📋 Table of Contents
What Are Amazon KDP Categories?
Categories are Amazon's way of organizing millions of books into browsable sections. When you publish on KDP, you select up to 3 categories where your book will appear. Readers browse these categories to discover new books.
📊 Category Basics
- 3 categories available during publishing
- Up to 10 categories possible via Amazon support
- Categories affect your bestseller rank
- Getting #1 in a category = "Bestseller" badge
- Categories help Amazon's algorithm recommend your book
Why Categories Matter
Benefits of Good Category Selection
- Visibility: Readers browse category bestseller lists
- Bestseller badge: Easier to rank #1 in smaller categories
- Also-Boughts: Amazon recommends your book with similar titles
- Advertising: Category targeting in Amazon Ads
- Credibility: "#1 Bestseller" looks great on covers and marketing
Understanding BISAC Codes
What Are BISAC Codes?
BISAC (Book Industry Standards and Communications) codes are the industry-standard category system. When you publish on KDP, you select BISAC codes that Amazon then maps to their own category structure.
Example BISAC Codes:
FIC031010 - FICTION / Thrillers / Psychological
SEL021000 - SELF-HELP / Motivational & Inspirational
How to Choose the Best Categories
Step 1: Research Your Genre
- Go to Amazon and find bestselling books similar to yours
- Scroll down to "Product Details"
- Look at "Best Sellers Rank" section
- Note which categories they're in
Step 2: Analyze Category Competition
Look at the #1 bestseller in each potential category:
- Low competition: #1 has rank 5,000-50,000+ (easier to rank)
- Medium competition: #1 has rank 1,000-5,000
- High competition: #1 has rank under 1,000 (very hard)
💡 Tip: Target categories where you can realistically reach #1-20
Step 3: Balance Relevance & Competition
- Choose 1-2 highly relevant categories (even if competitive)
- Choose 1-2 niche categories where you can rank easily
- Never choose irrelevant categories just for ranking
Getting Into 10 Categories (Hidden Categories)
🔓 The 10 Categories Strategy
You can have up to 10 categories per book—not just the 3 you select during publishing!
How to Request More Categories:
- Publish your book with your initial 3 categories
- Contact Amazon Author Support
- Request to be added to additional relevant categories
- Provide the exact category string (e.g., "Kindle Store > ... > Cozy Mystery")
Email template:
Category Strategy Tips for 2026
Pro Tips
- Go niche: "Cozy Mystery > Animals" beats "Mystery" alone
- Use sub-categories: Deeper categories = less competition
- Check eBook AND print: Categories differ between formats
- Monitor rankings: Adjust categories if not ranking
- Seasonal adjustments: Holiday categories during holidays
Category Tools
- Publisher Rocket — Shows category competition and keywords
- Book Beam — Chrome extension for category research
- KDP Dashboard — See your current categories
- Amazon Browse — Manually explore category trees
How to Become a "Bestseller"
Getting the Orange Badge
The coveted "#1 Best Seller" or "Best Seller" badge appears when you rank in the top of a category.
Strategy for Bestseller Status:
- Choose small categories where 10-20 sales can get you to #1
- Stack promos on launch day for maximum sales spike
- Email your list to buy on the same day
- Run a price promotion ($0.99 or free)
- Time it right: Weekdays often have less competition
⚠️ Note: The badge is temporary—it updates hourly based on sales rank.
🎯 The Perfect Category Mix
- 1-2 Broad categories: Where your readers naturally browse
- 2-3 Niche categories: Less competitive, easier to rank
- 1-2 Crossover categories: Reach different reader segments
📚 Optimize Your Entire Book Listing
Categories are just one piece! Master keywords and marketing too.