Publish Setup · Topic 5 of 17
Keywords and Categories
What to do
Choose up to 7 search keywords and up to 3 browse categories for your book.
Why it matters
Keywords control what search terms your book can be found under on Amazon. Categories control which bestseller lists and browse pages it can show up on. Both directly affect whether readers who don't already know your book exist can ever find it.
Step-by-step
- On the Keywords step, think like a reader searching, not like the author. What would someone type into Amazon's search bar if they wanted a book like yours?
- Use all 7 keyword slots. Each one can be a short phrase, not just a single word, so "cozy mystery small town" is a valid single entry.
- Avoid repeating words already in your title or subtitle in your keywords, since KDP already indexes your title and subtitle for search on its own.
- For categories, use the Browse Categories search tool in the Categories step to pick up to 3 specific, relevant categories rather than only the broadest genre-level ones; more specific categories often have less competition and better bestseller-list odds.
- Expand the information section below for exactly what keywords and categories each control, precise current limits, and the exact screens on KDP, IngramSpark, and Draft2Digital.
More information
Click a heading to expand more information.
What keywords and categories actually do
- Keywords are search terms: they help your book turn up when a shopper types a phrase into Amazon's (or another retailer's) search bar. They have no effect on bestseller rankings or browse pages, only on search matching.
- Categories are browse placements: they determine which category pages your book can appear on when a shopper browses instead of searches, and which category-specific bestseller lists (the little orange "#1 Best Seller" badge) your book is eligible to rank on. A narrower, more accurate category gives you a realistic shot at ranking near the top of that list; a huge category like general Fiction has thousands of competing titles.
- Neither keywords nor categories are a substitute for the other: a book can be easy to find by search but invisible on browse pages if its categories don't fit, or vice versa.
Choosing keywords and categories on KDP
- Keywords: KDP gives you exactly 7 keyword boxes on the Details tab, each box holds up to 50 characters (this is KDP's current published limit — verified against KDP's own "Make Your Book More Discoverable with Keywords" help page). Fill every box; an empty slot is a wasted chance to be found.
- Each box can hold a short phrase, not just one word ("cozy mystery small town" is a single valid entry). Don't repeat words already in your title, subtitle, or your chosen categories — KDP already indexes those separately, so repeating them wastes a slot instead of adding new reach.
- Avoid keyword stuffing: don't cram unrelated genres, competitor author names, or repeated variations of the same word into your 7 slots hoping to catch more searches. KDP's guidelines prohibit misleading keywords (including other authors' names or trademarks you don't own), and stuffed, irrelevant keywords tend to just waste a slot rather than actually improving discoverability.
- Categories: on the Categories step, use the "Browse Categories" search tool (not a flat dropdown) and search by typing your genre or sub-genre. KDP currently lets you pick up to 3 categories per book directly in this step (this replaced the older 2-category limit).
- On the request-more-categories workaround: older guidance said you could email KDP support after publishing to have up to 2 extra categories added by hand. As of the most recent reporting available, KDP has stopped accepting these email requests since it expanded the self-service picker to 3 categories — author reports from 2023 onward describe KDP declining these requests. Treat the workaround as no longer reliable; select your best 3 categories directly in the dashboard instead of counting on a support email to add more later.
Last verified: August 2026
Choosing keywords and categories on IngramSpark
- IngramSpark doesn't use KDP's Amazon-only browse-category tree. Instead it uses BISAC subject codes, the same standardized categorization system used across the book trade (bookstore inventory systems, library catalogs, and wholesale ordering all recognize BISAC codes).
- On the metadata step of IngramSpark's title setup, search the BISAC code list by keyword (e.g. "cozy mystery") and pick the most specific accurate code, the same principle as KDP: a narrow, accurate BISAC code matches how buyers and library systems actually filter, a broad catch-all code doesn't help you stand out.
- IngramSpark also has its own keyword field, separate from BISAC categories, used similarly to KDP's search keywords: short phrases describing how a buyer would search. Check IngramSpark's current field for its specific character/count limit before assuming it matches KDP's 7×50 limit — the two platforms' limits are not confirmed to be identical.
Choosing keywords and categories on Draft2Digital
- On D2D's book-info step (part of the same setup flow described in the "Creating a New Title" topic), you enter both keywords and BISAC-style categories for your ebook, similar in spirit to IngramSpark's approach rather than KDP's browse-category tree.
- D2D then forwards this metadata out to each retailer in its distribution network (Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and the rest); each retailer maps it into its own category system on its own site, so the categories you pick on D2D are a starting point, not a guarantee of an identical category placement on every store.
- Apply the same non-stuffing principle here too: pick keywords and categories that genuinely describe the book, since a mismatch can look off on some retailer sites and doesn't meaningfully help discovery anyway.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving keyword slots empty. Every unused slot is a missed chance for a reader to find the book through search.
- Choosing only very broad categories (like general Fiction) instead of specific sub-categories that better match the actual book and have less competition.
- Guessing at keywords instead of thinking about actual reader search behavior.
- Keyword stuffing: repeating the same word in different forms, adding other authors' names, or picking irrelevant genre terms just to fill all 7 slots. This can violate KDP's content guidelines and doesn't help discovery.
- Picking a category the book doesn't actually fit (a picture book listed under an adult nonfiction category, for example) to chase a less-competitive bestseller list; miscategorized books risk being flagged or moved by the platform, and mislead the actual shoppers who do find it there.
- Relying on the old "email KDP support for extra categories" workaround. It is no longer a dependable path — pick carefully from the 3 categories the dashboard gives you instead.
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Troubleshooting
Can I change my keywords and categories after publishing?
Yes, both can be edited any time from your Bookshelf without needing to republish the file itself. It's normal to revisit them after seeing how the book performs.
Can I still email KDP to get extra categories added?
Don't count on it. That workaround (emailing support to add up to 2 extra categories beyond what the dashboard offered) was tied to the older 2-category self-service limit. Since KDP expanded self-service category picking to 3, reports from authors indicate KDP now declines these email requests. Choose your best 3 directly in the Categories step instead of planning around a follow-up email.
How many keywords can I actually use, and is there a character limit per box?
KDP currently gives you 7 keyword boxes, each holding up to 50 characters, per its own "Make Your Book More Discoverable with Keywords" help page. Always double-check that help page directly before publishing, since KDP has changed keyword rules and prohibited terms before.