The Engineering Problem
Most authors choose categories like "Thriller" or "Romance." That's not a category. That's a death sentence.
Amazon allows you to choose up to 10 categories. Most authors waste them competing with Stephen King and Nora Roberts. This guide teaches you the sniper strategy: find specific sub-categories where you can rank #1.
By Ameen A. Mohiyuddin - I've ranked #1 in 12 different categories by treating Amazon like a search algorithm, not a bookstore.
The Whale Trap: Don't Compete with Stephen King
Listing your book in "General Thriller" is like opening a coffee shop next to Starbucks.
You will lose. Not because your book is bad, but because you're fighting for visibility against authors with million-dollar marketing budgets.
Example: Thriller Category
• #1 Bestseller: 5,000+ sales/day
• #100 Bestseller: 500+ sales/day
You need 500 sales/day just to crack the top 100.
The Sniper Strategy: Find Your Niche
Instead of "General Thriller," target "Genetic Engineering Science Fiction" or "Culinary Cozy Mystery."
Example: Sci-Fi Author
❌ Bad Category
Science Fiction & Fantasy
• #1 needs 3,000+ sales/day
• 500,000+ books competing
✅ Good Category
Genetic Engineering Science Fiction
• #1 needs 15 sales/day
• 2,000 books competing
The Math: You need 200x fewer sales to rank #1 in the niche category. That's the difference between impossible and achievable.
How to Find Low-Competition Categories
Step 1: Browse Amazon's Category Tree
Go to Amazon → Books → Your Genre → Keep clicking subcategories until you find one with <5,000 books.
Step 2: Check the #100 Bestseller Rank
Look at the #100 book in that category. If its overall BSR is >100,000, the category is low-competition.
Step 3: Use Kitaab Chrome Extension
Spy on your competitors' categories. See exactly where they're ranking #1.
The 7 Backend Keywords: Your Secret Weapon
The Rule
Amazon gives you 7 keyword slots in KDP. These are invisible to readers but visible to Amazon's search algorithm. Most authors waste them.
❌ Wrong: Single Words
1. Magic
2. Wizard
3. Fantasy
4. Adventure
5. Dragon
6. Quest
7. Epic
Why This Fails: Too broad. You're competing with 100,000+ books for "magic."
✅ Right: Phrases
1. wizard school for adults
2. urban fantasy female protagonist
3. magic academy dark academia
4. enemies to lovers fantasy romance
5. found family epic fantasy
6. slow burn fantasy romance
7. morally gray protagonist fantasy
Why This Works: Specific phrases = specific readers. You're targeting people searching for exactly what you wrote.
Pro Tips
- ✓Use all 7 slots. Don't leave any blank.
- ✓Don't repeat words from your title. Amazon already indexes those.
- ✓Use commas to separate phrases, not individual words.
- ✓Research competitor keywords using Amazon autocomplete.
Gaming the "Bestseller" Badge
The Orange Badge Strategy
Amazon awards an orange "#1 Bestseller" badge to books that rank #1 in any category. This badge appears on your book cover thumbnail.
The Hack:
Choose 10 low-competition categories. Rank #1 in just one of them, and you get the badge. The badge increases click-through rate by 15-25%.
Example: Romance Author
Category 1: Contemporary Romance
• Rank: #5,432 (no badge)
Category 2: Small Town Romance
• Rank: #87 (no badge)
Category 3: Firefighter Romance
• Rank: #1 🏆 (BADGE!)
Now your book displays "#1 Bestseller in Firefighter Romance" on every Amazon page. Readers don't care that it's a tiny category. They see "Bestseller."
Category Examples by Genre
Romance
• Small Town Romance
• Firefighter Romance
• Second Chance Romance
• Workplace Romance
Thriller
• Psychological Thriller
• Medical Thriller
• Legal Thriller
• Techno-Thriller
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
• Genetic Engineering Sci-Fi
• Dark Academia Fantasy
• Cyberpunk
• Fairy Tale Retellings
Non-Fiction
• Entrepreneurship
• Time Management
• Personal Finance
• Self-Publishing
Your Category & Keyword Action Plan
Step 1: Research (30 minutes)
- ✓Browse Amazon's category tree in your genre
- ✓Find 10 sub-categories with <5,000 books
- ✓Check #100 bestseller rank in each category
Step 2: Keyword Research (30 minutes)
- ✓Type your genre into Amazon search
- ✓Note autocomplete suggestions (these are real searches)
- ✓Create 7 keyword phrases from your research
Step 3: Optimize in KDP (15 minutes)
- ✓Add your 10 categories in KDP
- ✓Fill all 7 backend keyword slots with phrases
- ✓Save and publish
Step 4: Monitor & Adjust (Weekly)
- ✓Check your category rankings
- ✓If not ranking, swap to lower-competition categories
- ✓Test new keywords every 30 days
5 Category & Keyword Mistakes
❌ Choosing Broad Categories
"Thriller" or "Romance" are death sentences. Go 3-4 levels deep into sub-categories.
❌ Using Single-Word Keywords
"Magic" is useless. Use "wizard school for adults" instead.
❌ Leaving Keyword Slots Empty
Use all 7 slots. Every empty slot is lost visibility.
❌ Never Updating Categories
Categories get saturated. Test new ones every 3-6 months.
❌ Ignoring Competitor Research
Use Kitaab Chrome Extension to spy on where bestsellers rank.
Rank #1 in Your Niche
Categories and keywords are a system. Find low-competition niches, optimize ruthlessly, and dominate.