Spotlight: The Amazon Author Formula Workbook by Penny C. Sansevieri
/
Many authors pour everything into writing the book—only to be stumped by what comes next.
Penny Sansevieri’s The Amazon Author Formula Workbook bridges that gap. This interactive companion to her bestselling guide offers structured, expert-driven support for building a sustainable Amazon strategy. With over a dozen worksheets and checklists, the workbook covers keyword research, pricing analysis, launch planning, ARC review tracking, retail page audits, and Amazon Ads—each step designed to help you take control of your visibility and sales. Authors can download all worksheets using a free access code provided in the book. With its guided format and strategic insights, the workbook empowers authors to stop guessing and start executing.
Excerpt
Understanding Amazon’s Ecosystem
Amazon is more than just the world’s largest online bookstore—it’s a complex ecosystem that, when understood and navigated correctly, can propel significant success for your books. In this chapter, we’ll dive into the core mechanics of how Amazon works for authors, from category rankings and algorithms to mastering keywords and metadata. Understanding these elements is the foundation for getting your book seen by the right readers.
Key Concepts
Amazon's Algorithms and How They Work
Amazon uses algorithms to determine which books get the most visibility. These algorithms consider factors like sales velocity, reviews, and engagement. The better you understand how these factors play into your book’s success, the more you can take advantage of them.
2. Keyword Optimization
Keywords are essential for helping readers find your book. When people search for a topic, Amazon pulls up books based on the relevance of the keywords entered. Your book needs to be optimized with the right keywords that align with the subject your target readers are searching for.
3. Categories and Subcategories
Choosing the right categories can significantly impact your book’s visibility and its chances of becoming a bestseller within that category. By selecting both broad and niche categories, you can increase the likelihood of your book ranking high and staying visible for longer periods.
4. The Power of Bestseller and Hot New Release Lists
Appearing on Amazon’s bestseller lists, or hot new release lists is a great way to increase your book’s visibility. But reaching these lists isn’t just about luck—it’s about strategically positioning your book through timing, keywords, and initial sales pushes.
But before we dig into all of this, let’s find your perfect target reader.
Who Are Your Target Readers?
What do you think are your correct keywords? Chances are, whatever you said may be wrong. The reality is that authors often perceive their book differently than they should. It’s not because they’ve misunderstood who their reader is, but they often assume their reader base is much larger than it is. This is in no way a bad thing. However, it’s all about zeroing in on who your reader is. In other words, who would naturally gravitate to your book vs. who may stumble upon it accidentally and be intrigued? This latter group of readers is not your target. Let me explain.
Let’s say you’ve written a young adult book. It’s an adventure story with some fantasy elements and you say, “Well, my book is not that dissimilar from the Harry Potter series, so clearly my target audience is very wide: young adults, and adults of all ages.”
Harry Potter did well across a variety of age groups; that’s a true statement. But it didn’t start out that way. The publisher started out by focusing on the core reader group and expanded out from there.
Before you can dive headlong into finding great keywords, you need to identify your readers. What similar books do they read? How will your book help them, etc.
Finding the Best Categories for Your Book
Putting your book in the wrong category is akin to shelving your book in the wrong place at a bookstore or library. You want to go where your readers are, which means being laser focused on which “shelf” your book should be on.
There are two types of categories; the first are the standard industry categories, also referred to as BISAC (Book Industry Standards and Communications). The second are the Amazon Kindle categories. You’ll want to review my book to help better understand this process, as well!
Generally, I recommend applying your Kindle book to these very Amazon-specific categories. Why? Because they’re unique, underused, and a great way to gain more visibility for your book.
About the Author
Sansevieri is one of publishing’s most respected voices in book marketing. Through her company Author Marketing Experts, she’s led campaigns that landed books on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. Her no-nonsense approach, combined with a deep understanding of what makes readers (and algorithms) respond, has helped thousands of authors launch and grow their publishing careers. She continues to lead the conversation around effective marketing through her podcast and workshops.
