Alphabet Soup Technique for Finding Keywords (Zon)

Finding Keywords for Your Books/Adverts

The Alphabet Soup technique is a free method that uses Amazon’s own search bar to find relevant keywords. So if someone wanted to find your book (you had just written) about cats or electric cars – they would go to Google and ask the question – ‘show me a book about cats (or cars.)’  But what is this mysterious keyword concept? I never grasped the importance of keywords for many years hence – this post. I hope it helps those of you who have just started your author journey.

What is a keyword?

Keywords are words or phrases that pull in the right topics from the internet when put in a search engine. They are the terms used to describe a subject in everyday language. When searching online (90% of searches are in Google) or in databases, keywords find the best articles or information on that subject. The more specific the question the better the results will be.

Example:

If you were researching ‘cats,’ and put that in the (Google) search box, the list of results would be endless – some useful and some totally irrelevant like ‘catamaran’ or ‘cat fish’ or ‘cat o’ nine tails.’ Therefore most people put more words in the search box to drill down, such as ‘Siamese cats eye colour’ or ‘cat book written by Jane Coombs.’ I haven’t written one, just so you know but someone with my name might have! Because the web has tons of information to select from.

In search engine optimisation (SEO), choosing the right keywords helps your book (and website) come closer to the number one spot in search results and thus attracts more traffic and more sales.

Research tells us that few people go further than the first page of Google results getting the right keywords in your advertisements for your books and on your website is extremely important.

Taking that a step further, you can search for keywords that successful authors use and ‘borrow’ them to sell your own books. How can you tell what they might be?

Which is where this technique comes into play…

How to ‘Alphabet Soup’ (verb) for Keywords on Amazon

• Go to the Amazon search bar.
• Make sure the category is set to “Books” or “Kindle Store” if you want category-specific suggestions
• Start typing a keyword related to your book’s genre or topic. For example, if you have a fantasy novel, you might start with “fantasy books about…”
• As you type, Amazon tries to guess your phrase and autocomplete suggestions appear. These are actual search terms that Amazon users are typing. Note down the keywords relevant to your book.
• Expand your search by adding letters of the alphabet after your initial phrase, one by one. For instance, after “fantasy books about”, try “fantasy books about a”, “fantasy books about b”, “fantasy books about c”, and so on. This “alphabet soup” technique can reveal a wider range of long-tail keywords (longer, more specific phrases.)
• Also try using variations like:
  • Starting with different broad keywords related to your book
  • Using question words like who, what, where, when, why, how before your initial keyword.
  • Adding modifiers like best, top, new, for beginners, for adults, young adult.

Step by Step Example of the Alphabet Soup Technique

You are writing a mystery novel set in London:

1. Start with: “mystery books” – note suggestions like “mystery books bestsellers”, “mystery books for women”, “mystery books with strong female leads”.
2. Then try: “mystery books a”, “mystery books b”, “mystery books c” – you might see “mystery books about a detective”, “mystery books based in Cornwall”, “mystery books cosy”.
3. Also try: “who dunnit books”, “best mystery books”, “mystery books London”.

Analysing Competitors Keywords

1. Search for books similar to yours on Amazon.
2. Examine their titles, subtitles, and descriptions. Note down the keywords they are using.
3. Look at the “Customers who bought this also bought” and “Related searches” sections on their product pages for more keyword ideas.

Using Amazon Keyword Research Tools:

While some tools come with a cost, they can provide valuable insights into search volume, competition, and related keywords. Some popular options include: When you upload your book to Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), you have seven keyword slots. Use the research methods above to fill these with the most relevant and effective keywords for your book. Think like a reader and consider what terms they would use to find a book like yours.

Final Advice for Keyword Use

• Relevance: The keywords should accurately describe your book’s content, genre, themes, characters, and setting
• Search Volume: Aim for keywords that people are actually searching for on Amazon.
• Competition: Consider the competition for specific keywords. Highly competitive keywords might be harder to rank for, especially for new authors.
• Look for a balance between search volume and manageable competition.
• Long-Tail Keywords: These longer, more specific phrases often have lower competition and can attract highly targeted readers.

Further Information

• Search Engine Optimisation for Beginners (with free worksheet)
• While some tools come with a cost, they can provide valuable insights into search volume, competition, and related keywords. Some popular options include:
  • Jungle Scout: Provides a Keyword Scout tool to find high-volume, low-competition keywords.
  • Publisher Rocket: Specifically designed for authors to find profitable keywords and analyse categories. I use this a lot.
  • SellerApp: Offers a free Amazon Keyword Search tool and other features for keyword research.
  • Helium 10: Offers various tools, including Magnet (keyword research) and Cerebro (reverse product code lookup) to see what keywords your competitors rank for.

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