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Bay Area Independent Publishers Association

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Keywords in Book Descriptions — How to Make Them Work When Amazon Won’t

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After the wonderfully informative presentation at BAIPA in January by David Kudler and Bob Heyman on the topic of keywords and categories, I then attended an IBPA webinar by Joshua Tallent on the same basic topic. As an audiobook producer who also helps my clients market their audiobooks, I was dismayed to learn that on Amazon and Audible the book descriptions are not included in the metadata scan of search terms. In other words, if I load up my book or audio book description with keywords, it will not help anyone find me within the Amazon world.
That was a shocker, since I have put a lot of energy into making sure my authors have strong keywords in their book descriptions. We learned from David and Bob how to “hack” the keyword fields on Amazon, but with audiobooks we’re not provided with any keyword fields.
I did some further research to validate the bad news re: Amazon, but then did some further research that was cheering. On other audiobook platforms aside from Audible, the book descriptions do get included in the keyword scan process. Hooray!
What does it all mean? On Amazon, use the keyword fields to full advantage. Write your book description to draw in and entice potential buyers to get your book. When posting your audiobook description — even though keywords will not help on Audible — use keywords in your description while also enticing your audience. If you’ve already been doing that, keep on. But know that on Audible your description will not help you in the same way that it will on Google and on other audiobook retailers.

About Becky Parker Geist

An audiobook producer and narrator with 40+ years of experience in the industry, Becky is the CEO of Pro Audio Voices Inc. Typically working with authors and publishers who are challenged in reaching their widest audience, our Pro Audio Voices team provides audiobook production, including complex and unusual projects, and the marketing options including podcasting services to help increase impact.
Committed to leadership, Becky serves as President of BAIPA. She is also a member of NFAA (NonFiction Authors Assn), IBPA, and APA (Audio Publishers Assn)I. She is the author of 6 titles, including The Left Turn: Two Lives Worlds Apart; Audiobook Toolkit for Authors; Selecting a Narrator for Your Audiobook: Insider's Guide to Choosing a Narrator You'll Be Thrilled With!; Game Plan for Educators; and two children's books: Rock-a-Bye Wiship and Grandmother Moon and Other Mother Stories: Book One (co-authored with Vlatka Herzberg). Becky's passion is to help great stories come alive!

Becky Parker Geist (recording/stage name Becky Parker) came to the audiobook world from the acting side of things. After receiving her M.F.A. in Acting, Becky began narrating Talking Books for the Blind through the Library of Congress, narrating over 70 titles in two years, and became one of their most popular narrators and one of only 2 full time narrators. As a professional stage actress, she has toured internationally, regionally and locally.