For authors in KDP title setup
KDP Keyword Generator for All Seven Boxes
Seven KDP keyword phrases from your book description, each worded the way a reader searches, within 50 characters and clear of words KDP rules out.
Free to start. No card needed.
How to choose your seven KDP keywords yourself
Settle your title, subtitle and categories before you write a single keyword. KDP calls titles the most frequently used search attribute1. It also lists words already in your title, contributors or categories2 among keywords to avoid, so each box should say something new. Your keywords and up to three categories together tell Amazon where to shelve your book3. When no category fits your niche, KDP suggests letting keywords do that work.
Then brainstorm the way a shopper searches. KDP names five useful types: setting (Colonial America), character types (single dad), character roles (strong female lead), plot themes (coming of age) and story tone (feel-good). Give each idea its own box, and choose specific words over general ones. KDP recommends phrases of two to three words1, in the order people type them: shoppers search for military science fiction, but probably not fiction science military2. Leave out quotation marks: KDP explains that a quoted "complex suspenseful whodunit" reaches only shoppers who type all three words.
KDP's list of keywords to avoid2 rules out misspellings and plural or spacing variants of words you've used. It also covers quality claims like "best novel ever", time-sensitive words like "new" or "on sale", and the word "book". Brands you don't own and Amazon program names such as Kindle+ or KDP Select are out too. So are other authors' names: KDP has a zero tolerance policy for metadata meant to mislead. Before you publish, search Amazon for each phrase and read the drop-down suggestions. If the results look irrelevant, change the phrase.
How it works
How River fills your seven KDP keyword boxes
Start with your book description, plus your title, subtitle and categories if you have them. No description yet? Drop in the manuscript instead. River reads for the things readers search by: the setting, the kinds of characters and the roles they play, the themes, the tone and the subgenre. It takes only those facts from a manuscript and never copies it into your doc. If you skip your categories, River infers two or three likely ones and keeps their words out of the boxes.
You get one doc with your seven boxes in a table. Each box holds one lowercase phrase of two to four words, in the order a reader would type it. Each also shows its count, like 27/50, and a note on what it reflects, such as setting or story tone. No word repeats across boxes, and none is a plural or spelling variant of another. Under the table, River lists the words it left out on purpose, such as your title's words or another author's name, with the reason for each.
River never claims search volumes, rankings or sales effects, and it never borrows a popular genre term your book doesn't fit. Romance and dark themes are described by trope and tone, never by explicit acts. If your description is too thin for seven honest boxes, River fills only the boxes your book supports and says which type is missing. To write or sharpen the description first, use the book blurb and Amazon description generator, or build the whole listing with Publish a Book on Amazon.
How it works
From description to seven boxes
Paste your description
Paste your book description with its title and categories, or drop in the manuscript if you have no description yet.
River maps your book
It finds your setting, character types and roles, themes and tone: the keyword types KDP calls useful.
Get seven boxes
Seven counted phrases land in one doc, each with what it reflects, plus a list of words left out.
Paste into KDP
Paste one phrase per box in your book's details on your Bookshelf, or ask River for alternates.
Keywords · The Sugarhouse Verdict
- Box 1vermont amateur sleuth22/50
- Box 2retired librarian detective27/50
- Box 3maple festival murder21/50
- Box 4clean read no swearing22/50
What you'll get
Seven KDP keyword boxes, each counted and checked against the rules
- Seven short keyword phrases, ready to paste into KDP
- A character count for every box, like 31/50
- A list of words left out, and why
Before and after
Your description in. Seven boxes out.
The Sugarhouse Verdict. When the judge of the Halden Maple Festival is found face down in a sugaring vat, the village blames the newcomer who beat him in last year's contest. Retired school librarian Agnes Pike knows better. Armed with forty years of overdue-book detective work, a nosy tabby named Dewey, and the best gossip network in Vermont, Agnes starts asking the questions the state police won't. But every family in Halden has a secret buried under the snow. A clean, cozy whodunit with no swearing and no gore. Perfect for fans of Agatha Christie.
1. vermont amateur sleuth (22/50) 2. retired librarian detective (27/50) 3. maple festival murder (21/50) 4. clean read no swearing (22/50) 5. small village family secrets (28/50) 6. older heroine with cat (22/50) 7. fair play whodunit puzzle (25/50) Left out on purpose: sugarhouse and verdict are in your title. Cozy and mystery are in your likely categories. Agatha Christie is out because KDP prohibits other authors' names.
Every box adds something your title and categories don't already say.
What lands in your doc
What lands in your keyword doc
- Seven numbered boxes in one table, each a plain lowercase phrase of two to four words
- A character count beside every phrase, like 27/50, kept within the 50 characters a box takes
- A note on what each box reflects, such as setting, character role or story tone
- A left-out list of words skipped for your title, categories or KDP's rules, each with its reason
- Two or three likely categories named for you when you haven't chosen yours, with their words kept out
- KDP's own search-bar test for every phrase, plus a reminder to match keywords across formats
Questions authors ask
Common questions
What are KDP keywords?
KDP keywords are up to seven words or short phrases you add to each format of your book, so shoppers can find it in Amazon search. Good ones describe what readers look for, such as a setting, a character type or a tone. KDP says relevant keywords can boost your placement in search results, along with factors like sales history and Best Sellers Rank2.
How many characters fit in each KDP keyword box?
Each box holds 50 characters, counting letters, spaces and punctuation, according to Kindlepreneur's guide to the seven boxes4. KDP's help page only says to watch the limit. Filling all 50 is optional. Kindlepreneur founder Dave Chesson, who sells the Publisher Rocket keyword tool, tested about 120 books. Fuller boxes got books listed for more searches, but specific phrases ranked higher at first, so he suggests mixing both.
Can I use another author's name or a famous book as a keyword?
No. KDP's metadata guidelines1 prohibit keywords that refer to other authors or to books by other authors, and KDP says it does not tolerate keywords that mislead or manipulate customers. To reach fans of a similar writer, describe what your books share instead, such as the subgenre, the setting or the kind of hero. If your description names another author, River lists the name under left out.
Can I change my KDP keywords after publishing?
Yes. KDP says you can change keywords and descriptions as often as you like2: open Edit book details from your Bookshelf, update the Keywords section and publish again. Its timelines page5 estimates 72 hours for keyword updates to a published eBook to appear. If your book has several formats, KDP advises keeping keywords consistent across them.
How do I fill my KDP keywords with River?
Paste your book description into the box at the top of this page, with your title and categories if you have them, or drop in the manuscript. River reads it for setting, characters, themes and tone. Then it writes seven counted phrases into a doc in your free River workspace, with a note on each box and a list of what it left out.
Does the KDP keyword generator show search volume?
No. River doesn't see Amazon's search data, so it never estimates how often a phrase is searched or where your book would rank. It keeps every phrase true to your book instead, since KDP warns that inaccurate keywords can lead to confusing search results1. Try each phrase in Amazon's search bar before you publish, and ask River for five alternates if one pulls up the wrong books.
Is the KDP keyword generator free?
Yes, it is free to start, with no card needed. Your keyword doc opens in a River workspace, where you can edit it, share it or ask River to change it. Paid plans add more AI use and access to the most advanced models.
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