Fix higher-priority elements before optimising lower ones. A perfect keyword strategy cannot save a bad cover, and the numbers below are why: the cover carries twelve times the weight of the blurb hook and thirty times the weight of your keywords.
Fix in this order
Share of the purchase decision- 01
Cover
Genre signalling at thumbnail size. This is the whole first impression, made at about 200 pixels wide.
60% - 02
Blurb hook
The first two sentences decide the click-through. Nothing below them is read if they fail.
30% - 03
Title and subtitle
Searchability plus genre clarity. The subtitle is where non-fiction earns its keywords.
5% - 04
Categories
Whether you can rank at all in a specific niche.
3% - 05
Keywords
Long-tail discoverability from search. Real, but small — and worthless if 1 through 4 are broken.
2%
The Description Formulas
Both formulas are slot-by-slot. Write each slot separately, in order, then join them — the failure mode is writing a paragraph and hoping the parts are in there somewhere.
Description formula — fiction
In this order- HOOKOne compelling sentence — stakes and intrigue, nothing else
- SETUPTwo or three sentences: character, situation
- CONFLICTWhat goes wrong? What choice must be made?
- STAKESWhat happens if the protagonist fails?
- CTAInvitation plus genre promise
- COMPS"Perfect for fans of ..." — name real, current authors or books
Description formula — non-fiction
In this order- PROBLEMWhat challenge does your reader face?
- PROOFCredentials, research, results
- SOLUTIONYour unique approach plus specific benefits
- BENEFITSConcrete outcomes — be specific
- CONTENTSWhat is inside, as bullet points
- CTAOne clear next step
Keywords — What Not to Do
Keyword mistakes
- Avoid: Single words instead of the search phrases readers actually type
- Avoid: Choosing keywords you cannot realistically rank for
- Avoid: Going too broad — categories where you will never reach the top 100
See Before & After: What Good Metadata Looks Like for the same book's metadata written badly and then well, field by field.