KDP keyword
Also called: 7 keyword slots, KDP keyword slots, backend keywords
Definition
KDP gives every published title 7 keyword slots, each up to 50 characters, used by Amazon search to match queries to books. For coloring books, the slots should hold long-tail buyer queries ("coloring book for adults stress relief animals") not single words. Title, subtitle, and category placement also feed search but the 7 slots are the dedicated backend lever.
What are the 7 KDP keyword slots?
When publishing a title, KDP asks for 7 keyword phrases, each up to 50 characters. Amazon uses these phrases to match customer searches to the book. The slots are not visible on the product page; they are a backend search-indexing surface.
How does Amazon use the 7 slots?
Amazon indexes all 7 slots plus the title, subtitle, author name, and the book's selected categories. Search relevance is computed across all those signals together. The 7 slots are the only surface a publisher fully controls without the title/category visibility tradeoffs.
What goes in each slot for a coloring book?
The strongest pattern is to fill each slot with a distinct long-tail buyer phrase. Examples for an adult mandala book: "mandala coloring book for adults", "stress relief coloring book women", "relaxation gift mandalas", "intricate mandala designs", "coloring book mindfulness", "adult coloring book mandala", "mandala patterns coloring". Avoid repeating words across slots because Amazon de-duplicates.
What words should never go in the 7 slots?
Amazon's official no-fly list includes: the book's own title, author name, ASIN, "free", "bestseller", competitor brand names (Crayola, Faber-Castell), unverifiable subjective claims ("best", "highest quality"), and trademarked terms used as bait. Violations can suppress the book in search or remove it entirely.
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Related terms
Browse path
A browse path is the chain of nested categories a book sits inside on Amazon's storefront, like Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Crafts & Hobbies > Coloring Books for Grown-Ups. KDP titles can be in up to 3 browse paths. The right paths drive both default sort placement and the BSR-by-category badges the book competes for.
A+ Content
A+ Content is a visual-rich block of modules a KDP publisher can add to the product detail page, between the standard description and the customer reviews. For coloring books, A+ Content typically shows sample interior pages, the artist credential, and a "what is inside" overview. It is free, optional, and lifts conversion noticeably.