How to Choose Book Categories + Keywords 📚

When I first started publishing my books, I underestimated the power of choosing the right categories and keywords. Like many new authors, I just picked broad categories like "Fantasy" or "Romance," hoping my book would show up somewhere on the virtual shelf. But I quickly realized my book was nearly invisible. That's when I started diving into the idea of micro-niches and really thinking from a reader's perspective. Instead of simply placing my fantasy book in "Fantasy," I went deeper into sub-genres like "Epic Fantasy" and "Dark Fantasy." This made a noticeable difference because readers searching in those precise sections were much more likely to find a book they were truly interested in. It’s like placing your book on a well-defined shelf rather than a huge crowded area. Keywords were a whole other challenge. Early on, I used generic terms like "fantasy novel," which attracted little traffic. After researching how readers search—especially looking at Amazon's search suggestions and Goodreads shelves—I learned to adopt specific, descriptive phrases readers actually use such as "dragon rider academy" and "enemies to lovers fantasy." I started compiling lists from bestseller titles and reader reviews to capture popular phrases like "slow burn fantasy romance." These keywords clearly reflect the reader's mindset and help the book appear in targeted search results rather than generic ones. One important tip is to avoid overly vague or highly competitive keywords like "thriller" or "book," since those don’t help your book stand out. Instead, combining elements like trope, genre, tone, and setting can create compelling keyword phrases for your book. For example, "small town second chance romance" instantly tells readers the type of story they can expect. In my experience, thoughtfully selecting categories and keywords not only increased my book’s discoverability but also connected me with readers who truly enjoy my niche. For authors uploading new books or updating their listings, I highly recommend taking a moment to analyze popular reader terms and refine the metadata accordingly. It’s a game-changer for book marketing and visibility on crowded platforms.