Can I put multiple keywords in one KDP keyword box?

Yes. You can include more than one keyword phrase in a single box, as long as the combined total stays within 50 characters including spaces. Simply separate the phrases with a space: Amazon indexes the individual words and reads phrases from the combination of words present. You do not need commas or any other separator. For example, 'gothic horror witches dark magic' (32 characters) includes two related search concepts in a single box.

What keywords should I not put in KDP keyword boxes?

Amazon prohibits several categories of content in KDP keyword fields: competitor book titles or series names, other authors' names (unless your book is officially in the style of a named author), misleading claims such as 'bestseller' or 'award-winning', promotional language such as 'free' or 'sale', ASIN numbers, profanity unrelated to the book's content, and temporary claims like 'new release'. Using prohibited terms can result in your book being suppressed from search or removed from sale.

How long does it take for KDP keywords to take effect?

Changes to KDP keyword fields typically take 24 to 72 hours to be reflected in Amazon's search indexation. During that period your book continues to be indexed for its previous keywords. Once the update has been processed, your book will appear in search results for any new terms you have added that match active reader searches. Amazon does not notify you when the update is complete: check your book's search visibility manually after 72 hours.

Should I repeat the same keyword in multiple KDP keyword boxes?

No. Repeating the same keyword across multiple boxes wastes your limited 350-character allowance without any indexation benefit. Amazon only needs to see a keyword once to index your book for it. Use each box to introduce different search terms: additional genres, tropes, themes, audience signals, settings and comparable terms that are not already covered in your title, subtitle or other keyword boxes.

What are the seven Amazon KDP keyword boxes?

The seven Amazon KDP keyword boxes are one of the most powerful and most misunderstood tools available to self-published authors. Filled in correctly, they extend your book's keyword coverage far beyond what fits naturally in your title and subtitle, putting your book in front of readers searching for genres, tropes and themes you might never have room to mention otherwise. Filled in poorly, or left incomplete, they represent 350 characters of missed discoverability opportunity. The seven KDP keyword boxes are backend search fields you fill in when setting up or editing your book on Kindle Direct Publishing. They are sometimes called 'search keywords', 'backend keywords' or 'KDP keyword fields'. Each box accepts up to 50 characters, giving you a total of 350 hidden characters to extend your book's keyword coverage beyond what appears in your visible listing. These fields are completely invisible to readers: they never appear on your book's product page. Their purpose is purely indexation. When a reader types a search term into Amazon's Kindle Store, Amazon checks your backend keyword fields (along with your title, subtitle, series name and description) to determine whether your book is relevant to that search. Fill them well and your book becomes discoverable for dozens of search terms. Leave them blank and you lose one of KDP's most direct discoverability levers. Log in to your KDP dashboard at kdp.amazon.com. From your Bookshelf, click the three-dot menu next to the book you want to update and choose 'Edit book details'. Scroll down to the 'Keywords' section. You will see seven numbered text fields, each labelled 'Keyword' followed by a number. These are the seven keyword boxes. Each accepts plain text up to 50 characters including spaces. If you are setting up a new book, the keyword boxes appear on the second screen of the book setup process, in the 'Book Details' section. KDP also shows a character counter next to each box as you type so you can see exactly how many characters you have used and how many remain. Each box should contain search terms that are relevant to your book but are not already present in your title, subtitle or series name. Repeating terms Amazon has already indexed from your visible listing wastes your limited keyword allowance. Use the seven boxes to cover the remaining high-priority terms from your research: additional genres, sub-genres, tropes, themes, audience signals, settings and comparable author or book terms. You can fit either a single multi-word phrase or two shorter phrases in each box, separated by a space. Amazon indexes the individual words in each box, so 'small town cosy mystery series' (36 characters) gives Amazon five indexable terms from a single box entry. Comma separating is not required and does not improve indexation: use spaces between terms and between separate phrases within the same box. Amazon publishes specific guidelines about what is and is not permitted in KDP keyword fields. Violating these guidelines can result in your book being suppressed from search results or removed from sale. The rules exist to protect the integrity of Amazon's search system and to prevent authors from gaming the indexation of unrelated searches. Knowing what the seven keyword boxes are is the easy part. Knowing what to put in them, and knowing which phrases are actually worth the characters, is where most authors struggle. The three Keyword Hunters tools for book sellers are designed specifically to answer that question.

The 7 KDP keyword boxes are backend search fields hidden from readers. Learn the 50-character limit, what to put in each box and which terms Amazon prohibits.