in Publishing
Keywords that match how readers search
Search keywords are one of the few pieces of metadata a publisher writes freely. They work best when they sound like a reader, not like a catalogue.
Most online bookshops let the publisher supply a short set of keywords with each title. These words are not usually shown to readers. They sit behind the listing and help the retailer's search decide when to show the book.
Of all the metadata attached to a book, keywords are the most open-ended. That freedom is useful, and it is also where many listings waste their chance.
What keywords are for
Search on a retail site matches what a reader types against what the retailer knows about each product. The title, subtitle, author name, description and subject categories all contribute. Keywords fill in what those fields miss.
The title of a novel, for instance, may say nothing about its genre, setting or tone. A reader looking for a slow-burning mystery set on a Scottish island will not type your title, because they do not know it yet. They will type something close to what they want. Keywords are how the book gets a chance to appear for that search.
Thinking like the reader
The most useful exercise is to imagine the phrases a reader would type if they wanted exactly this book but did not know it existed. Those phrases tend to fall into a few kinds.
Setting and period: a place, a landscape, a time. Character: the kind of protagonist, their occupation or situation. Theme and subject: what the book is about beneath the plot. Tone and mood: cosy, bleak, funny, unsettling. Form and conventions: the tropes and structures readers of a genre actively seek.
For non-fiction, the reader's problem or question is often the best source. People search for what they want to learn or solve, not for the name of a discipline.
Write phrases, not only single words. Readers increasingly type several words together, and a phrase that matches their wording is more likely to connect than a list of single terms.
What to leave out
Do not repeat words already in the title, subtitle or author name. The retailer already knows them, and repeating them uses space that could carry new information.
Do not use other authors' names, other books' titles or trademarks. Retailers generally prohibit this, and it can lead to a listing being suppressed. It also misleads readers, which is a poor way to meet them.
Avoid claims such as bestseller or award-winning unless they are true, and even then they belong in the description rather than the keywords. Retailers tend to restrict subjective or promotional terms.
Avoid words that describe the book inaccurately in the hope of catching more traffic. A reader who finds the wrong book leaves, and some search systems pay attention to whether people who see a book go on to engage with it.
Checking and revising
After publication, try the searches yourself. Type the phrases you chose into the retailer's search box and see what appears. If the results are dominated by books very different from yours, the phrase may be too broad or pointing in the wrong direction.
Look at the autocomplete suggestions that appear as you type. They give a rough sense of how other people phrase similar searches, which can suggest better wording.
Keywords can usually be changed after publication, and it is worth revisiting them now and then. Changes can take some time to take effect, so revise with a clear reason and allow time to see what happens.
The aim is modest and specific: when someone describes the book they want in their own words, yours should be among the answers.