Guide

Amazon Ads keywords for books

The best keywords describe what your readers search for when they're looking for a book like yours. Here's where to find them and how to use match types.

By Michael Cortez, PPC strategist · Updated November 8, 2026

Where book keywords come from

Genre and subgenre phrases: "epic fantasy", "cozy mystery series", "space opera books".
Tropes and themes: "enemies to lovers", "found family fantasy", "time loop thriller".
Comparable authors and series: readers searching for a writer like you.
Amazon's search box: type a genre phrase and note the suggestions.
Your own search term report: the searches that already convert. This is the best source of all.

Match types

Broad: widest reach. Good for discovery, needs negatives.
Phrase: your words in order inside a longer search.
Exact: the search itself. Best for scaling proven winners with precise bids.

A common structure: discover with auto and broad, then move searches that convert into an exact-match campaign and add them as negative exact in the discovery campaigns so they don't compete. See auto vs manual campaigns.

Product targeting

Instead of keywords, target specific book pages by ASIN. Your ad appears on those pages. Pick books with readers like yours, then judge each target on results.

Keep the list clean

Every keyword brings searches you didn't intend. Review the search term report weekly and add negative keywords for the ones with clicks and no readers, but check page reads first so you don't cut Kindle Unlimited winners. The analyzer sorts this out for you.

Run your own report through the Kindle Author Ads Analyzer

Free, runs in your browser, no signup. See which terms to negate, which bids to move and which keywords pay across the series.

Analyze my report

Questions

How many keywords should a book ad have?

There's no magic number. A focused set of relevant keywords beats hundreds of loose ones. Let your search term report tell you which searches convert, then add those as exact keywords.

Can I target other authors' names?

Many authors do, targeting readers of comparable authors. Choose authors whose readers would genuinely enjoy your book; relevance drives both clicks and conversions.

What's the difference between broad, phrase and exact match?

Broad matches searches containing your words in any order, plus related terms. Phrase matches searches containing your words in order. Exact matches the search itself (with close variants like plurals).

Do I need a paid keyword tool?

No. The search term report from your own ads is the best keyword source there is, because it shows real searches that led to clicks and sales.