listing-optimizer

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

1. Book Description — 5-part framework, output as Amazon-ready HTML
2. Category Selections — 3 picks, screened for ghosts and duplicates
3. Backend Keywords — 7 boxes filled using the hybrid strategy
4. Author Bio — 50-100 words, 5-key template

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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

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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

1. 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.

2. Use duplicates strategically. 54% of KDP categories are duplicates. One pick that maps across multiple browse paths = maximum coverage from a single selection.

3. 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.

4. Make your 3 selections with full knowledge of the duplicate map and ghost list.

5. 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

1. Too-broad keywords — "romance" instead of "New York hot steamy girl boss romance"
2. Careless description language — Amazon reads every word. A romance book mentioning "roll of the dice" got classified as gambling.
3. Spammy marketing — corrupts Amazon's understanding of your audience
4. Unintended metadata overlaps — author name or title containing common words that trigger wrong categories

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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

1. Amazon autocomplete — Type your seed keyword, note suggestions. Use alphabet technique (keyword + a, keyword + b, etc.)
2. Competitor titles — Mine keywords from successful self-published titles in your niche
3. DataForSEO — Check search volume for candidate phrases
4. 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

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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.

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Listing Mistakes Checklist

Before publishing, verify:

• Subtitle displays fully in search results (not truncated)
• Description uses 5-part framework (not 5 sad sentences)
• A+ Content has 3-5 modules (see nano-banana-image-generator/references/aplus-content-guide.md)
• No health claims blocking ads ("heal"/"cure" → "improve"/"discover")
• Description leads with reader benefit, not author biography
• Category selections verified as non-ghost (visited actual Amazon pages)
• Keywords don't duplicate title/subtitle words
• Author bio is 50-100 words with all 5 keys
• Title is instantly clear at thumbnail size

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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