Once you have caught a reader’s attention with your Book’s cover and your Book’s title, you need to keep them engaged with your Book’s description (often referred to as your product listing).
Your book description is a critical step in your sales funnel and is not just an excerpt from your book.
Your Book Description is a Key Element, in the Sales Funnel of Your Kindle Book. Share on X1. Choosing the Correct Genre
Readers may find your book through a keyword search but they may also search via book genre.
If someone types in “Top Romance books” in the Amazon’s search box, you better ensure that your Romance book is listed in the Romance genre.
Amazon restricts the number of categories that you can list your book under to two separate categories.
There are lots of book categories and sub-categories and with only two to choose from it can be confusing.
One of the easiest ways to choose the correct category for your book, is to check out which categories similar books are listed under on Amazon. List your book under the same categories as your competitors.
Ensure that you are looking at the listing for the Kindle version of your competitor’s books as there are different category options for print copies.
2. Copywriting
If you are a best-selling author (such as Stephen King or J.K. Rowling) you could probably publish your shopping list and not need much advertising but most authors aren’t that lucky.
As we have already mentioned your book description is not just a few lines from your book. This is your chance to sell your book and should be treated the same as any other promotional copywriting.
Some elements to consider:
- Bold Headings: This draws the reader’s attention.
- Bold Sub-headings: This continues to retain the reader’s attention.
- Plenty of White space: This will make the description easier to read on various devices.
- Bullet points and numbering: This will make the description easier to read on various devices.
- A Call to action: At the end of the description you want to emphasize why readers should buy your book.
3. Formatting with Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML)
HTML is one of the computer codes that formats the way text is viewed online.
Unless you use HTML for your Amazon listing, the words will appear as basic unformatted text (this can make it seem bland and unappealing).
Amazon allows you to use certain HTML Tags
If like me you have no computer coding experience, it can seem a little daunting that you’ll have to learn to code.
Fear not as luckily there are (free) online tools that automatically create the code for you.
If you can use a basic word processor to format text, you can work with one of these code generators.
I highly recommend Dave Chesson’s Code Generator over at the Kindlepreneur.com.
Once the code has been created you can cut and paste it straight into the description box for your book on the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) website.
If you also publish a print version of your book on Amazon using Createspace.com, you can paste the exact same code into the description box there. This will mean that your digital and physical listings will both match on Amazon.
Wrapping it all up
The first three steps in your book Sales Funnel are engaging potential readers with:
- Your book Cover.
- Your book title.
- Your book description.
You need to list your book in the right category to ensure help readers find the book.
Your book description is not just a “cut and paste” of some of your book’s content but should be treated as an advertisement with attention to Copywriting.
Formatting the words of your book description with HTML will make it more engaging.
If you can maintain a reader’s engagement, there is more chance that they will purchase your book.