What do bestselling authors like Francine Rivers, Karen Kingsbury, and Max Lucado have in common?
They all know how powerful strategic metadata keywords boost their books’ discoverability.
In an industry where thousands of new titles are published daily, understanding metadata and knowing how to apply it can significantly increase your book’s visibility to potential readers. If you want to reach and connect with your target audience, then you need to know how to carefully select and apply relevant keywords to your book’s metadata.
This post will teach you the steps you need to choose the best book metadata keywords, helping you reach more readers who are searching for content like yours. Grab a piece of paper or open a new blank Word doc, and let’s get to work!
Steps to Choose the Best Book Metadata Keywords
1. Identify Your Book’s Main Themes
When choosing book keywords, first you need to find your book’s main themes.
Think about your book’s
- genre (i.e., Christian fiction, nonfiction, romance)
- subgenre (i.e., biblical fiction, devotional, Christian suspense)
- key topics (i.e., faith, redemption, second chances)
Once you have identified your book’s main themes, write them down. Next, answer this question:
What words would readers use to find a book like mine?
Make a list of all the words you can think of that may fit.
Let’s say your book is a Christian mystery novel set in the Appalachian Mountains in 1937. Readers looking for this type of book may search for these keywords:
- Christian mystery novel
- Christian mystery Appalachian Mountains
- Christian detective story
- Religious suspense story
- Appalachian Mountain mystery
- Cozy mystery Appalachian Mountains
- Mystery with Christian themes
- Historical Christian novel
The list could go on and on. Think about what you would look for if you were searching for a certain type of book.
2. Use Keyword Research Tools
Keyword research tools are valuable when it comes to SEO for authors who want to boost book sales. These tools can help you discover the words potential readers are looking for. And when you use them correctly, you can strategically place them into your book title, description, and marketing.
Here are some tools to help you find the best keywords for your book:
- Google Keyword Planner – (free) This tool from Google helps you find high-ranking search terms based on search volume and competition. With this tool, you can find keywords that potential readers might use when they’re searching for books in your genre. You can also see related terms and trends over time.
➜ Learn more about how to use Google’s Keyword Planner with Joshua Hardwick at Ahref’s. - Publisher Rocket – (paid) This tool helps self-published authors find the best keywords to use in book titles, descriptions, and Amazon ads to improve discoverability. It also provides data on competition, search volume, and potential earnings for keywords. It may be expensive ($199), but authors seem to love how easy it is for their marketing process.
- Keyword Tool – (free and paid) Keyword Tool allows you to find keywords using Amazon Autocomplete. It generates relevant keywords that you can use for keyword optimization on Amazon. There are some restrictions with the free version, but you can still get quite a bit of information out of it.
Tip: Use multiple tools to get the best keywords for your book’s metadata. Write them all down or keep them in a spreadsheet—whatever works best for you. More keywords increase book discoverability, which boosts book sales!
3. Check Competitor Keywords
Look at the keywords your competitors are using. This can give you some valuable insights into what readers are searching for. To check competitor book metadata keywords, look at the titles, subtitles, and book descriptions of bestsellers in your genre. Do you notice any recurring phrases and themes?
Amazon’s auto-suggest feature is a great way to discover high-ranking keywords. Pay attention to how the keywords are used. Do they emphasize themes? Tropes? Niche markets? Think about how you can add similar, yet distinct, keywords to make your book more discoverable.
4. Focus on Long-Tail Keywords
Long-tail keywords are more specific phrases that help your book reach the right audience by matching niche search queries. Keywords like “romance novel” are too broad and highly competitive. But a phrase like “Christian historical romance set in the 1800s” will narrow your audience to readers actively looking for that type of book. Long-tail keywords are targeted and improve your book’s visibility. They also increase the chances of attracting readers who are more likely to buy your book.
5. Test and Optimize
Since keyword optimization is an ongoing process, you’ll need to keep track of your book’s performance. You’ll also probably have to make some adjustments as needed. One way to do this is to track your rankings on Amazon to see how well your keywords are working. If your book isn’t getting enough visibility, experiment with different keyword combinations.
However, when choosing book keywords, don’t force too many into your title, subtitle, or description. This is called “keyword stuffing” and will make it sound unnatural. It may even keep your book from being discovered. Focus on a reader-friendly approach instead.
Conclusion
Choosing the best keywords for your book is one of the most effective ways to improve its discoverability and attract the right readers. By identifying your book’s main themes, using keyword research tools, analyzing competitor keywords, and focusing on long-tail phrases, you can optimize your metadata for better visibility. Remember, keyword optimization is an ongoing process—continuously testing and refining your choices will help you stay competitive. When done right, strategic keywords can significantly boost book sales and connect your book with the audience searching for it. Take the time to find and apply the right keywords, and you’ll set your book up for long-term success.
