading your book to retail. First, you’ll need to determine the primary heading. These are broad categories. For example, under FICTION, you’ll find sub-categories ranging from Mystery & Detective to Fantasy, LGBTQ+, and Romance. Each of those sub-categories will be further defined, e.g., FICTION/Romance/Historical/Gilded Age. It’s recommended that you choose no more than three sub-categories (even when more than three are allowed), though two is usually sufficient to adequately describe your book.
4) WHAT ELSE: At the same time you select categories, you’ll be asked to choose up to seven keywords, which are every bit as important as categories. Keywords can be a single word, such as “horses,” or a phrase, such as “horse racing mystery,” or even a place or event, e.g., “Churchill Downs” or “Kentucky Derby.”
And finally…
5) THINK LIKE A BOOK BUYER: When selecting keywords, think of what word or words you might enter when searching for a book similar to yours, but no duplication. There’s no point choosing “cozy mystery” as a keyword if you’ve already selected COZY MYSTERY as a BISAC code.
There you have it. Categories and keywords. Let the brainstorming begin!
About the book: You’ve thought about self-publishing, but is it the right path for you? Find answers, insights, and pro tips in Self-Publishing: The Ins & Outs of Going Indie. Written by Judy Penz Sheluk, bestselling author of Finding Your Path to Publication and multiple mystery novels, this must-have reference book covers the nuts and bolts of self-publishing from business basics and publishing platforms to post-publication sales and marketing strategies.
Whether you’re an aspiring author, a traditionally published author considering a change, or merely curious, “Going Indie” takes an honest, unbiased look at the pros and cons of self-publishing while guiding you through the process—one easy-to-understand step at a time.
Buy Link: www.books2read.com/going-indie.
About the author: A former journalist and magazine editor, Judy Penz Sheluk is the bestselling author of two step-by-step guides to publishing, as well as two mystery series: the Glass Dolphin Mysteries and Marketville Mysteries. Her short crime fiction appears in several collections, including the Superior Shores Anthologies, which she also edited.
Judy is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she served on the Board of Directors for five years, the final two as Chair. She lives in Northern Ontario. Find her at www.judypenzsheluk.com.
About the author: A former journalist and magazine editor, Judy Penz Sheluk is the bestselling author of two step-by-step guides to publishing, as well as two mystery series: the Glass Dolphin Mysteries and Marketville Mysteries. Her short crime fiction appears in several collections, including the Superior Shores Anthologies, which she also edited.
Judy is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association, Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, the Short Mystery Fiction Society, and Crime Writers of Canada, where she served on the Board of Directors for five years, the final two as Chair. She lives in Northern Ontario. Find her at www.judypenzsheluk.com.
Thanks for hosting me today! I’m happy to answer any questions from your followers.
Well, there’s more to this than meets the eye! Thank you for sharing your expertise and experience, Judy!
Judy, you’ve given me a lot to consider. Thanks!
Jackie and Connie, Hope it helps! Thanks for commenting.
I do search engine optimization as part of my day job, and this is so much like that. I wonder if looking up keywords trending on google would help pin down keywords? If you do that, you can see if people are mostly searching for ‘heists’ or ‘robberies’. and then apply what you see to your keyword selection?
Emilya, that’s a good suggestion. I always think “what would I enter into a search bar” and go from there, but your idea takes it one step further.
This is so thorough. Thank you!
Thanks Susan.