Setting Your Keywords

When you go to the search bar without knowing the exact thing you’re looking for, you type in random words. This hopefully will lead you to exactly what you want. These are called keywords. When you are looking to publish a book, the same concept applies. This means that you need to find the keywords that work for your book.

In the Do Your Book Research – Part 1 post, I gave a brief explanation on keywords. Yet there is so much more to discuss. The concept of keywords is pretty simple, but putting it into action can be a bit tricky. That is why I’m here today to break it down for you.

This is part of my Book Marketing Planner which you can find in the Bound to Writing Shop or on Amazon.

What are Keywords?

These are words that people put into a search bar in an attempt to find what they’re looking for. They can range from a single word to a phrase.

Why Do I Need Keywords?

Determining which keywords best represent your book will make marketing your book easier. You can make sure that you write descriptions and content with these keywords that will allow your ideal reader to find your book. You can even set up your listing with these keywords so that the site you’re selling on will show your book if someone searches one of your keywords.

How Do I Figure Out My Keywords?

Ask yourself these questions when you’re looking at the key information about your book.

What genre does my book fit into?
What are the important topics in your book?
Is there a unique category/topic your book is part of?
Are there any broad topics that can get people to see your book?

Should I Use Specific or Broad Keywords?

You’ll want to utilize a mix of broad categories and specific ones in order to obtain your readers. Sometimes readers know exactly what they’re looking for and will search for a specific keyword or phrase. Others may not. By using a mix, you’ll be able to reach many types of readers.

Narrowing Down Your Options:

After you’ve made a list of the words and phrases you think will be best for your book, it’s time to check them out. You’re going to do a search on each of your keywords and see what results are provided.

I usually go to Amazon for this step, but any place you do book research is fine. One by one, you’ll go through your list and see what results pop up. If the results show other comparable books then use that as a keyword. Continue working through your list until you have 7-10 acceptable keywords.

Once you have your keywords selected, you will already have a lot taken off of your plate. You can always reference these when creating content or posting about your future release. You can even have them on hand when you start filling out the publication information when you’re getting ready to publish your book. Research now to reap the benefits later.

You can find a page on keywords and more in the Book Marketing Planner available in the Bound to Writing Shop and on Amazon.

Happy Planning!