| name | listing-optimizer |
| description | Write Amazon KDP book descriptions (HTML-formatted), select categories, fill backend keywords, and build author bios. Use when preparing a book for Amazon upload or optimizing an existing listing. |
Listing Optimizer
Write the complete Amazon listing package: description, categories, keywords, and author bio.
What It Produces
- Book Description — 5-part framework, output as Amazon-ready HTML
- Category Selections — 3 picks, screened for ghosts and duplicates
- Backend Keywords — 7 boxes filled using the hybrid strategy
- Author Bio — 50-100 words, 5-key template
Part 1: Book Description (5-Part Framework)
Source: Sean Dollwet, "Amazon KDP MISTAKES"
| Section | Purpose | Length |
|---|
| 1. Hook/Headline | Stop the scroll. Bold question or provocative statement. | 1-2 sentences |
| 2. Lead/Credibility | Who wrote this and why it matters. | 2-3 sentences |
| 3. Bullet Points | What's inside — features AND benefits, scannable. | 5-8 bullets |
| 4. Overcome Objections | "Even if you've never..." / "Whether you're..." | 2-3 sentences |
| 5. Call to Action | Ask for the sale. Direct and clear. | 1 sentence |
Amazon HTML Reference
Amazon KDP descriptions support a very limited set of HTML tags. Use only these:
| Tag | Purpose | Example |
|---|
<b>text</b> | Bold | <b>Stop buying boring books.</b> |
<i>text</i> | Italic | <i>A Way of Salvation</i> |
<br> | Line break | End of sentence or between sections |
<p>text</p> | Paragraph | Adds spacing below |
<h4>text</h4> | Heading (largest allowed) | Section headers |
<h5>text</h5> | Subheading | |
<h6>text</h6> | Small heading | |
<ul><li>text</li></ul> | Bullet list | Feature/benefit lists |
<ol><li>text</li></ol> | Numbered list | Step-by-step |
NOT supported: <h1>-<h3>, <img>, <a> (links), <div>, <span>, CSS, colors, fonts, tables. Amazon will strip or reject unsupported tags.
Character limit: All characters count, including HTML tags. <b>test</b> = 11 characters.
Description Template
<h4><b>Are you searching for a life of deeper faith, closer family, and real community?</b></h4>
<p>Phil [Last Name] spent twenty years building what most people only dream about — a Catholic family homestead where prayer, farming, and community life come together as one. <i>Our Lady's Ranch</i> tells the story of how one family answered God's call to create something beautiful.</p>
<p><b>Inside you'll discover:</b></p>
<ul>
<li>How the Medjugorje messages inspired a practical way of daily living</li>
<li>The 4 types of Catholic Family Homesteads and which fits your family</li>
<li>A proven ownership structure that balances community with privacy</li>
<li>Why "hobby farming" beats commercial farming for family life</li>
<li>The 5 essential activities that build unbreakable family bonds</li>
<li>Practical steps to start your own homesteading journey — even from the city</li>
</ul>
<p>Whether you're a young family seeking alternatives to modern culture, empty nesters ready for a new chapter, or anyone drawn to intentional Catholic community — this book provides both the vision and the practical blueprint.</p>
<p><b>Scroll up and click "Buy Now" to begin your family's journey to peace.</b></p>
Writing Rules
- Lead with the reader's benefit, not the author's story ("the autobiography trap")
- Every word is an algorithm signal — audit for unintended keyword associations
- Avoid health claims ("heal", "cure") — blocks Amazon Ads. Use "improve", "discover", "support"
- Study top-selling descriptions in your category and model their structure
- Bold main points, italicize key terms, use bullets — visual distinction matters
Part 2: Category Selection (3 Picks)
Source: Dave Chesson, "INSANE Amazon Category Change" + "How to Choose Amazon Book Categories in 2023"
The 2023+ System
- You select exactly 3 Amazon categories (not BISAC codes)
- No contact form to request changes — your 3 picks are final
- Amazon reserves the right to override based on your keywords/metadata
5-Step Process
-
Identify fitting categories with realistic ranking potential. Check BSR of top books — categories where leaders sit at BSR 20K-80K offer the best path. Under 5K = heavy hitters.
-
Use duplicates strategically. 54% of KDP categories are duplicates. One pick that maps across multiple browse paths = maximum coverage from a single selection.
-
Screen for ghost categories. 27% are ghosts — they look real but lead to dead-end pages with no bestseller tag. Visit the actual Amazon page: if it lacks a category name and browsable tree in the sidebar, it's a ghost.
-
Make your 3 selections with full knowledge of the duplicate map and ghost list.
-
Reinforce with keywords. Dedicate 1-2 of your 7 keyword boxes to category-specific terms. Use additional boxes for terms from categories you didn't select — Amazon may add you automatically.
4 Misclassification Culprits
- Too-broad keywords — "romance" instead of "New York hot steamy girl boss romance"
- Careless description language — Amazon reads every word. A romance book mentioning "roll of the dice" got classified as gambling.
- Spammy marketing — corrupts Amazon's understanding of your audience
- Unintended metadata overlaps — author name or title containing common words that trigger wrong categories
Part 3: Backend Keywords (7 Boxes)
Source: Kings of Kindle Ch 3, 121-author experiment
How Amazon Keywords Work
- Amazon recombines words automatically — no need to repeat combinations
- More words per box dilutes ranking for each term
- Title/subtitle keywords rank higher than backend boxes
- Amazon reads: title, subtitle, 7 keyword boxes, description, categories, author name
The Hybrid Strategy
Split your 7 boxes into two groups:
Boxes 1-3 (or 1-4): Exact Target Phrases
- Your most important search terms as complete phrases
- These are the terms you want to rank for directly
- Example:
catholic homesteading community / intentional catholic community / benedict option catholic
Boxes 4-7 (or 5-7): Broad Descriptive Fill
- Individual words and modifiers that Amazon can recombine
- Category reinforcement terms (1-2 boxes dedicated to this)
- Related topic words that expand your reach
- Example:
faith family farming agrarian rural / medjugorje prayer rosary spirituality / homestead sustainable organic self sufficient
Keyword Rules
- No commas (Amazon treats commas as separators, wasting space)
- No quotes around phrases
- No words already in your title/subtitle (they already rank)
- No brand names (Kindle, Amazon, etc.)
- No subjective claims (best, amazing, #1)
- No Amazon program names (KDP Select, Prime, etc.)
Research Process
- Amazon autocomplete — Type your seed keyword, note suggestions. Use alphabet technique (keyword + a, keyword + b, etc.)
- Competitor titles — Mine keywords from successful self-published titles in your niche
- DataForSEO — Check search volume for candidate phrases
- Category terms — Include words that reinforce your chosen categories
Optimization Loop
After launch, use Amazon Ads search term reports to:
- Find converting search terms → promote to exact-phrase boxes
- Find non-converting terms → replace with new candidates
- Iterate monthly for first 3 months, then quarterly
Part 4: Author Bio (5-Key Template)
Source: Zach Diamanti, "How to Write an Author Bio"
Length: 50-100 words. That's it.
| Key | Purpose | Example |
|---|
| 1. Punchy opener | Name your books/genre, set expectations | "Phil [Last Name] is an architect turned homesteader who spent twenty years building Catholic family communities in the California foothills." |
| 2. Expertise | Non-fiction: credentials. Fiction: voice/personality. | "He founded Our Lady's Ranch in Grass Valley, California..." |
| 3. Credibility | Awards, features — state simply, don't brag | "...where multiple families now live the homesteading vision he describes in this book." |
| 4. Personal touch | Humanize — hobby, family, location | "Father of seven, he splits his time between prayer, farming, and architectural design." |
| 5. CTA | Website, freebie, social handle | "Visit ourladysranch.com to learn more." |
Tailor to the audience. Same author, different books = different bios.
Listing Mistakes Checklist
Before publishing, verify:
Workflow
1. Read the manuscript (or summary)
2. Run /niche-scout to validate niche + get keyword data
3. Draft description using 5-part framework → output as HTML
4. Research categories using BSR data from niche-scout
5. Fill 7 keyword boxes using hybrid strategy
6. Write author bio using 5-key template
7. Generate A+ Content images (see nano-banana skill)
8. Review against Listing Mistakes Checklist
