Everything you need to know about Amazon categories for Low Content Books
Ever wondered which categories you should choose for your low content books?
Or have you wondered why some books are in loads of categories but you only get to choose two?
Or have you found relevant categories on the Amazon store but they are not available when you upload your book to the KDP dashboard?
This article will tell you everything you need to know about Amazon categories for low content books and show you how to add your books to those secret extra categories and be seen by more potential buyers!
Like most websites, Amazon uses categories to organize its website. For books, you can see the list of categories in the left-hand sidebar when you browse the Amazon site. When you click on an option eg children’s books it will open a list of subcategories so you end up with a string that looks like this:
Books>> Children’s books>> Children’s Cat Books
How do I choose which categories to list my low content book in?
How do you choose which categories to list a low content book in?
When you list your book on KDP you are allowed to choose two BISAC categories. BISAC is an acronym for Book Industry Standards and Communications. These are industry standard book categories and are the same across all retailers- not just Amazon. The problem with our low content books is that they often don’t fit neatly into the BISAC categories and we just have to choose something that is vaguely appropriate.
Why are some categories not available when I upload my book to KDP?
So, why are some categories not available when I upload my book to KDP?
Amazon has loads of extra categories- like 20,000 extra categories! These are called ‘Browse’ categories and they are completely separate from the BISAC categories and unique to the Amazon marketplace. When you initially list our book you need to choose BISAC categories only and this is why, when uploading your book to the Amazon KDP platform, you may notice that lots of the categories you see when shopping on Amazon are not listed as an option for your book.
You can see the full list of categories in the Amazon store by selecting ‘Books’ at the top of the page and the full list of book categories appears in the left-hand menu.
The good news is that it is really easy to add extra Amazon KDP categories just as long as they are relevant to your book and this can be a useful way to get your book seen by more people. And more eyes mean more sales if your book is half decent!
How do I add my book to more categories?
When you initially publish your book you can pick two BISAC categories from the drop-down menu. Then after your book passes review you can email to request a further eight categories up to a total of ten categories altogether.
To change the categories you have selected
- Go to your Bookshelf and click the ellipsis button (“…”) under the KINDLE EBOOK ACTIONS, PAPERBACK ACTIONS, or HARDCOVER ACTIONS menu next to your book.
- Choose Edit eBook Details, Edit Paperback Details, or Edit Hardcover Details.
- Under the “Categories” section, make your changes.
- Go to the bottom of the page and click Save and Continue.
- On the book Pricing tab, click the publish button at the bottom of the page.
Next, follow the regular steps to publish your book as you usually would and wait for it to get approved.
Once your book has been approved, go to the bottom of your KDP Bookshelf page and select Contact Us.
To add additional categories
Click CONTACT US, then ‘AMAZON STORE AND PRODUCT DETAIL PAGE’ then ‘UPDATE AMAZON CATEGORIES’
This will bring up a message box as shown above.
Thes are the instructions for filling out the request:
”Submit all your category requests in one message. If you’re making a request for multiple books, please include them all in the same message. Also, specify the marketplace of the category, as they differ between Amazon Stores (example: Amazon.com vs Amazon.de).
Format: ASIN (or ISBN), marketplace, book format, category
Example: 0000000000, .com, paperback, Books > Literary & Fiction > Contemporary
Categories to be added (list each category as a separate line item):
1.
Categories to be removed (list each category as a separate line item):
1. ”
That is all you have to do. Just sit back and wait….It usually takes a couple of days and you will get an email confirming that the ASINs have been added to your requested Amazon KDP categories.
Does adding my book to extra categories make a difference?
The honest answer is that nobody knows! We don’t know and will likely never know whether adding a book to extra categories has an impact on the algorithm or sales.
The Amazon algorithm is a closely guarded secret and whilst lots of people might guess how it works, no one knows for sure. One thing we do know though is that Amazon is in the business of selling stuff and is very effective at doing it. They have mastered the art of bringing together people with stuff they will buy.
Anecdotally we know that most people do not shop on Amazon by scrolling through categories. They tend to type what they are looking for into the search bar instead….. So why has Amazon persisted with categories and in fact added so many extra categories above the BISAC categories? I wonder whether they are combining the metadata from categories as part of the algorithm for search.
This might also explain why they have recently started clamping down on irrelevant categories (because it messes with search and delivers irrelevant results) Certainly food for thought!
Should I bother adding my book to extra categories?
Opinion is divided on this, but I am firmly in the yes camp and I do bother adding my book to extra categories. My rationale is that it takes very little time and it just might make a difference. It surely can’t do any harm! I spend a lot of time making my low-content books and I want to give them the best chance to succeed. Seeing as adding your book to extra categories is free and only takes a few minutes it seems like a no-brainer to me!
My tips for adding your book to extra categories
1- Make sure you request the categories exactly as instructed by Amazon –
Make your request following the format requested by Amazon – listing the ISBN and category string. There can be inconsistencies depending on which Amazon customer service rep handles your request. Sticking to the requested format makes it quick and easy for the Amazon reps and you are more likely to get your request approved. Follow the format of the email above, and state the full category string for the requested categories eg Books>> Children’s books>> Children’s Cat Books
2- Only request categories that are relevant to your book.
Don;t be tempted to request irrelevant categories! In the past I have seen people on You Tube advising to choose low competition categories in order to achieve a ‘Best Seller’ badge with fewer sales. This is considered a big no no now and Amazon are clamping down on books that are in irrelevant categries. Don’t try and game the system because they will eventually catch up with you.
3- Don’t overthink this!
Don’t lose sleep over which categories your book (or anyone else’s book) is in! You do not need to research this heavily and choose categories based on how many books there are in the category or how many sales it takes to get a ‘bestseller’ or ‘hot new release’ badge. Just choose the categories that are relevant to you and move on!
What do you think about Amazon categories? Do you take the time to add extra categories and do you think it makes a difference?
Let me know in the comments below!
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