Non-fiction fails differently from fiction. Fiction metadata usually fails by being vague; non-fiction metadata usually fails by promising an outcome any book in the category could promise.
Here is the same business and productivity title before and after.
Before and after
Before — poor metadata
- Title
- Getting Things Done Better
- Subtitle
- A Guide to Productivity
- Categories
- Business & Money › Business Culture › General; Self-Help › Personal Transformation
- Keywords
- productivity, getting things done, business, success, goals, motivation
- Description
- Are you tired of being unproductive? Do you want to get more done in less time? This book will teach you the secrets of highly productive people.
After — optimised metadata
- Title
- The 4-Hour Workweek Myth
- Subtitle
- Why Most Productivity Advice Fails and the 3-System Solution That Actually Works
- Categories
- Business & Money › Skills › Time Management; Business › Entrepreneurship
- Keywords
- time management system, productivity for entrepreneurs, deep work, focus techniques, small business efficiency
- Description
- The productivity industry sold you a lie. After analysing 200+ successful entrepreneurs, productivity consultant Marcus Chen discovered that 89% of popular productivity advice makes you less efficient. The solution: three interconnected systems designed for business owners, not corporate employees.
The 7-Step Optimisation Framework
Run this on your own book, in order. Each step feeds the next, and step 7 is assembly — do not start there.
Optimise your own metadata
Seven steps1
Audience Promise Analysis
Who exactly is this for, and what do they type into a search box?
- Your target reader, and their single biggest problem
- The words they use to describe it — not the words you use
- Competing books they have already bought
2
Comparable Titles Research
- Five to ten successful books in your category
- For each: category rank, review count, price
- Note specifically what works in their metadata
3
Category Target Selection
- Primary and secondary categories where the top 100 is realistically reachable
- Check the current #100 book's review count — that is the bar you must clear
4
Keyword Phrase Development
- Two or three primary terms plus four or five long-tail phrases
- Build them from Amazon autocomplete and competitor analysis
- Validate every phrase before committing to it
5
Blurb Hook Development
- Fiction: protagonist → inciting incident → conflict → stakes
- Non-fiction: contrarian claim → credibility → problem → solution → outcomes
6
Title and Subtitle Optimisation
- Test three to five title options
- The subtitle must add keywords and clarify the benefit
- Check for existing conflicts on Amazon before committing
7
Final Metadata Assembly
- Compile every element
- Run it through the Priority Stack: cover → blurb → title → categories → keywords
- Enter it on the platform, then schedule a 30-day review
Related
Publishing Course