You select 2 categories during KDP publishing. However, you can request additional categories — up to 10 total — by contacting KDP support after your book is live. This is a legitimate strategy many authors use: start with 2 at launch, then request 8 more via the KDP support form once the book is published. Additional categories mean more bestseller lists your book can rank on, more browse sections it appears in, and more organic discovery paths for potential readers.
The #1 position in a low-competition subcategory can be achieved with as few as 1–3 sales per day. This "bestseller" badge increases your click-through rate on Amazon search results and gives the book social proof that drives more conversions. The strategy is to identify subcategories that are relevant to your book but not dominated by high-selling titles. A subcategory where the current #10 book has a main BSR of #200,000 is much easier to rank in than one where #10 is at BSR #5,000.
How do I find the best categories for my book?
Browse Amazon manually in your genre and look at the bestseller lists for subcategories. Check the BSR of the #10 book in each subcategory — lower BSR means higher sales and higher competition. For less competitive subcategories, look for ones where the #10 ranked book has a BSR above #50,000 in the main Kindle Store.
Can I change my categories after publishing?
Yes. You can update your 2 primary categories in your KDP dashboard at any time. To add or change the additional categories (beyond your 2), you need to contact KDP support and request the changes by providing the exact category path. Changes typically take 24–72 hours to reflect on your listing.
Does being in more categories help with A9 search rankings?
Categories primarily affect browse visibility and bestseller list eligibility rather than search ranking directly. However, appearing on a bestseller list drives additional sales velocity, which feeds A9's performance signals. It's an indirect path to improved search ranking.
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