Getting Into the Right Amazon Categories

The Category Secret Most KDP Authors Don't Know

Most KDP authors don't realise that while the standard KDP dashboard only lets you select 2 categories for your book, you can actually request up to 10 categories by emailing Amazon KDP support directly.

Why does this matter? More categories means more chances to earn an orange #1 Bestseller badge, which appears on your book's Amazon listing and dramatically increases click-through rates from search results. It also means your book appears in more category browse pages — putting it in front of readers who might never have found it otherwise.

Category Finder helps you discover the right categories to request — including ones your competitors have found that you haven't.

How Category Finder Works

1. 1

   Enter what your book is about — a topic, not an ASIN. For example: "homesteading," "sourdough bread," "weight loss for women over 50," "cozy mystery"

2. 2

   Click Find Categories

3. 3

   PublishRank searches Amazon for books on that topic and analyzes which categories the top-ranking books are actually placed in — not guesses, but real category data from real bestsellers in your niche

4. 4

   Results show full category paths (e.g. Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Baking > Breads) with competition data for each

Results are cached, so re-searching the same topic is instant.

Reading Your Results

Each category result shows:

• The full Amazon category path — you'll need this exact text when emailing KDP support
• How many books are in the category — fewer books = easier to rank
• Competition level — based on how strong the top-ranked books are
• Estimated BSR needed to rank in the top positions — gives you a realistic target

Look for sleeper categories — ones where the top-ranked book has a BSR that suggests only moderate sales are needed to claim a top spot. These are your best opportunities for earning a Bestseller badge without needing hundreds of reviews.

How to Apply Your Categories

Here's the exact process to get your new categories live on Amazon:

1. 1

   Pick your best categories

   Choose the top 5–7 categories from your results. You can request up to 10 total, and you can always adjust later.

2. 2

   Email KDP support

   Go to kdp.amazon.com → Help → Contact Us and send a message with:

   Your book's ASIN: B0GJN8NTGB
   
   Please add my book to the following categories:
   1. Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Baking > Breads
   2. Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Cooking by Ingredient > Grains
   3. Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Baking

   Amazon requires the exact full category path. Copy it directly from your Category Finder results.

3. 3

   Wait for confirmation

   Amazon typically processes category requests within 24–72 hours. You'll receive an email confirmation when your categories have been updated.