What KDP keywords are
When you publish a book through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), the setup page includes a section for keywords. These are words and phrases that help Amazon connect your book with what readers type into the search bar. KDP gives you seven keyword slots, and each slot can hold a word or a short phrase.
Think of the slots as a way to describe your book in the language readers use, particularly the terms you cannot fit naturally into the title or subtitle.
Since KDP’s interface and rules can change, always check the current KDP help pages for the latest limits, such as slot length, before you finalize anything.
Keywords, categories and descriptions are different
It is easy to blur these together, so it helps to separate them:
- Keywords: hidden search terms that you enter in the publishing form.
- Categories: where your book is placed in Amazon’s browsing structure. They are chosen separately from keywords, and the options and limits are set by KDP.
- Title, subtitle and description: visible text that readers see, and which also contributes to how your book is understood. Use natural language here; avoid stuffing it with terms.
A strong listing uses all of these consistently and does not repeat the same phrase in every field. Good keyword slots add new information instead of echoing the title.
Common terms in romance
Readers search for romance books using a mix of subgenre, trope, heat level, setting and mood. Some building blocks:
Subgenre: contemporary romance, historical romance, romantic comedy, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, romantic fantasy, sports romance, small-town romance, workplace romance.
Tropes: enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, second chance, grumpy sunshine, forbidden love, secret identity, best friend’s brother, slow burn. See our list of cliche romance tropes for definitions.
Heat level: sweet romance, clean romance, closed door, open door, steamy, spicy. Our guide to what steamy romance is explains these.
Setting and season: Christmas romance, beach read, Highland romance, cowboy romance, Regency romance.
Ending: HEA, happily ever after. For what these mean to readers, see HEA in romance.
Pairings: MF, MM, FF, reverse harem or multi-partner (use terms honestly and in the form your readers use).
Build phrases from the parts
A good keyword phrase is usually a combination of two or three of the elements above. A simple formula is:
[trope or mood] + [subgenre or setting] + [heat level or ending, if relevant]
Some illustrative combinations:
- small town second chance romance
- enemies to lovers workplace romance
- slow burn romantic suspense
- clean fake dating romance
- holiday romance open door
These are examples of the pattern, not a recommended list. Which phrases suit your book depends on the story, your target readers and what the market looks like when you publish.
Short, broad phrases such as “romance” face heavy competition. More specific phrases describe a narrower audience, which can be easier to reach if your book is a real match.
How to find phrases readers use
A few free methods:
- Search suggestions. Start typing a trope or subgenre into the Amazon search bar and note the suggestions that appear. They reflect what shoppers have been searching for. Choose those that accurately describe your book.
- Comparable books. Look at successful books close to yours and note the tropes and moods in their titles, subtitles and descriptions. Avoid copying wording; use them as a guide to how readers talk.
- Reader communities. Browse book recommendation threads, reviews and tag pages to see which terms readers use to ask for books.
- Paid tools. Some authors use research tools for keyword ideas. They can be useful, but they are optional, and their data is estimated.
Choosing your best seven
Because you have a limited number of slots, plan them like a small set rather than seven near-duplicates.
- Cover the core: one slot for your main subgenre plus trope.
- Add reader intent: one or two for mood, heat level or ending.
- Add setting or hook: one for the setting, season or profession that makes the book distinctive.
- Mix specific and broader phrases, but only those that are accurate.
- Avoid repeating words already in the title or categories when you can use the slot for something new.
- Be honest. A reader who finds your book through a phrase that does not match will leave a poor review or stop reading.
What are good keywords to use for a story?
The good ones are specific, accurate and phrased the way readers search. If you can explain in one sentence why a reader typing a given phrase would enjoy your book, that phrase is a candidate.
Staying compliant
KDP has rules about what keywords can include. In general, expect the following to be restricted, though you should confirm the details in the current guidelines:
- Misleading terms, such as another author’s name or a famous title you are not connected to.
- Claims about quality or rankings, such as “bestselling,” or about sales and promotions.
- Content that does not match the book.
- Irrelevant terms added to attract unrelated traffic.
When in doubt, leave it out. A keyword that risks a listing problem is not worth it.
A+ Content: the basics
One of the questions authors ask is how to add A+ Content. This is a separate feature from keywords. It allows eligible books to add enhanced visual content, such as images and text modules, to the product page. Availability, access points and requirements have changed over time, so look for the A+ Content option in your KDP account or Amazon author tools, and read the current help documentation for the steps and any rules about images and text.
A+ Content is not a substitute for keywords. Keywords affect how readers find your book; A+ Content affects how the page looks once they arrive. A clear description, a strong cover and consistent branding matter more than any single field.
A simple review routine
Keywords are not permanent. Consider revisiting them periodically:
- Check whether the book still fits the phrases you chose.
- Note any new tropes or terms that have become popular in your subgenre.
- Replace phrases that clearly attract the wrong readers.
- Change one thing at a time so you can tell what made a difference.
Keep notes on what you tried. Over time you will learn which terms match your readers.
Keywords work best when they reflect a book that is clearly built around its promises. If you are still shaping your premise, our guide to the elements of a romance novel and our tips for writing a romance novel can help you decide what those promises are.