The Search Engine's Guide to Reading

As an author, I write stories that I hope will interest readers. However, readers can’t know if they like my work if they’re not aware of it. Thus, along with writing books, it’s my job to make those books discoverable. To do this, I have to (essentially) think like a search engine. Let me explain further—like you have a choice. 🙂

Book discoverability depends to a great extent on the proper use of keywords and categories within the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform. For those of you who haven’t self-published, the KDP platform is the original digital book self-publishing platform. Or, as I prefer to think of it, the original digital book distribution platform. There’s probably supposed to be a comma in there somewhere, but you get the idea, right?

In any case, when you look for books on Amazon using search terms, your ability to find any particular book will be determined to a great extent by the author/publisher’s use of proper keywords and book categories. Thus, authors and publishers need to think like consumers when devising these things, and in turn, thinking like the search engines readers use. I hope that makes sense.

I’m in the midst of experimenting with my own keywords and categories. According to one source I’ve read, merely doing this increased his visibility (and sales) tremendously. All I can say is … we’ll see.

And remember, no matter what keywords or categories you use, they aren’t worth a damn if you don’t write a story worth reading. But anyone who tells you that just writing a great book assures great sales is just full of it.

In any case, I just got back from vacation. Spending five whole days offline and not writing was just what the doctor ordered!