Amazon KDP is CHANGING - New Algorithm Explained

Summary

In this video, Sean discusses the recent changes in Amazon's algorithm and how past strategies for ranking books are now obsolete. He emphasizes the importance of consistent sales over a longer period, using relevant keywords, and obtaining genuine reviews to improve visibility. Sean also highlights the need to bring external traffic to Amazon and to focus on customer satisfaction to ensure higher rankings. He shares insights from his journey with Amazon KDP and offers advice for publishers to adapt to these changes and succeed.

Takeaways

• 🔍 The Amazon algorithm has evolved, rendering old strategies less effective.
• 🚀 Prior strategies like launching with a burst of sales over a short period are now outdated.
• 📉 Keyword stuffing, once a common practice, is now discouraged and can lead to account suspension.
• 🚫 Fake reviews, which used to boost rankings, are now actively removed by Amazon, and using them can result in penalties.
• 📈 Current successful strategies include maintaining consistent sales over a longer period, such as 30 days, to establish a strong ranking.
• 🔑 Focusing on fewer but more relevant keywords in metadata helps Amazon accurately understand and rank the book's content.
• ✅ Prioritizing genuine, verified reviews enhances credibility and signals to Amazon that the book is of high quality.
• 📊 Improving the rate of reviews per sale indicates customer satisfaction, which positively influences rankings.
• 🌐 Driving external traffic to Amazon through social media or email lists is beneficial as it introduces new customers to the platform.
• 🛡️ Amazon's algorithm updates aim to combat spam and manipulation, emphasizing the importance of quality and customer satisfaction.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script?

The main focus of the video script is to discuss the changes in the Amazon algorithm and how they impact book rankings and sales on Amazon KDP. It also provides strategies to take advantage of these changes to increase sales and rankings.

Why are the old strategies for Amazon KDP becoming ineffective?

The old strategies for Amazon KDP are becoming ineffective because Amazon's algorithm has evolved, making short-term tactics and spammy practices less effective. Amazon is focusing more on long-term, consistent sales and quality content to provide a better customer experience.

What was a common strategy in the past for boosting book sales on Amazon KDP?

A common strategy in the past for boosting book sales was to have a big boost of sales during a short period of launch, usually within 24 to 72 hours, by stacking all possible promotions and getting as many sales and reviews as possible.

Why does keyword stuffing no longer work for Amazon KDP?

Keyword stuffing no longer works because Amazon has become better at identifying irrelevant or spammy keywords, and it can lead to account suspension for metadata manipulation. The focus should be on fewer but more relevant keywords to avoid confusion and improve ranking.

What is the current strategy for getting better rankings on Amazon KDP?

The current strategy for better rankings involves maintaining consistent sales over a longer period, using fewer but more relevant keywords, obtaining real and verified reviews, and bringing in external traffic to Amazon.

How does Amazon's focus on customer experience influence its algorithm changes?

Amazon's focus on customer experience influences its algorithm changes by prioritizing books that have consistent sales, relevant keywords, and real reviews, as these factors indicate that customers are satisfied with the product, leading to a better overall experience.

What is the significance of the first 30 days for a new book on Amazon KDP according to the script?

The first 30 days are considered the critical ranking period for a new book on Amazon KDP. During this time, the focus should be on consistent sales and rankings rather than immediate profitability.

Why is it important to have a high rate of reviews per sale on Amazon KDP?

A high rate of reviews per sale is important because it signals to Amazon that customers are satisfied with the book, which can lead to better rankings. It also helps to build trust and credibility with potential buyers.

What role does external traffic play in the success of a book on Amazon KDP?

External traffic plays a significant role as it brings new customers to Amazon, which Amazon rewards by potentially ranking the book higher. It also serves as a strong signal to the algorithm that the book is in demand.

What is the 'customer-first' publishing approach mentioned in the script?

The 'customer-first' publishing approach is a mindset where publishers prioritize creating high-quality books that customers will enjoy and find valuable. This approach aligns with Amazon's focus on customer satisfaction and can lead to better rankings and sales.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Navigating the Evolving Amazon Algorithm

The video discusses the changes in the Amazon algorithm that have rendered previous strategies ineffective. Sean, the channel host, emphasizes the need to adapt to new strategies to succeed on Amazon KDP. He shares his journey from being broke to becoming a millionaire through Amazon KDP, highlighting the significant shift in the algorithm's ranking process since 2016. The video promises to reveal the latest algorithm changes and how to capitalize on them for increased earnings. Sean critiques old strategies like launching with a burst of sales, keyword stuffing, and obtaining fake reviews, explaining why they no longer work and can even lead to account suspension.

05:00

📈 Strategies for Success in the New Amazon Landscape

This section outlines the new strategies that are effective in the current Amazon algorithm. It suggests focusing on consistent sales over a longer period, such as the first 30 days post-launch, to establish a strong ranking. The video advises against keyword stuffing and recommends targeting one to two main keywords for better visibility and ranking. It also stresses the importance of obtaining verified reviews to signal to Amazon that the book is of high quality and well-received. Additionally, the video encourages publishers to drive external traffic to Amazon to demonstrate the book's appeal to a broader audience, which Amazon rewards with higher rankings.

10:02

🛠️ Prioritizing Quality and Customer Satisfaction

The final paragraph emphasizes the importance of prioritizing customer satisfaction over shortcuts and loopholes. It discusses Amazon's focus on combating spam and manipulation by promoting quality content and authentic customer experiences. The video suggests that publishers should reflect on whether their practices are beneficial to customers or merely convenient for themselves. It argues that high-quality books that customers enjoy will naturally receive better rankings on Amazon. The video concludes by promoting Sean's Amazon KDP program, which offers guidance on producing and marketing high-quality books, and invites viewers to apply for a strategy session to learn more.

Keywords

💡Amazon Algorithm

The Amazon Algorithm refers to the complex set of rules and processes that Amazon uses to rank and display products on its platform. In the context of the video, it's crucial for authors and publishers on Amazon KDP to understand how the algorithm works to optimize their books' visibility and sales. The video discusses how the algorithm has changed over time, affecting strategies for achieving high rankings and sales.

💡BSR (Best Sellers Rank)

BSR stands for Best Sellers Rank, a metric on Amazon that indicates how well a product is selling in a specific category compared to other products in the same category. The video explains that maintaining a low BSR for an extended period is beneficial for ranking a book high in Amazon's search results, which is a shift from the previous strategy of achieving high sales in a short burst.

💡Keyword Stuffing

Keyword stuffing is the practice of overusing keywords in a book's metadata, such as the title, subtitle, and backend keywords, to manipulate search rankings. The video script warns that this practice is not only ineffective but also risky as Amazon may consider it spamming and take action against the publisher's account.

💡Fake Reviews

Fake reviews are reviews that are not genuine, often bought or generated artificially to boost a product's ranking or reputation. The video emphasizes that Amazon has become adept at identifying and removing fake reviews, and publishers should focus on obtaining real, verified reviews to improve their rankings and customer trust.

💡Verified Reviews

Verified reviews are customer reviews that are marked as verified because the reviewer has actually purchased or downloaded the product. The video suggests that focusing on obtaining verified reviews is more beneficial than unverified ones, as they carry more weight in Amazon's algorithm and are a stronger indicator of customer satisfaction.

💡Consistent Sales

Consistent sales refer to a steady flow of sales over an extended period rather than a sudden spike followed by a drop. The video advises that maintaining consistent sales is a new strategy for ranking well on Amazon, as it demonstrates to the algorithm that a book is continuously in demand and appreciated by customers.

💡External Traffic

External traffic means directing customers to Amazon from sources outside of the platform, such as social media or email marketing. The video suggests that driving external traffic to Amazon can improve a book's ranking because it signals to Amazon that the publisher is bringing in new customers, which is viewed positively by the platform.

💡Customer Experience

Customer experience encompasses all interactions a customer has with a product or service, from discovery to purchase and beyond. The video underscores the importance of prioritizing a positive customer experience, as Amazon's algorithm changes are aimed at rewarding publishers who provide high-quality products that satisfy customer needs and expectations.

💡Quality Over Quantity

Quality over quantity is the principle of focusing on creating high-quality products rather than a large number of low-quality ones. The video script argues that publishers should concentrate on producing books that offer real value to readers, as this approach aligns with Amazon's goal of providing the best customer experience and will be rewarded by the platform's algorithm.

💡Customer-First Publishing

Customer-first publishing is an approach where the needs and preferences of the reader are prioritized over the publisher's convenience or quick profit. The video suggests that publishers should always consider whether their actions, such as using AI to generate content or publishing low-content books, would genuinely benefit the customer, as Amazon's algorithm favors those who put the customer first.

Highlights

Amazon's algorithm is evolving, rendering old strategies ineffective.

The video will explain new algorithm changes and how to capitalize on them for increased earnings.

Sean, the channel host, became a millionaire at 26 through Amazon KDP, not through YouTube or course sales.

Amazon KDP's algorithm has changed significantly since 2016, affecting the way books rank on the platform.

Old strategies like launching with a surge of sales over a short period are no longer effective.

Keyword stuffing is now counterproductive and can lead to account suspension.

Amazon has improved its ability to detect and remove fake reviews, making this old tactic obsolete.

New strategies involve maintaining consistent sales over a longer period, such as the first 30 days.

Using fewer but more relevant keywords in metadata is now beneficial for better ranking.

Focusing on obtaining real, verified reviews improves the book's credibility and ranking.

Increasing the rate of reviews per sale signals to Amazon that customers are satisfied with the book.

Bringing external traffic to Amazon through social media or email lists is rewarded by the algorithm.

Amazon's changes aim to combat spam and manipulation, ensuring a better customer experience.

The key to future-proofing in algorithm changes is understanding Amazon's focus on customer satisfaction.

Publishers should adopt a 'customer first' approach, prioritizing quality over shortcuts for long-term success.

Sean offers a program for those interested in learning how to produce and market high-quality books on Amazon KDP.

Transcripts

the Amazon algorithm is changing and the

strategies that worked a few years ago

is quickly becoming ineffective and if

you keep following the same old

strategies and you'll just waste your

time and money so in this video I'll

show you exactly what the new Amazon

algorithm changes are and how you can

take advantage of it so you can make

more money so if you're new to the

channel my name is Sean and I went from

a brok kid to becoming a millionaire at

age 26 from Amazon KDP doing this

business not from making YouTube videos

not from selling courses from actually

doing this business so in this channnel

I just Shar with you what I learned from

my own publishing Journey so I started

Amazon KDP in 2016 and the way the

Amazon algorithm work has completely

changed the process of ranking on page

one on top of your keyword is way

different than back in 2016 so what

exactly is this change well first let's

talk about what worked before what were

the strategies that were taught from

other people and what was working before

so number one thing that was working

before is having a big boost of sales

during a short period of launch so what

people would do is they would get as

many as possible during a very short

period so we're talking 72 hours or less

right usually 24 to 72 hours which is 1

to 3 days they will have a huge launch

period within this period so what they

will do is they will stack all the

promotions that they can in this period

from their email list promo sites as

literally everything right and they will

get as many sales and reviews as

possible they will achieve a very low

bssr telling Amazon that this book is in

demand it's popular and that was enough

to rank the book very high in the

algorithm but unfortunately this doesn't

work now another strategy people often

did was keyword stuffing so they will

put as many keyword as possible in their

title in their subtitle in their seven

backend keywords in their description

literally everywhere in the meta data

now based on these keywords that people

spammed in their books Amazon basically

saw that all right this book is about

this topic because of all these keywords

that are ranking now based on these

keywords that people put in their books

uh Amazon automatically ranked their

books in those keywords so they had a

very high visibility because they were

ranking in a bunch of keywords now once

again this doesn't work and in fact now

if you try to do this if you try to

keyword stuff uh in your title in your

metadata you could actually lose your

account because Amazon considers this as

spamming right they consider this as

metadata manipulation another thing

people did often is getting fake reviews

so getting a ton of fake reviews boosted

the book ranking right because it's

another signal that Amazon looks for uh

besides getting sales but now Amazon is

really really good at deleting fake

reviews they're really good at

identifying what is a fake review what

is a real review so not only does this

strategy not work but once again it's

obviously against the guideline so you

can you know lose your account if you do

this right this is actually a very good

change because for those of us uh who do

things the right way right getting

reviews a legit way it was actually very

hard to compete with people who got a

bunch of fake reviews so back in the

days it was kind of tough competing with

these people but now Amazon is making it

harder for those people you know trying

to do this so now if you're doing things

the legit way you have an an advantage

so those were the strategies that worked

to rank their books on top of page one

and from there obviously once it's

ranked on page one you get a lot more

organic sales and people made money that

way right so that was the whole strategy

but obviously that doesn't work so let's

talk about what works now the first one

is longer period of consistent sales so

instead of getting a big boost of sales

over a very short period like 1 to 3

days that Fizzles out quick right

basically after the 1 to 3 days the

sales just dies because your launch ends

instead of doing that you want to aim

for more consistent sales over a longer

period of time so instead of one three

days launch period you want to kind of

look at your first 30 days as basically

the launch and ranking period so the way

we teach our students in our program is

that the first 30 days is really your

ranking period you want to focus on

ranking from month two you obviously

want to focus on profitability you can

profit from month one a lot of us do it

but you still want to have this mindset

that month one is really for ranking

Okay the reason why is because the

longer you can maintain a low BSR the

stickier it gets on top of page one so

I'll explain more about why Amazon made

these changes uh later in this video but

basically you want to keep Gathering

sales and maintain a low BSR for a

longer period of time which means that

you will have to Market your book more

now compared to before the next thing

that's working right now is having less

but more relevant keywords in your

metadata so instead of keyword stuffing

a bunch of keywords in your title

subtitle description seven backend

keywords you want to aim to try and rank

in one to two main keywords and not a

bunch of irrelevant ones okay what this

does is this helps Amazon understand

your book topic and rank you easier

keyword stuffing actually leads to

confusion because when you put a bunch

of keywords in your title in your

subtitle that's not even related to your

uh book then Amazon would just get

confused on what your book is about

right and they will have a harder time

to rank your book in those keywords a

good example is let's say you have a

book on vegan recipes right vegan

cookbook and you put a bunch of

irrelevant keywords like paleo diet

ketogenic diet uh in your title then

Amazon will not know if your book is

about vegan diet is it about paleo diet

is it about ketogenic diet and instead

of ranking in all those keywords it's

not going to rank you in any because you

created confusion the Amazon algorithm

bot has to know exactly what your book

is about and you do that by

communicating to the algorithm very

clearly what your book is about which is

just really focusing on the main

keywords that you have next one is

obviously getting real reviews so you

want to focus on verified reviews which

means people actually purchase your book

or people actually download your book

and then leave a review yes you can get

unverified reviews uh which means that

people don't have to buy your book and

they can still leave a review but that

has a much lower ranking Factor much

weaker ranking Factor than getting

actual verified reviews so you also want

to focus on improving the rate of

reviews per sale so what I mean by this

is let's say that you get get 100

purchases on your book and you get one

review so your rate of review per sale

is 1% right if you can increase this

right this tells Amazon that customers

actually like the book I do notice a

little bit of connection between my book

that gets a lot of reviews quick

organically and the ranking obviously so

the question is how do you improve the

rate of review per sale well you have to

put yourself in the customer shoes and

think what would make the customers want

to leave a review more obviously if you

ask for it right asking for it in the

book definitely helps but you also just

want to have a good product because if

you actually solve the problems that the

customers are looking for the reason why

they buy books especially non-fiction

books or you know if you're doing low

content medium content you know they're

trying to learn something like or

they're trying to teach their kids

something entertain themsel whatever the

purpose of buying the book is you have

to solve that by actually providing that

in your book right having a good quality

book if you do that the customers are

way more likely to leave a review

because you solve their problem so it

really just comes back to having a high

quality book and the next one is getting

external sales so you want to try and

bring external traffic into Amazon so

what I mean by this is instead of just

relying on organic traffic you know

customers who are already in Amazon if

you can bring customers from outside

Amazon into Amazon like from social

media or running ads outside of Amazon

like Facebook ads Google ads right

Google ads is kind of expensive and I

don't hear a lot of people doing Google

ads but Facebook ads is definitely

something people do also if you have

your own email list that is bringing

people outside of Amazon into Amazon and

Amazon actually loves this because

you're giving them new customers right

getting people into Amazon so Amazon

will reward you for bringing new

customers in and rank your book higher

it's also just a good signal to send to

Amazon so this is the most important

thing that you have to understand and

that is why Amazon is making this change

because if you understand this concept

then you will basically futureproof

yourself in any new algorithm changes

that may happen so the reason why Amazon

is making this change always always

always comes back to just combating Spam

and manipulation because people always

try and find loopholes people always try

and find ways to shortcut the process

right so Amazon is dealing with a flood

of low quality low content books because

the past couple years low content

publishing especially just pumping out

generic journals and planners just blew

up as a business model right so Amazon

had to deal with that a flood of low

content books and now they have to deal

with a flood of lowquality AI books

right and those books are trying to rank

using these short-term tactics and that

was not good because it led to these

books ranking on page one customers

buying it and they do not like it

because it's low quality and they have a

negative experience which they kind of

associated with Amazon Amazon obviously

does not want that so that's why they

are making you as a publisher uh show

consistent sales over a longer period of

time because that is something that a

lot of these spammers lowquality book

spammers cannot do because they don't

have an audience they don't know

marketing right plus by having

consistent sales over a longer period of

time it shows Amazon that customers

actually like the book you know it's not

something that you can really mimic with

short-term loophole tactics right the

next one is relevant keywords in your

book right it's less confusing to the

customer customer is not going to buy a

coloring book thinking it's something

else because you added irrelevant

keywords getting disappointed and having

a bad customer experience you know you

will avoid that by doing this okay also

getting real reviews too because the

customers do not feel tricked you know

by buying a book with a bunch of fake

positive reviews only to discover that

the book sucks so Bottom Line This is

the biggest thing that you have to

understand Amazon does not care about

you okay they don't care about you as a

publisher all they care about is the

customer giving the customer the best

experience they can have okay so what

you do as a publisher should ref reflect

what is best for the customer not what

is easy not what is this you know

shortterm loopholes that you found you

should do what is best for the customer

so everything you do in your business

you should really stop and think is this

good for the customer or is it just you

know easy for me like when I just copy

paste generic AI generated coloring

books you know with a bunch of gray

scale it's not even a coloring page

right is this good for the customer

would customer actually enjoy this or is

it good for me because it's easy I can

just Spam this this right and hopefully

I can make a couple bucks so that's a

thought process you should be having so

this is what I call customer first

publishing always think would the

customer like this if they do then

Amazon will like it too okay if the

customer likes it Amazon will like it

and they will rank your book higher So

based on this do you really think

customers actually enjoy these

Publishers spamming 100 low content

books with the exact same interior but

just changing up the book cover do you

think they will enjoy that probably not

right what about if you spam 100% AI

written crap with very very surface

level information would the customer

enjoy it probably not right what about

publishing grayscale coloring pages that

is impossible to color no they're not

going to enjoy it so publishing low

content books or using AI is not the

issue right I actually use AI myself I

actually enjoy publishing low content

books myself the real issue is the

shortcuts people take the lack of focus

on quality that people have so always

focus on producing high quality books

that people actually enjoy and if you do

so Amazon will reward you for it and if

you want to learn how to actually

produce these high quality books that

gets real Five Star reviews using Ai and

how to actually Market it to make money

then you can check out my Amazon KDP

program in the description below you can

only join by applying in the link below

and we do a free strategy session with

you and if we determine that this is a

good fit for both of us then that's how

you can join so if you want to check it

out the link is in the description below

as well as all the tools and resources

that I recommend for your publishing

business if you enjoyed the video leave

a like subscribe thanks for watching and

I'll see you guys in the next one