Hi Darcy. The problem with Dave's article is that it's focused almost completely on getting to #1 in an Amazon category. But that's not actually the most important factor for category selection. The most important factor is getting Amazon to recommend your books along with similar ones, as well as deciding where to place Amazon ads, if you run them.
"A second problem is that Amazon was trying to abide by the BISAC categories."
BISAC categories have never been used in the store itself. When you chose them in KDP, they were translated into the closest Amazon categories. (This still happens with all print books that are Lightning-only.) But both systems have their limitations, and translation created new problems.
"Green buttons mean the category can be used, but the dark gray button means it’s a GHOST category. For example, do NOT put your book into both Apes & Monkeys>Fiction and Apes & Monkeys>Nonfiction. Amazon has collapsed the categories and doesn’t care if you write fiction or nonfiction, they will all go into the general children’s book category of Apes & Monkeys.
"It’s very interesting! They no longer distinguish between fiction and nonfiction for kids! If you look closely, you can see that the Nonfiction categories were small in comparison anyway."
I'd have to strongly disagree. By putting the book in both "ghost" categories, you're making a stronger case for Amazon to recommend your book with books for both categories, because it's assured of a stronger match. And you ESPECIALLY want to include it in the smaller category, because there's less competition there for getting recommended. If there are fewer nonfiction Apes & Monkeys books, and Amazon knows for sure you're one of them, your chances of getting recommended are vastly improved.
If having both these categories separately wasn't helping Amazon sell books, they wouldn't be there! But of course, you'd also have to weigh this advantage against appearing in a broader range of categories.
2023 Changes: Amazon Categories & Ingram Discount
You‘re so thorough and helpful to all of us! Thanks for your posts, we’re listening!
Hi Darcy. The problem with Dave's article is that it's focused almost completely on getting to #1 in an Amazon category. But that's not actually the most important factor for category selection. The most important factor is getting Amazon to recommend your books along with similar ones, as well as deciding where to place Amazon ads, if you run them.
"A second problem is that Amazon was trying to abide by the BISAC categories."
BISAC categories have never been used in the store itself. When you chose them in KDP, they were translated into the closest Amazon categories. (This still happens with all print books that are Lightning-only.) But both systems have their limitations, and translation created new problems.
"Green buttons mean the category can be used, but the dark gray button means it’s a GHOST category. For example, do NOT put your book into both Apes & Monkeys>Fiction and Apes & Monkeys>Nonfiction. Amazon has collapsed the categories and doesn’t care if you write fiction or nonfiction, they will all go into the general children’s book category of Apes & Monkeys.
"It’s very interesting! They no longer distinguish between fiction and nonfiction for kids! If you look closely, you can see that the Nonfiction categories were small in comparison anyway."
I'd have to strongly disagree. By putting the book in both "ghost" categories, you're making a stronger case for Amazon to recommend your book with books for both categories, because it's assured of a stronger match. And you ESPECIALLY want to include it in the smaller category, because there's less competition there for getting recommended. If there are fewer nonfiction Apes & Monkeys books, and Amazon knows for sure you're one of them, your chances of getting recommended are vastly improved.
If having both these categories separately wasn't helping Amazon sell books, they wouldn't be there! But of course, you'd also have to weigh this advantage against appearing in a broader range of categories.
Aaron
This was incredibly helpful!! Thank you for all that you do in support of your publishing peers!!