# KDP keywords and categories: 7 keywords, 3 categories

> How many keywords and categories can I choose on KDP, and which keywords are prohibited?

KDP lets you enter up to seven keywords or short phrases and choose 3 categories per book. Keywords must not reference other authors or their books, sales rank, promotions such as "free", brands you are not authorized to use, Amazon program names like Kindle+ or KDP Select, or anything unrelated to the book. New categories can take up to 72 hours to show.

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Keyword slots | Up to 7 keywords or short phrases |
| Recommended keyword length | Phrases of 2-3 words |
| Categories per book | 3 |
| Category update time | Up to 72 hours |
| Required before choosing categories | Primary marketplace and the sexually explicit content question |
| Keyword changes | Allowed as often as you like |

## Keywords

The Keywords section takes up to seven keywords or short phrases; Amazon tells you to watch the character limit in the text field. Amazon recommends phrases of 2-3 words in logical order ("military science fiction", not "fiction science military") and suggests testing them in Amazon search before publishing. Useful types include setting, character types and roles, plot themes and story tone.

## Prohibited and wasted keywords

Amazon prohibits keywords that mislead, including references to other authors, books by other authors, sales rank ("bestselling"), promotions ("free"), anything unrelated to the content, and HTML tags. It also lists keywords to avoid: subjective claims ("best novel ever"), time-sensitive words ("new", "on sale"), generic words like "book", misspellings, spacing and plural variants, brands you are not authorized to use, quotation marks, and Amazon program names such as Kindle+ or KDP Select. KDP says it has zero tolerance for metadata meant to advertise, promote or mislead.

## Categories

You can select 3 categories when creating a book. First set the primary marketplace and answer the sexually explicit images or title question, because the list depends on them. Categories differ by format and marketplace, so pick for your primary marketplace. Placements can take up to 72 hours to appear.

## Worked example

A cozy mystery set in a Cornish village might use keywords such as "cozy village mystery", "amateur sleuth baker" and "Cornwall small town", rather than "mystery book" (generic and repeats the category) or "like Agatha Christie" (another author).

## Common mistakes

- Choosing popular but unrelated categories. Amazon reviews category changes and does not tolerate categorization that misleads readers.
- For low-content books, not ticking the Low-content category box, which gets the book rejected.

Amazon changes these rules; the linked KDP help pages are the authority.

## FAQ

**Should I put quotation marks around keyword phrases?**

No. Amazon says quoted phrases only match shoppers who type every word, so enter the words without quotes.

**Should I repeat words from my title or categories in keywords?**

No. Amazon lists information already in your metadata, such as title, contributors and words in your categories, as keywords to avoid.

**Can KDP change my categories?**

Yes. Amazon can remove or change categories that don't match the book's content, and reserves the right to change a book's categories at any time.

**Can I get a children's category for a book flagged as sexually explicit?**

No. Answering Yes to the sexually explicit images or title question makes the book ineligible for Children's categories.

## Sources

- https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201298500
- https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200652170
- https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201097560

Last checked: 2026-11-09. Page: https://kdp123.com/facts/keywords-and-categories/. Data: CC BY 4.0, kdp123.com.