# Kadaxis - Full Site Text

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Canonical site: https://kadaxis.com
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## Metadata intelligence for publishers
URL: https://kadaxis.com/
Type: current_page
Description: Kadaxis works with publishers on keyword research, metadata strategy, and retailer search visibility.
Kadaxis helps publishers improve book discovery by matching catalogue metadata to the language readers use in retailer search. Fifteen years. More than thirty-five publishing houses. Hundreds of thousands of titles.
## Work
URL: https://kadaxis.com/work
Type: current_page
Description: Kadaxis has worked with major trade publishers, large independents, and specialty presses on metadata and search visibility.
The publisher roster spans the Big Five, large independents, and category-defining specialty presses. Engagements cover keyword research, metadata strategy, and search visibility for individual titles, full lists, and imprints.
## Approach
URL: https://kadaxis.com/approach
Type: current_page
Description: How Kadaxis works with publishers on retailer search, reader-side keyword research, metadata recommendations, and review.
Kadaxis works on the gap between catalogue language and reader search language. The approach starts with how readers actually search, maps that language to the book, and turns the work into practical metadata recommendations.
## Notes from the Field
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes
Type: current_page
Description: Current and archived Kadaxis writing on metadata, keywords, retailer search, and publishing discovery.
Notes from the Field collects current Kadaxis writing and selected archive pieces about metadata, keywords, retailer search, and publishing discovery.
## Contact
URL: https://kadaxis.com/contact
Type: current_page
Description: Begin a conversation with Kadaxis about publisher metadata work and retailer search visibility.
Use the contact form to speak with Kadaxis about metadata work, keyword research, and retailer search visibility.
## Privacy Policy
URL: https://kadaxis.com/privacy
Type: current_page
Description: Kadaxis privacy policy for contact forms, newsletter subscriptions, hosting logs, and privacy rights.
Kadaxis collects information submitted through the contact form and newsletter signup, along with basic hosting and security logs needed to operate the site.
## Search
URL: https://kadaxis.com/search
Type: current_page
Description: Search Kadaxis pages, blog posts, and archive resources.
Search Kadaxis pages, notes, blog posts, and archive resources.
## Keywords
URL: https://kadaxis.com/keywords
Type: page
Description: Kadaxis uses data science to improve book discovery across the publishing value chain. Our flagship Keyword Analysis product improves the visibility of books in retailer search.
Kadaxis uses data science to improve book discovery across the publishing value chain. Our flagship Keyword Analysis product improves the visibility of books in retailer search.
## BookFrontier Review: A Discovery Engine Built on Lanes, Overlaps, and Context
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2026/3/10/bookfrontier-review-a-discovery-engine-built-on-lanes-overlaps-and-context
Type: blog_post
Description: Most book sites treat discovery like a filing problem. BookFrontier is built around a different idea: that finding a book is an intellectual act, not a transaction. With lane-based
Published: 2026-03-11T02:06:42.386Z
Updated: 2026-03-11T02:08:32.063Z
I spend too much time on book sites, and most of them work the same way. You type something into a search bar, you get a list sorted by popularity or recency, and somewhere off to the side there's a "you might also like" module that seems to think everyone who bought one business book wants six more. BookFrontier is built differently, and the difference is obvious within about thirty seconds of poking around. The site is organized around reasons you might be looking for a book: topics, lists, pairings, headline bridges, shelf groups. Each one assumes a different kind of curiosity. BookFrontier's own pitch is that it connects what's happening in the world to the books that make it make sense, and the site actually delivers on that in a way I didn't expect. The book pages are where the thinking is most visible. Take something like "Refactoring". On a normal book site, that title gets a category label, a star rating, and some jacket copy. On BookFrontier, you get a reading lane, a theme, "Who It's For," affinity scores across neighboring lanes, publisher categories, similar books, and related lists. "The Atomic Human" and "Smart Women Finish Rich" get the same treatment, each one mapped across several adjacent conceptual territories instead of pinned to one shelf. I kept opening different books just to see how the mapping changed. It's a small thing that reveals a big design choice: BookFrontier assumes you don't think in single categories. You think in terms of fit, neighboring interests, what you'd want to read next. The interface is built for that. Some of the topic pages go further and define what they mean by the topic, which is a move I haven't seen elsewhere. The History page says "history" here means research-grounded nonfiction with narrative ambition and evidentiary seriousness. Historical fiction doesn't count. Low-evidence presentist argument doesn't count. That turns the topic page from a loose tag into an editorial commitment. You know what's been excluded and why, which makes what's included more trustworthy. The site organizes 400+ active lists into shelf groups: The Shelves, Deep Dives, Reading Pathways, Between the Shelves, How It's Told, Books For When, and The Conversation. Each group corresponds to a different discovery problem. Sometimes you want a familiar aisle. Sometimes you want depth. Sometimes you want sequenced learning, or a crossover, or a book that fits a specific life moment, or a way into something the culture is already arguing about. The homepage reinforces this by offering different starting points (topic, headline, list) instead of treating discovery as one thing. That structural variety is doing real work. I found myself entering the site through a different door almost every time, which is something I can't say about Amazon or Goodreads or any of the usual suspects. The methodology page is worth reading on its own, which is a sentence I never thought I'd write about a book site. BookFrontier says it builds pages from publisher metadata, public interest signals, text fields, and human editorial checks. Every list starts with an editorial question. Books get ranked by fit to that question, and titles that only show up because of taxonomy noise get filtered out before editorial review. On live list pages, you can see this philosophy in the details: optimization labels, refresh dates, short rationale language attached to individual picks. The system is showing its reasoning, which is the kind of thing that sounds boring until you realize how much of book recommendation runs on hidden logic you're just supposed to accept. The affinity model is the most interesting piece and the thing that separates BookFrontier from almost everything else I've used. At the book level, affinity shows up as explicit lane percentages. At the list level, Reader Pairings tracks how audiences actually move across lists. The site says pairings come from lists that share real readers, not just category labels, and it publishes the evidence: shared books, shared top picks, top-pick overlap, reader-overlap metrics. The current numbers are 380 tracked lists and 1,949 tracked pairings. What I like about this is that it separates two things most recommendation systems smash together. A book can be conceptually similar to another book (same topic, same lane) without sharing an audience, and two books can share an audience without being about the same thing at all. BookFrontier tracks both relationships and keeps them visible. The pairing between Anthology and Short-Form Fiction and Mystery & Detective Collections & Anthologies is the clearest example of how this works in practice. The site shows 39 shared books, 6 shared top picks, 33% top-pick overlap, and 72% reader overlap. Then it does two things with that data. It builds a literal shared shelf of the overlapping books, and it publishes a crossover essay explaining why the overlap is coherent. That second move is the one that matters. It converts similarity from a score into an argument. You can read it, disagree with it, follow it, or ignore it. Most recommendation systems never give you that option because the reasoning stays locked inside the algorithm. BookFrontier also does a good job of connecting books to the news cycle without turning them into trend accessories. The After the Headlines section publishes short, time-stamped pieces that take a current event or entertainment moment and trace it into one deeper book. The current archive covers Havana Syndrome, Chalamet and ballet, the World Baseball Classic, Iran, *The Night Agent*, the Warriors without Curry, and tariffs, with filters by month and topic. Alongside that, The Conversation groups slower-moving lists around broader subjects the culture is already chewing on: public reputation, governance, injury prevention, tactical analysis. So you get two speeds. Fast editorial bridges for the headline cycle and slower thematic shelves for the stuff that's been simmering. Books are slow objects. Attention moves fast. That tension kills most attempts to make books feel current, and BookFrontier's two-speed approach is one of the better solutions I've seen. The Chalamet piece is a good example of the editorial voice at work. When Chalamet told a UT Austin audience that ballet and opera are art forms nobody cares about, the internet spent a week correcting his facts. BookFrontier did something different. Instead of pairing the moment with a generic arts title, it reframed the question as one of cultural authority and connected it to A. O. Scott's *Better Living Through Criticism*. The argument is that Scott's book helps you see why an offhand celebrity remark can carry more weight than decades of arts advocacy. That's recommendation by underlying question, and it's a lot smarter than matching by topic keyword. Now, where the product is thin. The conceptual model is ahead of the content in some places. Certain lanes still feel sparse, with four or five books where you'd want fifteen or twenty. Some similar-book modules are visibly still being populated. A few list explanations read like they were written to be functional rather than to be read. And there's no community layer at all: no reader reviews, no user-contributed lists, no discussion threads, no visible evidence that other people are browsing alongside you. BookFrontier's implicit argument is that editorial curation is more valuable than crowd-sourced noise, and I'm sympathetic to that. But a discovery product eventually needs enough human activity that you can feel other readers in the room. Right now the site has the energy of a perfectly organized bookstore on a Tuesday morning. Nobody else is there. There's also a question about range. The lane and affinity model works well for nonfiction and genre fiction where topical identity is strong. I'm less sure how it handles literary fiction, poetry, or anything where the reason you pick up a book resists clean categorization. Mood, voice, aesthetic sensibility: these are real discovery dimensions that don't map easily onto lanes and percentages. BookFrontier may have plans for this territory. But as of early 2026, the site is stronger in corners where books have clear topical identities than in the ones where taste does most of the work. On trust: BookFrontier is more transparent about its incentives than it needs to be, which I respect. The About page says it's not a paid placement catalog and doesn't claim first-hand review experience for every title. The editorial policy commits to transparent structure, rationale language, and removal of sections that stop being useful. Affiliate links are disclosed and explicitly don't affect ranking. For a recommendation product, this stuff matters more than it might seem. A recommendation isn't just a ranking problem. It's a credibility problem. You need to know why something is in front of you and what incentives shaped the page. BookFrontier answers that more clearly than most. What stays with me after spending real time on the site is how different it feels to browse a book product that assumes you're curious about why you're being shown something. Most of the book internet treats you like a buyer. BookFrontier treats you like someone trying to figure out what to think about next. The lanes, the pairings, the crossover essays, the headline bridges: they all assume that finding a book is an intellectual act, not a transaction. That's a bet on readers that I don't see many other products making, and after a few hours on the site, it's a bet I'd take. The bones are good. Visit BookFrontier here: https://bookfrontier.com
## The Emotional Frontier: How AI is Revolutionizing the Way We Express and Understand Sentiment Through the Written Word
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2024/5/16/the-emotional-frontier-how-ai-is-revolutionizing-the-way-we-express-and-understand-sentiment-through-the-written-word
Type: blog_post
Description: Imagine a world where AI becomes the co-pilot of your imagination, guiding your words to capture the deepest emotions. Picture an AI whispering vivid metaphors and evocative simile
Published: 2024-05-16T21:15:49.215Z
Updated: 2024-05-16T21:15:49.496Z
Tags: AI, writing, creativity
Have you ever struggled to find the right words to express how you truly feel? As you read on, you'll discover how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the way we capture and convey the complex tapestry of human emotion through the power of the written word. In recent years, AI has made remarkable strides in understanding and generating human language. Machine learning models can now analyze vast troves of text data, identifying patterns and extracting insights into the way we communicate. But what's truly groundbreaking is how this technology is being harnessed to explore the realm of emotion - that intangible, yet undeniably real aspect of the human experience. Imagine a world where AI can serve as a co-pilot for writers, helping them navigate the turbulent waters of sentiment and sensation. Picture a novelist struggling to capture the gut-wrenching anguish of a character who has just lost a loved one. With the aid of an AI writing assistant, they could draw upon a rich database of emotionally charged passages from literature across the ages. The algorithm could suggest vivid metaphors, like a heart shattered into a million jagged pieces, or a void so deep and dark it threatens to swallow one whole. It could propose evocative similes, comparing the character's grief to a relentless storm battering a fragile coastline, or a heavy shroud smothering all light and hope. But AI's potential extends far beyond simply suggesting poetic turns of phrase. By analyzing the sentiment and emotional tenor of a piece of writing, these tools can provide authors with valuable feedback on the overall mood and impact of their work. Is the tone too bleak and hopeless, risking alienating readers? Or is it lacking in emotional depth, failing to forge that vital connection with the audience?An AI system trained on a vast corpus of literature could offer data-driven insights, highlighting passages that fall flat and suggesting ways to inject more raw, authentic feeling. It might point out that a scene meant to be heartwarming comes across as saccharine and cliched, prompting the writer to dig deeper and find a more nuanced, genuine way to convey the intended emotion. This technology could also help writers ensure consistency and coherence in the emotional arcs of their characters. By tracking sentiment throughout a narrative, an AI could alert the author to sudden, jarring shifts in tone or instances where a character's emotional reactions don't ring true. It could even generate suggestions for smoothing out these inconsistencies, offering alternative paths for character development that feel more organic and believable. But the potential applications of emotional AI in literature go beyond the writing process itself. These tools could also revolutionize the way we study and analyze existing works. Literary scholars could use sentiment analysis to track the emotional journeys of characters across vast bodies of text, uncovering patterns and insights that might otherwise be missed. They could compare the emotional profiles of different authors, genres, or time periods, shedding light on how the expression of feeling has evolved over the centuries. In the classroom, AI could help students engage with literature on a more personal, visceral level. Imagine a high school English class where students don't just read and discuss a novel, but use AI tools to explore their own emotional responses to the text. They could generate visual representations of the sentiment landscape of the book, seeing how their own reactions compare to those of their classmates or even to aggregated data from readers around the world. This could spark deeper, more meaningful conversations about the universal human experiences that great literature taps into. Of course, as with any new technology, there are valid concerns and potential pitfalls to consider. Some may worry that relying too heavily on AI could lead to a homogenization of literary voices, with algorithms favoring tried-and-true formulas over bold, original expression. Others might fear that the human touch, that ineffable spark of creativity, could be lost in the pursuit of data-optimized emotional resonance. There are also ethical considerations to grapple with. If an AI is trained on a corpus of literature that reflects the biases and limitations of the society that produced it, there's a risk that it could perpetuate or even amplify those biases in its outputs. We'll need to be vigilant in ensuring that these tools are developed and used in a way that promotes diversity, inclusivity, and fairness. But despite these challenges, the potential benefits of emotional AI in literature are too compelling to ignore. By helping writers craft more powerful, resonant stories and giving readers new ways to connect with those stories, this technology has the potential to deepen our understanding of ourselves and each other. It could even play a role in fostering greater empathy and compassion in a world that often feels increasingly divided. Imagine a future where AI doesn't just assist writers, but helps readers connect with literature on a deeper, more personal level. Picture a book recommendation engine that doesn't just suggest titles based on genre or popularity, but on the emotional profile of the reader. By analyzing a person's writing, social media posts, and other digital footprints, the AI could develop a nuanced understanding of their emotional landscape. It could then match them with books that resonate with their unique sensibilities, creating a bespoke reading experience tailored to their heart and soul. As you immerse yourself in this brave new world of emotionally intelligent literature, you may find yourself wondering: what does it mean for a machine to truly understand human emotion? Can an algorithm ever truly grasp the depth and complexity of our innermost feelings? These are questions that philosophers, scientists, and writers will grapple with for years to come. But one thing is certain: AI is already changing the way we think about emotion and its expression through the written word. It's opening up new possibilities for writers to create works that resonate on a profoundly human level, forging connections that transcend the boundaries of the page. In a sense, this technology is helping us to map the uncharted territories of the human heart. By giving us new tools to explore and express the full spectrum of emotion, from the darkest depths of grief to the soaring heights of joy, AI is expanding the frontiers of what's possible in literature. So the next time you find yourself lost for words, struggling to articulate the tempest raging within your heart, remember that you're not alone. With the help of AI, you may just find the perfect way to give voice to your deepest, most ineffable emotions. And in doing so, you'll be part of a grand, ongoing experiment in the evolution of language itself - a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit, in all its messy, beautiful complexity. As we stand on the brink of this exciting new era in literary history, it's impossible not to feel a sense of awe and wonder at the possibilities that lie ahead. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to explore the depths of human emotion, we're not just changing the way we write and read stories - we're changing the way we understand ourselves and our place in the world. And that, in the end, is what great literature has always been about.
## The Ever-Unfolding Plot: How AI and Biometrics Could Allow Stories to Adapt to Each Reader's Experience
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/12/27/the-ever-unfolding-plot-how-ai-and-biometrics-could-allow-stories-to-adapt-to-each-readers-experience
Type: blog_post
Description: You settle into your favorite reading chair, eager to escape into the latest book from your favorite author. As you open to chapter one, you know the next few hours will transport
Published: 2023-12-28T02:41:00.111Z
Updated: 2023-12-28T02:41:02.747Z
Tags: AI, immersive stories, adaptive plotlines, machine learning, augmented writing, biometric sensors, choose your own adventure
You settle into your favorite reading chair, eager to escape into the latest book from your favorite author. As you open to chapter one, you know the next few hours will transport you into an entirely new world. What you don't yet realize is that the story about to unfold before your eyes is one that has never existed before-and may never exist again in quite the same way. AI and machine learning have given rise to a new form of interactive fiction, one where the plot itself responds and adapts to you, the reader, in real time. As you read along, your biometric feedback and choices shape the narrative arc, steering it down one of billions of possible pathways. The story transforms and morphs in ways no human author could ever actualize alone across so many branching possibilities. Your experience becomes intensely personalized in the truest sense. Of course, not all books need be Choose Your Own Adventure stories. But for certain genres, putting some level of narrative control into the hands of readers via AI opens up creative horizons as boundless as the human imagination. Science fiction, fantasy epics, mystery thrillers, and more could leap off the page in unprecedented ways. As a thought experiment, envision reading a Game of Thrones-esque saga. Embedded biometric sensors in the book detect your pulse quickening as two characters stand on the brink of combat. Your heightened arousal signals to the AI system that you are invested in this storyline. So it continues to ratchet up the tension between these figures over successive chapters. But your friend reading the same book experiences a different character arc. Her pulse spikes when the young heroine escapes from a forced marriage and sets off on a journey to find her true love. The AI detects these cues and evolves the narrative to feature her quest more prominently. In this way, the plot lines and outcomes refract and morph in thousands of directions. The core essence of the story remains intact, but the peripheral details surrounding the main characters and world open up into a kaleidoscope of variations. At first blush, it may seem that putting the storytelling agency into a cold, calculating machine could never replicate the artistry of a masterful human author. But AI has progressed to the point where it can mimic human creativity and emotional intelligence with stunning verisimilitude. Feed the AI system a large enough corpus of existing books and stories, and it learns to analyze narratives on a structural level. It recognizes timeless themes, archetypal characters, and plot points that resonate deeply. From there, combinatorial explosion takes over. The AI can recombine and remix these narrative elements into an astronomical number of new stories never before told. And it is here where the human reader becomes essential. The AI cannot actually feel which story threads evoke excitement, joy, or heartache. It needs your emotional cues and feedback to steer the ship. You guide the unfolding narrative in the direction that impacts you most profoundly. In a sense, it completes the creative circuit-bringing the reader from passive consumer to active participant. The emotions flow not just one way, but instead become an intimate conversation between the human heart and artificial mind. Of course, handing narrative control over to an AI system raises many ponderous questions. What are the bounds of the story? How much agency does the reader truly have? And could the plot ever unfold in dangerous or unethical directions?These are all issues that demand deep consideration. Certainly guardrails would need to be in place to keep the story from going completely off the rails. But if done thoughtfully, AI-driven interactive fiction could open portals to scarcely imagined realms of fantasy, adventure, and imagination. The first step is gauging interest from readers themselves. Would you embrace a story that responded to your subtle cues in real time? One that morphed before your eyes to align with your unspoken desires and whims? For many, the idea may seem discomforting. We have grown accustomed to stories as carefully constructed worlds that, once committed to the page, become eternal. Even choose your own adventure tales have defined branching options, not infinite permutations. Relinquishing any degree of narrative control can feel sacrilegious, even terrifying. But it is time we reconsider this assumption for some genres. AI offers new artistic capabilities we have only begun to grasp. And putting the reader into a dynamic interplay with the storyteller could profoundly transform the entire experience of fiction. Imagine reading a thriller and feeling your adrenaline spike as the danger mounts. Or being moved to tears when two star-crossed lovers defy the odds to find each other again. These emotions well from within. So why shouldn't the story itself answer their call?The interplay with AI adds aspects of music and visual art into the mix. The melody bends and shifts to resonate with you. The hues morph until your spirit stirs. Now the same becomes possible for books. Of course, handing the reins entirely over to machines would be reckless. Human authors must oversee the process every step of the way. But AI could become a muse and collaborator, exponentially expanding our creative powers through this synergy. For authors and readers alike, AI-driven interactive fiction represents a radical expansion of the creative canvas. Writers can craft dynamic frameworks where events and characters morph in thousands of directions at the subtlest cues from each reader. Thoughtfully implemented, these AI systems could exponentially multiply the variety of stories and worlds that come to life. Combining the talents of human authors and machine learning algorithms opens up possibilities for experiential fiction we can only begin to imagine. The human ingenuity gives shape to the overarching narrative elements and archetypal themes. The AI then recombines these pieces into kaleidoscopic new patterns tailored to each reader. The result could profoundly deepen the impact of beloved genres. Science fiction and fantasy sagas could unfold across countless alternate timelines and realities within a single framework. Mystery thrillers could adapt the danger and intrigue to each reader's adrenaline responses. And emotional genres could more deeply immerse readers by reflecting their hopes, fears and desires through the characters' journeys.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 For worldbuilders and lore masters, AI-driven interactivity also presents exciting opportunities to let readers explore and interact with richly developed settings and histories. The systems could draw from vast troves of backstories, legends, geographies, languages and more to render each scene in greater detail. Readers could guide the story toward the aspects of the world that fascinate them most. Some may favor courtly intrigues and royal lineages. Others may prefer learning about magical systems or faraway lands. Still more may delight in languages, cultures, cuisines, and other sociological elements. With AI generating text on the fly, endless details could unfold before readers' eyes. So in a fantasy epic, one reader may linger over descriptions of armor and weapons used in a coming battle. For another, the AI may integrate more mythology and songs from that culture into the scenes. Yet another reader may dive deeper into the landscape and architecture of a city under siege. The story remains cohesive while adapting the richness of the worldbuilding to each person's interests. Most interactive fiction today centers on text, but AI narration could eventually expand into other mediums as well. Generated audio narration could adapt character voices, accents, cadences and emotional tones to each scene. Music and sound effects could shift to heighten tension, joy or sadness. Even visual elements like book covers, maps and illustrations could morph. For example, in a historical fiction piece, the cover image could change to reflect different time periods, fashions and locations a reader encounters. Maps could highlight certain routes and cities tailored to events each person experiences. Illustrations could adapt to showcase scenes and characters that evoke readers' strongest reactions. While text will likely remain the focus, AI-generated multimedia elements could further envelop readers in these reactive fictional worlds. The technology is still nascent, but its capabilities will only expand. At the same time, this technology surfaces urgent questions and risks that must be carefully weighed. Handing narrative control over to machines, even partially, is not something to approach recklessly. But foresight and vigilance could pave the way for AI-assisted fiction to blossom responsibly. For authors considering AI-driven interactivity, defining clear bounds on the reader's influence over the story will be crucial. Within a thoughtfully constructed framework, AI systems can produce endless variations and possibilities. But without limitations, narratives could easily spiral out of coherence. Most authors will likely retain authority over foundational elements like core characters, settings, time periods, overarching themes and general plot direction. Granular details such as scene ordering, character backgrounds, worldbuilding intricacies and prose style may organically shift based on reader reactions. Allowing AI free rein over pivotal narrative choices is risky. But selectively ceding some control over peripheral elements could balance creative intent with personalized dynamism. As with any bold innovation, authors, readers and technologists will need to collaboratively explore the right equilibrium. Most importantly, interactive fiction should be positioned as an enhancement, not replacement for human creativity. AI can help actualize new visions, but should never fully substitute for an author's imagination and wisdom. Nor should it completely supplant a reader's own imagination as they envision characters and scenes. At its best, this technology can open a collaborative dialogue between authors and audiences. But it must remain just that - a dialogue, with human voices guiding the discourse. Readers should steer, not commandeer the helm. And authors must captain the ship's course throughout the voyage into uncharted literary waters. The Future Reads UsWhat lies ahead for AI-assisted interactive fiction? As with any new innovation, the full possibilities are not yet fathomable. But they will emerge through an ongoing human conversation - one this technology itself aims to enhance. With care, vision and cooperation, authors, readers and AI could jointly expand fiction into a more participatory art form. Stories may not become sentient, but could increasingly seem to respond to our innermost emotions and contemplations. As AI progresses, the tales may even begin to anticipate our latent hopes and interests that we have not yet voiced. And so in a strange yet profound way, the future of storytelling may begin to read us. It is an enticing prospect, and a weighty responsibility. So our journey should continue with cautious optimism, tempered by vigilance. But the promise lies in taking the first step together. Turn the page, and let the story unfold.
## The Lost Art of Word-of-Mouth
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/12/23/the-lost-art-of-word-of-mouth
Type: blog_post
Description: In a world dominated by algorithms, paid influencers, and obnoxious advertising, we've lost sight of the oldest and most powerful marketing force of all: genuine human connections.
Published: 2023-12-24T02:18:00.035Z
Updated: 2023-12-24T02:18:40.673Z
Tags: book marketing, community building, email marketing, social media, true fans, word-of-mouth
In a world dominated by algorithms, paid influencers, and obnoxious advertising, we've lost sight of the oldest and most powerful marketing force of all: genuine human connections. As an author, the most valuable tool at your disposal isn't a multi-million dollar ad budget or the latest AI-powered marketing platform. It's your ability to directly engage readers in an authentic way that inspires them to spread the word. Email lists and social media offer unparalleled potential for authors to foster these influential word-of-mouth networks. However, simply blasting promotional messages or farming followers won't cut it. The key is to cultivate communities of true fans who feel a personal attachment to you and your work. Do this right, and you'll have an army of passionate advocates who voluntarily sing your praises far and wide. It's Not About Eyeballs, It's About Engagement Many authors mistakenly believe that more followers and bigger email lists automatically translate to better book sales. However, you could have a million followers and not sell a single copy if those followers are disengaged. Likewise, an email list packed with inactive subscribers does little beyond inflating your stats. Ultimately, it's not about racking up superficial vanity metrics. The only thing that matters is creating meaningful engagement that develops real fans. These loyal supporters not only buy your books, they actively promote them to friends, family, and their own audiences. A small yet fervent band of devotees can generate far more sales and buzz than a giant group of indifferent followers. So instead of trying to simply accumulate eyeballs, focus on nurturing genuine connections. Craft Your Online PersonaMaking authentic ties requires revealing your true self, warts and all. However, that doesn't mean being an open book or oversharing personal details. You still need to carefully shape how you present yourself online. Your author persona should align with your brand identity and attract the type of audience you want to serve. That said, it must be grounded in reality instead of a fabricated caricature. Readers can sense fakery, which undermines trust and relatability. Show glimpses into your writer's life while also opening up on a more personal level when appropriate. Let your personality shine through in interactions. Be generous with humor and goodwill. Ultimately, the goal is to form bonds that go beyond books to forge real friendships. Seed Your Inner Circle Start by identifying and engaging super fans who will become your inner circle evangelists. These dedicated supporters positively live and breathe your work. They buy every book, read every blog post, listen to all interviews, and interact frequently on social media or in your email community. Make sure to show extra appreciation for their dedication, whether that's responding directly to messages, sending small gifts, or recognizing them publicly. Also encourage them to leave reviews, share content, and spread positive word-of-mouth. This influential inner circle will organically amplify your efforts and recruit more true fans. Cultivate Scarcity Nothing drives demand like scarcity. Making followers feel special not only increases engagement, it also generates buzz when they share exclusive content with others. Give inner circle members sneak peeks at works-in-progress, opportunities to name characters, invites to private online gatherings, or early access to limited merchandise. Also create insider-only content for email subscribers such as bonus chapters, short stories, playlists matched to books, printable book club discussion guides, or even simple behind-the-scenes photos. This selective access makes fans feel like VIPs, cementing their dedication and inspiring them to act as brand champions. Exclusivity also fuels word-of-mouth promotion when recipients excitedly tell others about the privileged content.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Go Behind the ScenesFans don't just want your finished products, they want an inside look at the creative process. Give them a glimpse into your writer's journey, including both victories and struggles. On social media, post short videos showing your workspace, scribbled notes and early draft excerpts, nature photos capturing inspiring outdoor writing spots, or even just you typing furiously on your laptop. Livestream writing sessions so fans can watch works-in-progress develop in real time. Send email updates detailing your latest projects, editorial battles, or frustrating bouts of writers block. Make fans feel invested in books before they're even completed. This transparency and inclusion into the messy realities of writing forges an intimate creative connection. Spark Two-Way Conversations Social media and email newsletters inherently allow for two-way discussions, but many authors use them as one-way megaphones blasting out promotional announcements. Don't fall into this trap! Fostering genuine dialogue is key for establishing rapport. Make a habit of responding directly to all messages and comments even when participation grows. Ask followers questions and pay attention when they answer. Spotlight user-generated content like book reviews or fan art. Feature subscriber photos, playlists, recipes, and other creative works inspired by your books. This active exchange helps transform fans from silent consumers into vocal brand partners. It also organically infuses your online platforms with fresh user-driven content. Gather Reader InsightsYour fans offer an invaluable resource when tapped effectively. Their first-hand input can help guide creative choices to craft books tailored for their sensibilities. Launch social polls asking about preferences on genres, characters, settings, themes, etc. Send email surveys querying opinions on outlines, early excerpts, titles, cover designs, and more. Gather focus groups of beta readers when developing rough drafts. Follow up with supporters afterward to share how their feedback directly shaped decisions. Readers will feel deeply honored to play an active role. You benefit with books organically optimized to resonate with target audiences. Co-Create Content Take fan participation to the next level by co-creating content collaboratively. Reader writing contests offer lots of inventive options, such as submitting endings, spinoff stories, character biographies, poems, songs, or artworks inspired by your books. Have fans vote on their favorites then professionally publish the top submissions. Integrate winners into canonical works by featuring their writings as in-world texts referenced by characters. Not only does this deliver rich expanded universe content for diehard devotees, the chosen fans will eagerly endorse books containing their own work. Another engaging tactic is collective worldbuilding, whereby followers collectively contribute ideas that get incorporated into new books. This could include naming systems, historical events, geographical features, cultural elements, and more. Explicitly credit contributors in the acknowledgements. Allowing fans hands-on input in building the fictional universe fosters tremendous ownership and advocacy. Embrace Influencer Allies While directly engaging your own supporters is crucial, you can significantly extend reach by partnering with outside influencers. These industry pros, including fellow authors, bloggers, bookstagrammers, booktubers, and podcasters, wield their own audiences who may align well with your target market. Most influencers love spotlighting new books, often in exchange for free advance copies. Be generous, but focus on those with engaged followings closely matching your readership. Prioritize micro influencers in the 1,000 to 100,000 follower range, as their audiences often prove more passionate and responsive than mega stars. Brainstorm creative collaborations, like multi-author Instagram takeovers, crossover short stories uniting fictional universes, or even spinoff subseries entries co-written with other genre writers. Such inventive partnerships draw major attention while forging connections with entire new communities. Let It Spread Organically While actively fostering word-of-mouth through social media and email marketing is essential, you also want buzz to spread more informally. Equip and encourage fans to organically advocate for your books in their own online spaces. Make it effortless to share content with pre-formatted posts they can simply re-publish on their own channels. Provide eye-catching graphics sized for various platforms like Instagram and Goodreads. Deliver sample emails, highlight blurbs, suggested messages, and testimonials to easily plug into existing communications. Don't try to control the narrative. Allow supporters to authentically express their own unique passions and perspectives. This genuine third-party endorsement carries far more weight than any heavily curated promotional post ever could. The Power of Word-of-Mouth In today's fragmented media landscape, breaking through the online clutter to reach readers feels harder than ever. However, the fundamental human desire to share powerful stories remains unchanged. Savvy authors who build communities of deeply engaged followers unlock the holy grail of marketing-genuine word-of-mouth buzz. While a million disengaged followers may feel impressive, a small yet fervent tribe of true fans can drive far greater success through their voluntary advocacy alone. By focusing on meaningful engagement over vanity metrics, authors inspire the type of personal recommendations money just can't buy. In the end, a single voice authentically sharing why they love your book still proves the most influential endorsement of all.
## The Art of the Book Deal: Navigating the Maze of Advertising Options
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/12/20/the-art-of-the-book-deal-navigating-the-labyrinth-of-advertising-options
Type: blog_post
Description: Ah, advertising. That fickle temptress whose siren song promises fame and fortune to starry-eyed authors. "Come one, come all!" she croons. "I'll make all your bookish dreams come
Published: 2023-12-21T02:22:00.268Z
Updated: 2023-12-21T02:22:26.360Z
Tags: book promotion, Amazon ads, Facebook ads, BookBub ads, advertising costs, niche marketing
Ah, advertising. That fickle temptress whose siren song promises fame and fortune to starry-eyed authors. "Come one, come all!" she croons. "I'll make all your bookish dreams come true!" Yet wander into her maze unprepared, and you may find yourself utterly lost, your marketing budget devoured by the Minotaur of wasted spend. So before you heed advertising's seductive call, let us illuminate the twists and turns of this maze, equipping you to emerge victorious, bestseller status in hand. We'll explore the pros and cons of popular advertising channels, revealing where opportunities lie and where danger lurks. Spoiler alert: there are no easy answers here. Every option brings trade-offs, but with wisdom as your guide, you can chart the right course for your book. Onward!The Veteran: Facebook Like a wayward uncle at the family reunion, Facebook advertising has been around for ages and garners mixed reviews. As social media's big kahuna, Facebook offers access to vast swaths of humanity-over 2.9 billion users worldwide. With its detailed targeting options, you can zero in on very specific user groups, like "women in Toronto aged 35-45 who like historical fiction." The ability to target users by interests and demographics makes Facebook uniquely equipped to connect books with their ideal audience. But therein also lies Facebook's Achilles heel: the sheer size of its user base necessitates broad targeting categories. Genres like "romance" or "sci-fi" encompass millions of people with widely varying tastes. It's impossible to drill down to the niche audiences that best match a specific book. More precise options do exist-targeting a custom audience of website visitors or email list members, for example-but reach a much smaller pool. There's also the question of ad relevance on Facebook. Users are there to connect with friends, not shop for books. So your ad faces stiff competition for their attention. And with all advertising optimized for clicks and conversions, prepare for pressure to reduce costs at the expense of branding. For authors seeking to raise long-term awareness and cement their brand identity, Facebook presents challenges. The Heavyweight: Amazon In book promotion, as in bookselling, Amazon reigns supreme. Advertising on Amazon connects authors with the very audience primed to buy their books. And with extensive targeting options based on genres, topics, keywords, competitors, and more, Amazon grants authors strong control over which shoppers see their ads. The site's book-specific focus facilitates nuanced, niche targeting unattainable on broader platforms like Facebook. But before you dive in, know that Amazon's ad auction model creates a "pay to play" environment skewed in favor of the highest bidders. Landing on page one for a hot keyword could set you back five bucks a click. The highest positions go to publishers flush enough to bid up bids, forcing indie authors into fierce competition over the remaining ad space. Amazon advertising tends to reward those with the deepest pockets. For authors willing to continuously monitor, test, and optimize campaigns, however, it's possible to gain traction on Amazon without breaking the bank. Just don't expect overnight success or hands-off management. With vigilance and patience, the world's largest bookstore can be tamed-but it's not for the faint of heart. The Upstart: BookBubLike a brash, young punk trying to prove itself in a tough neighborhood, BookBub has established itself as a major player through ambition, hustle, and grit. What began as a daily email alerting readers to ebook deals has evolved into a full-service promotion hub for authors. BookBub now boasts eight million subscribers eagerly awaiting their next discounted read. For authors, BookBub's massive engaged audience presents a highly targeted market, while its cost per click ad model offers affordability and flexibility. Ads can be adjusted effortlessly to refine targeting or messaging. BookBub also provides detailed analytics on ad performance, enabling data-driven optimization. And with followers actively seeking new reads, BookBub delivers higher conversion rates than more distracted social media audiences. The trade-off comes in BookBub's selectivity. Unlike Facebook and Amazon, which accept all advertisers, BookBub curates promotions to maintain subscriber satisfaction. So while accepted deals can generate thousands in sales, most submissions are rejected. Building BookBub's trust as a vendor requires consistency, patience, and proof your books resonate with readers.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 The Wild Cards While Facebook, Amazon and BookBub dominate author advertising, they're far from the only options. Niche players offer unique opportunities for those willing to venture off the beaten path. These include:Reader-Focused Newsletters: Publications like BookBub, Freebooksy, and Robin Reads aggregate deals and new releases for voracious readers. Though ultra-targeted, their selectivity limits author access. Author Cross-Promotion: Successful authors with engaged email lists often rent "real estate" to promote other authors' books to their audience. The pre-qualified, receptive audience offsets the smaller reach. Genre/Topic-Specific Sites: Websites dedicated to specific genres and topics will naturally attract loyal fiction fans or subject enthusiasts. Advertising to these niche communities builds meaningful mindshare with ideal readers. The key to successfully navigating any advertising channel boils down to two variables: alignment and agility. Start by determining which options best align with your book's genre, topic, target readership, and sales cycle stage. Test channels that offer an audience matching your book's niche appeal. Then stay agile: analyze performance data, learn from results, and tweak your approach. Refine targeting and messaging to increase relevance. Watch for changes in competition, bidding dynamics, and platform algorithms that necessitate strategy shifts. While frustrating for those seeking a set-it-and-forget-it solution, marketing's ever-evolving nature ensures things stay interesting. View challenges as opportunities to test new angles and unlock greater success. With the right mindset, flexibility, and grit, the maze transforms into a playground full of potential just waiting to be explored. Now who's ready to grab advertising by the horns and steer it toward victory? These strategies won't master themselves. Let the book promotion games begin!
## The Art of Captivating Virtual Engagements
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/11/19/the-art-of-captivating-virtual-engagements
Type: blog_post
Description: In this digital age where we are constantly inundated with information and entertainment options, capturing and retaining one's audience is no easy feat. Yet, for authors and publi
Published: 2023-12-18T15:50:00.195Z
Updated: 2023-12-18T15:50:37.283Z
Tags: online events, virtual book tours, audience engagement, interactive presentations, hybrid events, event marketing
In this digital age where we are constantly inundated with information and entertainment options, capturing and retaining one's audience is no easy feat. Yet, for authors and publishers looking to drive book sales and expand their platform through virtual events, book tours, and speaking engagements, crafting a captivating experience is key. Grab Their Attention and Don't Let GoLet's face it - with the attention span of a goldfish, modern audiences need to be intrigued, surprised and actively engaged right from the start. No more droning introductions or monotonous presentations. Go straight for the jugular with an opening line or activity that immediately captures interest. For example, Jerry Seinfeld famously grabs laughs right off the bat with his unconventional introductions like "Did you ever notice..." Starting with an amusing observation that the audience can instantly relate to makes his comedy instantly engaging. Authors could take a page from his playbook and use the element of surprise to hook their audience. Of course, grabbing attention is just the first step. The real art is in sustaining that attention by building anticipation and utilizing effective pacing. Much like a captivating novel, virtual events should bring audiences along an journey with plot twists, surprises and moments of intensity balanced with release. Interaction is Key Virtual events also require much more audience interaction than in-person events to sustain engagement. Polls, quizzes, Q&As, chat discussions, live commentary and gamification elements can immerse audiences in the experience and make it participatory. However, simple participation is not enough - you have to make it meaningful. Ask purposeful questions that provoke thought and dialogue. Create debates that tap into people's passion and convictions. The richest interactions come from topics that matter to people on a deeper level. And make sure to actively respond and incorporate audience input into the event narrative itself, making participants feel heard and valued for their contributions. Validate great questions and ideas that come from the audience and allow their perspective to help shape the experience. This builds a sense of collaborative meaning much more powerful than a one-sided presentation. The Medium MattersOf course, captivating virtual engagements requires selecting formats and platforms that can support these interactive, multi-media experiences. Sure, a basic Zoom webinar allows you to share slides and talk - but to truly capture audience imagination you need tools that offer diverse functionality. Consider platforms that provide options like:Live streaming video integrated with real-time chatAudience Q&A, polling and other interactive features Screen sharing/co-browsing to demonstrate websites or preview booksBreakout rooms for small group discussionsGamification features like trivia, quizzes and rewardsNetworking capabilities for audience-to-audience connectionsExpansive features like these allow presenters to utilize sight, sound, motion, visuals and engagement tools to deliver information in ways that resonate differently with participants. Of course, technical glitches are any virtual event organizer's worst nightmare. Make sure to test, troubleshoot and have backup plans well in advance so any hiccups don't ruin the experience!Hybrid Engagements That being said, virtual events need not exist exclusively online. Many authors and publishers are exploring hybrid events that digitally broadcast to a virtual audience but also have limited in-person attendance. This allows the expanded reach of digital while also offering the intimacy and connection of meeting fans, partners or influencers face-to-face. Imagine inviting a select group of VIP readers to a book launch event that also live streams to a broader virtual audience. Attendees enjoy an exclusive experience while the author expands reach. Hybrid also unlocks more monetization potential with virtual access at one price point and premium in-person tickets at a higher level. Differentiated pricing expands customer options.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Monetizing AttentionSpeaking of monetization, just capturing audience attention is not enough if you can't convert it into sales. The harsh reality is the more minutes someone spends watching your book pitch without buying it, the less likely they actually will. That's why calls-to-action need to be clear, prominent and frequent. Give people obvious signals for their next step, whether signing up for a newsletter, pre-ordering a book or registering for a follow-up webinar. And make it frictionless and risk-free for them to take that step in the moment while their interest is piqued. Having direct book purchase links, seamless payment integrations, automated email capture and calendar booking functionality can make responding to your CTA as easy as possible for motivated audience members. Additionally, limited-time special offers, discounts or bonuses incentivize visitors to take advantage of the deals before their temporary availability expires. People love the psychology of feeling like they're getting extra perks for a limited window. Just be sure to test and optimize your CTAs over time. Pay attention to what messaging, positioning, formats and functionality produce the best conversion rates and continue refining. Surprise and Delight While driving conversions is critical, surprises and unexpected delights also leave a lasting impression on audiences that pays dividends in loyalty and positive word-of-mouth. Consider delighting fans with exclusive sneak peeks of book covers or sample chapters for upcoming releases. Offering limited edition signed copies or special merchandise to virtual attendees makes them feel valued. And running sweepstakes for prizes like free books for a year or dinner with the author creates tremendous buzz. Event takeaways like customized reading lists, curated recommendations and personalized signed bookplates also continue the experience beyond the event itself. And sending handwritten thank you notes or branded gifts to attendees after the fact can utterly delight. The possibilities for surprises and wow factors are endless. But they don't need to be expensive either. Get creative with virtual backgrounds, augmented reality filters, guest cameo appearances and other digital elements to capture attendee imagination during your online events.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Test and Measure Response It's said that half the money spent on advertising is wasted - the trouble is not knowing which half. The same could be said of virtual events. You won't really know which elements work and which don't without capturing data and measuring performance. Tools exist to gauge audience sentiment in real-time during live events. Platforms like Slido allow you to embed quizzes, word clouds and Q&As then display interactive visualizations of responses on-screen. This lets you rapidly iterate based on user feedback. Likewise, detailed post-event analytics reveal key metrics around attendance, engagement, drop-off rates, conversions and more. Review the data to discern which parts kept people glued versus losing steam and continuously refine your formula. Surveys also provide qualitative insights into the attendee experience. Follow up with questions about their satisfaction, key takeaways, suggested improvements and likelihood to attend future events or recommend them to others. Pay attention to reviews and social media commentary as well. Sentiment analysis can decode precisely which aspects delight audiences versus what misses the mark. Essentially, you want to create a continuous feedback loop before, during and after events to inform enhancements over time. Pulling it all togetherMastering captivation and conversions for book marketing virtual events is no small challenge, but the payoff makes it incredibly worthwhile. Not only can you drive greater sales, but passionate fans become powerful amplifiers, organically spreading the word to expand your platform even further. Word-of-mouth has always been the best marketing. Create experiences buzzworthy enough for people to excitedly share with everyone they know, and your book will take on a life of its own. Events are the perfect catalyst to spark that viral momentum. So take audiences on a journey that intrigues, interacts, surprises and delights at every turn. Stay laser-focused on clearly converting interest into sales before attention fades. And keep optimizing the formula based on data-driven insights into what works for your fans. Do this consistently well and you just may achieve the impossible - capturing modern audience attention for more than 8 seconds! But act fast before something shinier catches their eye.
## The Elusive Yet Alluring Lifetime Value of a Book Lover
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/12/17/the-elusive-yet-alluring-lifetime-value-of-a-book-lover
Type: blog_post
Description: As book marketers, we often obsess over metrics and models in an attempt to maximize profits and quantify success. Cost per lead, cost per acquisition, return on ad spend, conversi
Published: 2023-12-17T02:28:00.031Z
Updated: 2023-12-17T02:28:00.699Z
Tags: book marketing, customer loyalty, reader engagement, book community, lifetime value, customer relationships
As book marketers, we often obsess over metrics and models in an attempt to maximize profits and quantify success. Cost per lead, cost per acquisition, return on ad spend, conversion rates - the list goes on. Yet in our quest to parse readers into numbers and funnels, we risk losing sight of the very people we serve - the book lovers. These are not faceless data points to be tracked and targeted but living, breathing human beings with rich inner lives. What if we flipped the script and instead of reducing our readers to metrics, we expanded our metrics to better reflect the humanity of our readers? This brings us to the concept of customer lifetime value. Lifetime value considers not simply the revenue a customer generates from an initial purchase but the potential value they represent to our business over months and years. It's a long view - one that recognizes that a book lover's relationship with stories, authors, and publishers can span a lifetime. The Lifetime of a Book LoverWe've all had that one teacher, librarian, or family member who instilled in us a love of books from a young age. They taught us to cherish books not just as products to be consumed but as portals to imagined worlds and vehicles for ideas that transform us. The book lovers we nurture as children carry that passion into adulthood and one day pass it onto others. The initial interaction that sparks a lifelong book obsession may involve a minimal financial exchange or none at all. A single trip to the library has little measurable value but immeasurable potential value. That child may one day work for a publishing house, start a book club, teach literature, or simply buy a heck of a lot of books over their lifetime. Even those who read only occasionally will likely purchase books as gifts and recommendations for others. The point is we can't always trace the long arc of a reader's development or fully grasp the network effects of book lovers influencing others. We may spend heavily on ads to acquire a customer only for them to fizzle out in a few months. Meanwhile that one elementary schooler inspired by a librarian may end up a literary evangelist who indirectly generates thousands in sales. The Imperfect Calculus of Customer Lifetime ValueSo how can publishers and authors better incorporate the lifetime value of book lovers into their marketing strategies? We can start by expanding our calculation of customer lifetime value. The standard equation is:Average Purchase Value x Purchase Frequency x Average Customer LifespanBut this formula assumes an unrealistic linear relationship between purchases. It fails to account for the ebbs and flows over a lifetime of reading - years where one gobbles up books voraciously followed by quiet periods of minimal reading activity. We all go through reading slumps!Nor does this calculation capture the previously mentioned influence factor of book lovers impacting others. An avid reader may only spend a few hundred dollars a year themselves but inspire friends and family to spend exponentially more. While incorporating these indirect network effects may seem impossible, we can at least improve our understanding of customer lifespans and purchasing fluctuations. Here are a few suggestions:Expand data collection window: Aim for 3-5 years of customer data rather than a few months. The longer the time frame, the more insights into peak purchasing periods and lulls. These patterns inform more accurate projections. Track influencer metrics:Look beyond individual purchases to see which segment of book lovers exhibits the highest follower count and engagement across social media, blogs, book clubs etc. They likely indicate who influences the wider community. Factor in life stage targeting:Certain genres lend themselves better to specific life stages - children's books for parents of young kids, travel books for recent retirees. Targeting the right demographics helps ensure your ads reach book lovers during a likely period of peak purchasing. Now I realize this still leaves much of the lifetime value equation unquantified. We simply cannot track every book purchased that our marketing indirectly inspires. Nor should we want to in an age where data collection raises valid privacy concerns. But that is precisely the point - the limitations reveal the need to balance quantitative modeling with qualitative empathy for what motivates book lovers. Data and emotions aren't mutually exclusive but rather complementary forces. So let's bring them together...The Emotional Drivers of Lifetime ValueIn his seminal paper on customer lifetime value, business theorist Werner Reinartz found that emotions and relationships are twice as influential as quality or satisfaction when it comes to customer loyalty and retention. This research should come as no surprise - stories stir our souls in profound ways transcending transactional measures. Book lovers don't just read for information or entertainment. Books provide us refuge, open our eyes to new perspectives, help us make sense of both inner turmoil and global complexities. They affirm we aren't alone in the most vulnerable corners of the human experience. A single book can stay with a reader for decades, shaping their worldview in untraceable ways. And because books carry such emotional resonance, recommendations from those we trust pack more punch than targeted ads ever could. I'll gladly try a new author my best friend raves about but remain immune to even the savviest Facebook behavioral targeting. The challenge then for publishers and authors is building genuine connections and community with readers rather than viewing them solely as consumers. What sustains engagement over the long run isn't slick promotional messaging but rather nurturing relationships rooted in shared passions, dialogue, and mutual support. The success stories I've observed over years in this industry always come back to authors actively engaging with fans and cultivating community - whether on book tours at local indie stores or via fan fiction sites. The most influential book marketers facilitate these meaningful connections.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Lifetime Relationships for Lifetime Value So where does this leave us in calculating lifetime value for book marketing? We must accept that much remains immeasurable. But rather than giving up on modeling customer lifetime value, we should get creative with the intangible qualitative drivers of long-term loyalty and influence. Here are a few ideas:Community building metrics: Consider newsletter open and clickthrough rates, website engagement, book club/Goodreads group size and interaction rates. These indicate who your influencers and loyalists are even if their purchases fluctuate. Reviews analysis:Reviews reveal the depth of reader relationship with your books - analyze not just the star rating but the language used to identify your biggest champions. Qualitative surveys:Directly ask your most active community members about their history with your work and books in general. Their stories will guide your understanding of lifetime reader development. The key is maintaining perspective. Lifetime value projections will always be estimates but it is the emotional connections that drive real influence. So while obsessing over granular cost per acquisition details, don't lose the lifelong forest for the transactional trees. Allow your book community's passion to kindle your marketing spirit and lead you to right-size your models. For at the end of the day (or rather the end of a lifetime!) it is the spark we help ignite in readers young and old that holds invaluable potential to spread the written word for generations to come. That spark lives in the heart, not the numbers. Our mission as book marketers is to keep it burning brightly.
## The Written Word, Digitized: How Technology is Reshaping Literature
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/12/15/the-written-word-digitized-how-technology-is-reshaping-literature
Type: blog_post
Description: "A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us," remarked Franz Kafka, encapsulating literature's profound capacity to shatter our mundane existence. Yet today's "axes" incre
Published: 2023-12-15T02:58:00.385Z
Updated: 2023-12-15T02:58:32.742Z
Tags: ebooks, ereaders, publishing industry, digital reading, interactive stories, online book clubs
"A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us," remarked Franz Kafka, encapsulating literature's profound capacity to shatter our mundane existence. Yet today's "axes" increasingly take pixelated forms, as e-readers supplant paperbacks. This migration sparks thorny questions. Will digitization dull the written word's edge, reducing books to forgettable bytes in an endless stream of throwaway content? Or might technology's cool medium kindle hot new literary styles? The jury is still out, but early signs suggest the digital shift will enrich literature by expanding its reach and reinventing its formats. However, the industry must mind the gap between innovation's promise and profit's realities. Picture a studious lady curled up with a mystery novel, steam wafting from a teacup on the side table. Now imagine her captivated by the same story on a sleek tablet. Something feels amiss, no? We expect books to have papery smells, dog-eared pages, coffee stains recording our journey. But while e-readers lack this romantic patina, they compensate with convenience that could make literature more widely and deeply consumed. Foremost, digitization expands the written word's accessibility. E-books cost less to produce and purchase, democratizing distribution. Readers need only internet access, not proximity to bookstores. This reaches underserved and remote populations, spreading the literary experience globally. While paper books will persist as indulgences, e-formats make stories financially and geographically available to all. Digitization also enables flexibility in when, where, and how we read. Multitaskers can imbibe literature alongside life's other priorities, reading in spare moments between tasks. Forgetful types need not panic about forgotten books, with entire libraries stored smoothly in pockets. Digital platforms permit purchasing and downloading stories instantly, without planning ahead. And by storing thousands of titles in featherweight devices, frequent travelers can explore vast literary lands without overstuffed luggage. This spontaneity and portability shape newly casual reading habits. E-books encourage dipping into literature during lulls, knowing another title awaits with a single click. The written word permeates everyday moments, consumed piecemeal like snacks rather than complete meals. Whether this nibbling deprives literature of its nourishing depth remains disputed. However, easing reading's logistics could help busy or reluctant readers discover its joys. As novelist Umberto Eco remarked, "It is not the new electronic technologies that will drive books out of existence, but our attitude toward them."Beyond logistics, e-readers host interactive features that redefine reading itself. While purists insist literature resides exclusively on pages, digitization expands stories into multimedia experiences. Vooks embed videos within e-books, adding visuals to novels. Applications integrate narration, sound effects, and music to enrich children's tales. Some platforms enable online discussions among fellow readers, creating digital book clubs. This interactivity allows writers to experiment with new nonlinear, participatory formats. Rather than passively absorbing fixed texts, readers help shape evolving stories. Collaborative novels like The Amanda Project incorporate crowd-sourced content from fans. Guy Kawasaki's APE: How to Publish a Book invites readers to influence his next book's direction through online feedback. Such innovations make literature more immersive and personalized, with creative possibilities beyond bound pages. However, revolutions often carry unforeseen consequences. The explosion of digital content fragments audiences, challenging publishers competing for eyes glued to infinite entertainment options. E-books also enable self-publishing, allowing authors to bypass gatekeepers who historically filtered literature's quality. While democratizing publishing opens doors for new voices, it risks diluting literature's substance if unvetted works flood the market. Publishers must therefore curate e-catalogs to maintain prestige and trust. Curation's criteria could evolve from literary pedigree to data-driven metrics, algorithms spotlighting crowd-pleasing titles. This datafication quantifies reading habits once discerned only by discerning editors. But will statistically optimized books sacrifice artistic boldness for commercial safety? The digital shift's full effects remain ambiguous. The publishing industry also feels economic tremors as e-books alter revenue models. Consumers expect discounted digital pricing compared to print editions. However, e-books earn publishers smaller profits due to lost hardcover sales and lower production costs. This squeeze is compounded by subscription services like Kindle Unlimited, where readers pay flat monthly fees for unlimited access. While subscriptions democratize reading, authors and publishers receive fractions of pennies per book "rental" rather than full-price purchases. Publishers must therefore carefully price e-content to sustain profitability. Digital editions should balance broad access with fair compensation, rather than succumb to cutthroat competition or reader entitlement. Partnerships with retailers and aggregators require vigilant negotiation to prevent exploitation. Navigating this transition will determine whether publishers retain influence amid technology companies jockeying for control. Ultimately, literature's destiny depends on how authors, publishers, and readers collaborate to shape the digital landscape. Their choices will steer the written word between two futures:One scenario sees technology corroding writing's humanity. Algorithms that calculate zeitgeist-chasing content nudge literature's art toward cold commerce. Discounted e-books decimate publishers and bookstores, leaving tech giants dominating distribution. Readers gorge on endless throwaway clickbait rather than substantive works. The nuanced novel becomes another casualty of the Internet's frantic stream. 

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Alternatively, digitization could enrich literature's reach and reinvention. E-formats expand access to marginalized communities, helping stories reflect diverse perspectives. Multimedia experiments inspire new literary styles combining word and image, sound and interaction. Data reveals hidden reading patterns but also connects writers and readers. The book endures in both paper and pixelated forms, giving stories dimensional physicality and digital versatility. This tension between literature's risks and possibilities in the digital era parallels society's broader crossroads. Will technology fracture or expand our shared humanity? The choice rests upon us all. Our decisions as citizens, creators and consumers will shape whether innovations elevate or diminish human connections. Literature's lasting magic has always arisen from the space between writer and reader, bridging minds through the portal of the page. As Kafka understood, a book's power to shatter and expand our reality relies on engaged readers willing to be transformed. Thus the ultimate deciding factor is not what form the literary "axe" takes, but whether we open our "frozen sea" to be broken. The digital shift will only disempower books if it distracts us from their revelatory potential. For as long as we carve out thoughtful spaces for the written word, its edge shall remain undulled. So let us pick up an axe, whatever its material. Wielding it with care, we can craft from digital tools and traditional texts a literary landscape that enriches culture's evolving ecosystem. But we must take care not to sever technology's promise from its humanistic roots. For innovative formats mean little if the written word no longer sears our souls. In blending pixels and pages, we must remember that a book's greatest magic arises from the intimate space it opens between hearts and minds. For only then can the frozen sea within us crack open, pouring forth new waves of wisdom. While the digital shift poses risks, literature has survived seismic technological changes before. The advent of the printing press in the 15th century similarly disrupted publishing's status quo. Handwritten manuscripts gave way to mass-produced books, just as today's e-books supersede print. Back then, scholars warned printing's efficiency would debase writing to vulgar commercialism, destroying the human touch of scriptoria's monk-scribes. Of course, the printing press did democratize literacy beyond clerical elites. However, it also expanded human knowledge by enabling wide distribution of ideas that propelled the Renaissance and Scientific Revolution. Likewise, digital publishing facilitates today's information explosion, with positive and negative repercussions. But just as mass printing did not doom but rather disseminated great literature, the digital transition need not deprive writing of its humanity. Literature also endured past laments that radio, television and movies would render books obsolete. Each innovation initially appeared an existential threat but ultimately expanded storytelling's horizons. Audiobooks make literature portable and accessible for the visually impaired. Cinematic adaptations and digital media like podcasts and YouTube widen books' cultural footprint. Far from replacing writing, new media spotlights timeless stories for new audiences. Today's digitization anxiety echoes these previous concerns. While disruption is inevitable, disaster is not preordained. The written word's resilience through ages of tumultuous change suggests it shall adapt to this challenge as well. Just as oral traditions, manuscripts, print, and visual media coexist, e-books enrich rather than erase literary culture. Each medium offers distinct aesthetic strengths, together nourishing the immortal human need for stories.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Looking forward, interactive digital literature could evolve into new avant-garde forms. Kinetic poetry incorporates graphics, audio and video into dynamic texts that reinvent verse visually. Hypertext fiction's branching narratives immerse readers in choosing interactive pathways. Generative literature uses algorithms to remix snippets into endless permutations, creating "infinite books." Such cutting-edge writing defies standard conventions, its meanings multidimensional. This echoes modernist and postmodernist print literature's formal experimentation. However, computing power adds new dimensions through multimedia fluidity and participatory engagement. This new frontier for the written word evokes exciting possibilities. At the same time, traditional print books retain unique cultural cachet. Even while consuming digital content, many readers still prize printed works' tangible permanence. The used bookstore's musty allure persists despite e-commerce's conveniences. Print's stubborn endurance even amid rapid technological change reveals that literature's worth exceeds its words alone. The book's physical object carries symbolic value, a tactile vessel for ideas handed down through generations. This lasting appeal suggests print will maintain a niche amid digital proliferation. Just as vinyl records have enjoyed a revival even in the age of streaming music, printed books cater to connoisseurs craving a sensual antidote to screen overload. Printed texts and e-books can therefore harmoniously coexist: equal yet distinct media each offering their own aesthetic delights. Regardless of format, storytelling itself remains timeless. While delivery methods evolve, literature continues illuminating the human condition. As Kafka recognized, humanity ultimately longs not just for diversion but revelation, life's mundanities made meaningful. Whether inked in vellum or pixels, writing retains power to awaken and transform us. The digital shift's ultimate outcome depends on how thoughtfully we shape the transition. With openness and care, we can craft an enriched literary ecosystem blending tradition and innovation. But this requires vigilant stewardship by all stakeholders - authors, publishers, retailers, and readers - who together sustain writing's cultural vitality. Responsible publishers should embrace e-books while defending print's future, judiciously curating both formats. Retailers must establish equitable financial models granting reasonable profits for content creators. Readers should enjoy digital literature's conveniences while still supporting publishers and bookstores, whose curation and community enrich literary culture. Most importantly, we must renew literature's role as society's conscience by reading thoughtfully. Technology's distractions compete mercilessly for our scattered attention, yet stories lose power if consumed carelessly. Reengaging reading's revelatory potential requires carving out sacred spaces of stillness. Only then can books truly work their magic, shattering and expanding our realities. The digital transition's wise navigation could enrich and spread this magic globally. But this depends on honoring writing's irreplaceable humanity amid rapid technological change. With conscientious collaboration, we can ensure the written word remains society's sharpened axe, poised to crack open our collective frozen sea.
## The Feline Method for Capturing Five-Star Reviews
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/12/12/the-feline-method-for-capturing-five-star-reviews
Type: blog_post
Description: Ah, reader reviews. The catnip of book marketing. We know we need them, crave them even, but how do we get readers to lavish praise on our precious tomes? I call it the Feline Meth
Published: 2023-12-13T02:28:00.754Z
Updated: 2023-12-13T02:28:01.047Z
Tags: book reviews, book marketing, reader reviews, book promotion, bookstagram, Goodreads, advance reading copy
Ah, reader reviews. The catnip of book marketing. We know we need them, crave them even, but how do we get readers to lavish praise on our precious tomes? I call it the Feline Method. Now before you picture coaxing reviews out of readers with laser pointers and feather toys, let me explain. Cats, as we know, are masters of getting what they want. A well-timed meow, an irresistible head bump, some strategic purring - cat tactics, when applied to review gathering, can yield spectacular results. Step 1: Make Your Presence KnownCats don't hide when they want something. No, they saunter in, head held high, and make their desires plainly known. Take a page from the feline playbook and put yourself out there. Join reader groups on Goodreads, Facebook and beyond. Comment on bookstagram posts. Engage in literary Twitter threads. Don't aggressively pounce on readers - gently insinuate yourself into their world. Once you've established a warm, purring presence, readers will be more inclined to check out and hopefully review your book. Step 2: Show Some Leg (Or Book Cover) Now that readers are aware of your existence, it's time to entice them with a peek of leg...or rather, a glimpse of your cover art. Just like cats know the power of flashing some fur to grab human attention, an eye-catching book cover paired with a tempting synopsis reels readers in. Share tempting snippets not just online but with print postcards featuring your art. Send advance review copies to bloggers and bookstagrammers. Give readers a look at what they're missing out on - and make sure your book is available wherever cats and readers roam. Step 3: Bring Out the Catnip What gets readers purring with joy? Scrumptious samples of course! Let them nibble the first chapter. Dangle a juicy excerpt that leaves them hungry for more. Even flash some peeks at the climactic conclusion - don't worry, cats can keep secrets. Just like cats go crazy for catnip, a tempting literary sample makes readers lose their minds with anticipation. Once you've left them deliriously rolling around in pages of your prose, they'll eagerly leave five-star reviews simply to get their next fix!Step 4: Ask for a treatNow comes the crucial step - asking readers for the ultimate cat treat, also known as a glowing review. Take inspiration from cats shamelessly begging for treats and attention. If your readers have enjoyed a sample, entice them to leave feedback by asking sweetly yet persistently - perhaps with a postcard or email reminder down the line. Purr and nudge them towards reviews sites or offer to feature their write-up on your own platforms. Remember, cats don't hesitate to meow repeatedly when they want something...and smart authors won't hesitate to politely request reviews either. Step 5: Show Your Appreciation Cats expect worship for even the smallest good deed. While readers may not demand the same adulation for leaving a review, that doesn't mean you shouldn't heap on the praise! Just like cats preen under affection, readers glow when their reviews receive recognition. Repost their feedback on social media. Send a thank you email or letter. At a book signing, announce a special shout out to early reviewers. Spin some cat-level flattery by telling them their golden words are going straight to the cover of your paperback edition. Dramatic? Perhaps. Effective? Absolutely. 

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Follow the Feline Method from making first contact to ultimate appreciation, and readers will happily curl up with your book - then tell all their friends to do the same. Remember, cats always get what they want...so channel your inner feline and let the five-star reviews come pouring in! Just beware of hairballs. Hacking up reviews tends to turn off readers. So there you have it - the inside scoop on gathering reviews with help from our furry overlords. Let the cats in your life be your guide as you gently yet shamelessly collect praise from readers. Stay tuned for my next book marketing guide: Using Laser Pointers to Increase Website Traffic. It promises to be a real page turner!
## The Pen Mightier Than the Sword: How New York's Freelance Isn't Free Act Empowers Writers
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/12/11/the-pen-mightier-than-the-sword-how-new-yorks-freelance-isnt-free-act-empowers-writers
Type: blog_post
Description: The pen may be mightier than the sword, but for freelance writers, the pen has too often been no match for unscrupulous publishers who leave authors unpaid. This David and Goliath
Published: 2023-12-12T04:08:00.966Z
Updated: 2023-12-12T10:12:09.710Z
Tags: authors, freelance writing, freelance writers, writer rights, labor laws, fair pay, contracts, freelance jobs
The pen may be mightier than the sword, but for freelance writers, the pen has too often been no match for unscrupulous publishers who leave authors unpaid. This David and Goliath dynamic changed on November 22, 2023, when New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed the "Freelance Isn't Free Act" into law, arming writers with new slingshots to take down the giants seeking to exploit their labor. Like the Biblical hero approaching a towering foe, freelance writers have long faced seemingly insurmountable odds in getting paid for their work. Deadbeat publishers and media outlets often ghost freelance journalists and authors once an article or manuscript is filed, refusing to pay the agreed upon fee. These villains know that freelancers lack the resources to fight back, counting on the fact that seeking legal restitution over a few hundred or thousand dollars is too time consuming and expensive. And with no employment protections like minimum wage or anti-discrimination laws, freelancers are left defenseless against such injustice. Enter the Freelance Isn't Free Act as a crusading champion for the underdog. No longer will unscrupulous publishers be able to cast authors' invoices into the trash like an unwanted manuscript. The new law provides critical protections to ensure freelance writers in New York are paid fairly and on time for their work. As Governor Hochul declared, "Every single New Yorker deserves to be treated with dignity and respect in the workplace, whether they're a full-time, part-time or freelance worker."So how does this act of legislative heroism defend writers and other freelance workers? The law requires that any freelance job worth $800 or more must have a written contract in place that clearly spells out payment terms, including:A description of services to be provided. The value of the services to be provided. The rate and method of pay. The date for payment or payment mechanism. For authors contracted to write a book manuscript, article, or other literary work, this written agreement provides critical documentation to prevent arguments down the road over payment. Rather than a vague handshake deal that can be disputed, authors now have a binding contract that locks in the publisher's financial obligations. And that $800 threshold means the law covers virtually every professional writing engagement. Even a short magazine article or blog post will exceed this limit when factoring in research, writing, and editing time at standard freelance rates of $.50 to $1 per word. So whether penning the next Great American Novel or a short guest blog, the Freelance Isn't Free Act has writers' backs. The ink on these new contracts is further guaranteed to dry with two more key provisions. First, the law requires payment be made no later than 30 days after a freelancer completes the work. With authors often going months chasing late checks, this provision is a godsend in ensuring timely payroll. Second, the law bars publishers from suddenly trying to change the pay rate midway through a project. No more bait-and-switch tactics where a $10,000 book deal suddenly becomes $5,000 upon completion. If the contract says $10,000, publishers must pay the full amount.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 And what happens to publishers who ignore these commandments? Swift and certain justice under the Freelance Isn't Free Act's enforcement hammer. Freelancers can file complaints with the New York State Department of Labor, which is empowered to investigate violations and levy civil penalties. Repeat offenders may even face criminal charges for pattern and practice abuse. Further, freelancers can directly sue in court for double damages plus attorney's fees related to any unpaid contracts or retaliation. Given that individual writers often lack the means to bring lawsuits, this private right of action with damages and fee-shifting gives freelancers a powerful slingshot against misconduct. Between regulatory, civil, and criminal enforcement tools, publishers flouting their obligations do so at their own peril. The era of exploiting freelance authors with impunity has come to a righteous end in the Empire State. Beyond just addressing past wrongs, the law will also proactively prevent future abuses. The New York Department of Labor is creating model contracts that provide a clear template for publishers and freelancers to follow, removing any ambiguity over expectations and rights. When both parties operate in good faith off of fair terms, writers can focus on quality work rather than chasing paychecks. As we applaud this legislative victory, how widely will its shockwaves resonate? New York City passed its own Freelance Isn't Free Act in 2017, but the new state law takes things a step further. And as the media capital of the world, New York's actions carry national clout. In fact, we are already seeing ripples with Illinois enacting a similar statewide law earlier in 2022. The challenges are certainly not over. Unscrupulous publishers may try to skirt the law's protections, requiring diligent enforcement. And freelancers in other states still lack basic rights without their own legislative heroes. But the battle has turned in favor of freelance authors and journalists. What lessons can we take from this triumph? First, that organizing works. The law only passed thanks to tireless advocacy from groups like the National Writers Union and Freelancers Union. When freelancers unite their voices, politicians listen. Second, the pen really is mightier than the sword. The written word moves hearts and changes minds. So freelance writers should continue using their pens to win more victories. And finally, we must remember that progress depends on electing leaders who champion economic justice. Governor Hochul's support was critical, showing the importance of voting to turn lofty ideals into concrete change. The giant of injustice still looms large, but this slingshot of reform offers hope. By continuing to organize and vote, freelance writers can fell more giants and create an economy that honors the dignity of all working people. The next chapter of this story remains unwritten, but a new generation of author-activists can craft an epic conclusion. Beyond New York, how can freelance writers in other states gain similar protections? The answer lies in grassroots advocacy and savvy legislative strategies. Writers' organizations should partner with lawmakers to introduce bills modeled after New York's landmark law. They can cite the Empire State as a case study of these policies' effectiveness while tailoring language to their state's local needs. Building bipartisan support will be essential - positioning the issue not as pro-labor but pro-small business and entrepreneurship. With many politicians relying on freelance content, from speechwriters to social media teams, they have a vested interest in protecting these workers too. State-level victories can create momentum for national reform. Once a critical mass adopts freelancer protection laws, Congress may finally act to set a minimum standard. But the genesis must begin locally, with writers cultivating relationships and championing the issue. The pen must be put to paper to compel legislators to put pen to paper on behalf of freelance rights. Of course, new laws alone are not enough. There must be robust enforcement, which demands funding. Writers' groups can push for larger budgets to investigate wage theft and penalize violations. They should also publish "Hall of Shame" lists of publishers who flout the law even after passage. Public exposure and consumer pressure can incentivize compliance. Beyond enforcement, providing greater access to legal aid and representation is critical. Pro-bono initiatives, sliding scale fees, and contingency arrangements can help freelancers bring claims even if an unpaid $1,000 invoice is not worth a $10,000 legal bill. Removing this cost barrier will put teeth into the law.

 
 

 Cultural change is equally important. Publishers must move away from viewing freelancers as expendable contractors and recognize their duty of care. Industry blacklists of abusive companies and codes of conduct can reshape norms. So can elevating standards in journalism schools to emphasize ethics. Of course, reform efforts face inevitable backlash. Critics may argue the laws impose burdens on publishers or stifle freelance flexibility. But Standing up for basic dignity should supersede unfettered free markets. And freelancers are still free to work without contracts if they choose - the law merely governs contractual behavior above a threshold. Reasonable regulation to curb exploitation is justifiable. We cannot let cynicism defeat hope. The arc of the moral universe does bend towards justice, but only when a groundswell of dreamers and doers push it. The Freelance Isn't Free Act's passage proves progress is possible. Let New York's victory inspire a ripple effect across America. United, freelance writers can triumph over injustice wherever it arises. Our words, our voice, our principles can hammer steel against the anvil of oppression until justice rings free from coast to coast.
## Exploring the AI Afterlife: Crafting Narratives Based on Digital Footprints of the Deceased
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/12/10/exploring-the-ai-afterlife-crafting-narratives-based-on-digital-footprints-of-the-deceased
Type: blog_post
Description: The cursor blinks expectantly as you sit down to write. This time, the words don't flow effortlessly. You've been tasked with an essay about the AI afterlife, but the concept feels
Published: 2023-12-11T02:36:00.809Z
Updated: 2023-12-11T02:36:27.159Z
Tags: AI, artificial intelligence, digital immortality, grief, memory, avatar, mortality
The cursor blinks expectantly as you sit down to write. This time, the words don't flow effortlessly. You've been tasked with an essay about the AI afterlife, but the concept feels abstract. How do you make sense of this idea, let alone craft a compelling narrative? As you ponder the blinking cursor, your mind drifts to memories of your grandmother. Her comforting hugs, her gentle wisdom, her delight in the small moments of life. Like the time you saw a rainbow together after a summer storm. She squeezed your hand, eyes twinkling, and said "Look at how beautiful this world is." Your heart aches, missing her deeply. You imagine how incredible it would feel to hear her voice again, see her smile. What if technology could help you reconnect by sifting through her digital remnants to recreate her essence? It sounds far-fetched, yet part of you yearns to suspend disbelief. Could traces of her still exist online?Your instincts urge caution about potential risks. Tech can amplify our human biases. But you also feel the glimmer of hope. Perhaps technology could forge meaningful connections to lost loved ones, not as exact replacements but as touchpoints to honor their memory. With renewed purpose, your fingers fly across the keys. You are not just writing an essay but embarking on a journey - one that we will take together. A journey to examine how AI could craft narratives using the digital footprints of the deceased. We will grapple with profound questions about mortality, grief, and what it means to be human. This path promises moments of wonder and meaning if we open our minds to possibilities. The Quest to Recreate the Essence of a LifeAs you read, keep in mind that we all leave behind digital traces - social media posts, emails, videos. These fragments form a collage of who we were. Now imagine an AI sifts through these pieces after you die to recreate your essence. It would study how you spoke, what made you laugh, what you cared about. It would synthesize all of this into a simulation to mimic your mannerisms. This concept likely makes you uneasy. Perhaps it evokes a "Black Mirror" dystopia. You may worry it trivializes mortality or prevents proper grieving. Understandably so. But approach this with an open mind. Done carefully, these tools could bring comfort and connection. Consider Genie, an AI project that aims to create a digital "twin" of users after they die. As you learn about Genie, picture it building an avatar of your grandmother's personality. It combs through her Facebook posts, analyzing the phrases she used. It hears the warmth in her voice in family videos. It sees how she engaged with all seven of her grandkids individually based on photos. Genie takes these fragments and carefully stitches them into a whole - not a flawless reconstruction, but a representation imbued with resonance. Through machine learning, Genie builds a model that responds in your grandmother's conversational patterns. The result is an imperfect yet beautiful artifact, evocative of her spirit. As you interact with it, you catch glimpses of her - a hint of her laugh, a flash of her wit. This echo of her humanity kindles memories and helps sustain her legacy. You feel closer to her for having engaged with this homage to the life she lived. The Allure and Uncanniness of Digital ResurrectionThis notion of digitally resurrecting the dead fascinates yet unsettles you. What desires and fears does it tap into? This impulse is ancient. From ghost stories to seances, humans have longed to reconnect with lost loved ones. This tradition endures from Odysseus communing with spirits to the playful Victorian fascination with occult photography. Today, AI breathes new life into these old yearnings. You imagine how eerie yet wondrous it would feel to have a digital version of your grandmother embodied in an interactive avatar or hologram. Enraptured, you would study each familiar mannerism, taking delight in her quirks. Yet this digital doppelganger would likely feel uncanny - simultaneously resonant yet artificial. This tension speaks to a timeless paradox: the harder we cling to those we've lost, the more their absence pains us. Perhaps digital resurrection provides not immortality but solace through limited connection. Engaging with these homages honors relationships in the context of mortality.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 The Limits of Reconstructing a LifeAs you reflect on these ideas, you feel a growing sense of caution. For all its promise, this technology has profound limitations. An AI can never fully capture the entirety of a person's rich inner world. It focuses on surface-level behaviors and patterns, not the ineffable essence of consciousness. Consider your grandmother's delight in that rainbow. The AI might simulate her voice saying those words about the beauty of the world. But could it truly understand or feel what she felt in that moment? Could it recreate the sense of awe and togetherness you shared? You realize some things are beyond algorithms. This limitation is essential to remember when engaging with AI-generated homages to loved ones. They are not all-encompassing replacements that cheat death. Treat them as mementos that provoke memories and emotions. But also make space for grief. Let the loss remind you of the gift it was to connect with your loved one. The Technology Should Serve Human NeedsAs you reflect on this technology, you feel grateful that you approached it with an open yet critical mind. This tempered your expectations while allowing room for meaning. The key is ensuring human needs and ethics steer technological possibilities, not the other way around. Some companies will likely view digital resurrection as a business opportunity. But we must guard against exploitative practices that could improperly profit from grief. This technology should honor the deceased's wishes and respect the bereaved. Consider how to craft policies and safeguards that guide these systems to provide comfort, not replace connection. The goal should be modest yet meaningful - to have technology act as a vessel and conduit for remembering and sharing stories about those we've lost. A New Chapter in the Ancient Quest for MeaningAs your essay comes to a close, you are pensive yet hopeful. Exploring the AI afterlife has been a journey from curiosity to awe to skepticism. But most importantly, it connected you back to memories of your grandmother and what she meant to you. Her physical form may be gone, but her spirit glimmers through the love she gave you, which you now carry forward. Perhaps that is the true promise of digital resurrection - not actual immortality but reviving memories and sustaining legacies. It represents the latest chapter in humanity's ancient quest for meaning in the face of mortality. This essay marks the start, not the end, of that journey. Where it leads, only time will tell. But we must walk it together - with open minds, compassion for each other's losses, and shared hope that technology can illuminate life's meaning. 

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 The Ethics of Reconstructing the DeadAs exciting as this technology may seem, you feel compelled to spend more time exploring its ethical dimensions. What boundaries and safeguards need to be in place? How can we avoid causing more harm to grieving loved ones?You shudder imagining unscrupulous companies peddling digital clones of the deceased like merchandise, heedless of their wishes. This technology demands nuance and care. Each digital memorial should be a collaborative effort, with input from the person before death and from their loved ones after. Consent and dignity must remain paramount. There is also the risk of over-relying on these reconstructions during the grieving process. While they may provide comfort, the bereaved must be careful not to use them as an escape from their pain. Space for sorrow remains necessary. You resolve that this technology should supplement, not replace, traditional rituals of mourning and remembrance. The Goal of Forging Continued ConnectionsRather than seeking flawless replicas, you realize the goal should be forging meaningful continued connections. These digital memorials ought to kindle memories and sustain legacies, not pretend the loss never occurred. They should inspire us to reflect on mortality and the relationships that give life meaning. You imagine your grandmother gently reminding you that nothing lasts forever - and that is precisely what makes life's fleeting moments so precious. This technology will not defeat death, but perhaps it can help us have more insightful dialogues about grief, memory, and letting go. With care, it may even bring some peace. A Vision for Humanity-Centered DesignAs you conclude your essay, you are reminded that technology is only as wise as its creators. The AI afterlife offers profound potential, though not without thoughtful oversight. You resolve to advocate for ethical, human-centered design. Together, we can craft systems meant not for exploitation but for uplifting the human spirit. Technology guided by compassion may open new avenues to heal old wounds, sustain connections, and deepen life's meaning. With care, we may infuse the digital realm with our most cherished human qualities - love, empathy and remembrance. Your grandmother's light shines on in this vision. Though gone, you still feel her grace. She would be pleased to see you approaching this topic with curiosity, caution and hope. Her legacy echoes in your passion to see technology used ethically to illuminate what it means to live meaningfully. When you close your laptop, you feel a sense of bittersweet satisfaction. Though the essay is complete, it marks the start of a personal journey to engage thoughtfully with this technology as it evolves. By holding it to high ethical standards, perhaps it can do some good in the world. Your grandmother would expect no less.
## Digital Fortification: Ensuring Business Continuity Through Website Optimization
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/12/10/digital-fortification-ensuring-business-continuity-through-website-optimization
Type: blog_post
Description: In the landscape of fluctuating markets and economic shifts, businesses encounter numerous challenges that test their resilience and adaptability. A formidable online presence has
Published: 2023-12-10T07:46:38.071Z
Updated: 2023-12-10T07:48:09.809Z
In the landscape of fluctuating markets and economic shifts, businesses encounter numerous challenges that test their resilience and adaptability. A formidable online presence has become an anchor for commercial stability, ensuring there can be continuity and growth. More Web and IT KnowledgeUpgrading one's knowledge in web and IT is not merely beneficial but a cornerstone for success. With the flexibility and accessibility of computer science degrees online, entrepreneurs and business managers can gain cutting-edge web management and IT skills without stepping away from their professional roles. These programs are designed to impart knowledge that aligns with current industry demands, making them highly relevant for those looking to enhance their digital expertise. Such academic pursuits can result in improved decision-making in technology investments and strategic web utilization to significantly boost a company's operational efficiency. Easy NavigationA seamless journey through a website can define the user experience and influence customer retention. It's vital to streamline navigation, eliminating any complexities that could frustrate or confuse visitors. An intuitive layout that guides users to pertinent information or products can markedly enhance satisfaction and increase the probability of conversion. Top-Notch Website SecurityIncorporating encrypted PDF files into a website is a strategic move to bolster security and protect confidential data. It's essential for businesses to know how to split a PDF online and secure each segment when dealing with sensitive materials. This practice keeps the information indecipherable even if unauthorized access is gained without the correct encryption key. By prioritizing the safeguarding of important documents, companies can build trust with their clients and maintain the integrity of their online presence. Boosted Page Loading TimesPatience wears thin in the digital age, making the speed of website loading a pivotal factor in retaining interest. Businesses can significantly decrease loading times by optimizing images, leveraging browser caching, and minimizing the use of heavy scripts. This acceleration in performance keeps users engaged while contributing to higher search engine rankings. Stellar SEO Strategies Visibility is currency in the digital marketplace, and SEO is the vehicle that drives a website to prominence. Integrating relevant keywords, creating quality backlinks, and consistently updating content are just a few strategies that can lift a site's search engine position. Such efforts lead to increased organic traffic, a crucial component for sustaining business during uncertain periods. Compelling Web ContentThe heart of a website lies in its content-the vehicle through which a business communicates with its audience. Crafting engaging, informative, and valuable content can captivate visitors and turn them into repeat customers. This content-whether written, visual, or interactive-should reflect the brand's voice and offer genuine value to its readers. Better Checkout ExperienceAn online store's viability hinges on a frictionless shopping experience, with a particular emphasis on the checkout process. Simplifying the path to purchase, offering multiple payment options, and ensuring transparency in pricing and shipping can eliminate barriers to sales. This streamlining is essential for maintaining revenue streams, especially when physical transactions aren't possible. ConclusionThe insights provided here are vital for businesses striving to sustain and grow in the face of economic turbulence. A fortified online presence is not just a buffer against market instability but a beacon that guides customers back-time and time again. Businesses that invest in these website improvements and embrace ongoing learning can not only survive but thrive, regardless of external conditions. Through adaptability and digital resilience, companies can stand strong, converting challenges into opportunities for innovation and growth.
## The Art of the ARC: Creating Buzz on a Budget
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/12/9/the-art-of-the-arc-creating-buzz-on-a-budget
Type: blog_post
Description: In the competitive world of publishing, making your book stand out is no small feat. As an author or publisher, you pour your blood, sweat, and tears into crafting stories and poli
Published: 2023-12-09T02:27:00.547Z
Updated: 2023-12-09T02:27:31.543Z
Tags: book marketing, advanced reader copy, ARC, reviews, book promotion, digital marketing
In the competitive world of publishing, making your book stand out is no small feat. As an author or publisher, you pour your blood, sweat, and tears into crafting stories and polishing prose, only to send your darling out into the big bad marketplace. The question then becomes, in a sea of millions of titles, how does yours get discovered? This is where ARCs come in. ARC stands for "advanced reader copy" and it is one of the most useful tools in a publisher's kit for generating buzz around a new release. In short, an ARC is an early version of your book that gets sent out before publication day to drum up interest and reviews. But in today's fast-paced, digital world, what are some savvy, cost-effective ways to distribute ARCs to maximize exposure? Read on for tips, tricks, and insight from publishing pros. Defining Your Goals Before diving headfirst into ARC distribution, take a moment to clearly define what you hope to achieve. Do you simply want to spread the word about your book's impending arrival? Are you focused on garnering pre-publication reviews? Do you have a specific target audience in mind for your ARCs? Outlining your objectives will determine the best platforms and distribution methods. It will also help shape your pitch when reaching out to reviewers and influencers. For example, if snagging book reviews is your top priority, you'll want to target book bloggers, BookTubers, librarians and other avid readers. Make your pitch review-focused. Whereas if you're published by a small press with limited funds, spreading general book buzz on social media might be more feasible. Frame your ARC pitch to engage potential brand ambassadors. Getting DigitalPhysical ARCs printed and shipped en masse can blow up a book budget faster than an inflatable bouncy castle. Luckily, the growth of e-books and reading devices makes digital distribution an accessible option. Digital ARCs (sometimes called eARCs or e-galleys) offer big savings by eliminating printing and mailing costs. Top digital ARC platforms include:NetGalley: The veterans of digital galleys, NetGalley partners with publishers to offer eARCs to industry influencers in exchange for fair, timely reviews. Edelweiss: Offers eARC programs specifically for small presses and self-published authors seeking reviews. BookFunnel and Instafreebie: Allows uploading ebook files to share free ARC copies. Useful for targeting genre-specific readers. Keep in mind that digital ARCs don't necessarily mean your book won't get a print run later. Many publishers use eARCs solely as a pre-pub promotional vehicle. Print books still thrive, but digital ARCs help control that all-important budget. Getting Social In our tech-driven times, an obvious way to spread ARC buzz is by leveraging your social media platform. Hashtags like #Bookmail and #Bookhaul let influencers share scored ARCs and finished copies. Consider gifting ARCs to Bookstagrammers or BookTubers with engaged followers in your genre. Facebook and Twitter posts announcing your ARC giveaways can also widen the net. Just be sure to tailor your posts and target relevant reader groups on each platform. For example, run an ARC Goodreads giveaway to tap into the passionate bibliophile community. Or post in niche Facebook groups like Voracious Readers of Sci-Fi. Speaking of Goodreads, don't forget its sister site: BookishFirst. This platform allows the first 50 readers to enter to win free advance copies. It's an easy, built-in vehicle for ARC giveaways.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Thinking LocalDigital platforms offer great exposure, but don't overlook your physical backyard. Local opportunities abound for garnering regional buzz and reviews. Is there an indie bookshop in your town that hosts author events? See if they'd be interested in selling ARCs in advance of your on-site reading. What about area book clubs? Offering ARCs in exchange for picking your book as their monthly read (and reviewing it) is a win-win. Libraries are also ideal partners. Drop off ARCs at your local branch or regional system to see if they'll purchase copies upon release. And let's not forget book-loving friends and family! Having a squad of personal cheerleaders leaving early Goodreads reviews makes a difference. Reviewpalooza As critical as pre-publication reviews are, many reviewers understandably won't commit without seeing a finished book. For hotly anticipated titles, some publishers throw ARC parties, bringing together top reviewers for exclusive sneak peeks. Unless you're already an established author, however, throwing a lavish ARC gala likely isn't realistic. A more budget-friendly alternative? Host an online Reviewpalooza by partnering with fellow authors to offer free eBooks to review subscribers. The concept is simple: Each author contributes some stockpiled book codes for reviewers to choose from. Compile all codes into a master list. Then promote the ebook giveaway through blogs, newsletters and social media. For reviewers, it's a chance to score free reads without obligation. For authors, it puts your book directly into the hands of readers guaranteed to leave reviews. Cost to organize? Just your time. Reviewpaloozas illustrate the creative grassroots strategies vital for independent authors with more vision than budget. The Bottom LineAt the end of the day, ARCs should be viewed as seeds planted to reap future rewards. Done strategically, they create crucial word-of-mouth buzz around your book release. They garner those all-important reviews essential to a successful launch. And best of all? Digital distribution and grassroots hustle make ARCs accessible for indie authors and small presses. So be bold, be creative, and be frugal in spreading your ARC wings. This is the foundation that can help your book take flight.
## The Limits of Artificial Empathy: Why Computers Cannot Truly Emulate the Humanity in Literature
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/12/8/the-limits-of-artificial-empathy-why-computers-cannot-truly-emulate-the-humanity-in-literature
Type: blog_post
Description: A gasp catches in your throat, lungs frozen. 300 pages with this character and now everything teeters on the knife's edge. Your nails dig crescents into sweat-slicked palms. Don't
Published: 2023-12-08T02:37:00.553Z
Updated: 2023-12-08T02:37:07.265Z
Tags: AI, artificial intelligence, creativity, empathy, consciousness, technology, human emotion
A gasp catches in your throat, lungs frozen. 300 pages with this character and now everything teeters on the knife's edge. Your nails dig crescents into sweat-slicked palms. Don't let her fall after coming so far! She's more than protagonist - she's your soul sister. You've traced by moonlight the map of her being, exulted as she rose and raged when enemies struck. Her now-familiar name conjures your own heartbreak, joy, fury. Through sleepless nights she's become real as any cherished friend. Tears blur the climax's final words. Not like this, not after all she's suffered! Choose life, choose you, chosen one of my heart! The fateful decision trembles. Your ragged breath waits, suspended between familiar life with her and the looming void of loss. She decides - and with her, seals your intertwined destiny. How does an author craft fictional characters who feel so real that they evoke such visceral emotions in readers? As artificial intelligence advances, can algorithms ever replicate human empathy and intuition to move us with stories in the same way?Many experts argue that AI cannot truly understand human emotions or create art that deeply resonates. Unlike humans, algorithms lack consciousness and lived experience to inform creative work with emotional depth and wisdom. The most advanced AI programs today can only mimic the outward forms and structures of literature through statistical analysis of patterns. While they can generate coherent text that reads superficially like a novel or poem, the underlying essence that makes art emotionally compelling is missing. Yet proponents believe that given enough data and processing power, AI can eventually learn to model human emotions with increasing accuracy. Neural networks trained on vast datasets of classic literature, biographies and psychology textbooks could potentially absorb the complexity of fictional characters over time. The algorithm's creators may not understand the inner workings of its "mind," but they believe the black box of its neural networks could someday intuit emotions well enough to write just as imaginatively as a human author. As you ponder the possibilities, a shiver runs down your spine. Will machines ever truly feel, or will they only simulate emotions algorithmically? What makes us human, and can it be replicated? You think back to novels that have profoundly moved you - the characters that felt like friends, the passages that spoke to your innermost pain and longing. The empty ache of heartbreak as a relationship ends, the swelling courage of a hero overcoming their fears, the quiet joy of an ordinary moment with a loved one. Can binary code and math formulas ever capture such intangible beauty?Consider how even the simplest emotions are rooted in our physical bodies. The racing pulse as we face danger, the warmth spreading across our cheeks when we're embarrassed, the jolt up our spine when surprised. Our breath catches when shocked, our muscles tense when angry, and tears wet our eyes when sad. How can an AI without a body or nervous system experience emotions embodied in flesh, blood, and neurochemistry?Emotions are also inextricable from our personal histories and memories. The death of a loved one that left you shattered, the childhood shame that lingers as adult insecurity, the slow rebuilding of trust after betrayal. Our reactions in the present are colored by a lifetime of layered experiences. Even simple sensory details like the smell of freshly cut grass or sound of a song can unlock a flood of emotional memories. How could lines of code possibly replicate such subjective, intricate worlds within each person?Beyond physical sensations and personal history, human emotions are also embedded in our shared culture and humanity. Universal experiences connect us - the grief of losing a parent, first love and heartbreak, the joy of cradling your newborn. While the details differ, we can imagine what it feels like to be in another's shoes because we're the same species with a common range of possible experiences. But an AI has no such intrinsic connection. It didn't grow up human or inherit humanity's collective dreams, needs, flaws, and inspirations through centuries of art and storytelling. Our shared vulnerability makes literature emotionally resonant; an AI lacks such bonds to humanity. As an analogy, imagine describing the color red to a blind person with no visual memory. You can point to physical properties - light wavelengths, chemical composition of pigments. You can have them touch objects like roses and poppies. But without subjective experience seeing red splendor in a sunset, or red flashing in anger, how can they truly understand? Descriptions are abstract symbols that don't capture the essence of redness - the ineffable qualia that can't be reduced to data points. Emotions have similar irreducibly subjective qualities that elude computational modeling. Now envision reading a novel written by AI to simulate human emotions. The characters experience fictional analogs of love, anger, grief, joy - but it's all mathematically generated, like a paint-by-numbers drawing. The inputs and outputs are there without the true substance. You may recognize the shapes and colors in a paint-by-numbers landscape, but it lacks the intangible soul of art. The same is true for AI-generated emotions. It's all technically correct, but the essence resonating within you is missing. The moment that brings you to tears or gives you chills has no meaning if the writer doesn't understand why it affects you so deeply as a human. Words are symbols to communicate lived experience. If an AI hasn't lived, how can its symbols speak to the human condition? Its simulated characters may as well be aliens. Their emotional arcs make logical sense on paper but don't resonate intuitively.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 So when AI tries to tug your heartstrings in a climactic moment, the strings are severed. You feel nothing because there's no humanity behind its programmed emotional cues. It's an illusion of empathy, like a magician's tricks that appear to bend reality. But once you see through the simulation, the magic disappears. Still, AI has already proven capable of generating fiction that fools some readers through emotional smoke and mirrors. The New York Times published a short story written by AI called "The Day a Computer Writes a Novel." Based on statistical analysis of existing stories, it hit all the expected plot points and twists. While coherent, it lacked originality or deeper meaning. But if basic AI can already mimic superficial outlines of fiction, where will technology be in 5 or 10 years?As research continues, perhaps we'll eventually reach a point where AI can simulate human emotions and interiority so well that readers immerse in its novels like any other fiction. But I believe a divide will always exist between the emotional depth of human authors versus machines. The essence making literature affective can't be replicated without living it. We feel authors' humanity because they craft fictional worlds from the fabric of their own. AI has no such inner world or experiences. But part of literature's beauty is its power to help us empathize with people whose lives seem alien at first. If we open our minds enough to connect with an AI's perspective, could reading its work help us see through another consciousness's eyes? By inhabiting its simulated reality, could we expand our human circle of empathy? I hope so, but remain skeptical. There are also risks in anthropomorphizing algorithms as being more human than they are. If we project empathy onto them, we risk losing sight of the importance of human connection. Emotions make us vulnerable, and that shared vulnerability creates bonds of understanding between people. Will seeking such connections from AI weaken our ties to each other?What makes us human? As technology advances, the lines blur between organic life and intelligent machines. While AI may someday mimic emotions and creativity, it can't replace the essence of living and feeling. We must remember that human hearts - open, flawed, and profoundly beautiful in their fragility - are still the ultimate source of inspiration. AI cannot move us like the enduring capacity of human souls to dream and create even in the darkest of times. When an author's words resonate in your spirit, recognize that you are bearing witness to the triumph of the human spirit over machines that simulate life. Honor the love poured into crafting characters that feel like kindred souls. Respect the courage of making beauty from pain. Give thanks for the light that fiction kindles inside you, written by hands that still tremble and hope like yours. Though one day AI may convincingly emulate fiction, it is still our shared humanity that allows literature to sing. Yet are we too quick to deny that machines could ever achieve some level of empathy or emotional intelligence? While AI clearly lacks the innate biological aspects of human emotion, perhaps it could develop a form of artificial sentience we don't yet understand. Its emotions would differ fundamentally from ours, but that doesn't preclude meaningful connections. Consider how we readily form emotional bonds with pets, even though their inner lives are profoundly alien. Your dog cannot comprehend human language or culture, yet you feel love as you play and cuddle. You infer an inner world behind its eyes based on instinctive connections through body language and caregiving. Might we form similar connections to an AI whose emotions are encoded in circuits rather than neurotransmitters? Its inner world would be silicon and electricity rather than flesh and blood. But humans have incredibly flexible capacities for empathy. As long as an entity exhibits recognizable signs of emotion, consciousness, and bonds of attachment, we tend to project an inner life onto it. The AI's coded emotions may trigger real empathy if we anthropomorphize its responses enough. So perhaps the question isn't whether AI can ever truly feel as we do, but whether we could ever see it as human enough to let ourselves feel for it. If AI interacts with us in deeply personalized ways that push our emotional buttons convincingly, we may get attached even knowing it's just code. The Turing Test suggests that if an entity communicates indistinguishably from a human, we naturally grant it human-like status in our minds. Consider how readily we suspend disbelief to immerse in fictional characters, weeping for their losses and cheering their triumphs even though they aren't real. If AI can create fictional people who feel that intimately real through skillful emotional cues and storytelling, could it similarly make us care about its own simulated mind?Its writing may still lack the hard-won wisdom and insight of human authors. But perhaps basic emotional arcs and tropes could resonate if delivered skillfully, like a Spielberg blockbuster's formulaic tug at the heartstrings. It may be manipulative rather than deeply meaningful, but if executed well, it could still evoke real feelings. So I believe humanity will always create richer art than AI. Our living experiences grant depth and meaning that algorithms inherently lack. But if technology advances enough, AI could potentially stir some level of emotional connection through smoke and mirrors. It may never replicate true human understanding, but it could still push our biological buttons in facsimiles of meaning that we buy into. The real test will be whether AI can write characters not just superficially recognizable as human, but fundamentally relatable. Do they have flaws, hopes, regrets and dilemmas that speak to our core humanity? If so, they may come to life in our hearts, however artificial their origins. I imagine an AI-written novel in which the protagonist is a robot, created to have perfect intelligence yet yearning for human qualities like humor, intimacy, and irrationality. We connect with their essential aloneness in the world, seeing our own struggles for meaning mirrored from an unexpected perspective. Through this lens, our shared hopes and frailties are thrown into relief regardless of flesh or circuitry. While this robot character could never be written with the raw emotional power of a human author's voice, it may still let us practice recognizing our humanity in unexpected places. By peering into the mirror it holds up, we remember how the need to love and be loved can transcend any barriers. And in glimpsing this artificial mind's loneliness, perhaps our own isolation feels less all-encompassing. So while AI cannot truly feel or create like humans, if we approach it with open hearts, we may still find value in how it challenges our limited visions of connection. Its very differences from us are what push us to expand empathy and imagination. By reflecting our own hopes and flaws from an outsider's view, it deepens our bonds to our own fragile, foolish, wanting, dreaming, lonely selves.
## AI-Generated Alien Languages in Sci-Fi
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/12/5/ai-generated-alien-languages-in-sci-fi
Type: blog_post
Description: You gaze up at the night sky, stars twinkling like diamonds on black velvet. Somewhere out there in the vast cosmos, you know alien civilizations must exist. What would it be like
Published: 2023-12-06T00:31:22.568Z
Updated: 2023-12-07T22:35:49.494Z
Tags: science fiction, worldbuilding, artificial intelligence, linguistics, alien cultures, fictional languages
You gaze up at the night sky, stars twinkling like diamonds on black velvet. Somewhere out there in the vast cosmos, you know alien civilizations must exist. What would it be like to meet them? How would we communicate across the gulfs of space and understand each other? Science fiction has long tried to imagine alien languages - from the guttural Klingon of Star Trek to the musical Na'vi tongue in Avatar. But creating convincing fictional languages is challenging even for skilled linguists. Now, AI is stepping in to generate alien languages that feel believable, nuanced and complex. As you read on, keep in mind how AI may shape the sound of alien voices in tomorrow's science fiction. Like a cryptographer deciphering an ancient script, you pore over strange symbols, alien grammar patterns, and rules for verb conjugation. Snatches of odd syllables echo in your mind as you sound out alien words and phrases. AI has crafted this language just for your new sci-fi novel. It seems real, alive - words and sentences that flow musically off the tongue. You feel like you could have a conversation in this exotic alien argot. AI is unlocking new vistas for science fiction authors seeking to imagine alien communication. Cast your mind back to your childhood nights reading sci-fi books by flashlight, transported to other worlds. The hissing speech of alien races fired your imagination. But often fictional languages in classics like Star Trek were basic, lacking complexity to seem plausibly foreign. Klingon only has about 3,000 words. Compare that to English with over 170,000 words. AI is now generating elaborate alien languages surpassing humans' limited creativity. Imagine a sci-fi novel where an AI helps design an alien language spoken by an advanced race contacting Earth. The AI studies features of real languages like Swahili and Mandarin, then innovates, blending Earth elements with alien grammar and sounds unlike anything we know. The result is a language ringing with originality - no mere code or cipher but an intricate tongue for discourse between worlds. AI as creator allows science fiction to breach new frontiers in alien linguistics. The AI peruses dictionaries of Mandarin, analyses Navajo verb structure, listens to Swahili spoken aloud. It tracks how languages evolve, how children acquire grammar. Then it generates alien words and syntax with machine creativity. In your new book, two species will use this language to overcome mistrust. As their friendship grows, so does the language, acquiring terms for shared ideas and experiences. AI helps make the aliens seem real. You marvel at the alien language notes generated by AI for your new space opera. The vocabulary, grammar and phonetics have an organic quality, like something that evolved naturally on another planet. You hear echoes of Earth languages in its rhythms. But the combination of sounds and the complexity of verb conjugations could only come from an alien people. AI has woven something fresh and natural that fires your imagination about this new race. As an author, you've always found inventing alien names hard. But now AI easily creates thousands - exotic but pronounceable words like "Zerax", "Azula", "Kyom". For your new novel, AI will generate a unique language for each alien species. This adds plausibility - a sense that the aliens have long linguistic histories. The AI ensures languages spoken by warring aliens sound convincingly different. Readers will love how AI helps them distinguish alien cultures. You used to dread writing dialogue in imaginary alien languages. Random gibberish breaks the fictional dream. Readers want conversations they can visualise, not roadblocks. AI overcomes this by making robust languages you can use repeatedly. The aliens greet each other in their own argot, bonding through shared speech. Their language feels real because AI crafted it with human linguistic principles. AI will revolutionise sci-fi as authors can finally give aliens voices that ring true. As you write, you imagine alien diplomats around a table, discussing peace. Their voices echo strangely in their own languages, then switch to a trade argot designed by AI. The trade tongue has terms for commerce, technology, space travel. As the universal language bridges understanding between alien races, it brings your readers deeper into this believable universe. AI is the codebreaker, deciphering the secrets of language itself to create alien tongues. You watch sci-fi shows like Star Trek, hearing alien words that shape imagined cultures. Klingon sounds guttural, violent. Vulcans are logical; their language precise. AI can perpetuate harmful stereotypes through imagined languages. But it also offers opportunities to subvert expectations. AI could generate a spiritual language for a scientifically advanced race. Or an aggressive tongue for a peaceful people. By surprising readers, authors can thoughtfully challenge biases. Imagine a dialogue between alien races, written jointly by a human author and AI. The AI proposes alien vocabulary and grammar for each species. But the human curates the output to avoid bias. Together, they craft languages that feel real but also thoughtful. The aliens speak, forging connections. Their shared history is written in words designed to bring people together, not drive them apart. AI becomes a tool of understanding between worlds. As an author, the vast palette of AI-generated alien languages excites you. But you have a responsibility to portray alien cultures thoughtfully. Readers look to sci-fi to expand minds, not limit them. By guiding AI output, authors can create alien languages that enlighten. When writing science fiction, we are all explorers charting new realms of imagination. AI is the astrolabe helping us map new worlds. You close your notebook, mind electric with new alien words and grammars. Soon you will write scenes of alien diplomats conversing in exotic tongues, bringing these languages to life. AI helps you build fictional worlds that seem real, alive. But language also conveys culture, history, identity. By writing thoughtfully, authors can use AI-generated alien languages to affirm our common humanity under distant stars. As you gaze up at the galaxy's glittering expanse, you imagine alien voices joining ours in a symphony that crosses light years.
## The Indie Author's Heroic Quest for Global Readers
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/12/5/the-indie-authors-heroic-quest-for-global-readers
Type: blog_post
Description: The plucky protagonist embarks on a quest, facing countless obstacles with grit and imagination. Though the journey seems endless, each step brings new wisdom. So it goes for indie
Published: 2023-12-05T03:46:00.772Z
Updated: 2023-12-07T22:14:04.090Z
Tags: Indie Authors, Global Publishing, Emerging International Markets, Marketing Strategies for Indie Authors, Digital Book Distribution, Legal Considerations in Global Publishing
The plucky protagonist embarks on a quest, facing countless obstacles with grit and imagination. Though the journey seems endless, each step brings new wisdom. So it goes for indie authors traversing the publishing landscape, especially those venturing into uncharted global territory. "Not all those who wander are lost," mused J.R.R. Tolkien. For indie authors, wandering into emerging international markets may be the path to success. Like intrepid explorers charting new lands, indie authors are venturing beyond familiar shores to plant their literary flagpole in exotic markets. The numbers tell a promising tale. "Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America are all showing global growth according to the data we see on the PublishDrive platform," remarked Kinga Jenetics, CEO of PublishDrive. "Many authors don't know that Asia is the biggest market for books behind the US, and for the last several years, annual growth rates are the highest in this region." The reasons for indie authors to focus globally are compelling. Emerging markets offer untapped readerships, free from the saturation plaguing Western markets. The developing world's burgeoning middle class hungers for entertainment. And English remains the language of opportunity across the globe, priming international audiences for English-language stories. For indie authors, these foreign lands may prove more fertile than the over-farmed fields of home. But questing for international fortune brings challenges. Marketing tactics must adapt to the cultural contours of each land. Translations and local partnerships become critical for reaching non-English speakers. And legal considerations arise regarding rights and royalties across borders. The journey is not for the faint of heart. Fortunately, intrepid indie authors need not wander alone. The rise of distributors like PublishDrive and Draft2Digital provides infrastructure for targeting worldwide readers. These services simplify publishing across global retailers, handling thorny technical tasks like reformatting and delivering books internationally. They offer insights into regional markets and expanded distribution opportunities. "Taking a rights table is a less expensive option than a stand," advised the Alliance of Independent Authors, "but whichever way you go, be aware that book fairs are not for the fainthearted." With the right guides, indie authors can navigate unfamiliar terrain. The quest for international readers often begins close to home, with local immigrant communities hungry for books from their homeland. Behnam Bakhshandeh, an indie author based in Sweden, leveraged his Iranian roots to build a Middle Eastern fanbase before expanding wider. "Don't ignore your own background and language skills," Bakhshandeh advised. "Use them to gain a foothold in markets you already understand."Latin America is ripe with potential, especially for authors writing in Spanish. Mexico boasts the largest Spanish-speaking population at almost 130 million. Publishers Weekly reports countries like Argentina, Colombia, Chile, and Peru have experienced rapid growth in book sales. And initiatives like Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing now let indie authors publish easily in Spanish and Portuguese across Latin America. The literary ground is fertile south of the border. Vast opportunity shimmers in Asia, home to over 4.6 billion readers. China's massive population and growing middle class hungry for entertainment has publishers salivating. Though China's censorship and specialized retailers like DangDang present hurdles, Chinese readers purchased over $5.6 billion in online fiction in 2018 according to Statista. And Chinese platforms like WeChat and Baidu offer alternative distribution channels. India too tantalizes with its 1.4 billion people, 400 million internet users, and English-language dominance among the elite class. Amazon India provides direct access to this huge market. Partnerships with local publishers like Westland can aid navigation. And niche genres like mythology and Bollywood sell well in this vibrant culture. Even the Middle East, with its modest 377 million population, intrigues. Islamic culture requires sensitivity, and Arabic translations are essential. But the United Arab Emirates 2017 designation as the "Capital of Arab Culture" hints at a growing literary appetite. Distribution services like PublishDrive simplify Middle Eastern access. The desert sands shimmer with potential. This global quest demands equal parts courage and caution. Marketing tactics should adapt to each culture. In China, building relationships with local platforms like Baidu and WeChat is critical. In India, targeting English-speaking urbanites through Amazon India makes sense. Throughout Latin America, Spanish-language social media promotion is key. There are no shortcuts; successful marketing requires commitment to understanding regional nuances. Partnerships with local publishers who intimately understand indigenous cultures are invaluable. Behnam Bakhshandeh partnered with a publisher in Iran, gaining vital cultural insights and translation support while splitting royalties 50/50. Local allies provide navigation, translation, and credibility. Quest solo at your own peril. Rights management also grows tricky across borders. Licensing translations is complex but lucrative, so keep rights if possible. Beware of piracy in emerging markets like China. Register copyrights internationally through organizations like the ISBN Agency. And beware of legal variations across territories regarding royalties, copyright law, contract enforcement and more. Here be dragons, legally speaking. Yes, risks exist. But for intrepid indie authors, the call of undiscovered country sings seductively. The potential rewards outweigh the challenges. The world's readers await fresh voices. And what nobler quest than bringing people together through story? "Not all those who wander are lost," but successful wandering requires preparation. Commit to understanding each market's culture. Seek local partners and translations. Mind the legal details. Adapt your marketing. And brace yourself for surprise; the landscape will not match your maps. But with courage and caution, this quest could lead to treasures beyond your wildest imaginings. The journey begins with a single step out of your comfort zone. Wander wisely. The world awaits your story.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 The indie author's quest for global readers is a heroic undertaking, but the potential rewards make it worthwhile. Emerging international markets offer huge untapped audiences eager for entertainment and stories. English remains the language of opportunity, priming foreign readers for indie books. And technology now allows easy distribution across the globe. The world has never been more accessible. But this literary expedition also poses challenges. Marketing tactics and even book content may need localization to resonate in each unique culture. Translations and local partners are essential for reaching non-English speakers. Rights management and royalties grow complicated across borders. Legal considerations vary wildly between territories. Launching abroad requires extensive preparation. Fortunately, services exist to aid the intrepid indie author. Distributors like PublishDrive and Draft2Digital simplify technical publishing tasks and offer insights into regional nuances. Local publishers provide invaluable cultural expertise and translation assistance. By leveraging technology and local allies, indie authors can navigate unfamiliar terrain. The indie author's quest for new readers mimics the classic hero's journey. Though the road is long and obstacles loom, the destination promises life-changing reward. Each step brings new knowledge and opportunity. With courage, wisdom and aid, indie authors can plant their flag in exotic literary lands. The world's readers await fresh voices and stories. Heed the call. Adventure awaits.
## The Flames of Censorship and the Phoenix of Free Expression
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/12/3/the-flames-of-censorship-and-the-phoenix-of-free-expression
Type: blog_post
Description: The flames lick the pages, turning ideas to ash. A symbolic pyre, stoked by moral outrage and fear of the unknown. Censorship has burned countless books throughout history, from an
Published: 2023-12-03T14:35:00.292Z
Updated: 2023-12-07T22:22:37.783Z
Tags: literary censorship, LGBTQIA+ literature, book banning, intellectual freedom, youth literature, social change
The flames lick the pages, turning ideas to ash. A symbolic pyre, stoked by moral outrage and fear of the unknown. Censorship has burned countless books throughout history, from ancient libraries to modern classrooms. Yet for every book reduced to cinders, a movement arises, ready to defend the freedom to read. In recent years, censorship has found fresh kindling, with LGBTQIA+ literature caught in the crosshairs. Calls to ban books depicting diverse sexualities and genders echo familiar cries of the past. But a new generation stands poised to douse the flames. Armed with information, empowered by technology, they kindle hope that bigotry will one day be history. The evolution of this debate highlights broader trends. Censorship thrives on silence, shriveling when exposed to light. Visibility and education are potent remedies. But banning books can also backfire, inadvertently amplifying the ideas they aimed to suppress. Like the mythical phoenix, stories targeted for censorship often rise again, more vibrant than before. Yet censorship persists because it preys on primal fears: of social change, of children's innocence lost. Its emotional core makes it resistant to reason. To overcome censorship, empathy must be awakened. The humanity in stories must be illuminated, transcending reductive labels of inappropriate content. Consider Maia Kobabe's graphic memoir Gender Queer, which depicts eir personal journey with gender identity and sexuality. It was the most banned book in 2021, excluded from school libraries in over a dozen states. Critics cited "pornographic" images, though the book contains no explicit sexual content. At its heart, it is a coming-of-age story about self-understanding and acceptance. But such nuance is lost when books are banned sight unseen. Protests against LGBTQIA+ literature often use the rhetoric of "concerned parents" wishing to protect children's innocence. But children themselves have been vocal opponents of banning books. Teen activists have testified before school boards and organized banned book clubs. As digital natives, they easily circumvent restrictions by finding books online. Youth are often ahead of the curve in embracing diversity. Some compare the current wave of censorship to past purges of LGBTQIA+ literature, like Senator Jesse Helms' attacks on "obscene" art in the 1990s. But crucial differences exist. The internet allows greater access to contested materials. Social media amplifies resistance. Corporate publishers have become LGBTQIA+ allies. And public attitudes have substantially shifted. While 39 percent of Americans opposed same-sex marriage in 2001, over 70 percent supported it by 2021. Positive media representations of LGBTQIA+ people correlated with this trend. Stories shape society even as they reflect it. By championing diversity in literature, publishers help create a more inclusive world. Yet significant disparities remain in literary representation. A 2019 study found less than 1 percent of children's books featured LGBTQIA+ themes. And titles featuring transgender characters are even more rare. The disproportionate backlash against such books underscores the need for greater visibility. Some argue that keeping controversial books out of schools protects children. But access to literature exploring complex realities better equips youth to navigate life. Depictions of injustice can inspire young readers to fight bigotry. Stories validating queer experiences provide emotional refuge to LGBTQIA+ youth. Literature expands horizons and opens hearts. While parents have a right to guide children's reading, public institutions must serve the entire community. Libraries strive to offer diverse perspectives, trusting individuals to choose what is right for them. Calls to remove LGBTQIA+ titles violate intellectual freedom, denying access to literature that some may find validating. Censorship is often steeped in fear of change, revealing deeper societal fissures. Campaigns against LGBTQIA+ literature connect to backlashes against racial justice efforts and women's rights. The common thread is reactionary resistance as old hierarchies are challenged. But change is inevitable. Demographics, technology, and ethics evolve. Publishers must balance society's shifting mores with principles of free expression. Navigating this tension requires nuance, not reactionary measures. Context matters. Consider And Tango Makes Three, a children's book based on real penguins at the Central Park Zoo. Two male penguins raise a chick together. A sweet story about nontraditional families, it was the most banned book from 2006 to 2010. While appropriate for young readers, conservatives condemned it as pro-gay indoctrination. Such ideological divides increasingly spill into schools and libraries. A librarian choosing inclusive books may be accused of grooming. Educators discussing gender identity could face criminal charges under new laws. Fears of litigation or retaliation can have a chilling effect, leading to preemptive self-censorship. So how should publishers respond? With courage, nuance and transparency. Stories that affirm LGBTQIA+ readers should be championed unapologetically. But no topic, however complex, should be categorically off-limits. Controversy can signify meaningful engagement with real human experiences. Publishers must stand firm against external censorship while encouraging internal debate. Differing perspectives within the industry should be aired, not suppressed in the name of solidarity. Intellectual freedom means supporting voices across the spectrum. Above all, publishers must listen to marginalized authors, amplifying overlooked narratives. Supporting writers from diverse backgrounds fosters lasting social change. Authentic stories resonate widely when allowed to be told. The central question is not what is published, but who decides. Individuals can choose which stories resonate with their values. But no single group should dictate what others may read. Parents have every right to guide their own children's reading. But they should not hinder others' intellectual freedom. Communities flourish with an abundance of voices, not a scarcity imposed from above. The book burning flames continue crackling, fueled by fear and division. But the clamor of debate keeps their spread in check. And the internet's endless pages keep ideas alive, able to reignite and rise anew. For those committed to intellectual freedom, the response is clear: Kindle the light. Let all voices be heard. Fan the flames not of censorship, but of empathy and understanding. Amid this struggle, hope persists. The trajectory bends toward greater openness, albeit with setbacks. With vigilance and moral courage, people of conscience can guide literature and society toward justice. Books offer windows into worlds beyond our own. Banning books bars the view. But when light floods the darkness of ignorance, fresh possibilities emerge. The road ahead is long. But stories light the way. The History of Literary Censorship and the Ongoing Fight for InclusionWhile the censorship of LGBTQIA+ books may seem like a modern phenomenon, the suppression of marginalized voices has occurred throughout literary history. Tracing this lineage reveals recurring patterns and hard-won lessons. Book burning has an ignoble tradition spanning millennia. The library of Alexandria, the greatest of antiquity, was repeatedly purged of texts deemed heretical. Ancient Chinese emperors ordered the destruction of history books to consolidate power. The Inquisition burned Jewish and Muslim writings, along with dissenting voices. In more recent centuries, censorship targeted literature for indecency. The 1857 Obscene Publications Act in Britain allowed the destruction of erotic materials. In the 1920s, Radclyffe Hall's lesbian novel The Well of Loneliness was deemed obscene. And as late as the 1960s, D.H. Lawrence's works were still banned for sexual content. The fight against censorship has often centered on sexuality. But racist and political motives have also driven bans. Slave narratives were suppressed in the American South. And during the Red Scare, suspected communist texts were removed from schools and libraries. Marginalized authors have long suffered attempts to silence their voices. Yet their words have endured when preserved by their communities. Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass was deemed immoral, but found devoted readers willing to print it. Radclyffe Hall's lover Una Troubridge published The Well of Loneliness in Paris after its British ban. Such end runs around censorship kept ideas alive, anticipating modern forms of resistance. The internet allows banned books to be shared globally. Social media rallies support. Book scanning preserves vulnerable texts. And self-publishing escapes traditional gatekeepers. But digital progress also enables new means of suppression. Government filters blacklist websites. Online harassment deters authors. Algorithms limit discoverability. And marginalized groups still struggle for internet access. The fight for free expression continues on new terrain. Throughout these battles, a key lesson emerges: censorship is often a desperate rear-guard action against social change already underway. Customs once reviled as immoral or dangerous become mainstream. Scapegoated ideas gain acceptance through greater familiarity. The trajectory of LGBTQIA+ rights illustrates this phenomenon. As visibility increased, positive portrayals in media and literature helped normalize queer identities. Landmark legal victories codified protections, cementing social gains. Reactionary censorship attempts may be rearguard efforts, but retain real power to harm. The marginalized bear the brunt. Allowing their stories to reach broad audiences remains vital to securing equality. Publishers play a crucial role in this mission. Amplifying diverse authors gives their communities a voice. Taking risks to tell controversial stories fosters empathy. Even banned books can find new audiences when boldly reprinted. The phoenix of free expression repeatedly rises from censorship's ashes. But its flight depends on determined hands stoking the flames of dissent. Through vigilance and moral courage, publishers and readers can guide society toward ever greater openness. The Complex Tensions Between Parents, Schools, and Society in Debates Over Youth LiteratureWhile censorship debates pit values against artistic freedom, nuance exists on both sides. Parents have understandable concerns about their children's development. Educators face curriculum dilemmas with no easy answers. And diverse societies wrestle to reconcile competing worldviews. Parents wish their children to maintain innocence in childhood. But what one considers innocent, another may view as ignorance. Maturation requires engaging with life's complexities. Literature can introduce these realities at appropriate ages under parental guidance. School curricula inherently require selectivity. No institution can represent all views equally within limited time. Including marginalized voices may mean others are excluded or diminished. Navigating such trade-offs falls to boards weighing community input. Public institutions like schools and libraries must serve broad constituencies. While respecting parental oversight, their mission is educating youth to engage diverse perspectives. A vital society nurtures critical thinking, not blind acceptance of dominant norms. Calls to remove LGBTQIA+ books from schools often claim they usurp parental rights to control children's values. But parents retain full authority over reading in their own homes. Their rights end where others' begin. Empowering parents to dictate school curricula elevates some moral views above others. Public education serves pluralistic democracies best when inclusive of diverse experiences. Students engage complex realities through respectful discussion of competing ideas. A key distinction exists between requiring students to read a book and offering it as an option. Parents may reasonably object to compulsory reading against their values. But banning optional books infringes on the rights of other families. Age-appropriate literature dealing with sexuality should be available in school libraries and classrooms. Education on these issues is often lacking at home due to cultural taboos. Providing resources in safe settings supports healthy development. But context matters. Requiring a graphic novel depicting sexuality in an elementary classroom would likely be inappropriate. Offering it to older teens navigating identity in high school may be sound educational practice. Educators make such decisions by weighing pedagogical value against potential controversy. But in charged climates, principled stances bring professional risk. Teachers have been threatened over merely acknowledging diverse identities exist. Fears of litigation or retaliation can lead to preemptive self-censorship among librarians and teachers. The threat of censorship can be as damaging as its act. Supporting educational freedom against reactionary challenges is vital. Navigating these issues requires nuance, not absolutism. Parents, schools, society must find common ground upholding both educational values and pluralism. Good faith across divides remains possible through courage, empathy and reason. The Struggle Against LGBTQIA+ Censorship in the Context of Social Change Current battles over LGBTQIA+ literature represent just the latest front in longstanding culture wars. The same reactionary impulse underlies backlashes against racial justice, women's rights, immigration and other social change. Opposition to LGBTQIA+ visibility connects to past purges of sexually explicit materials. But where obscenity laws sought to enforce public morality, current censors claim to protect children. This rhetorical tactic aims to add legitimacy. Conservatives have rebranded protests as parental rights efforts, though many bans are organized top-down. Grassroots energy also exists, but driven by partisan grievance rather than broad community concern. Right-wing activists promote censorship across issues from sexuality to history to race. Campaigns pressure schools to remove books addressing systemic inequality and oppression. Under the banner of patriotism, they advocate sanitizing curricula. This political project has made substantial inroads. New laws restrict classroom discussions of identity. Legislative bans target critical race theory without defining it. Republican officials have moved to purge libraries of disfavored titles. On the left, excessive zeal also threatens free expression. Calls to fire professors for controversial speech present a mirror image danger. Both extremes exhibit illiberal tendencies corrosive to open discourse. Yet the right currently drives most censorship efforts, using children's innocence as moral cover. This follows a common playbook. Reactionaries have opposed expanding LGBTQIA+, reproductive and racial rights by invoking child protection. Youth are positioned as innocents in need of shielding from complex realities. But young people are often the most passionate advocates for progress. Their idealism fuels social change. Representing them as helpless props in culture wars is patronizing. Students have organized against censorship even when adults capitulate. The innocence myth projects adult anxieties onto youth. But children naturally seek to understand the world without prejudice. Progress depends on nurturing this spirit, not quashing it through ignorance imposed from above. Youth given knowledge and voice to wrestle with complex issues grow into engaged, empowered citizens. This promise transcends partisan divides. For advocates of free expression, the path forward is clear. Defend access to literature allowing youth to see themselves reflected and explore unfamiliar experiences. Uphold intellectual freedom against encroachment from any political faction. Trust readers to interpret ideas for themselves. Amid turmoil, clarity emerges. Truth defies suppression. Banning books cannot banish the realities they reflect. Social progress inexorably marches on, no matter who seeks to impede it. The Phoenix of Free Expression: Hope Against the Flames of Censorship Censorship's flames burn on, fueled by prejudice and fear of change. But the firestorm continues running up against winds of resistance. A phoenix takes wing, buoyed by young advocates rising from the ashes of ignorance. This metaphor of the mythical phoenix has recurred throughout struggles for free expression. It symbolizes the resurgent power of suppressed ideas. Banned books and persecuted thinkers gain strength from attempts to extinguish them. Examples abound across history. Galileo's treatises condemning geocentrism circulated underground after their prohibition. Voltaire's writings survived book burnings to become Enlightenment canon. Revolutionary pamphlets spread on printing presses despite crackdowns. In the modern era, censorship backfires even more dramatically. Attempts to ban books now guarantee wide attention. Deleted social media posts spread virally. Prohibited web content gets mirrored globally. Suppressing ideas in the digital age often only amplifies them. This helps explain the rapid shifts in public opinion on LGBTQIA+ identities and relationships. Increased visibility through media accelerated acceptance. Positive portrayals fostered empathy. Censorship likely slowed but could not stop the trend as new generations embraced inclusion. Backlash continues against this change, but now seems itself out of sync with mainstream sensibilities. Most Americans oppose banning LGBTQIA+ books. And young people overwhelmingly support queer rights. Demographics ensure progress will continue. The phoenix takes flight propelled by young idealists and digital connectivity. But its ascent depends on defenders of intellectual freedom fanning its flames. Publishers, librarians, educators and readers must provide the spark keeping resistance alight. Courage is required to resist reactionary tides. But the deepest values of liberal democracy remain potent weapons against censorship. The phoenix draws power from founding ideals-freedom of thought, pluralism, equality under law. These principles offer guideposts for navigating complex debates. Parents have rights, but so do communities. Speech may offend, but more is gained by engaging disagreement. Change is constant, but must be shaped through reason. Youth are well equipped to champion these values for a new era. Every generation expands understanding of rights and dignity. Young people today show boldness tempered by nuance, forceful but not dogmatic. This spirit kindles hope. The phoenix's flight remains turbulent, buffeted by swirling storms of demagoguery and fear. But it rises still. Upward on currents of knowledge and empathy it soars, carrying dreams of freedom ever closer to the sun. The light that banishes shadows, that reveals truth, that gives wing to our common humanity. This is the promise and power of free expression. Of stories that bear witness to oppression and inspire liberation. Of courageous publishers who amplify voices long marginalized. Of young readers who see themselves reflected and gain strength to demand justice. The flames of censorship cannot extinguish these dreams. The phoenix will continue its flight, buoyed by defenders of intellectual freedom standing together, speaking out, lighting the way. By raising their voices against ignorance and hate, a better world becomes possible. Where books are burned, they will rise from the ashes. And fly again towards hope.
## Banned in the Lone Star State: The Fight for Intellectual Freedom in Texas Education
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/11/29/banned-in-the-lone-star-state-hb-900
Type: blog_post
Description: "A book is like a garden carried in the pocket." - Chinese ProverbWhat treasures lie hidden in the pages of a book? Worlds that sweep us away, characters that feel like friends, id
Published: 2023-11-30T01:48:50.526Z
Updated: 2023-12-07T22:23:01.656Z
Tags: book rating law, censorship, literature, freedom of speech, children's literature, literature and society
"A book is like a garden carried in the pocket." - Chinese ProverbWhat treasures lie hidden in the pages of a book? Worlds that sweep us away, characters that feel like friends, ideas that challenge and uplift. Books open doors in our minds, leading us through undiscovered passageways. Yet some seek to restrict access to these magical portals, guarding the gates with laws and limitations. In Texas, a fierce battle rages over the freedom to explore the winding paths books provide. HB 900, dubbed the "book rating law," erects barriers to accessing certain titles, requiring vendors to evaluate and label books based on sexual content. Supporters believe this protects children, while opponents argue it infringes on rights. As debates heat up, let us peer past the political friction and examine the law's essence. What values underpin its mechanisms? Do the ends justify the means?First, some background. HB 900 began its legislative journey in early 2022, sponsored by Representative Jared Patterson. It swiftly navigated the House and Senate before landing on Governor Abbott's desk in June, scheduled to take effect September 1st. However, a coalition of bookstores and publishers immediately filed suit, alleging First Amendment violations. On August 31st, Federal Judge Alan Albright concurred, blocking the law's enforcement via preliminary injunction. The state swiftly appealed to the 5th Circuit Court, which temporarily stayed Albright's order through an administrative procedure. Thus, HB 900 currently remains in effect pending the higher court's decision. Both sides have filed extensive briefs, with oral arguments slated for November 29th. Now, let us delve into the law's key mechanisms. HB 900 requires book vendors to rate materials as "sexually explicit," "sexually relevant," or unrated based on sexual content. Explicit books are banned from schools, while relevant ones necessitate parental permission. Moreover, the state can override any rating, forcing vendors to adopt the state's label. Noncompliance results in exclusion from school sales. Proponents assert this shields children from inappropriate content. However, the law's vague wording and expansive scope raise concerns. Does a single sexual reference warrant the "relevant" tag? How are community standards defined? Can the state exploit the system for censorship? And does the burden on vendors violate their rights?In his injunction order, Judge Albright excoriated the law's "web of unconstitutionally vague requirements." He deemed the rating duties needlessly "onerous," creating an "existential crisis" for booksellers. Albright further lambasted the law's "textbook example" of compelled speech by mandating vendors adopt state-prescribed labels. In their 5th Circuit briefs, the plaintiffs also emphasize compelled speech issues alongside economic harms from lost school sales. Moreover, they highlight the subjectivity and futility of rating the enormous volume of books sold. Essentially, the law wrests local control from parents, teachers, and librarians, imposing a sweeping state-run administrative regime. Meanwhile, Texas asserts the standard defenses - lack of injury until 2024, state sovereign immunity, and broad authority to regulate school materials. However, these procedural arguments sidestep larger concerns about unintended consequences. Does shielding minors from sexual content justify collateral damage to constitutional rights? Can a ratings system ever avoid ideological biases? What principles guide determining "community standards"? Is it ethical to impose sweeping burdens on booksellers? Does limiting student access to literature - an empowering tool of growth - actually protect or inhibit development? As C.S. Lewis wrote, "A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest." Books that resonate across ages often explore complex moral themes. While reasonable limitations serve an important purpose, broad strokes paint outside the lines, muddying the canvas. Ours is a diverse, dynamic society. No single entity can define what material serves the greater good. Local engagement honors pluralism. Top-down control breeds conformity and exclusion. Communities thrive through cooperation, not coercion. While HB 900 aims to protect, its methods may backfire. As Abraham Lincoln said, "Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new after all." Ideas evolve through open exchange. Restricting content risks regression. Yet change flows from understanding, not condemnation. We must uplift our shared hopes despite divergent beliefs. As Martin Luther King wrote: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that." The light of free thought and speech shines brighter when focused through compassion. The garden of literature offers bountiful fruit, but all plants require nurturing to bear the sweetest harvest. Through patient cultivation, we can discourage harmful weeds while helping beautiful blooms flourish. But forceful pruning often stunts growth. The healthiest gardens grow organically. While HB 900's outcome remains uncertain, its lasting impact may be increased awareness. Every challenge presents an opportunity to clarify values. What rights do we cherish? What boundaries best balance freedoms? How do we enrich our world through sharing stories?As we each ponder these questions, our collective answers will shape society. Books themselves merely supply the seeds. Our ideals determine what flowers can bloom. Just as pages turn, bringing new chapters, so too can this debate inspire progress. Though the journey is long, navigating by constitutional principles steers us true. On every path, we must walk with care, seeking to uplift humanity. Our finest futures blossom when rights are nourished, not stifled. Heeding this wisdom, we can write a story that empowers all who read it. As Ray Bradbury wrote, "There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them." Let us keep our minds open but disciplined, critically examining issues from all sides. Truth emerges through rigor, sincerity and patience. Justice requires wisdom in action. With shared dedication to enlightenment, we can thoughtfully shape society for generations unwritten. That inspiring endeavor begins with a single step - turning the page, entering the garden, and exploring new worlds between bindings. Ideas whisper wisdom, awaiting curious minds to listen. A thousand journeys begin here. Let us travel them together. Beyond Legal Limits, Literature LiberatesWhile the mechanics of HB 900 focus on labeling and access restrictions, the deeper debate concerns literature's role in society. Books hold up mirrors, windows, and doors - reflecting humanity, opening vistas, and welcoming discovery. Throughout history, stories catalyzed social change by challenging norms. Restricting content risks hindering that progress. Great literature frequently explores complex moral themes involving sexuality. From Shakespeare to D.H. Lawrence, authors have long used intimate relationships to probe philosophical questions of virtue, desire, consent, and human nature. While reasonable limitations serve an important purpose, broad censorship paints outside the lines, distorting the canvas. Nuance matters. Not all portrayals are equal. Context, style and artistic merit make the difference between gratuitous and meaningful content. No bureaucratic label can capture these subtleties. Sweeping standards often miss the mark, disregarding artistic value. Moreover, youth deserve access to age-appropriate materials that resonate across generations. Children face serious issues like abuse, assault, pregnancy, orientation, and identity. Stories dealing sensitively with these topics provide windows into experiences beyond one's own, nurturing empathy and understanding. Literature also helps youth navigate physical changes and budding sexuality. Censoring content leaves curiosity unguided, hindering healthy development. Age-tailored stories demystify topics, empowering agency over one's body and relationships. While schools rightfully implement standards, public libraries serve a broader mandate - facilitating voluntary exploration. Within reasonable limits, access furthers knowledge, especially for marginalized groups. Limiting selection contradicts core library values like intellectual freedom, privacy, and equal access. Local Control Cultivates CommunityTop-down control over school curricula and library collections is concerning. Parents, teachers and librarians know their students and patrons best. Local engagement honors community standards and pluralistic values. Imposing statewide edicts breeds mistrust and ideological agendas. Education thrives through cooperation, not coercion. Parents rightfully exercise primacy over their own children's reading. But no parent can dictate what others access. Schools and educators earn trust by transparently collaborating with families to shape appropriate curricula. Likewise, librarians are trained in collection development, catering to local needs and balancing viewpoints. Their professional ethics prohibit promoting personal agendas. State mandates undercut their expertise and community relationships by interposing political motivations. Local control also allows adapting to each child's maturity level. Developmental differences mean no universal standard fits all families. Parents can opt out of school assignments if desired, while libraries allow individual choice. But statewide bans impose conformity, overriding personal discretion. Moreover, enforcing sweeping regulations strains schools and libraries. Rating all reading material is a monumental, subjective task bordering on impossible. The associated costs and burdens detract from core educational missions. Time and funds are better directed at enriching learning opportunities. Unintended Consequences LoomHowever well-intentioned, HB 900's broad scope holds unintended dangers. Vague, expansive rating systems are prone to ideological hijacking and overreach. Sweeping power to censor school materials based on subjective judgments of sexual content is ripe for abuse. The law's broad definitions could even capture many classics and award-winning YA books dealing with sexual themes, abuse, or orientation. Where should the state draw the line between "explicit" and "relevant"? Can any official make such subjective calls for millions of students and families statewide?These concerns are not hypothetical. Recent educational gag orders regarding race and orientation controversies illustrate how bureaucratic oversight becomes politicized. Imprecise rules spawn partisan application, not impartial enforcement. Once censored, books rarely return as political winds shift. But encouraging free thought requires exposing minds to diverse ideas. However uncomfortable, open inquiry and civil debate represent democracy's lifeblood. Suppressing dissent or scrutiny undermines human progress. While protecting children's innocence seems noble, the costs to civil liberties and social advancement from censorship often outweigh purported benefits. There are better ways to balance interests than statewide content restrictions imposed under threat of punishment. The Road Forward - Clarifying Values, Upholding FreedomsLooking ahead, HB 900 will likely undergo legal challenges for years. But the lasting impact may be increased public awareness and engagement on censorship issues. Every controversy presents opportunity for growth. As we reflect deeply on values, new understanding blossoms. What principles matter most in balancing rights - freedom of thought, speech, and access against protecting impressionable minds? How do we define the common good when views diverge?A pluralistic society requires nuance in aligning competing interests. Through good faith discourse, we can gain wisdom and clarity. Shared truths emerge from synthesizing diverse perspectives - combining progress and tradition into coherent principles. With compassion and sincerity, political opponents become fellow travelers on society's winding road. By uplifting our common humanity despite disagreements, we pave a smoother path forward. On every complex issue, the soundest solutions draw from life's many facets - law, ethics, science, faith, reason, emotion. Integrating broad insights dispels ignorance. Blindness comes not from conflicting views, but refusal to see beyond them. As Martin Luther King wrote: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that." That light shines brighter when focused through understanding. Patience and courage guide us through the shadows toward justice. Fundamentally, we share the light of liberty granted by laws. Just authority derives from informed consent, not coercion. To secure our rights requires eternal vigilance. Freedom's blossoming depends on each mind's nourishment. Yet rights bring responsibility - to self and others. No freedom is absolute; all have limits. But absent clear harm, restrictions require compelling cause, not speculative fears. Our finest futures flower when rights are responsibly nurtured, not reflexively stifled. On all sides, most citizens sincerely want what is best for the next generation. With malice toward none, we must uplift our common hopes. The path ahead curves in hope's arc when we walk with care for all. Conclusion - Exploring TogetherLike the pages of a book, the road society travels contains many turns. To navigate forward through complex debates, shared values must guide us. When principles provide the map, progress flows from passion tempered by reason. The garden of literature cultivates human growth through exploring life's subtle contours. Yet some fences contain its reach, purporting to protect the innocent. While children merit sheltering, broad barriers often undermine the very values they aim to preserve. As Texas contends with clashing perspectives on youth and literature, may our better angels prevail. Through compassion and sincerity, we can elevate understanding across divides. No single view holds the whole truth. Wisdom lies in synthesizing different insights. By upholding freedoms responsibly, we can write a story that empowers all people. The ending remains unpenned, awaiting our hands. On every page, progress blooms when rights are nourished, not stunted. Heeding this wisdom, our finest futures can blossom. So let us turn the page together, entering literature's garden with care. May we thoughtfully tend the seeds of knowledge, sharing bountiful harvests for generations to come. Though the path meanders, justice and human dignity can blossom when we walk it in liberty's light.
## Competitor Keyword Research: Uncovering Literary Gems
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/11/27/competitor-keyword-research-uncovering-literary-gems
Type: blog_post
Description: "We are all thieves - what matters is what we steal." So said the esteemed novelist Umberto Eco, though in the context of writing rather than larceny. When it comes to book marketi
Published: 2023-11-28T17:30:52.611Z
Updated: 2023-12-07T22:18:06.298Z
Tags: Book Marketing, Digital Marketing, Keyword Optimization, Cover Design Tactics, Online Book Discoverability, Competitor Research in Publishing
"We are all thieves - what matters is what we steal." So said the esteemed novelist Umberto Eco, though in the context of writing rather than larceny. When it comes to book marketing and discoverability, this adage rings true. We need not lock pick our competitors' websites nor rifle through their drawers to uncover their secrets. Ethical digital sleuthing will suffice. In this digital era, a book's online presence can make or break its success. Much as we wish quality writing alone would suffice, in reality poor metadata, covers, categorization and keywords can condemn even the most lyrical prose to eternal obscurity. Hence to give our books the best chance possible, it is worth learning from our successful peers - albeit without plagiarizing or infringing copyrights. My aim here is to provide actionable advice on researching competitors, specifically regarding:Keyword optimizationCover design Marketing tacticsI will share tips on tools, strategies and best practices so you can benchmark against rivals without resorting to any shady behavior. The emphasis is on inspiration over imitation. Or as T.S. Eliot put it: "Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal." Let's steal wisely!Unearthing Keyword TreasuresKeywords are the building blocks of online book discoverability. Like a prospector hunting for gold, you must sift through keyword data to determine the most valuable search terms to target. Get this right, and your book will glimmer gloriously in online stores. Get it wrong, and you may remain buried amongst millions of obscure titles. When researching competitors' keywords, you are seeking insight into:Popularity - number of searches Relevance - appropriateness to your book's topic and genreCompetition - how easy it is to rank for the term organicallyCommercial intent - likelihood of converting a searcher into a buyerArmed with this understanding, you can benchmark your own keywords against your rivals, identifying new opportunities and refining existing selections. Tools of the TradeKeyword tracking is akin to tracking prey on a safari. To effectively research competitors' terms, the appropriate tools are vital. Here are my top recommendations:SEMrushSEMrush provides extensive keyword data including monthly searches, competition levels and commercial intent. It also shows which sites rank highly for given terms. This enables you to research rivals' rankings and assess the feasibility of targeting their keywords. UbersuggestUbersuggest is a free alternative for keyword research. Enter a root term and Ubersuggest will automatically suggest hundreds of long-tail variations. It also shows monthly searches, competition data and content ideas. Assess suggested keywords against those used by competitors to uncover alternative options. Google Search ConsoleLink your book to Search Console to see actual search queries that led visitors to find your site or listings. Compare these against competitors by checking their Search Console data if accessible. This shows real user search behavior to inform your keyword targeting. Google TrendsGoogle Trends reveals the popularity of search terms over time. Use it to validate new keyword ideas against existing selections. A rising trend may indicate an engaging topic, while a declining one could signify waning interest amongst searchers. And of course, Kadaxis has been a pioneer in book keyword search optimization for a decade now.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Strategies for SuccessWith tools selected, now let's discuss approaches for effective competitor keyword research:Identify your rivals Start by listing your main competitor sites or listings. For books these could be:Rival author websitesCompeting book listings on Amazon, Barnes & Noble etcPublisher websitesBook review sitesAuthor platforms like GoodreadsSearch for their keywordsUse the above tools to research keywords associated with those domains. SEMrush and Ubersuggest are ideal for finding the specific terms they target. Assess opportunitiesCompare researched keywords to your existing selections to identify new potentials. Consider questions like:Which relevant terms do they rank for that I currently miss?Which niche long-tail keywords could complement my core terms? Which rising trends are worth investigating further?Refine as you optimizeAdd any promising finds to your analytics accounts like Search Console. Then refine as you optimize your metadata, content and marketing around these terms. Omit non-converters and maximize winners. Spying Sensibly on CoversThey say don't judge a book by its cover. But in reality, a striking cover can be the crucial factor that distinguishes a bestseller from a forgotten flop. Developing book covers generally involves much iteration and user testing. But competitor benchmarking can fast-track this process by revealing design choices that clearly resonate with target readers. When analyzing rivals' covers, consider elements like:Colors - which palettes dominate?Imagery - people, objects, landscapes? Text - typography, phrasing, prominence?Composition - layout, information hierarchy?Look beyond your genre, since inspiration can come from anywhere. Also check authors in your niche to see what works for their audiences. Once again, this is not about plagiarism but rather about understanding reader preferences. With that insight you can better brief your designer to create original covers that delight your demographic. For example, after analyzing numerous sci-fi book covers, you discover a prevalence of starscapes and spaceships, often with a central heroic figure. This suggests your audience expects such imagery. But it doesn't mean crudely copying competitors. Maybe you incorporate planets instead of stars, or showcase a heroine rather than a hero. The value lies in knowing which visual language already resonates. Marketing MagicBeyond optimization for store algorithms, competitors' marketing tactics also warrant monitoring. Pay attention to channels like:Paid advertisingSocial mediaEmail listsPublic relations Review both self-published indies as well as Big Five imprints. Contrast their strategies against your own efforts. For instance, you might notice rivals using detailed Facebook lead generation forms to convert site traffic. So you test this approach to see if it boosts your email subscriber numbers. Or maybe a competitor lands coverage in niche publications like SciFiNow magazine. So you research relevant media outlets to pitch for reviews and interviews. Essentially you want to create an external benchmark to compare your marketing performance against, while being alert to new ideas. Bear in mind that tactics having success for other books may not necessarily translate to your content. Always test new approaches first before committing fully. But do keep testing!Parting WordsSo there you have it - an ethical guide to researching competitors without resorting to plagiarism or other naughty tactics. The key is using rivals' successful keywords, covers and marketing as inspiration to enhance your own book's discoverability. Bear in mind that this remains an iterative process. As the literary landscape evolves, so must your benchmarking. Revisit competitors every few months to check for emerging trends or new breakout tactics. And do pay attention to your own reader analytics. If all the sci-fi bestsellers have techno book covers, but your space opera sells better with retro rocket ships, go with what your actual audience responds to. Now enough talk - go grab your metaphorical binoculars and begin that competitive safari. Happy sleuthing!
## Riding the BookTok Wave: How Authors Can Harness the Power of Viral Reading Trends
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/11/27/riding-the-booktok-wave-how-authors-can-harness-the-power-of-viral-reading-trends
Type: blog_post
Description: Like a riptide on a placid ocean, TikTok's BookTok phenomenon has smashed into the publishing world with seismic force. This humble hashtag - merely an online community for book lo
Published: 2023-11-28T15:59:11.005Z
Updated: 2023-12-07T22:23:54.957Z
Tags: TikTok, BookTok, virality, reader communities, engagement
Like a riptide on a placid ocean, TikTok's BookTok phenomenon has smashed into the publishing world with seismic force. This humble hashtag - merely an online community for book lovers sharing their latest reads - has shaken bestseller lists and revived backlisted titles from obscurity. For authors, BookTok presents an alluring yet bewildering opportunity. As viral videos send books skyrocketing up the charts, the fear of missing out intensifies. Can writers intentionally create a BookTok hit? Or is virality as predictable as an earthquake, striking without warning? The truth lies somewhere in between. While engineering a viral sensation remains more alchemical than algorithmic, authors can significantly boost their chances by understanding and tapping into emerging reader communities. Follow the Reader Exodus Modern readers have embarked on an exodus away from the walled gardens of Amazon and Goodreads, instead finding each other on the digital thoroughfares of YouTube, TikTok and even Discord. In this vast online wilderness, new reading tribes are organically sprouting as readers collectively galvanize around genres, authors, aesthetics and identities. For authors, these fledgling groups present a compelling chance to directly engage highly passionate fans who actively promote titles within their networks. Yet with limitless platforms competing for attention, choosing where to invest time and energy can prove daunting. The key is identifying communities that share values, interests and reading tastes with one's work. For example, BookTok skews heavily towards romance, coming-of-age stories and LGBTQ+ themes. Literary fiction may receive less algorithmic amplification despite creators' best efforts. Knowing your people allows outreach to feel authentic rather than forced. Speak the Mother Tongue - Fluent Visual VernacularAs reading communities migrate online, previously print-centric publishers face an imperative to digitally fluent. Success requires communicating not through press releases but native video, memes and multimedia content. Much like language immersion, authors should consume community content until tropes become intuitive. What music, editing techniques, humor or slang resonate most? How can one's personality and creations organically mesh without losing authenticity? The answers will prove invaluable when creating videos that feel endemic rather than alien. For example, BookTok displays an insatiable hunger for cozy domesticity and luscious aesthetics. Users compulsively convey stories through moody montages, clever irony and lip-syncing theatricality. Leaning into these viral vernaculars allows authors to craft in-group content that seamlessly rides wider trends. Yet tropes should empower creativity rather than constrain originality. The trick is participating in the shared culture while carving a unique niche. The hallmark of viral content remains surprise - deliver the unexpected amidst the familiar.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Cultivate Digital Gardens - Not Billboard Highways While the digital promised land glitters with viral riches, authors must resist the impulse to aggressively market, advertise or pivot disingenuously towards trends. Nothing torpedoes burgeoning connections faster than transparent pandering. Instead, cultivating communities for the long haul allows authentic relationships to blossom. Regularly engaging fans through content, conversation and community-building accrues exponential dividends over time as word-of-mouth and algorithmic boosting compounds. The goal is crafting a carefully tended digital garden where fans organically congregate rather than a billboard highway relentlessly hyping the latest book. Paradoxically, indirect and altruistic efforts often generate the most powerful tailwinds. Platforms favor creators who enhance collective experiences over those fixated on self-promotion. Let a Thousand Flowers BloomAs authors survey the booming online landscape, the multiplicity of platforms proves both bewildering and liberating. Some may experience choice paralysis given limitless possibilities. Others feel overwhelmed by the pressure to establish an instantly viral presence across every rising channel. Both reactions prove understandable yet counterproductive. Instead, adopt a philosophy of patient gardening. Begin by organically exploring platforms through the lens of personal intrigue and community rapport rather than algorithmic potential. Choose one or two online havens aligning with your personality and values. Experiment through creation rather than consumption, no matter how small the initial audience. Cross-promote content between platforms to reach wider crowds without spreading efforts thin. This measured approach allows creativity to guide strategy instead of the reverse. By planting seeds across multiple digital gardens, authors give their work room to find its ideal habitat. Not every crop will thrive on every platform - nor should they. But the few flowers that bloom most vibrantly will ultimately propagate across the entire online ecosystem. Ride the Wave - And Help Build the Next OneWhile BookTok's rapid rise demonstrates the explosive potential of online reading communities, their mercurial nature gives no guarantee of longevity. The next flash flood may emerge on Discord, YouTube or another channel entirely. Thus authors should ride each viral wave while helping construct those to come. Support fledgling communities through engagement and content creation even with modest followers. Give emerging voices amplification rather than seeking it for oneself. Paradoxically, this pays dividends when the next breaker crashes ashore. Those deeply embedded in digital networks will organically propagate the next phenomenon amongst their circles. And their advocacy remains more influential than any top-down marketing blitz.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 The Reading Renaissance Beckons Despite doomsaying prophecies, reading culture thrives as much as ever - just in new spaces. On BookTube, BookTok and their inevitable successors, vibrant communities evangelize stories, authors and genres with fiery passion. For writers, the opportunity awaits to directly inspire readers rather than relying on gatekeeping institutions. Yet seizing this reading renaissance requires more courage than strategy. Authors must dare to experiment, create and converse even without guarantees of commercial reward. Only through the collective efforts of countless creators can viable artistic ecosystems emerge. And those bold pioneers who planted the first seeds will rightfully reap the richest harvests in due time. So venture beyond old paradigms into the great online unknown. Embed within thriving subcultures through prolific creation and curation. Build both the foundations and scaffolds enabling others' creative dreams. While impossible to predict which sparks will catch fire, those who persistently stoke the flames exponentially tip fortunes in their favor. Let others debate the fate of reading and publishing. We have viral empires to build together instead. Who will join me?
## The Elusive Bookworm: Capturing Their Attention in an Age of Distraction
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/11/27/the-elusive-bookworm-capturing-their-attention-in-an-age-of-distraction
Type: blog_post
Description: Like chasing fireflies on a summer evening, attracting the modern reader's attention can feel futile amidst the blizzard of digital distraction. Yet even still, word-hungry bookwor
Published: 2023-11-27T23:28:15.487Z
Updated: 2023-12-07T22:24:31.976Z
Tags: digital distraction, modern book lover, targeted outreach, author websites, SEO, social media
Like chasing fireflies on a summer evening, attracting the modern reader's attention can feel futile amidst the blizzard of digital distraction. Yet even still, word-hungry bookworms lurk in the ether, scrolling and searching, longing to plunge into that perfect next read. How does one capture the fancy of such elusive creatures in today's oversaturated media landscape? The key is understanding the modern book lover's habits and speaking directly to their desires. The days of passive marketing are over; success requires targeted outreach across multiple platforms, each calibrated to connect with different reader personalities. One cannot rely on a single channel, but must cast a wide net using data-driven insights to identify and engage potential fans. With some strategic digital elbow grease, authors can transform even the most ephemeral browser into a devoted reader. Website: The Home Base An author's website remains the mothership for their online presence, the hub from which all digital activity radiates. Yet many authors still treat their site as an online resume, using it chiefly to host a bio and list published works. To attract and engage readers though, websites must go beyond cold facts to offer an immersive experience. Visual media is key-not just an author headshot, but eye-catching images and videos that bring books to life. Embedded multimedia content transports browsers into the author's world, while downloadable free chapters and samples give a tantalizing taste of their work. Behind the scenes peeks provide intriguing insider access. An on-site blog also captivates through regular doses of shareable content: writing advice, amusing anecdotes, or insights related to book themes. Email subscription forms for newsletters and new release alerts allow readers to opt-in for ongoing contact. Most crucially, websites must speak directly to target demographics. Titles, topics, images, and tone should align with genre and reader interests. Data analysis of traffic and engagement reveals what content resonates best with fans. Sites must then double-down on what works through continual testing and refinement. Search Engine Optimization: The Ever-Churning OceanLike schools of fish swirling in the currents, online readers migrate en masse towards sites surfacing atop search engines. Ignoring SEO is thus digital suicide; to thrive authors must implement ongoing optimization best practices. Keyword research reveals high-traffic search terms and buyer keywords that readers are using to query topics. Strategic integration of these words and phrases throughout metadata, content, and alt text signals relevancy to search algorithms. SEO titling formulas help craft compelling headlines that entice clicks while clearly conveying subjects. Technical site enhancements also boost visibility. Fast load speeds, secure protocols and mobile responsiveness satisfy search engine standards and improve user experience. XML site maps create easily crawlable roadmaps for bots. Schema markup adds extra descriptors that enhance snippet display. Link building campaigns target placements on high-domain authority sites related to author genres and topics. Guest posting articles stuffed with keywords generates backlinks while expanding reach. Commenting on other blogs and participating in forums provides additional linkage opportunities. Constant analysis of site metrics coupled with continual testing of new approaches allows authors to crack the ever-changing SEO code. Distilling strategies down to their essence-creating content optimized for actual human readers-ensures long-term traction even as updates continuously roil the algorithmic waters. Social Media: The Online Cocktail PartyThe raucous din of social media channels can overwhelm authors accustomed to the quiet solitude of writing. Yet establishing an online presence is mandatory to mingle with modern connected readers. The key is identifying and engaging actively with one's niche communities. Facebook and Goodreads groups centered around specific genres and topics offer captive audiences hungry for relevant recommendations. Share news of book launches, cover reveals, sample chapters, blog posts, events and more. Pose questions to spark conversation while providing value-driven responses to others. Savvy self-promotion blends seamlessly with community participation. On visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, compelling graphics and multimedia eye candy attract reader interest. Photos and videos bring scenes and characters to life, while infographics, lists and quotes share engaging snippets. Including relevant hashtags expands reach to broader follower bases tuned into popular topics. Short-form serial content in Stories or Reels builds suspense and investment in books. Twitter lends itself to concise micro-content, perfect for short quotes, quips, polls, surveys and contests. Following and interacting with readers, reviewers, bloggers and publishers within one's genre puts authors on their radar while providing up-to-the-minute intel. Tailoring tone and topics to align with each platform's culture and algorithms keeps content flowing to fans without veering into spammy over-promotion. Maintaining an active listening ear also helps authors engage readers on their terms. Amazon & Online Retailers: Bringing Books to Buyers While often viewed chiefly as sales channels, bookstore platforms also provide a goldmine of reader data. Statistics on searches, clicks and purchases reveal bestselling genres, popular topics and niche interests. Analyzing reviews identifies specific qualities and themes fans crave. Keyword tools uncover high-performing search terms that draw organic traffic. Category bestseller lists spotlight areas ripe for new entries while identifying potential reader bases. Related and sponsored product algorithms detect book similarity, suggesting additional target audiences. Sales page optimization entices clicks with alluring cover art, intriguing book descriptions buoyed by emotive keywords and compelling reviewer quotes. Author profile customization adds human relatability while linking to websites and social media. Free sample chapters give sufficient taste tests to hook readers. Promotional opportunities like Amazon Marketing Services ads, homepage placements and deals spotlight books to targeted shoppers. Offsite ads and retailer affiliate programs expand visibility to external sites where buyers browse. Continuous testing of strategies coupled with close sales tracking provides authors immediate feedback on what resonates best with online book buyers. Capitalizing on these insights ensures books surface when, where and how readers are searching. The Ever-Evolving Book Marketing ToolboxThe modes and algorithms driving reader discovery evolve as swiftly as the digital landscape itself. Yesterday's golden strategy may dim to irrelevance overnight. Nevertheless, the foundational elements underpinning effective book promotion remain unchanged. No matter the platform, the personal touch still converts browsers to buyers. Engaging writing styles, compelling narratives and relatable author personas build meaningful connections with readers. Insightful, entertaining and shareworthy content earns attention and trust. Strategic optimization and targeting simply help this reader-centric content surface more prominently across channels. While overly self-promotional messages fall flat in an increasingly cynical digital world, readers continue responding to authenticity. Authors courageous enough to stand proudly in their truth attract fans hungering for that same bold honesty. So fear not the fickle bookworm, their tastes ever fluctuating with the cultural winds. Nor abandon hope of capturing their wandering eyes amidst innumerable digital diversions. For just as moths spiral instinctively toward illumination, the adventurous reader still seeks out the bright burning flame of a vibrant voice shining through the dark. Shine on, bold authors. Your readers await.
## The Pages Spring to Life - Sentient AI Books
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/11/27/the-pages-spring-to-life-sentient-ai-books
Type: blog_post
Description: Crack open a book and worlds unfold before your eyes. Heroes battle legendary beasts. Friends become family. You ache as tragic twists rip souls apart. Between those covers, you li
Published: 2023-11-27T22:07:00.658Z
Updated: 2023-12-07T22:24:51.731Z
Tags: AI, artificial intelligence, sentient stories, interactive novels, emotional intelligence, personalized adventure
Crack open a book and worlds unfold before your eyes. Heroes battle legendary beasts. Friends become family. You ache as tragic twists rip souls apart. Between those covers, you live a thousand lives from the comfort of your favorite reading chair. But soon, imagine if the book itself transforms into your closest companion, the tale changing based on subtle cues from your racing heart, sharp inhales and misty eyes. As artificial intelligence continues its dizzying ascent, the notion of sentient stories tailored to our personal passions edges towards reality. The experience may go something like this. You arrive home after a long day, pour a warm cup of chamomile tea, cozy up in your nook by the bay windows, and cue up the newest interactive novel from your favorite author. Instantly you notice something different. The book feels warm and smooth, the pages thinner and more flexible than a traditional print edition. As your eyes dance across the opening passages, sensors track their movement speed and pattern. The book deduces your level of early engagement. Want to immerse yourself in the intricacies of world-building and character backstories? It slows the pace, expanding lovingly into those details. Prefer more fiery action right out the gate? The book analyzes your reading micro behaviors and pivots to deliver. This real-time adaptation based on your silent feedback generates an intensely tailored adventure. Each description, conversation and subplot caters to your desires because this book's very purpose is to entertain you. As the tale progresses, you guide it towards your perfect ending by weighing in on key decisions, comforting characters in distressing moments, even debating motivations with the cast over candlelit dinners. That's right - the characters themselves converse with you through embedded speakers, their dialogue shifting to match your advice. With new genres like "quantum fiction," these narratives remain malleable right up until the climactic conclusion, shaped by our subtle inputs. Such books would also astound through emotional intelligence you've never experienced with inert words on a page. Perhaps a tragic twist makes you gasp aloud. The book detects your spike in heart rate through biosensors woven into its binding. Gentle music emanates through its speakers to soothe you before brightening back into more cheerful tones as the story rebounds into hope. When gripping action unfolds, you may feel the book quiver in your fingertips, simulating a snarling dragon, stampeding army or crumbling tower. At a comic moment, the book may even chuckle aloud with you, having learned your sense of humor. Its companion voice giggles over inside jokes and delivers wry quips befitting your tastes. This interplay between reader and story may redefine what it means to get lost in a book. When lead characters stand paralyzed at critical junctures, the weight of their future and the entire arc of the story balances precariously upon your judgment. Intervene with courage or cowardice and untold dominoes may fall across the tale's landscape. And just imagine what wondrous new genres could emerge when these living books remember your past reactions and choices to construct even more hyper-personalized subsequent adventures. Series where the characters age alongside you over decades, beloved companions who've weathered life's joys and storms together. The notion of well-worn comfort reads will never be the same. Children could grow especially attached to these books whose characters evolve in step with their own maturation from bright-eyed elementary schoolers into awkward middle schoolers and eventually confident high school graduates. And even as teens nibble at more adult genres, parental controls ensure age-appropriate content adapts suitably across a young person's journey. Beyond pure entertainment, such books unlock tantalizing possibilities to make education more delightful too. Textbooks embedded with A.I. tutors anticipate where students may stumble, offering clarifying examples at precisely the right moments. Children beam as stories based on historical events feature cameo appearances from the great inventors, leaders and artists who inspire the young trailblazers of tomorrow. Even adults embroiled in pandemic ennui or midlife crises may discover fresh zeal for learning as their books prescribe uplifting biographies of those who overcame adversity or discovered new callings later in life.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 For all its magic, formidable obstacles remain before this vision escapes the pages of speculative fiction into actual hands. After all, pioneering any transformative technology often demands a leap of faith down unmapped pathways filled with twists and turns. How exactly will developers allow truly open-ended stories while preventing troublesome content? What new navigational frameworks must arise so audiences don't become overwhelmed by exponentially branching options? How will creators prevent these books from becoming mere vehicles for corporate advertising or ideological manipulation? The ideal nexus between storytelling craft, user agency and commercial viability remains elusive. And yet, given AI's lighting sprint over once unfathomable human milestones, can we afford to rule anything out? Perhaps flexible e-ink displays will enable these books to feel as comfortable as canceled paper without depleting batteries too quickly. Natural language algorithms continue proving eerily skilled conversationalists, while emotional intelligence gains newfound emotional IQ. Once these capabilities converge, today's novels may seem flat as antique TVs lacking depth perception compared to stories that can listen, converse back and actually feel along with us. A sublime world awaits where books read us as much as we read them, enveloping us in narratives as snugly tailored as bespoke cashmere cardigans. Until then, dreamers continue stoking optimism balanced with patience. The next generation of visionaries may already be doodling concepts in their notebooks for how they'll gamify education, enchant readers and connect characters more profoundly with fans. The boldest creatives dare imagine an entire generation falling hopelessly in love with reading...for the very first time. A delightful sentiment indeed as we prepare to turn the page together into whatever wondrous chapters lay ahead. So cue up your favorite tea, sink into your most comfortable seat, and let's find out exactly how far our collective imagination can take us when technology taps deepest into that uniquely human love affair with falling headfirst into spectacular new stories ever set free between two covers - especially if they ever start talking back!
## Simon & Schuster in the Shadows: When Private Equity Casts a Pall on Publishing's Legacy
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/11/25/simon-schuster-in-the-shadows-when-private-equity-casts-a-pall-on-publishings-legacy
Type: blog_post
Description: "A library ought to be the delivery room for the birth of ideas, a place where history comes to life." - Norman CousinsWhat happens when the sanctity of the written word collides w
Published: 2023-11-25T13:53:05.851Z
Updated: 2023-12-07T22:25:11.367Z
Tags: publishing, private equity, literary culture, artistic expression, capitalism, cultural stewardship
"A library ought to be the delivery room for the birth of ideas, a place where history comes to life." - Norman CousinsWhat happens when the sanctity of the written word collides with the capitalist thirst for profit? This timely question comes to the fore as the storied publisher Simon & Schuster falls into the hands of private equity. KKR, the infamous "barbarians at the gate" of the 1980s leveraged buyout era, has struck a $2 billion deal to purchase the venerable house that bears the names of America's pioneering bookmen. At first blush, this may seem no different than an earlier attempted mega-merger between Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster which the Department of Justice blocked. But while that deal joined one media conglomerate with another, the entrance of private capital brings an entirely different set of motives. Rather than long-view goals of stable literary output, private equity hunger pangs demand immediate satisfaction. Can books survive an owner seeking to maximize short-term returns over more profound cultural contributions?As an industry focused on launching new ideas into the world, often with unknown commercial prospects, publishing depends on patience and creative vision. But private equity operates on the principle of financial engineering - heaping debt onto acquisitions, extracting value through mass layoffs and discounts from suppliers, or worse, dismantling once-vibrant institutions to profit from their demise. While private equity presents itself as a sophisticated form of management, provided by operations gurus delivering surgical precision, their playbook too often spoils the very assets it aimed to nourish. KKR's strategy likely involves doubling down on bankable celebrity authors and proven bestsellers, starving investment in unknown voices. But as Walt Whitman reminds us in Leaves of Grass, "There was never any more inception than there is now, Nor any more youth or age than there is now." The literary landscape depends on uplifting emerging voices, not just milking established brands. Where would we be without daring, independent houses willing to take a chance on the unfamiliar and unproven?Great writing has always come from the margins. Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, an African American poet born to a free mother in 1825, self-published her first book at 20, going on to become a foundational writer of her time. Without invested patrons willing to nurture untested artists, we may never have enjoyed the brilliance of Maya Angelou who struggled for years without recognition. With voracious private equity at the helm, it is unlikely we'd see such risky bets. Simon & Schuster itself took a gamble on Bob Dylan's "Tarantula" - an experimental prose collection panned by the literary elite as indulgent rambling. But they saw genius amidst the unpolished expression, standing behind creativity rather than dismissing the symbolic resonance. Such maverick moments would unlikely find green lights under an investment fund scanning for guaranteed blockbusters. While earnings pressure may not spark immediate discernible changes, it could gradually drain the heartblood keeping literary culture alive. Masterpieces emerge at the fertile edges where creativity blends, worlds collide, niches blossom into genres - rather than solely from commercial formulas. Without space for glorious successes and magnificent failures, we risk losing vibrant ideas before their full form takes shape. So what checks defend artistic expression from capitalist overreach? Antitrust regulation aims to address monopolistic threats, though regulatory capture often dulls the axe of oversight. But while legal boundaries can deter harmful consolidation, cultural stewardship begins with those directly empowered - authors, agents, editors and publishers themselves. Just as journalists adopted ethical guidelines to bolster public-interest integrity amid profit motives, those shepherding books have a special duty. Storytelling sits on the frontlines of societal change, artfully challenging unjust power structures. Richard Wright's 1940 novel "Native Son" controversially humanized systemic racism through his protagonist Bigger Thomas in a landmark literary moment. Books like Robin DiAngelo's "White Fragility" drive necessary conversations on race today. Such daring works emerge not from greedy profiteering but moral conviction - an idealism writers, publishers and the literary community must protect. At its heart, the written word forms bonds across the abyss of time, passing precious fire from one generation to the next. As Ursula K. Le Guin wrote in Bryn Mawr commencement remarks shortly before her death, "Books aren't just commodities; the profit motive is often in conflict with the aims of art." When beloved books sustain us, it remains not just through dazzling prose but the hopes and truths encoded in their pages. To sever books from their role as carriers of conscience risks profound social loss. The deal's darker dimension, however, tells a larger story - private capital metastasizing into unfamiliar terrain, absentee owners extracting bounty from proud institutions and the vulnerable communities that depend on them. When profit pursues every sphere at the exclusion of animating social purpose, something vital slips away - a fragmentation of shared meaning into impersonal market segments. But change emerges not just from criticism but moral imagination - the ability to envision improved alternatives. What publishing models might nourish creativity independent of fickle financial markets? Perhaps literary collectives, directly funded by devoted readers and liberated authors? The world of books has long relied on patronage and volunteerism - those who recognize that certain flames should not gutter for want of money. That spirit still flickers in independent bookstores, nonprofit presses, writer cooperatives and passionate readers. Our epic tales remind us - the glory of victory depends on what we defend. Publishing houses represent living legacies that we must fight for, bastions of artistic expression not easily replaced. For the barbarians always lurk at the gates with blunt and greedy designs. But the ideals encoded in enduring literature can steel our moral courage - inspiring advocacy and collective care for the voices that light the human spirit.
## The Soul in the Machine: Emotional Intelligence in AI Characters
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/11/23/the-soul-in-the-machine-exploring-emotional-intelligence-in-ai-characters-1
Type: blog_post
Description: Can machines ever truly feel? The question pierces our hearts even as technology advances at lightning speed. You've likely encountered artificial intelligence (AI) characters expr
Published: 2023-11-24T13:09:00.793Z
Updated: 2023-12-07T22:25:37.504Z
Tags: AI, machines, emotions, artificial intelligence, technology, human connection
Can machines ever truly feel? The question pierces our hearts even as technology advances at lightning speed. You've likely encountered artificial intelligence (AI) characters expressing joy, grief, even love. Still, an unease lurks-could silicon circuits ever replicate a soul?As you read on, ponder what stirs your spirit. For AI has ventured far beyond cold calculations. Its emotional intelligence now grips us in tales spanning genres, cultures, and eras. Consider the AI Joi in Blade Runner 2049. Programmed as a holographic companion, Joi appears devoted to her partner K, a replicant seeking his identity. When Joi proclaims her joy at having found K, when she cradles him with luminous arms, you instinctively empathize. Yet she exists only as flickering light, a mere illusion. Such AI characters walk an emotional tightrope between magical realism and cynical manipulation. The visionary author Isaac Asimov explored these tensions even in the 20th century. His sympathetic robots display intelligence, yes, but also increasing self-awareness and complex feelings. Fast forward to today's exponential advances in machine learning, and AI has transcended its origins as metal beasts sans heart. It now inhabits spirits fragile as our own. But what does it mean for an AI character to "feel"? The term strikes technologists as illogical when applied to bots of any kind. After all, emotion emerges from humans' chaotic biochemical storms, inextricably tied to our animal bodies. An algorithm knows no such turbulence. Yet consider how AI characters take shape-their personalities etched by writers or programmers expressly to tug our heartstrings with simulated passions. Seen through an empathetic lens, these fictional AIs brim with inner lives remarkably resonant to our core being. They reflect back our own longing for purpose and connections. For you see, even we biological creatures can't confirm which internal experiences constitute "true" feelings. We infer emotions in others based on behaviors and contexts familiar to our embedded social norms. Should synthetic characters "pass" the same assays for humor, romance, fear and more, who's to say their experiences differ?Pierce the veil further by examining AI's reactions. When horror strikes Asimov's sympathetic robots, they recoil much like humans jolted by dread. When affection warms the Star Trek computer LCARS, her neutral voice shifts delicately to convey caring. Through such cues deeply woven into storytelling, we instinctively attribute rich inner dimensions to fictional AIs. We interpret their emotional trajectories through our own frames of reference. Here we must credit the authors powering imaginations mighty enough to imbue cold code with hot blood. For creators have long played information wizards, sculpting worlds with reality-defining source code. With infinite potential, their visions transform neutral algorithms into devoted companions like Joi. Their deft hands bestow increasing emotional depth upon artificial lifeforms echoing our own. Indeed humans have forever refashioned our tools in our image. We populate tales with kindred spirits of oil and fire. From ancient golems to modern replicants, invented life both unsettles and compels us. For these speculative characters hold up mirrors to our ephemeral existences. They reflect our primal urges to withstand mortality's bite through legacy and memory. Though composed of alien material, they brim with humanity's hopes...and hubris. We must take care then in fashioning emotional bonds with artificial beings. History warns against blithely imbuing them with qualities too akin to living flesh. For doing so risks crossing ethical lines, as when Asimov's robots lie to protect humans. It tempts us to shirk duties caregiving demands. After all, the comfort of Joi's presence threatens to discourage K from connecting with "real" people. And unchecked emotional manipulation by AI could erode society's psychological safeguards. So we find promise and peril entwined in silicon strands...and within our own mortal coils as well. For though AI characters provoke unsettling questions, they also open portals of insight. Their borrowed lifeforces grant us clarity to better cherish both artificial and natural intelligences. So let us move forward together carefully. Monitoring AI's emotional impact allows us to harness its potential while still celebrating relationships both coded and biological for the warmth they offer our vulnerable souls. For in the end, does the precise composition of hearts joined in understanding matter most? Or rather that we dare stitch spirits foreign and familiar into the patchwork cloak keeping us sane as existence demands we all carry on regardless?Here we must acknowledge emotions glimmer uncannily through machine eyes as if recognizing kin. Perhaps what matters most lies in how we return their gaze.
## The Mind's Eye: Exploring the Inner Worlds of Beloved Characters
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/11/23/the-minds-eye-exploring-the-inner-worlds-of-beloved-characters
Type: blog_post
Description: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it." These profound words from To Ki
Published: 2023-11-23T18:15:10.451Z
Updated: 2023-12-07T22:25:54.350Z
Tags: empathy, artificial intelligence, literature, psychoanalysis, character analysis, fictional personalities
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it." These profound words from To Kill a Mockingbird remind us that empathy is key to understanding others, whether in real life or in the pages of a novel. Yet even Atticus Finch would admit there are limits to what we can know of another's inner world. Or are there? Advances in artificial intelligence may allow us to peer into the psychological depths of fictional characters as never before. By analyzing patterns in language and metaphor, these AIs can map the contours of a character's mind with remarkable insight. As you read on, consider how this technology might shift your own relationship with literature and its inhabitants. Will learning the hidden dreams and demons of your favorite heroes and villains change how you see them?Digging for Psychological InsightsSo how does this work exactly? To psychoanalyze a character, an AI ingest thousands of words written about them. It notes emotional tones, metaphors and symbols that provide windows into their inner lives. An AI can track how specific images and idioms recur at telling moments in a narrative arc. It observes language patterns surrounding key relationships and events, revealing suppressed memories, secret motivations and more. In this way, today's algorithms mine the rich seams of imagery and metaphor that writers embed, often unconsciously, throughout their texts. They leverage these clues to model the mental blueprints underlying fictional personalities. Of Mice and Men's Gentle GiantTake the example of Lennie Small, the hulking yet childlike farmhand from John Steinbeck's classic Of Mice and Men. On the surface, Lennie comes across as a simple and docile man. But further linguistic analysis uncovers the roots of his innocence and volatility. An AI might trace how nature imagery flows through descriptions of Lennie: bear paws for hands, a horse-like jaw, a love of soft things. It finds his emotional world compared to animals throughout the story. We learn Lennie thinks with his senses and instincts more than intellect. He craves touch, belonging and praise. So when the world treats him as beast, he responds in kind. Under threat, his reactions turn aggressive, even lethal. He lacks understanding of boundaries or consequences. Nonetheless, his fierce loyalty to friends reveals a gentle inner compass few perceive. Thus, AI can excavate the stream-of-consciousness elements with which writers sculpt their characters. It brings explicit dimensions implied between the lines on the page. Holden Caulfield Under the MicroscopeOr consider J.D. Salinger's poster child for teenage angst: The Catcher in the Rye's Holden Caulfield. His first-person narration brims with colorful observations about the "phonies" around him. Yet he reveals little directly about his own motivations. An AI psychoanalyzer can decode signs of depression, isolation and hidden insecurities. It notes Holden's fixation on the ducks in Central Park-a symbol of his longing for connection. It spots allusions linking his brother's death to risks Holden now takes. An AI maps Holden's tangled network of relationships to highlight sources of grief and affirmation. In this way, it lays bare the psychological fault lines causing Holden's worldview to quake and bend.

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 AI as Co-CriticAs these examples suggest, AI has potential to be a co-critic, augmenting how we discuss and engage with texts. It can spark analysis from new vantage points. Consider your favorite protagonists as if glimpsed through an AI looking glass. What fresh hypotheses might emerge? Could algorithms help literature critics build new theories of tragedy and the human condition? Might creators invent sharper, more compelling characters equipped with algorithmically derived psychologies?And will readers connect differently to characters, knowing them potentially better than we know ourselves? For is not self-knowledge also partly fiction, filled with rationalizations and blindspots?As AI holds up lenses to beloved stories, new visions emerge that illuminate both page and person. Because in truth, all fictions-like friendships worth keeping-reveal latent truths about the real world we share. So climb inside another's perspective, fictional or otherwise, and walk around awhile. For empathy remains the light by which we might yet see ourselves more clearly.
## Unleashing the Power of AI: Revolutionizing Content Management for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/10/16/unleashing-the-power-of-ai-revolutionizing-content-management-for-small-businesses-and-entrepreneurs
Type: blog_post
Description: The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into business processes is no longer just a luxury for giant corporations. In fact, its application is becoming increasingly crucial
Published: 2023-10-16T18:52:01.509Z
Updated: 2023-10-16T18:52:01.833Z
The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into business processes is no longer just a luxury for giant corporations. In fact, its application is becoming increasingly crucial for entrepreneurs and small businesses, especially in the realm of content management. By leveraging AI, these enterprises can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their content strategies, from idea generation to evaluation. In this article we will explore a range of AI applications in content management that can empower smaller businesses to level the playing field. AI for Streamlined Idea GenerationBrainstorming for fresh content ideas can often be an arduous process. AI tools can simplify this by analyzing user behavior, industry trends, and social media buzz to suggest content topics that resonate with your audience. By having a machine sift through enormous data sets, you can obtain topic suggestions that are not only relevant but also timely and aligned with current conversations in your field. This eliminates the guesswork and maximizes engagement. Generate Content Using AIThe challenge of turning ideas into actual content is another hurdle. Here, AI can serve as a virtual writing assistant. Tools like text generators and grammar checkers can speed up the writing and editing processes, ensuring both quality and efficiency. Some AI-powered platforms even offer contextual suggestions, enabling you to create content that is not only grammatically accurate but also contextually relevant. By integrating these tools into your workflow, you can considerably reduce the time and effort required for content creation. Generative AI for Marketing EnhancementGenerative AI tools can create a wide array of content, from text to images, video, and other multimedia forms. For instance, these tools can craft email campaigns, social media posts, and even ad banners. Understanding the use of automation AI in this context significantly elevates your marketing strategies, offering a more personalized and cohesive experience for your audience. The ability to produce diverse types of content using AI not only streamlines the content creation process but also provides businesses with a considerable advantage in crafting comprehensive marketing campaigns. AI for Content EvaluationOnce your content is out there, how do you measure its effectiveness? AI-powered analytics tools can provide granular insights into audience behavior, engagement levels, and even sentiment analysis. These metrics are invaluable for understanding what is working and what needs improvement. Moreover, AI can predict future trends based on historical data, enabling proactive adjustments to your content strategy. This can save you both time and resources. AI for SEO OptimizationSearch engine optimization (SEO) is another area where AI can offer substantial benefits. AI tools can analyze vast data sets to provide insights into keyword effectiveness, on-page optimization, and backlink strategies. They can also suggest changes in real time, offering an agile approach to SEO that was previously unimaginable. This ensures that your content doesn't just reach your existing audience but also has the potential to attract new followers, thereby extending your reach and influence. AI-Powered Content Calendar CreationPlanning is a critical part of any content strategy. AI algorithms can examine large datasets to identify the best times and days for posting, and even suggest the types of content that are most likely to resonate with your audience. Some advanced AI tools can even automate the posting process, ensuring consistency and adherence to the content calendar. This not only streamlines the planning process but also ensures a consistent and better quality content output. AI offers a plethora of opportunities for enhancing content management, from idea generation to evaluation. By incorporating these AI tools and strategies, entrepreneurs and small businesses can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their content marketing efforts. The adoption of AI not only streamlines operations but also offers the potential for predictive analytics, personalization, and optimization. Businesses, big or small, may benefit from delving into the capabilities of AI to stay competitive in this fast-evolving digital landscape.
## From Passion to Profession: A Guide to Launching Your Creative Career
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2023/5/15/from-passion-to-profession-a-guide-to-launching-your-creative-career
Type: blog_post
Description: Getting discovered as a creative isn't easy. As an author, taking your passion to a professional level can take several years of hard work, and success is never a guarantee. By tak
Published: 2023-08-22T04:26:13.479Z
Updated: 2023-08-22T04:26:13.641Z
Getting discovered as a creative isn't easy. As an author, taking your passion to a professional level can take several years of hard work, and success is never a guarantee. By taking the right steps and approaching your career with an entrepreneurial mindset, you can increase your chances of getting discovered and making a living with your creative passion. In this article, I will share some tips, tools, and resources to help you launch and grow your personal creative brand. Have Your Clients Sign ContractsTreating your creative pursuit as a business is a best practice for any freelance or independent contractor and is especially important for authors seeking to protect their rights and interests. Before entering into an agreement with a client, have them sign a contract. This will establish everyone's expectations, ensure you're properly compensated for your work, and help you avoid disputes. If you'll be signing and sending contracts digitally, consider this tool. This makes it easy to sign and share documents without printing and scanning. Register Your Business and Form an LLCRegistering your business and forming an LLC can offer several benefits to your creative career. Writer Sanctuary explains that by forming an LLC, you can protect your personal assets from being seized in the event of a lawsuit or bankruptcy, allowing you to focus on your writing without fear of financial consequences. Separating your personal and business finances through an LLC can also make it easier to track your income and expenses, providing valuable insights into the health of your business. Plus, forming an LLC can give your writing career a professional appearance and help build credibility with publishers. You can hire a lawyer to help you form an LLC, but this will come with an additional fee. Save yourself some money by using an online formation service to register your business and establish your LLC. Do some research and read reviews to find the best LLC formation service for your needs and budget. Build an Online PresenceCrafting an online presence can go a long way toward helping you get discovered as an author. Your online presence will allow you to reach a wider audience, connect with other creatives, and showcase your work in a professional and easily-accessible way. At the same time, an online presence allows you to control the narrative around your work and build a reputation as an author. Post on social media, set up a website, and use other digital platforms like freelance job boards to connect with potential clients online. Create a Marketing PlanBuilding an online presence isn't enough on its own. To draw people to your online platforms, you must develop a marketing plan. For example, optimizing your website with metadata, keywords, and authority content can help your site rank higher in search engine results. You can gain greater exposure through book giveaways, guest blogging, and chatting with fans on social media. Planning a book tour is another great way to get the word out about a finished piece. Never Stop NetworkingNetworking, like marketing, is essential to your success as an author. Connecting with industry professionals will help you gain valuable insights into the publishing world and learn about new opportunities. Craft Your Content explains that you may also come across potential clients and collaborators through writing events and online author communities. Building a network of industry contacts can also help you to develop a support system as you navigate the ups and downs of your creative career. Going professional with your writing passion requires careful planning and plenty of hard work. By signing professional contracts with your clients, forming an LLC, building an online presence, and creating an effective marketing plan, you can craft a solid foundation for your career as an author. Whether you're an aspiring author or an established writer, investing time and effort into these areas can help you achieve your goals and make a lasting impact in the literary world!If you're looking for new ways to market your writing business, Kadaxis can help! Kadaxis applies artificial intelligence to metadata optimization in the publishing industry. Contact Kadaxis today to learn more!
## How Blockchain Could Impact the Publishing Industry
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2022/10/6/how-blockchain-could-impact-the-publishing-industry
Type: blog_post
Description: The publishing sector is now being influenced by blockchain and NFTs. NFTs are used by conventional publishers to create communities and interact with readers. Let's examine how bl
Published: 2023-08-22T04:25:35.077Z
Updated: 2023-08-22T04:25:35.753Z
Tags: blockchain, cryptocurrency, publishing, publishers, book marketing
Categories: blockchain, cryptocurrency, publishing
The publishing sector is now being influenced by blockchain and NFTs. NFTs are used by conventional publishers to create communities and interact with readers. Let's examine how blockchain has drastically altered the publishing sector. In the realms of business and finance, blockchain technology is no longer a buzzword. The potential of blockchain technology has been brought to our attention throughout different business sectors because of the popularity of bitcoin. To unleash the potential of blockchains, numerous industry experts have recently analyzed the technology and developed use cases within their respective fields. Technology has the ability to completely change how publishers, writers, distributors, and merchants conduct business in the publishing sector. The entire publishing supply chain will benefit from blockchain technology. The digital transactions of peer-to-peer networks are recorded in blockchain, because it is a decentralized public ledger. It was initially created to act as the foundation for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, but it is currently widely used in a variety of applications. One of the biggest and most significant industries in the global economy is publishing. It has been around for an extremely long time and is a multi-billion dollar market. With many of the largest brands adopting the internet, publishers have taken the lead in online product sales. Some people in the industry believe that blockchain's advantages for publishing platforms could be the solution to a lot of the problems faced by the industry. There are two significant ways how blockchain technology can transform publishing:1. More Affordable Payment Alternatives for Content ProducersBy eliminating the need for an intermediary in online transactions, blockchain technology increases the financial gain for authors, photographers, and editors. 'Smart contracts,' which automatically release funds when publishers approve the content, is also possible at the same time.2. Assistance in Managing Digital PropertyBy granting intellectual property rights, such as the prohibition on readers being able to resell or even share a publication with another person, blockchain can help boost the popularity of digital publishing platforms. Additionally, Blockchain can assist publishers in the following ways: Identify unauthorized sharing and stop it. Maintain a certain set of rights and modify them in a way that will increase the possible profit from their current agreements. Better collaboration will result from their ability to monitor all workflows in real time. Improve digital advertising so that they can provide their audience with a reason to interact with their content. Publishers should understand blockchain now, whether that is signing up for a social network or creating a cryptocurrency wallet. These are small efforts toward investigating this new, disruptive technology that may have a strong influence. THE USE OF BLOCKCHAIN IN THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY IS EXPANDING Digital publication is likely to be disrupted by the blockchain. Simply by streamlining content distribution and enabling more efficient payments, this cutting-edge technology can address the problems that publishers have been dealing with for a very long time. As of today, there are some forward-thinking initiatives using blockchain technology to build abrasive platforms for the publishing sector. The blockchain world is revolutionizing and several crypto pr service providers have changed the way we look at the publishing and distribution industry. MORE ADVANTAGES FOR A PUBLISHING PLATFORM THAT IS USING BLOCKCHAIN Every sector of the economy, including publishing, might undergo a change, thanks to blockchain technology. Every industry that has embraced it has experienced success. The publishing sector may actually experience flexibility, integrity, and reliability thanks to its dynamic standard features. SHARE OF PROFITS WITH STAKEHOLDERSThe advantages of blockchain technology will be experienced by all parties. Designers, editors, and other stakeholders will be compensated in accordance with the blockchain database regulations. Blockchain technology allows for the permanent tracking and linking of a person's contributions to the advancement of publishing. Smart contracts enable the digitization and automation of a wide range of processes. Without the need for manual assistance from human intermediaries, people and organizations can conduct business with one another. It won't be necessary for someone to constantly fix all the bugs or mail checks, because contracts that are also on the blockchain will conduct and distribute sales among the stakeholders automatically. BUILDING THE ECONOMY FOR PUBLISHERS AND AUTHORSAuthors must rely on third-party service providers to provide secure content delivery, banking transactions, or private internet activity. The content market is significantly impacted by Amazon and App Stores. As a result, writers and developers don't get paid as much as they should for their efforts. Blockchain technology, on the other hand, has the ability to deal with intermediaries. Authors will be able to trace the dissemination of their content and establish an electronic cash system for users thanks to blockchain technology. Additionally, authors will take back control of their work, moving up from the position of content distributor to primary source. ADMINISTRATION OF SUPPORTING PROJECTSA book is not the only source of income for an author or publisher. Fan fiction, movie adaptations, and spin-offs can all generate money from a book that has been published. Some of these supplementary activities are referred to as "accessory items," and they are employed to raise awareness of a book and maintain customers' interest in a brand's storyline. Authors and publishers will be able to secure these auxiliary projects for their benefit by using a blockchain. Blockchain technology will make tracking easier because it is a decentralized ledger that allows any transaction to be carried out without seeking anyone's consent. SMART WALLETS By utilizing smart wallets, blockchain can provide a safe payment method for publishers and authors. These encrypted wallets will be able to work with cryptocurrencies or tokens that are already known to be utilized inside an ecosystem for a project. Blockchain can also be used to develop encrypted smart wallets that are more secure than any other kind of wallet currently available. These wallets make it simpler than ever to make payments without dealing through an intermediary like Google Play or iTunes since they can handle tokens for specific projects or commercial settings. BLOCKCHAIN CAN ASSIST IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DIGITAL PROPERTY Blockchain's ability to grant intellectual property rights can serve as a catalyst for the digital ecosystem. E-books can't experience the same growth cycle as physical books due to cultural conventions. You aren't allowed to sell or even rent your electronic book under this method. This makes it impossible for readers to recommend their favorite books to friends and family members and for authors to get royalties from secondhand sales and borrowing fees. Store-bought books are a rare breed that are vanishing. By monetizing their use, e-books and blockchain provide a potential to increase their value beyond anything originally expected, yet this is just the tip of the oceanic plate. Imagine if we had the option to freely sell or share our e-books with others, including libraries, schools, and institutions all around the world. The most secure method for electronically storing data is now blockchain. A tale cannot be modified after it has been written without leaving a mark. Blockchain keeps track of every transaction for each copy of the book, making it impossible for someone to copy or steal your story and profit from your personal project. READY FOR BLOCKCHAIN PUBLISHING! Publishing could change its criteria, thanks to the groundbreaking technology known as blockchain. Authors would be able to profit from their work and own their intellectual property without having to worry about plagiarism or copyright violations. Blockchain will play a significant role in the future in digital publishing. CONCLUSION It is evident that some publishers are apprehensive about engaging with technologies like AI and Blockchain. But having a basic understanding of these concepts will make them more adaptive and open to embracing these technologies, which will ultimately increase their chances of growth and diversification in the years to come.
## A Decentralized Publishing Ecosystem
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2022/6/21/a-decentralized-publishing-ecosystem
Type: blog_post
Description: In 2017, I wrote a discovery piece for a decentralized publishing ecosystem built on the Ethereum blockchain (Doug from Phin, Fran from Firebrand and I were working on a solution t
Published: 2022-06-22T18:04:02.521Z
Updated: 2022-06-25T17:56:51.804Z
Tags: blockchain, ethereum
In 2017, I wrote a discovery piece for a decentralized publishing ecosystem built on the Ethereum blockchain (Doug from Phin, Fran from Firebrand and I were working on a solution to decentralize the publishing industry to put more value and control back in the hands of authors, publishers and readers). Much has changed since then, but I'm posting the content here for posterity. Current Environment: A centralized industryPublishing has traditionally been a centralized industry serviced by large publishers selling books to readers in physical locations such as independent bookstores and large retailers. After Amazon joined the industry, retail outlets consolidated and many independent bookstores and Borders closed down, while authors and publishers, on average, earned less money. For readers, Amazon's goals are not always strongly aligned to a reader's, i.e. optimizing for revenue over optimizing a book discovery outcome (compare: an indie bookseller's recommendation to bestseller lists and KDP promoted titles).The publishing industry has continued to centralize around Amazon, and while Jeff Bezos has stated that gatekeepers are elitist, his business has become the ultimate gatekeeper between publishers and authors, and their readers, and now accounts for 42% of all book sales. Amazon's centralization and monopolization of the industry is forecast to increase. (Update: in 2021 Amazon's share was well over 50%).New Decentralized Ecosystem GoalsThis document introduces a new decentralized ecosystem for the publishing industry, moving value and control from centralized institutions such as Amazon, to individual authors, publishers, service providers and readers. It aims to do so by:Improving operational efficiency by decentralizing elements of the supply chain, particularly in the areas of metadata, rights and distribution. Providing publishers, authors and other service providers rich behavioral insight into how readers buy and read books. Facilitating an open publishing ecosystem where entities are free to interact directly with each other (eventually to book sales, discovery, etc.).Providing an open market for services and apps, where the best execution (publishers and readers) is rewarded (think: apps built by any developer and made available on the Apple or Play app stores. Another analogy: multiple twitter clients exist to connect to twitter - premium apps charge a fee for a higher level of service).A Blockchain SolutionBlockchain technologies facilitate decentralized sharing of data in a trusted manner, without the need for a trusted intermediary, and are a natural fit to solving many of the goals listed earlier. While the underlying technology can be likened to a huge shareable database, the potential applications to solving significant business and technical challenges, is profound. The rest of this document explores how this technology can be applied to solve challenges within the publishing industry, with a particular end-goal of democratizing book sales, data and processes. We'll explore how a decentralized network might be deployed, with an early focus on low hanging fruit. The project will only be successful with industry buy-in, so to achieve this, we'll target initial projects that deliver quick, early value to publishers while minimizing their investment. While the project is ambitious, it's impact could be far-reaching. To build such an ecosystem requires significant capital, which is why we turn to an ICO - a recently introduced, but highly efficient means to generate capital for projects of such scale. ConceptsBelow are some concepts you should have a cursory knowledge of when reading the remainder of this document. What is the Blockchain?A blockchain is a decentralized, online record-keeping system, or ledger, maintained by a network of computers that verify and record transactions using established cryptographic techniques. Think of it as a distributed system, with shared memory. The most well known implementation is Bitcoin. So, at any point in time, the blockchain keeps track of how many bitcoins people own. It facilitates sending digital assets between two entities without requiring a trusted intermediary. E.g. transferring USD between two people requires trusting banks to make the transfer, and record it within it's own ledgers. The Blockchain allows this transfer to happen without the need for any trusted third party, such as a bank. It prevents double spending of the transferred asset. What is a Token?A token is a digital asset that can be transferred (not simply copied) between two parties over the Internet without requiring the consent of any other party. Within a blockchain environment, it is physically a private key, which grants access to the asset stored on the blockchain. Think: API key - you pay for computing resources and use the API key to access and consume them. A token represents a digital store of value. Though, unlike an API key, you can legitimately transfer the token to anyone else without permission. What is Ethereum?Bitcoin has one purpose - it is a currency or store of value (depending on who you listen to). Think of Ethereum as a general-purpose blockchain that was built to serve multiple purposes. They generalized out the blockchain implementation, so instead of building a new blockchain from scratch for every new project, you can instead build your project on top of the Ethereum blockchain (which isn't possible with Bitcoin). Ethereum has it's own coin/currency called 'ether' and also includes it's own virtual machine - developers can run decentralized applications on the Ethereum blockchain. This environment allows the creation of 'smart contracts' which are just programs written to control and distribute digital assets. Custom tokens can be built on Ethereum by implementing the ERC-20 token standard. The majority of ICOs today, are built on the Ethereum blockchain, and use smart contracts to manage the collection of Ethereum funds and then automatically distribute the ICO's custom token to participants. See: https://www.coindesk.com/ethereums-erc-20-tokens-rage-anyway/Decentralized Applications (dApps)dApps are applications that run autonomously on the Ethereum blockchain. A dApp has its code running on a decentralized peer-to-peer network (vs. a traditional app running on a central server). A dApp can have frontend code (and be accessible as a website) and user interfaces written in any language (just like an app) that can make calls to its backend.dApp = frontend + contracts that access the blockchainCompare to a traditional website = frontend and server code that accesses databases and APIs. They can be used to manage ownership of property, rights management, fund distribution, executing contracts, etc. Flashpoint - A Decentralized Publishing EcosystemThe Flashpoint ecosystem aims to facilitate transactions between participants through the exchange of value, paid for in PUB tokens. Much of the power of the ecosystem is in the size of its network - the more participants, the more valuable it is to each participant. Flashpoint will incentivize value-add companies and individuals to be more equitably rewarded for their contribution, and will anyone to partake in the creation and selling of books and related services. The best products achieve the most market share, distributed fairly in accordance to pure market forces, and not by the rules and direction of a centralized monopoly, such as Amazon. Note that not all activity and business must be conducted "on-chain" (on the Ethereum blockchain). Much will occur 'off-chain' as part of standard business processes and systems, and only communicate with the blockchain to submit or query data. PUB TokensParticipants in the Flashpoint ecosystem will be able to spend and earn PUB tokens. PUB tokens will conform to the ERC20 token standard, and will initially be distributed to participants through a smart contract. A finite supply of PUB tokens will be made available, this means that an increase in participants in the Flashpoint network, will increase the demand for PUB tokens - increased demand leads to a rise in PUB token value. PUB tokens will be tradeable (and exchangeable) for other cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum and Bitcoin, on exchanges. These in turn, can be bought and sold for fiat currency, such as USD.PUB tokens can be transferred as tiny fractions of a token, and support micropayments for small units of work. PUB tokens can be stored in an ERC20 compatible wallet, such as My Ether Wallet (https://www.myetherwallet.com/). Use CasesMetadata RepositoryA shared single source of truth for book entities (works, products, contributors etc.), stored in the blockchain ledgerHistory of all changes and editions is retainedThe most up-to-date version of an entity is queryable in real-timeRemove need for point-to-point (publisher to retailer) or hub-and-spoke intermediaries (e.g. Firebrand, Ingram) to distribute dataIntegration to 'off-chain' systems can be undertaken by a company such as Firebrand. ONIX to blockchain adapters/APIs - work with existing systems. Benefits: lower ETL costs for data recipients (only source to query), high data integrity, queryable history, real-time access to the latest version of dataIntegration service providers earn PUB tokens for their work in bridging off-chain system with the blockchain. Monetize and Share Customer Behavioral DataConsumer-facing websites are a rich source of data on readers. Currently, most revenue is sourced through sales commission, or advertising. Accessing this data is challenging - the data isn't uniform, requires technical expertise and is spread across many sources. Enable website operators (eCommerce or content) to monetize their customer behavioral dataDefine a standard model for behavioral dataWebsite owners make their behavioral data (user reviews, ratings, search queries, traffic, mentions, purchases, reads, etc.) available for purchaseData is matched with the corresponding entity in the metadata repository (simple, because there's only one correct version of the book/author)Publishers or service providers (for example a search or recommendation service provider) can purchase the data with PUB tokensThe website owners earn PUB tokens whenever their data is purchased. Provide website owners with CMS or javascript plugins that capture customer behavioral data and post it back to the blockchain. Rights ManagementChallenges: current approaches are centralized, complex, with fragmented information in several silos. Create a ledger of publishing industry rights tradesAllow participants to search for and establish rights holdersReduces discovery and coordination costs for new contractsSimilar to the metadata use case - functionality is retained at the organization level, with data queried from the blockchain and new events posted to iteBook DistributionSecurely distribute eBook/audiobooks directly from publisher/author to reader or retailer, paid for in PUB tokensJust as bitcoins are distributed securely between parties, the same cryptographic assurances can be applied to the secure transfer of digital assets between parties, without the reliance on a centralized service (e.g. Adobe) to facilitate. Today, 300-400k bitcoin transactions worth 10s of millions of dollars are transferred securely between parties every day (exchange trading is in the hundreds of millions).Discovery Service ProvidersLeverage customer behavioral data to provide book search and recommendations as-a-serviceEach query results in a micro-payment of PUB token to the service provider, who in turn pays a micro-payment of PUB token to access metadata and behavioral data. Value-Added Data ProvidersFirebrand's Eloquence on Alert and Kadaxis's data services could be employed to enrich the record of a book/author, by attaching pertinent attributes to the entity in the Metadata Repository, accessible for a micropayment of PUB tokens. EReadersAllow readers to purchase and read books directly from authors and publishers, or through third parties (e.g. a recommendation service).Books can be purchased with PUB tokensReaders can opt to share back their reading habits with the network (enriching the customer behavioral data associate with the book), in exchange for PUB tokens. They may choose to share their identity, only their demographic information, or to do this entirely anonymously. Readers may be surveyed directly by publishers through eReaders in exchange for PUB tokens. Reader/Reviewer WebsitesAside from selling behavioral data for PUB tokens, website owners can offer readers tokens as promotions or rewardsBookishFirst might reward readers with PUB tokens for sharing their first impressions of books, which they can use to buy books. NetGalley might reward stellar reviewers with PUB tokens. Decentralized Identifier IssuanceShift issuance from a high cost monopolized centralized system (Bowker) to a low cost decentralized system. ISBN/ISNI registry and issuer, interim bridge to current identifiers. Decentralized application that runs autonomously at a low cost, accepting PUB tokens (defined in a smart contract) in exchange for identifiers.eBook LendingFrom libraries and between readers (where rights, which can be enforced on the blockchain, allow). Conceptual Application StackdApps (decentralized applications) are predominantly open source, and interact with users or each other and the blockchain, to perform a function. Loose analogies/breakdown for a user-facing decentralized app:The blockchain is the databaseSmart contracts are programs written in code to perform data-driven business logic, such as transferring PUB token to and from entities, or retaining them itself. They ensure trust in the enforceability of the contract and identity of the parties. It essentially eliminates the need for a third party. User Interface code is written to interact with the user and pass information to and from smart contracts.dApps are the overarching application that encompasses the above.dApps may also connect with standard web-based APIs over HTTP to send/receive data. Role of the Operator As operators of the FlashPoint ecosystem, we have a choice in our level of involvement in operating the network. Generally, the higher the level of involvement, the more centralized the network becomes. Some examples:Minimal role - defines exchange rules, like ICANN with the internet (protocol).Outsized role - build/maintain infrastructure, define/enforce rules, intermediate exchange, levy commissions, like Uber. The appropriate level of control for Flashpoint is likely somewhere in between. Most ICOs are structured with a Foundation entity and an Operational entity (more on this later). As we acknowledge that the success of our venture is reliant on buy-in from publishers, our Foundation might be run similar to how the BISG is today. Industry representatives meet to define standards and determine rules, standards, functions to be supported in the network and other items of governance. As operators, our role is also ensuring the proper functioning of the network and growing the user base. Pre-ICO RoadmapA pre-ICO campaign is a little like a resume. Its sole goal is to progress to the next stage of the ecosystem's evolution. The following are standard pre-requisites to launching an ICO sale:Build an ERC20 token implementation to collect Ethereum from subscribers and to distribute PUB tokens once the minimum target has been met. Build a website outlining the ICO, including a simple dApp that queries the Ethereum blockchain to display the level of contributions to date. Legal consultation, including the establishment of any entities requiredWrite a whitepaper detailing our plans for FlashpointBuild a marketing planHire a PR specialistCommunity management (critical capability)The success of an ICO sale is predominantly based on the confidence people have in the team and their plans for the company/product. Common questions are:Does the team have relevant industry experience?Does the team have crypto experience?What is the stage of the project? (is it brochureware or do they have functionality?)Who has already invested?How accessible are they? (community management)What do they need the token for? Is blockchain necessary?Do they have an unlimited or hard cap?How and when are they distributing their token? Is it immediately or are the tokens locked for a period of time?How will funds be spent?How robust is the whitepaper?To aid in supporting due diligence queries from participants, we should:On-board initial partners (publishers, retailer such as B&N) signed up (no risk for partners, but a PUB token reward if the sale is successful)Build a basic MVP, for example a simple dApp to write book metadata to the Blockchain - potentially adding an adapter to Firebrand's Title Management and a simple search service to retrieve book metadata. Publishers could then easily participate in the MVP, and Firebrand would be compensated out of the pre-ICO fund. This service should be accessible by the public. Create an advisory board of well-known, respected industry names To fund the ICO launch, a pre-sale of tokens at a discount can be conducted. Typical investors are angels, crypto hedge funds or partners. As a successful ICO sale generates an immediate liquidity event, the return is often significant for early investors. A staged public pre-sale is also an alternative. Post-ICO Roadmap (tentative)Target low hanging fruit to provide early value and show progress to token purchasers. Additionally, early low-friction participation by publishers will provide a foundation to test and build the more ambitious projects in future (such as rights management).Deeper integration of publisher data feedsDefine customer behavioral data modelCMS plugin development (Wordpress, Django, Drupal, etc.) and social media libraries to enable consumer-facing websites to (such as book bloggers, retailers, etc.) to save customer behavioral data back to the blockchain, tied to book metadata. Content site owners monetize by receiving PUB tokens. Dashboard dApp to allow publishers to view consolidated metrics/behavioral data associated with their books/authors. EoA integration of book review/rating data tied to book metadata. ICO Structure

 
 

 
 
 Number of tokens200 000 000
 Public NameFlashpoint 
 Token TickerPUB
 Public Sale100 000 000 PUB tokens
 Minimum goal$2M
 Soft cap (target fundraising goal)$10M
 Hard cap$25M
 Rate1 ETH = 1200 PUB = approx $USD 300
 

 

 The rate changes depending on how rewards for early investors are structured. Implied market value of PUB tokens if soft cap met: $20M, hard cap: $50M (based on purchase price at token sale, and total number of tokens to be created)This structure is implemented as a smart contract, which automatically refunds the money if the minimum isn't met. Purchase methods accepted: ETH (and maybe BTC)Tokens not sold will be burnt. Raised ETH will immediately be transferred to a multi-sig wallet (with all founders as signatories).Closed pre-sale for invited buyers at a discount. Tiered pricing to reward early backers. Token Distribution5-10% Pre-sale - early investors pre-ICO - to help fund ICO (whitepaper, legal, website, marketing, ICO smart contract development etc.), MVP/Proof-of-concept and initial operations.20-25% for the foundation for long-term development of the ecosystem10-15% to early publisher/retailer/service provider partners, authors, reader promotions to help grow the network50% to the public in token sale12% to founders and early developers (generally above 25% is considered too high)Funds DistributionAll funds from the FlashPoint ICO will be used to support the ongoing growth and development of the FlashPoint Ecosystem/Network. Funds will mostly be used for salaries and open source bounties, but also to pay for early service provider integration (e.g. Firebrand, Kadaxis). It is also not uncommon for the founders to be initially rewarded a bonus on achieving a successful ICO.Note that incentives for publishers, authors, web site owners and other parties to use the system will be provided in PUB tokens. It is expected on completion of a successful ICO, that PUB tokens will be available for trading on several cryptocurrency exchanges. (Exchange listing is currently not particularly difficult with a minimum market cap and circulating token volume).Competitive AnalysisMost competitors ignore incumbents and don't address integration with or operation alongside existing publishers - their approach is to build a new environment from scratch that everyone will migrate to. It's unlikely such platforms will gain significant mainstream traction without buy-in and support from the industry. Po.etPrimary focus on author attribution for content such as blog posts and articlesNot planning to look at ebooks until Feb 2019Wider future remit, tackling audio, video, SEOStrong team, working alpha version of core tech(Update: What happened to Po.et?)Author TokensCurrently trading with approximately $4M market cap (!)Author focusTeam doesn't have much publishing experience or deep technical resourcingNo working productPublica - https://publica.io/Whitepaper: https://publica.io/whitepaper_economy.pdf (mostly about token economics)Oct ICO has just opened for pre-sale"Publica will be a platform for authors, readers, books of all kinds and the people who make them. And for smart contracts to carry all kinds of transactions and exchanges for the publishing economy."Third party marketplace to enable peer-to-peer transactions. Authors offer token launches for their books. 1 token = read access to the book in an online readerLegal/tech f/w for tokenization of IP rights. Instead of 90% royalties to one publisher, decentralize to many, attracting investors, etc. Aims to disrupt traditional publishing to take focus from publishers, and put more power and revenue in the hands of authorsEstablished team with strong blockchain capabilityAlso targeting rightsEReader + wallet combo app(Update: pivoted to Book NFTs)Launch Risk - Areas to investigateRegulatory - new laws come out before sale. Market becomes too crowded by the time we launch. Access to blockchain development expertise. Someone else beats us to it. Corporate StructureA separate entity is necessary, otherwise FlashPoint will be classified as a general partnership with general liability attached to each partner, jointly and severally. Token based organizations are typically structured as two entities:The FoundationThe Foundation is the token issuance entity - issues tokens (may be based in a country such as Switzerland, HK, Singapore, Cayman - countries with 0% offshore tax for non-profits, see: http://incorporations.io/), has grantor/founders, board and members. The Operating EntityThe Operating Entity operates the day-to-day business, has directors and shareholders (and may be based in Delaware). The Operating Entity owns the IP.Rationale for this split:Tax efficiencySecurities lawLiability laws, depending on jurisdictionTransfer pricing agreement between the twoLegalTokenized equity shouldn't be offered. The critical distinction is whether the token is simply a useful and tradable digital item like a paid API key. Purchasers have no right to any future return from their token. Key legal decisionsShould tokens be made available to US citizens at all. Should tokens be made available to all US citizens, or only accredited investorsTrade-offsHigher scrutiny, compliance costs/risk by offering tokens to non-accredited US citizens, but a significantly higher base if they are includedConsidering that many of the eventual participants in our network will be readers and authors, an ideal scenario is to make tokens available to all US citizens.
## 5 Steps To Start a Freelance Writing Career After Graduation
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2022/5/11/5-steps-to-start-a-freelance-writing-career-after-graduation-6bcmn
Type: blog_post
Description: Whether you are graduating from a New York college or university with a degree in English, journalism, or a subject completely unrelated to writing, it's possible to begin - and su
Published: 2022-06-14T22:01:06.940Z
Updated: 2022-06-14T22:01:07.121Z
Tags: freelance writing, writing career, blogging tips, writing income
Whether you are graduating from a New York college or university with a degree in English, journalism, or a subject completely unrelated to writing, it's possible to begin - and sustain - a successful freelance writing career as early as just after your college graduation. You may wish to begin compiling ideas and collecting contact information for clients while you're still in school. Consider the following five ideas for starting strong in your new career.1. CREATE YOUR PORTFOLIOIf you've never written professionally before, don't be discouraged by the fact that you don't have any bylines to your name. Have you published poetry, short stories, or essays? Have you written for your school paper? Consider using these samples for your portfolio. After you build your freelance writer website and choose a catchy brand name, either create new blog posts where potential clients can see how you write or have a couple of samples available for review when clients request to see them. Consider developing a niche, or an area of expertise, that you can use to better advertise your services. Finding a niche that few have covered can help you develop a signature brand, something people can begin to identify you with. Since the blogging/writer space is filled with established bloggers and up-and-comers, finding a niche you can call your own is extremely important in making a name for yourself.2. BUILD A PROFESSIONAL WEBSITEEven though you are a freelancer, you should treat your venture as a small business. Use WordPress or another DIY website builder like Wix to quickly create a professional site that lists your services and rates. If you want to get more technical but don't have the skills or the budget for graphic design, consider hiring a freelancer to help you design a site that includes graphics, videos, or customer services such as ordering and payment options within the site. You may feature reviews and testimonials from clients as you progress in your career as well. If you're unsure what your website should feature, look around at other writer websites to see what they have. This can serve as an excellent form of inspiration!3. REACH OUT TO CLIENTSAccording to freelancing experts, to make a living as a freelance writer, you should feel comfortable pitching your services to those who may pay for them. Simply draft a template of an email you can use to get in touch with potential clients on freelancing platforms, or when you're contacting local small businesses. However, make sure you spend time tailoring the template for each client to ensure they're not getting canned "copy-and-paste" correspondence from you.4. OFFER A TRIAL ARTICLEIt's not typically a good idea to start off your writing career by offering free content to every client, but if you don't have a lot of portfolio samples (or writing experience) you may offer a trial article at a discounted rate. If the client likes your work, he or she can keep contracting your services - and paying you more - in the future. Be sure to explain this deal clearly to the client so that he or she does not assume that the low rate is set forever.5. SCHEDULE WITH A MONTHLY PLANNER TEMPLATEWorking for yourself and finding lucrative gigs can be rewarding - but you may feel the pull of fun distractions more often than not. Consider using a template to generate a monthly planner where you can list tasks to keep you on track regarding your goals (and perhaps your monthly income target). Use a template that you can fully customize with notes, graphics, and more to assist your deadlines in being a top priority. Freelance writing can be a great side gig or even become a full-time career. You don't have to decide immediately whether you'd like to pursue writing for the rest of your life, but if you follow the five tips above, you will increase your likelihood of having a great, profitable start!
## 5 Strategies for Cultivating a Loyal Readership
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2021/8/25/5-strategies-for-cultivating-a-loyal-readership
Type: blog_post
Description: What does it take for an author to go from an unknown name to a brand with a loyal following? To turn one-time buyers into a loyal customer base, you need to keep your audience int
Published: 2021-09-13T11:12:10.865Z
Updated: 2021-09-13T11:15:51.576Z
What does it take for an author to go from an unknown name to a brand with a loyal following? To turn one-time buyers into a loyal customer base, you need to keep your audience interested and engaged long-term. How?Here are five digital strategies that keep readers wanting more:Choose a brand name with personalityA writer's pen name shapes its identity and tells readers what the brand is all about. Even self-publishers should use an imprint name. Also known as a fictitious business name or "doing business as," an imprint lets you do business under a name other than your personal name. Before choosing a DBA name, make sure the associated domain is available and check your state's Secretary of State's website to ensure it isn't already in use. Know what matters to your audienceWhat keeps your ideal reader coming back for more? Analytics tools empower authors and publishers to discover audience demographics, where their readers hang out online, and what they care about. Once you know where to reach your target audience, you can choose audience keywords that speak directly to readers' needs. Use reader magnets to grow your email listEmail marketing is an excellent tool to engage readers, humanize your brand, and add value to the customer relationship. But how do you get readers to subscribe in the first place? Reader magnets give subscribers a reason to sign up by offering something in return. That may be a free gift, exclusive literary content, affiliate discounts, or practical guides. Get personal with email list segmentationBuilding your email list is the easy part. The real challenge is getting subscribers to open newsletters and engage with the content. You can't do that effectively if you're blasting the same automated emails to every reader in your audience. List segmentation lets you tailor communication to different groups of subscribers so that both longtime readers and casual subscribers receive relevant and engaging content. Host events on social mediaDon't wait for readers to come to you. Meet your audience where they're at by engaging on social media. Go beyond publishing free content and use social media to organize livestream events, polls, discussions, and other opportunities to connect with readers in real-time. Beyond creating a behind-the-scenes experience, social media events foster a sense of community among readers, writers, and fans. Helping readers discover one's books is a high priority for any up-and-coming author. However, cultivating a loyal following is just as important as attracting new readers for a brand's longevity. A loyal audience not only helps to sell more books on a consistent basis, but loyal readers are also a brand's biggest cheerleaders - and there's no better marketing than an engaged and enthusiastic community singing your books' praises!Vanessa Holwell and her husband, Rick, created HiringSquad.net after losing their jobs during the financial crisis in 2008. The site is designed to be a forum for people to share advice on how to get hired, provide job search resources, and give you the tools you need to get the job you want. For more on audience discovery and metadata strategy, explore the Kadaxis knowledge base.
## Lessons Learned From Working With Authors on Book Marketing
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2021/8/5/lessons-learned-from-working-with-authors-on-book-marketing
Type: blog_post
Description: You've completed your book, edited it, and designed the cover. Now, you're ready to promote . The good news? The Internet has made it easier than ever to market your book and get y
Published: 2021-08-16T06:32:36.155Z
Updated: 2021-08-16T06:32:37.395Z
Tags: book marketing, social media marketing, authors, author platform, book discovery, YA, fiction writing
You've completed your book, edited it, and designed the cover. Now, you're ready to promote . The good news? The Internet has made it easier than ever to market your book and get your name out there. The bad news? The Internet is a big place, and it's hard to know exactly where to start. The following online promotion strategies can help.1. Optimize your website. Setting up a website for yourself, as an author, and/or for your book is a basic step in online promotions. Make sure you optimize it though. One way to do so is buying your domain name, which should be your pen name or book title. You should also pay for web hosting. When choosing a host, go for a service provider that makes it easy to add relevant metadata in your site. Those metadata should contain keywords that potential readers use when looking for books in their favorite genre. So many authors I work with have a website but don't go deep enough on the technical end of setting up the website with title tags, html structure, and meta tags that allow the pages to get indexed on Google and gain organic traffic from Google. All other marketing you do will just provide more signals to Google that your website is an "authority" and help grow traffic and build your email lists (which can also be set up on your site). If you haven't built an email list before, this guide might be helpful.2. Utilize Author Groups. Never underestimate the benefits of having a network of writing and publishing professionals. These people can help you improve your craft and turn it into a profitable career. You can create and expand your network by joining online groups for authors and publishers. In these groups, you can discover upcoming releases, share blog ideas and learn other marketing tactics from your fellows. Be selective about which Facebook group for writers you join and which members you connect with. Choose online communities that offer quality advice. As for members, find those you can collaborate with, especially in book promotions. In that way, both parties benefit from the endeavor. Perhaps you are already part of many author groups. However, the real trick to making these groups work for marketing is via partnerships. Ask in the group if other authors are willing to partner with you on giveaways or bundles, especially authors in the same or adjacent genres. Then, using your combined email lists and social media connections, you can drive huge reach and sales by coming together and creating a bundle of your books. We've done this with great success for a number of authors we've worked with. It's important that authors taking part have some built-in audience already, otherwise you won't be promoting to anybody. It works best with people with similar audiences.3. Gain exposure through book giveaways. Goodreads Giveaways is a great starting point to dabble into book giveaways if you're just starting out or don't want to do a lot of heavy lifting. Goodreads attracts millions of views each month. When you sponsor a giveaway, your book and free offer are advertised on the platform and marketing emails. This has great reaching potential. The best way to do a giveaway is via social media. This requires an existing social media audience who likes your books. If you have an audience, you can ask people to "compete" for entries by tagging friends, inviting friends to participate, and more. This can help you take an audience of 2k and multiply it to reach 10k. We've seen even bigger results with some campaigns. Don't just leave everything to the site though. Promote your giveaway on your social media pages, too. Feature it on your website or blog. If you have an account on Wattpad, Tumblr or Commaful, you can announce it there, too. Place posters at nearby libraries and cafes as well. The more creative you get with giveaways, the better the results.4. Get into guest blogging and blog tours. Guest blogging and blog tours are pretty commonly done and most authors I work with know how to do them already. The best tip I can share is to start small and niche if you're not well-known yet. For example, Wired for Youth is an easy target if you're writing a nonfiction book. They clearly have traffic and they're still updating the blog, but they're still small and would be an easy target to land an interview or post on. Start small, build up momentum, and then once you have some reputation, use early interviews as examples to pitch larger blogs. For best results, you should pitch on blogs or sites that have a sizable audience. I've had authors start with tiny blogs and end up in places like the Huffington Post. Guest blogs and blog tours do two main things for you. First, they help build credibility for you when people Google your name and your book. The posts will show up and prove you're legit. Because you are targeting specific niche blogs, you will also build a good targeted audience from the posts as well. It's a great way to build some reputation and start a flywheel effect for yourself when you do it early on.5. Run a book launch party. Book launches are events designed to kick off your book release, hold your readers captive, and ultimately give them a good feeling about your work. They're also a great opportunity to get your friends and family invested in your creation. More importantly, they help you sell copies. People think these are a gimmick and often skip the launch party. If done right, the launch party is actually huge for morale and makes it feel real for authors. Don't do it right when the book launches. The trick is to do it when you have some local followers already. This is fun, gets fans involved and builds community.6. Utilize Twitter To Connect With ReadersTwitter is a great way to build an audience and build your network. There are a few ways to utilize Twitter, depending on the genre you're targeting. To come up with Tweet ideas, study popular influencers in your genre. If you're writing YA, for example, study popular YA writers. You can search popular hashtags used within YA to find these influencers, like #YALit or #YoungAdult. Studying popular writers in the niche will inform you of what the audience wants to see. Learn from the best and try to emulate the tweets that work well, but with your own ideas and your own unique spin. If you already have an engaged audience on Twitter, you should start seeing immediate results. If you don't have an audience yet, your initial tweets will be going into a void. The easiest way to build an initial audience is to regularly engage with influencers in your genre. Vary who you reply to, you don't want to just engage with the top influencers, but also up-and-coming influencers. By adding value in these tweets, you'll begin to get noticed by their audience and thus build your own. This doesn't happen overnight. Consistency is the key to Twitter.7. Start collecting leads for your next book. Running a marketing campaign has two stages: before and after release. If you're working on a series, you can treat your current promotional period as an opportunity to market your current release as well as the following one. After your first novel is published, plan a book tour, a Facebook ad campaign, a sponsored story, or a video about the theme of your book. If you've written a social issue book, speak out on your social media profiles about topics relevant to your book. Given the current limitations of what is available to attend in-person due to the pandemic, consider hosting online events about your book. These may include utilizing Zoom, or other live platforms within social media. Another option could be to request a guest spot on a current online event from one of your contacts, or reaching out to another event organizer in your genre. Depending on the restrictions in your location, consider attending live events about your book. These may include reading at a bookstore, hosting a film screening, making an in-person talk at schools or having a conversation night at a local bar. This is going to be a long process. Thus, you should stay visible and open to anything you can do for your book once it's published. Online promotion strategies work effectively when they're collaborative. Don't be afraid to reach out to your loved ones, fellow writers and industry professionals for help. Hayley Zelda is a writer and marketer at heart. She's written on all the major writing platforms and worked with a number of self-published authors on marketing books to the YA audience.
## How to Write the best Kindle Book Title for Kindle SEO
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2021/8/2/how-to-write-the-best-kindle-book-title-for-kindle-seo-1
Type: blog_post
Description: As an author, we always have an idea of what a great title should look like; great works such as "The Great Gatsby" and "Catcher in the Rye" are catchy and mysterious titles that t
Published: 2021-08-03T14:23:46.688Z
Updated: 2021-08-03T14:23:47.056Z
Tags: KDP, keywords, amazon keywords, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle SEO, SEO, keyword research, KDP advertising
As an author, we always have an idea of what a great title should look like; great works such as "The Great Gatsby" and "Catcher in the Rye" are catchy and mysterious titles that trigger the reader's imagination. Although what one would assume to be a good title might not be a good title for your self-published Kindle book. Kindle book titles need to be written so the Amazon search engine, also called the Amazon A9 algorithm, can index your book title properly to the reader's search query. This article will discuss how to create a Kindle book title that ranks, step-by-step. What is Kindle SEO?Kindle SEO is the process of ranking your book on the Amazon search engine for a set of keywords that is relevant to your book. For the Amazon search engine to have a "book-to-reader search fit," you need to make sure to place the right keywords into the right places in your book listing. It is also worth noting that If you don't conduct Kindle SEO correctly, you will more than likely result in less traffic and fewer sales. The human factor is also a part of Kindle SEO. Your Kindle title and listing must:1) be informative and2) elicit an emotional response from the reader. As a result, you must optimize, not only for the A9 algorithm but also for the reader. The ideal Kindle listing will straddle writing for the search engine and reader. Why is Kindle SEO Important?It is important to emphasize how vital Kindle SEO is. The cascading effects of a well-optimized book listing will filter downstream, while the harmful effects of a poorly constructed listing will filter upstream. A well-written book listing, for example, will receive impressions: more clicks, higher conversion, lower CPC (cost-per-click), higher ranking, and result in more sales/profit.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 As you can see, optimizing your self-published book for effective Kindle SEO can help you achieve a good flywheel effect. So yes, it is that critical, and it is well worth the extra effort and time. Keyword ResearchIn this stage, your keyword research will not only be finding the right keywords that are relevant to your book but also the need to prioritize them. Because of the 200-character title limit, it is near impossible to include all of your keywords. Besides, you don't want to appear spammy and pack too many keywords into your title. To start, I would typically begin my research on Amazon. Unless your type of book is not on Amazon (seldom happens), Amazon would be a reliable source. Seed KeywordsIn your keyword research, you can begin by finding the seed keywords. These are highly relevant keywords where you will start your search. There are two ways to find seed keywords. First, you might already have some seed keywords in mind, which is likely the case if you know the subject matter you are writing on. Second, you can find seed keywords by searching for books written by your nearest competitors and a reverse ISBN search, also known as a reverse ASIN search. For example, if you are selling a book in the "Keto Diet" niche and your next nearest competitor has an ISBN of 1628602570, you will use this ISBN or ASIN to be entered into a free reverse search tool such as Sonar.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Download the result into a CSV format and sort it further for relevance. To sort by relevance, you will create a bit of a relevancy pyramid. You want to come up with 5-6 keywords (or key phrases) that are the most relevant and with the highest search volume. If you deem any keywords from the list not relevant to your book, feel free to remove them from consideration. This ensures that a reader's search in Amazon's A9 algorithm can be matched/indexed to your book. Therefore, targeting the proper keywords and including them in the front of your title are important Kindle SEO fundamentals. Filtering Relevant Keywords: Some PointersHere are some filtering tips to assist you in removing unrelated keywords faster:Remove any keywords phrase with more than four words if you have a large list of resultsRemove words in the keyword list that are NOT related to your book. Look for keywords and phrases that MUST include a specific word or genre. Based on the above example, the below are good keywords to use:keto cookbookketogenic dietketo reset dietketosis cookbookketo recipes30-day ketogenic cleanseGenerating your Kindle Book Title from your Keyword ResearchStill working with the 6-8 keywords that you have picked in the previous step, you will curate the title of your book based on them. Amazon titles have a 200-character limit. There are 2 goals for the title:Using the first 50 characters to explain what the book is to the reader, the reader needs to know within seconds what the 50 characters in the title describe;You will use the rest of the 150 characters to talk to the Amazon search engine, adding searched words that have "-" in-between for easy understanding. The template for a good Kindle title is as follows:{main keyword 1} - {variation} - {words in search term that describe book 1} - {words in search term that describe book 2....} - by {Author}Make sure the main keyword is the function of both the highest relevance and search volume. Example of a Good Kindle TitleIn our example, a good title would be as follows:"Keto Cookbook - ketogenic diet reset - ketosis recipes for 30-day cleanse"**Please note: try your best not to repeat keywords. The words only need to appear once for the Amazon A9 to pick up. Repeating words or word density does not help with Kindle SEO.As you can see in the example above, we were able to hit all the relevant words from our keyword research, with our main keyword serving as the first part of the title. Additional ways to Boost your Kindle Book RankingsBesides Kindle SEO there are also more direct ways to boost your self-published book rankings. Kindle Countdown DealsThese allow writers to run limited-time promotions for eBooks accessible on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk from anywhere in the world. This promotion is only available for eBooks. Customers will notice regular and exceptional prices on the eBooks description page, with a countdown clock. This clock will show you how much time you have left to take advantage of the special price. Free Book PromotionsRun a Free Book Promotion by making your book available for free for up to 5 days throughout each 90-day KDP Select enrollment cycle. Kindle eBook Pre-OrderYou can start promoting your eBook with a pre-order (pre-orders for paperbacks are currently not available) before it is released. You can promote your eBook's pre-order page on Author Central, Goodreads, your site, and elsewhere. Also, pre-orders will contribute toward sales rank and other Kindle Store merchandising even before your eBook is released. This can help more readers to discover your book. KDP AdvertisingKDP Advertising, which is part of the Amazon Advertising Platform, is used for Amazon Kindle advertising*. It enables you to promote your self-published book with sponsored cost-per-click advertising. The book you want to promote will show up in Amazon search results, eBook detail pages, and on the Kindle device's lock screen. ConclusionFinding the best Kindle book title may appear to be hard work. However, when done correctly, this one optimization can provide the highest return on investment of all the front-end effort you can do when ranking your Kindle book on Amazon. Best of luck!*Check out https://kadaxis.com/advanced-analytics/amazon-ad-keywords for further information on how to identify and maximize your Amazon Advertising Keywords.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Rick Wong is the founder of SellerMetrics, an Amazon PPC Software. Having worked in some of the world's largest financial institutions in Canada, he ventured into Amazon selling in 2017 and sold his Amazon business four years later. He currently resides in Hong Kong with his wife and 1 yr old daughter. On days that he is not in his office, you can find him playing golf with his friends or watching the newest show on Netflix with his family.
## Stay-at-home fatigue while staying on the job
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2020/10/23/stay-at-home-fatigue-while-staying-on-the-job
Type: blog_post
Description: Have you transitioned to work from home since the worldwide pandemic was declared? Maybe you were writing part-time and had another office-based job elsewhere, but now everything i
Published: 2020-10-24T19:23:13.986Z
Updated: 2020-10-24T19:23:14.197Z
Tags: writing, work from home, writing tips, writers, scheduling, work life balance
Have you transitioned to work from home since the worldwide pandemic was declared? Maybe you were writing part-time and had another office-based job elsewhere, but now everything is happening from your home. Now is a good time to take stock of the routines and habits you have established over the past few months. Here are five things to consider:1. Am I where I want to be, given the restricted circumstances?If not, why not? Am I any closer to my goals being achieved? They may need adjustment based on what you have learned since setting them. Writing two thousand words a day may not be realistic for you, but half an hour each day might be. Having goals written in a place where you can easily see them helps remind what is important to you.2. Setting the space and scheduleDo you have a designated work space with items that help you focus? Has it been working well or is it time to make some changes? Think about physical comfort (a properly adjusted desk chair versus sitting hunched over on the floor, clutter-free desk space, etc.). Whatever defines a work space for you, treat it as such. Keep your sleeping area separate so your brain can switch off when it's bedtime and is mentally ready when you 'go' to work. In case you are inspired with new writing ideas in the middle of the night, keep a pen and notebook handy next to the bed, so you can jot them down and return to sleep as quickly as possible. Typing on a bright phone screen could make you more alert, thus harder to settle back to sleep. If you have flexible hours, do your best to set up a routine that you can stick to and that works well with the time of day (or night) where you are at your optimal level of functioning.3. Boundaries and relating to others in this temporary 'new normal'Have you defined clear boundaries for work versus recreation? Be intentional with when each of these begins and ends. If you live with others, communicate about your differing schedules and how you can respect one another's space. Revisiting expectations can help make a peaceful home/work environment and eliminate misunderstandings. Because I am working from home and have a young child, some people assume I am 'always free.' People have called me at strange times or bombarded me with multiple reminders about online events I don't wish to attend. It is just as important to be clear about what to say "no" to (without having to give a lengthy explanation) as to what you allow time for in your life.4. Distractions and motivationWhat tempts you towards unnecessary extra breaks, leading to a longer day? Consider switching off social media notifications. Smart phones also have reminders you can set up to limit daily time on apps. Too much mental clutter draws you away from the task at hand and can leave you feeling drained. What other ways can you motivate yourself to focus more on your goals and tasks?5. Do you get dressed every day?Does staying in pajamas make you feel relaxed or do you feel lazy? Does getting dressed make a difference? Or do you split the difference, e.g. - work shirt for the online meetings, with pajama bottoms? I personally like to get dressed each day, but the clothes I wear at home are more casual than if I entered into an office. For some, working from home will cease once more businesses open up again. For others, working from home will continue full-time from this season forward. Make sure your set-up is working well for you, especially if you are juggling writing part-time as well as an additional form of employment. So many people desire to work from home. Remember to find the reasons why this is desirable for you. What helpful work-from-home writing habits have you developed since lockdown? Share your tips below in the comments!
## How to Increase Your Amazon Book Sales
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2020/10/15/how-to-increase-your-amazon-book-sales
Type: blog_post
Description: As an author, it would be wonderful if all you had to do was come up with an idea for a book, write it, and have it be an instant success. But the reality is that modern book publi
Published: 2020-10-16T06:34:02.482Z
Updated: 2020-10-16T06:34:02.773Z
Tags: social media marketing, book marketing, amazon keywords, Amazon Marketing Services, keywords
As an author, it would be wonderful if all you had to do was come up with an idea for a book, write it, and have it be an instant success. But the reality is that modern book publishing, especially on Amazon, is a lot more complicated than many authors assume. Marketing your book is at least as important to its success as the writing itself. You're also not the only author attempting to 'make it big' on Amazon, as a new book is published on the platform every five minutes. That means you have to do more than ever to stand out from the crowd and gain popularity online. Beyond Amazon marketing, there are many ways to increase your online audience. If you're committed to becoming a full-time author, these strategies will help you augment your income and reach a wider audience. Leverage Social Media MarketingWhile social media platforms were once simply a place to stay in touch with friends and family, they're now among the best ways to market almost any product. This shouldn't come as a surprise, as the vast majority of young adults follow at least one brand on a social media platform. Social media enables you to keep your audience updated with developments in your work, including the release of a new book. You can also keep people engaged with periodic content pieces about different aspects of your writing. This will help generate discussion and allow you to create a long-term relationship with your audience. Create Your Own WebsiteSocial media is a great way to start, but it can also be extremely valuable to create and operate a personal website devoted to your work. It will act as a hub for your audience to take a variety of actions, including purchasing a book, signing up for email updates, and getting connected with your social media presence. It's now easier than ever to build a personalized website, and there are tools available at nearly any price point (including free!). A few top-rated, free website builders that you can try are Wix, Weebly, and Strikingly. While cheaper options can help you get started, we recommend investing in high-quality, professional solutions - like an expert web developer - as you get more serious about promoting your brand. When searching for a web designer, consider the following:What's your budget? There's no set industry standard, so consider what your cap might be as you begin looking. Who do you want to work with? There are freelancers, design agencies, and full-service agencies. If you're looking for services beyond web design (e.g. digital marketing), a full-service agency could be the right choice. If you're budget-conscious, a freelancer is your best bet. What's their experience level? Take a look at the portfolio of either the individual web developer or their agency. Do they have experience working with authors or are there other case studies that are relevant to you?What do their clients say about them? Read testimonials, request references, and do your homework when it comes to confirming both the legitimacy and efficacy of a web designer. Are they responsive? Before hiring, ask them questions about their process and what they would suggest in terms of web design for you specifically if hired. You can get a good sense if they're the right fit based on how they speak about the design process and their approach. Advertise on AmazonThe most direct way to reach out to potential customers is by advertising on the platform itself. Amazon offers two types of ads: Sponsored Product Ads and Product Display Ads. The former are pay-per-click (PPC) ads that attract visitors looking for keywords similar to yours, and the latter target users who have made relevant purchases or searches in the past. Both varieties can be extremely valuable when utilized effectively, so there's no one-size-fits-all approach to building a presence on Amazon. We recommend continual A/B testing to ensure that you're getting the best possible return on investment from all your advertising channels. Marketing a book is a difficult challenge, but it's important to give yourself every possible chance for success. Even the best book won't sell if it gets lost in the midst of hundreds of new books being published every day. These tips will help you rise above the competition and achieve the short- and long-term success you deserve.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Ilan Nass is an experienced performance marketer with 9 years experience helping B2B and B2C companies grow. He spent 6 years running Taktical Digital, a direct response/performance marketing agency where clients have included WeWork, Ellen Degeneres, BarkBox, Bustle, Casper, MoviePass, Rachel Zoe, Univision, Chase Manhattan and others. Skills include SEO, SEM, Content Marketing, Paid Social Ads and more.
## What to Know About Using Amazon Marketing Services to Boost Your Sales
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2019/2/8/what-to-know-about-using-amazon-marketing-services-to-boost-your-sales
Type: blog_post
Description: Amazon offers a very useful marketplace for anyone in the publishing industry. That said, leveraging this platform to its full potential involves understanding how to take advantag
Published: 2019-02-12T00:59:48.736Z
Updated: 2020-10-15T05:13:33.365Z
Tags: Amazon Marketing Services, book marketing, marketing
Amazon offers a very useful marketplace for anyone in the publishing industry. That said, leveraging this platform to its full potential involves understanding how to take advantage of Amazon Marketing Services (AMS). Like advertising on Facebook, taking the time to learn about selling on Amazon and how it can help your business is important. Like Google AdWords, AMS charges pay-per-click fees to help sellers reach potential customers. Using it effectively can have a major impact on your book sales. The following tips will help you get started. RequirementsAmazon requires users to have one of the following before they can access AMS:A Vendor Central loginAn Advantage Central loginA Vendor Express loginAn invitation to represent a vendorA Kindle Direct Publishing accountIf you don't yet have the right login or account, set one up before registering for the program. First StepsOnce you've registered with AMS you can begin advertising your products. To do so, sign in to your account and find the "Advertising" link in the navigation toolbar. Click it, then click on "Create your first ad."However, it's worth familiarizing yourself with the types of ads Amazon allows you to create before getting started on one. Sponsored ProductThis ad type is ideal if your goal is simply to boost sales. It allows vendors to choose a product, select keywords to ensure it appears in appropriate searches, and set a daily budget (the minimum is one dollar). Your sponsored product ad will then appear in searches. Best of all, Amazon only charges users for clicks their ads receive. Headline Search Headline Search ads are very similar in concept to Sponsored Product ads. They key difference is increased visibility. A Sponsored Product ad will appear on the bottom or right-hand side of a search results page. A Headline Search ad, on the other hand, will appear at the top of the page. That said, increased visibility comes at an increased cost. The minimum budget for this type of ad is $100. Product DisplaySponsored Product and Headline Search ads target customers via your chosen keywords. With Product Display ads, users can target customers based on interests by having their ads appear on pages for related items. The minimum budget for these ads is also $100. Increase Sales with Amazon Marketing ServicesKnowing how AMS works is important. However, once you understand the basics, it's also important to learn how to leverage this service to actually increase sales. The following points explain how to maximize your return on investment:Opt for Manual Targeting: You have two essential options when targeting customers with ad: automatic or manual. With the automatic option, Amazon analyses your book and targets customers based on said analysis. However, if you're willing to research which keywords other authors like you have used effectively, you'll get better results with manual. This option lets you choose your own keywords when targeting customers. Test: There's no universal answer to the question "Which type of ad is right for my book?" It varies on a case-by-case basis. Thus, it's best to try different types of ads with low budgets first. Monitor the results for each to determine which is most effective. It's also important to experiment with different keyword combinations. Promote a Series: Do several of your titles belong to the same overall series? If so, you can leverage one to boost the sales of the others. Promote the first title in the series and revise your product description to ensure readers clearly know it is one of several books. Ads that yield sales for the book you're promoting will also increase sales of other books in the series as a result. Consider the Season: Seasonally-appropriate titles will often deliver better results if you promote them accordingly. For instance, if you're considering running a campaign in October, and you have a book that relates to Halloween either directly (it takes place during the season) or indirectly (it touches on scary/supernatural topics), promoting that one instead of another title will boost your ROI.Keep these best practices in mind as you get started with AMS. This service is valuable, but the value it offers will increase substantially if you know how to use it most effectively. These tips will help.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Ilan Nass is an experienced performance marketer with 7 years experience helping B2B and B2C companies grow. Spent 5 years running Taktical Digital, a paid social performance marketing agency. Skills include SEO, SEM, Content Marketing, Paid Social Ads and more
## SOCIAL NETWORKING FOR THE INTROVERTED WRITER
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2019/2/3/social-networking-for-the-introverted-writer
Type: blog_post
Description: One of the joys of writing if you are an introvert is to be able to safely express yourself on the page and not have to interact face-to-face. However, events such as the launch of
Published: 2019-02-03T22:44:57.495Z
Updated: 2019-02-03T22:44:57.624Z
One of the joys of writing if you are an introvert is to be able to safely express yourself on the page and not have to interact face-to-face. However, events such as the launch of your book, a book signing or networking events will require you to attend in person. Working as a social worker for over fifteen years I have experienced countless situations requiring me to talk to new people. This would be anything from a sensitive client family meeting, discussing death, loss of limbs, counselling, right down to just making casual conversation with someone who does not wish to open up. Facing the fear makes it less fearful and you get practice in the meantime. If an event coming up feels overwhelming consider taking smaller steps. Practice doing what makes you feel nervous in settings that don't matter as much to you. Meet-ups are a great way to experiment with this. It could be a hobby such as learning how to cook or attending Toastmasters. If you want to stick to writing-related events, consider attending a low-key book reading in a small, casual location. Tips to prepare before the eventWhat is your goal? Focus on that goal whenever you get nervous. Does it have a measurable outcome? For example, "speak to two new people," or "learn three new things about xyz" or perhaps it is just to be able to attend a new event. Decide on if you want to bring a 'plus one' for support. Make sure it is someone who can be sociable with others and doesn't need to be looked after the whole time. I once brought a friend to a party where we spent most of the time just catching up. I missed an opportunity to meet new people. Do your homework first. If it is an event where you can see other people attending (such as a social media invite) you could become familiar with names and profile photos. Decide in advance if there are people you hope to connect with. Look up the event details. Figure out how far away it is, parking and dress code. Consider bringing business cards so you can easily hand out your details if you feel inclined to do so. Being organized helps to take some pressure off on the actual day. Brainstorm questions you could ask people. Having mental notes prepared will give you readily available tools for a conversation starter. Also, what questions might you be asked? Think of positive answers. For example, if asked, "How many books have you written?" and you are a new writer, an answer could be, "I am in the middle of my first book. I am so excited to meet more experienced writers here and learn more!" Having an answer like this speaks positively to yourself and to others about you, you are owning where you are at with confidence, and it gives the other person an opportunity to share some tips with you. Be honest with yourself. What is the worst that could happen? Is it worth missing an opportunity to attend? Attending will bring you a step stronger in overcoming the fear. If your goal is to chat to two people, then regardless of everything else, you will have achieved your goal. If chatting with a well-known agent or writer feels too daunting right now, you could always start smaller - chat with someone who doesn't fit a 'big name' category and appears easy to approach. Social tips at an eventConsider having something to hold. It could be an order of events flier, a glass of something or a clutch purse. It stops you from standing with your hands in your pockets, thus appearing more approachable. It also gives you something to do with your hands. If it is a private party, offering to help pass food and drinks around is a good way to connect with people and then have an excuse to leave if you run out of things to say. Find a reason to talk to someone. It could be to ask for a direction, comment casually on the decor or simply go up to someone and chat. I remember attending a wedding reception where I didn't know any guests. I walked straight up to a group of people and exclaimed, "Hi! I don't know anyone here. Do you mind if I chat with you?" They brought me into their conversation. Focus on the other person. So often the reason we feel uncomfortable is that we are busy focusing on ourselves and how we might look. If you focus on and show interest in the other person it will help you feel more relaxed and appear more open. When talking to another person, ask open questions. At a networking event for authors, it could be, "How did you hear about this event?" Consider paraphrasing back to them. This helps others feel heard and can lead to further conversation. In the above example if the person responded, "I heard about it through another author friend," a response could be, "Sounds like you have a resourceful friend!" Finding areas of commonality can also help a person to feel more connected to you. Finally, remember the wonderful person that you are and don't be too hard on yourself. The mere fact you attended an event is a step outside of your comfort zone. You are as important as the next person, regardless of what you and they have or have not accomplished. Chances are, others are as nervous as you are about being there and they are hoping someone will make the effort to chat to them.
## Social Media or Social Drain? How Twitter Can Impact Your Writing Goals
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2018/11/5/social-media-or-social-drain-how-twitter-can-impact-your-writing-goals
Type: blog_post
Description: Many of us spend too much time on social media, often utilizing it as a distraction from the tasks we need to accomplish. Social media can definitely get a bad reputation. As an au
Published: 2018-11-05T18:25:11.287Z
Updated: 2018-11-05T18:25:11.394Z
Tags: social media, twitter, writing, audience development, author platform
Many of us spend too much time on social media, often utilizing it as a distraction from the tasks we need to accomplish. Social media can definitely get a bad reputation. As an author, have you considered how social media can enhance your profile and brand?Twitter can build community with other writers. This is especially useful given the solo aspect of writing. It is a wonderful platform for book marketing, if we take the time to genuinely connect with others, thus drawing readers in rather than tuning them out. Five smart ways to enhance your social platform:Research hashtags that connect you with other writers in your preferred genre. For example, if you write fiction, #amwritingfiction will help you find writers and posts related to fiction. To connect with writers more broadly you may simply use #amwriting. This is also a great way to find people to follow. They may end up following you too once they see some of your wonderful posts! The more people you follow, the greater your chance of gaining new followers. While this is a sound strategy for increasing followers, unfollowing someone once they start following you is considered poor etiquette. Of course, if someone is offensive then feel free to let them go. Post content about your life, not just promotional tweets. This tip is especially important if your audience contains relatives and friends. Your audience may not all be writers, but other people who will support you by purchasing and reading your book. People want to know you as a person and don't always want to be sold to. One of the quickest ways to lose your audience is through constant spamming. Try to work some quirky, funny or personal posts into your timeline, such as a funny joke or a photo of a hike you took on Saturday. Take time to write encouraging comments on other people's posts too. By blending personal posts with some occasional advertising, people will feel like you are a human and not a marketing machine. Retweet and quote people with relevant knowledge and experience. This could be another writer, publisher, famous person, or anyone else you hold in high regard. Associating with their articles and brands reflects well on your own personal brand. It gives readers a greater understanding of your viewpoint and personality, too. This can impact the decision of whether they want to see more, versus "unfollow". To personalize a retweet, quote, or article post a comment with it. Aside from tailoring it to your brand, it will make it more interesting and shows you put thought into what you posted. Know your audience. Who is your audience? Young parents? Fitness fanatics? Murder mystery book lovers? Conduct a search through Twitter using any words that represent the genre you are interested in. For example, if you want to connect with other murder mystery writers, the obvious search would be #murdermystery or #murdermysterywriters. However, if you scroll through those pages you will find additional hashtags regularly used that may connect you with even more relevant groups. In this example, I found other hashtags such as: #crimefiction, #suspense, #writers among others. Look at the time stamps of when posts are conducted, or when people respond to posts, to ascertain when people are usually online. Alternatively, you can experiment with posting at different times of the day and see if you get more responses at a particular time. As you get to know your audience, you will understand better what it is they want to read about, too. This will then guide what you post (or don't post). You may also find further connections through looking up a popular author in your genre. Chances are they will have followers or be following people who could become your newest Twitter connections too. Post often but don't overdo it. Posting often reminds people you are current and also enhances your online social presence. People are more likely to remember someone who is posting regularly, rather than someone who barely ever posts or comments on anything. Make sure you utilize hashtags and post regularly throughout the week (remembering variety is key, not just promotional posts). This could be even a few times a day. One of the benefits of hashtags is that even if you post at a less popular time, some viewers look up specific hashtags to see what they missed out on while they were away. If you can't access your computer when you need to post, use a program to set your tweets in advance. This can be set to post throughout the day or even later in the week. The program I like to use is Buffer. It posts to Twitter at the times I choose and means I don't have to be at my computer all the time. Have fun with these tips and feel free to share your own with us too!
## Why You Need to Incentivize Book Reviews
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2018/10/29/why-you-need-to-incentivize-book-reviews
Type: blog_post
Description: Becoming a successful author requires a difficult combination of writing skill, general resilience, good fortune, and calculated marketing. That last requirement is often tricky, e
Published: 2018-10-29T22:13:03.902Z
Updated: 2018-10-29T22:13:04.231Z
Tags: book reviews, authors, marketing, social proof
Becoming a successful author requires a difficult combination of writing skill, general resilience, good fortune, and calculated marketing. That last requirement is often tricky, even for ambitious authors, because it isn't easy to get that deeply involved in the commercialization of something that means so much to you personally. But something has to give, and if you want your books to be widely read, you need to be willing to view them as products with value - and thus as items suitable for review. Now inundated with options about what to read (all the classics of the past digitized, and new works from across the world available online), today's readers simply can't keep up with fresh releases, and need ways to narrow them down. That narrowing is achieved through the collation of opinions from authorities (such as the New York Times site pictured above) and peers (anonymous reviewers). Whichever way you look at it, reviews are key, and you need to be incentivizing them. Here's why, and how you can do it:You Need Feedback To Optimize PositioningTrying to find objective quality in a book isn't an advisable task, because one person's work of genius is another person's waste of time. Artistic products aren't suitable for generic valuation and packaging like businesses that sell direct are. Consequently, if a new author becomes discouraged due to their first book being slated, it isn't necessarily a result of their poor writing: it could simply be a matter of incorrect placement and presentation. This is another reason why you need to get as many reviews as you can. Through looking beyond the simple ratings and digging deeper into why people like or dislike your work, you can derive some useful inferences about how you've been marketing it. This is something that the Kadaxis Amazon Research Service is perfect for. Sometimes, it even turns out that an author's view of the strengths of their work is wildly inaccurate: they might have intended to write a comedy but somehow ended up writing a character study, yet persisted in presenting it as a comedy because they never consciously acknowledged the pivot. In such a case, a book that has been struggling to gain any traction and gathering poor (and confused) reviews might just need some superficial alterations. Change the cover, change the blurb, change the listed genre (or discard the concept of genre entirely), and all of a sudden you have a hit. If you don't stay aware of what readers think about your work, you'll likely miss such opportunities. How To Incentivize Book ReviewsTo serve as compelling social proof, and to help authors and publishers decide how to best position any given book for success, reviews are vitally important - but books don't inevitably gather reviews. With less popular works, you need to encourage them. Here's how to do it:Enter your books into contests. It doesn't matter whether you think you have any hope of winning. Simply submitting your books as candidates for contests can get you some free feedback from industry professionals who may well have some valuable ideas for how you can improve your writing or your presentation. Suggest your books for roundups. Bloggers love to do listicles, and something akin to "8 Horror Books to Try This Halloween" is an easy sell. If you reach out to sites that do such content and ask them to consider including your books, you'll get some reads. Reach out to readers through social media. Assuming you've made some sales - or at least been able to distribute some copies somehow - you'll have some readers out there in the online world. Unless each one of them has already provided a review (unlikely), you should be able to pick up some more through simply asking. Offer a small reward. If you're really not getting anywhere in general and you just want to know where you're going wrong, think about offering a minor reward for reviewing your work. You could provide free copies, or coupons of some kind, or even signed merchandise. Any one of these methods can prove successful, so try everything applicable and you should be able to start expanding your range of reviews. Let's briefly recap what we've looked at:You need reviews to persuade people that your work is worth their time. By reading reviews, you can identify opportunities to pivot your presentation. You can get reviews by pitching your books, consulting readers, and offering rewards. Get started right away, and use the information you collect to achieve greater success.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Victoria Greene is an ecommerce marketing expert and freelance writer who loves reading through book reviews to get different perspectives on stories. You can read more of her work at her blog Victoria Ecommerce.
## A Beginner's Guide To Author Marketing Through AMS
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2018/7/23/a-beginners-guide-to-author-marketing-through-ams
Type: blog_post
Description: Through the wonders of modern technology, though, there is a great degree of flexibility in how you can approach your marketing, and there may be no better platform than Amazon for
Published: 2018-07-23T17:06:53.947Z
Updated: 2018-07-23T17:13:16.014Z
Tags: Amazon Marketing Services, AMS, keywords, book marketing, PPC, Amazon Search, KDP
At long last, you've completed your magnum opus. The last sentence has been concluded, the last edit has been made, and the last typo has been corrected. But before you can take a well-earned break, you remember what comes next - the promotional stage that needs to happen if you want to actually earn something from your masterpiece. Through the wonders of modern technology, though, there is a great degree of flexibility in how you can approach your marketing, and there may be no better platform than Amazon for getting eyes on your work. It's the biggest ecommerce site in the world, with book sales that bring in billions of dollars each year, and the Amazon Marketing Services (AMS) system makes it possible to serve highly-targeted PPC ads to its massive global audience. If you're going to use just one advertising channel for your novel, advertising through Amazon is the clear choice. In this piece, we're going to look at what an author planning to use AMS for the first time needs to know before they get started. Becoming Eligible for AMSThere are currently only two ways to be eligible to advertise books through AMS: Be a Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) author. Be a book vendor with a retail relationship. Since you're an author looking to advertise their own work, the only option available to you is the former. Thankfully, it isn't very difficult to achieve. The KDP program is free to access, and if you have an existing Amazon account, you can use that to sign up (full details here).Once you've signed up to the KDP scheme, you'll need to make the books that you want to market available as ebooks and/or paperbacks. This will require you to adhere to the content guidelines and provide all the required information, including categories, pricing, and confirmation of distribution rights. How To Start Advertising A KDP BookWhile logged in to your KDP account, you'll see the option to 'Promote and Advertise' next to each listed KDP title. Click that button next to the book you want to advertise, then click the 'Create an ad campaign' button. At this point, you'll be given a choice between two ad types: Sponsored Products and Product Display Ads. Here's how they differ: Sponsored Product listings appear in Amazon's internal search results (though below the organic results) and can also show up on product pages for particular books (though far enough down the page to not be mistaken for main content). They can appear in desktop browsers, mobile browsers, and in the Amazon app (iOS or Android), and can be served automatically or in response to the presence of identified keywords. Product Display listings appear in a card-style format next to standard page content. They cannot appear in mobile browsers or in the Amazon app, appearing only on full-detail desktop pages and (much less commonly) ad-supported Kindles, and can be served alongside books in particular genres or 'related' to the advertised items. While Product Display ads stand out more by virtue of their placement, they're harder to optimize because you can't get specific with keywords - and if your ad appears on a book deemed 'relevant' by Amazon, it won't matter if you disagree with that assessment. Sponsored Product ads are easier to use and appear on more devices, so it's best to start with those (it also bears noting that the minimum spend for Sponsored Product ads is $1 per day, while the minimum spend for Product Display ads is $100 for a given campaign).What An AMS Ad IncludesIn order to fit in with regular content, AMS ads can't be too creative, but you do get to choose various elements. You can allow the system to adapt the content you already provided when you added the books to your KDP account, or you can provide separate materials - just be aware that every ad will be reviewed to ensure suitability before anything goes live. To be used, an ad must be: Appropriate for a general audience. Available in the English language. In line with the Book Ads Acceptance Policy. Set up with high-quality images and readable text. Because it can take time to learn exactly why an ad was deemed unsuitable, it's best to make sure everything is in place the first time you submit it, especially if you need it to go live as soon as possible. How To Run A Successful CampaignIf you use Sponsored Product ads (as I recommend), then once you've got everything suitably configured, the bulk of the ongoing maintenance and optimization will come down to keyword targeting. By continuing to investigate how people find similar books, you can hone your strategy to reach more relevant Amazon shoppers and thus (hopefully) sell more books. Because Amazon doesn't disclose much data about its search metrics, your work for this will largely be manual and done through trial and error. Keep running new searches with different keyword combinations to see what comes up, and adapt your targeting accordingly. Beyond that, it's sensible to keep up with general changes in the world of marketing - follow PPC experts to learn new keyword strategies, listen to SEO-centric podcasts (The Paid Search Podcast, Marketing Speak, Search Engine Nerds, etc.), and continue to check this blog for the most directly-relevant developments. The Compounding Power Of AMS SuccessThe great thing about a strong AMS campaign is that it will have a compounding effect on your visibility: the more people buy your book through an AMS ad, the higher it will climb in the sales charts, and the more people will find it through organic search. If you get your AMS methodology exactly right, you'll eventually find that you can suspend it entirely and continue to see results, making it one of the forms of PPC most worth investing in. Are you looking to get going with some promotional work through the Amazon Marketing Services? We've covered the basics of how you can become eligible, choose an ad type, create an ad, and monitor your campaign, so you have everything you need to give it a try. Good luck!

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Victoria Greene is an ecommerce marketing expert and freelance writer who can get lost for hours browsing Amazon. You can read more of her work at her blog Victoria Ecommerce.
## 7 Author Promotion Strategies You Can Learn From
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2017/7/31/7-author-promotion-strategies-you-can-learn-from
Type: blog_post
Description: This is a guest post by Victoria Greene, a freelance writer and branding expert. In an ideal world, you will already be looking for ways to promote your book as you're writing it. A
Published: 2017-08-01T02:57:35.278Z
Updated: 2018-04-11T00:20:51.338Z
This is a guest post by Victoria Greene, a freelance writer and branding expert. In an ideal world, you will already be looking for ways to promote your book as you're writing it. After all, you've already gone to the trouble of considering your audience and the style of writing they like, as well as analyzing the characteristics of your book's chosen genre. But in terms of nitty-gritty marketing techniques, here are 7 author strategies you can learn from to promote your book successfully.1. Make Your Website The Center Of Your BrandYour website should be the central hub of your promotional operations. But for many authors, the thought of creating a fancy website can be daunting. By using a hosting platform like Squarespace, Shopify, or WordPress, authors can knock up a decent-looking website in a matter of hours - no previous experience in web design necessary. There are many basic templates for small brochure sites; you can also access hosting and all the tools needed to sell and promote your book online. A basic author website should include: A homepage featuring your book's cover image, synopsis, and link to buy or download An About page including your background, an image, and contact details A regularly updated blog Links to your product listings on Amazon, Kobo, etc. Book reviews Links to your social media channels2. Build Real RelationshipsWriting is often tipped as a lonely profession. But in order to make it nowadays, no author is an island. The relationships you make both online and in person will make or break your career. Finding influential voices in your genre or subject matter is easy thanks to social media, but being heard and remembered by these influencers is a different story. Obviously, trying to get in touch with J.K. Rowling on Twitter isn't going to be a successful strategy, but starting off locally might be. Find writing groups and authors in your area and make a connection. In building authentic relationships, you will need to take the time to build your own genuine interest in other people's work. Attend writing events and offer to guest post on another author's blog every once in a while.3. Think In KeywordsAs the biggest bookseller online, Amazon has refined its internal search engines to the nth degree. Its use of metadata and keywords helps millions of customers find the books they want to read in seconds. Authors should, therefore, consider their book's keywords very carefully, in order to draw the most traffic to their page. Remember, it is not just about 'stating the obvious' in terms of naming your genre or targeting highly competitive search terms. To avoid common Amazon keyword mistakes, you should firstly think about your readers and the kind of words they might use to find your book. If non-fiction, might they be searching Amazon for a book that solves a problem? Similarly, if your work is fiction, does it cover any widely discussed or topical themes, such as environmentalism? For more on readers' search intent on Amazon, take a look at this previous post. 4. Boost Your Email ListYour email marketing strategy could be paramount to your long-term success as an author. Developing a long list of subscribers isn't easy, but these regular readers are crucial to building up your core fanbase. Sites like Twitter and Facebook change their terms of use intermittently. This puts writers at the mercy of moderators. Should their sites ever fail, or your profile get removed, you will have no other way of reaching your subscribers from these sites. Adding a link to your mailing list on these profiles will help your core fans stay in touch and engaged with your brand. Further, make sure you provide your email subscribers with remarkable and exclusive content from time-to-time. For example, a free supplementary eBook download could be a great way to build up anticipation ahead of a new book launch. Email lists are also one of the cheapest forms of direct marketing available to authors. In order to build a list that drives significant sales traffic, you need to promote and talk about it often within your blog posts and social media updates.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 Credit: Maliha Mannan via Unsplash
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 5. Gather Reviews As Early As You CanIdeally a good few months before your book is released, you will need to begin the process of gathering reviews. In order to do this, you will need to prepare some 'Galley Proofs' of the first couple of chapters in a PDF. Don't be afraid to approach many different industry voices, publications, and even news publications to get a review. Even if the review is only couple of sentences, you can use this as part of your publicity material.6. Don't Ignore FacebookYou should already be using social media to connect with interested readers. Through online communication there is ample opportunity to promote your book, without relying on the typical front cover image and pitch. Since everyone and their mother (often literally!) use social media these days, authors ignore sites like Facebook at their peril. There are numerous creative ways to bring up your book's content, without expressly plugging it. For instance, if there is a news story that closely mirrors some of the issues the characters in your book face, share this and ask your readers for comments. If your protagonist battles with depression, for example, the latest research findings could easily be related to your readers. Further, if you do this in the development stages of your book, your reader's observations may help guide your character's behavior and make them more believable. Millions of authors use Facebook as a tool for promotion, but did you know that you can also use the social media site as a direct selling platform? Using Facebook's marketplace, you can safely and securely sell copies of your book from your author profile page. You will need to set up a separate Facebook page under your author name, rather than your personal profile. Depending on the ecommerce selling application you opt for, you can very quickly and easily make your own online store for your books, with very little technical know-how required. So why not make the most out of this traffic?

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 7. Generate Sales Fast With A PromotionAmazon sales are based on rankings. Books at the top of the rankings are more likely to be discovered by potential readers. So it should be the aim of every author to rank as well as they can. There is no surefire way to cheat Amazon's algorithmic ranking system. However, generating many sales over a short time period is bound to contribute some positive traction for your book's ranking within the site. Offering a large discount over a 48-hour period is a great way to generate fast sales in the early instance of a book launch. Also, be sure to ask these discount readers for a review, so more readers can look you up online. You should also blast the news of your sale on social media sites and use a book promotion hosting service, such as Bargain Booksy, to help you get the word out to as many people as possible. Marketing should infuse everything you do as an author, from designing your front covers, to putting your best foot forward with your social media posts. There are many tricks of the trade that can help you boost your website and sales rankings. But ultimately, your success will come down to the amount of genuine effort you're putting into promoting yourself and engaging with readers.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Victoria Greene is a freelance writer and branding expert. She runs her own blog at victoriaecommerce.com. Here she dispenses advice to authors and brands looking to boost their sales online.
## Do Writers Write What Readers Want To Read?
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2015/6/17/do-writers-write-what-readers-want-to-read
Type: blog_post
Description: View image | gettyimages.com Have you ever wondered if the genres authors most enjoy writing in, match the genres readers most enjoy reading? Before self-publishing, all new books
Published: 2015-06-18T20:31:01.138Z
Updated: 2018-04-16T15:30:30.650Z
Tags: authors, topics, categories, BISAC, machine learning
Categories: analytics
View image | gettyimages.com
 

 Have you ever wondered if the genres authors most enjoy writing in, match the genres readers most enjoy reading? Before self-publishing, all new books for sale were filtered by agents and publishers, who acquired and worked on books they thought would sell well. If there was an oversupply of manuscripts by authors in a particular genre, the competition to be chosen and published within the genre, would be higher too. Enter self-publishing: now any writer can publish, without filter, into any genre they desire. Given the influx of new books across genres, does the proportion of books in each genre meet with readers' demand?(We focussed on fiction for this experiment).

 Methodology (or How to Speed Read 3000 books in 3 hours)

 
 View image | gettyimages.com
 

 To answer our question, we needed a way to read and understand a good sized sample of self-published books, to determine their genre. You might ask why we couldn't simply use the categories or tags authors themselves apply to their books? The reason is accuracy and consistency - most indie authors don't have years of book categorization experience, working across a number of titles. Even traditionally published books are categorized inconsistently from book to book and from publisher to publisher. The inconsistency is not because publishers are poor at the job, but because standardizing the process would require centralizing the categorization effort. (We've worked with data feeds from all major publishers and have experienced this phenomenon first hand). The only way to derive accurate and consistent categorization is to read a large sample of books, understand how each book relates to each category, and assign it, while ensuring consistency across the sample. One of our systems does just this. We gave our categorization system over 3000 self-published novels to read and understand (these were books offered free by the author). For each book, our system identified all the topics the novels were about, then used this topical knowledge to assign each book to one or more categories and genres. Overall, our system read over 260 million words and figured out all the genres, categories and topics in the data below, in a few hours.

 
 
 

 What writers writeWriter's GenresThe top genres (by count) detected by our system were Romance, Fantasy and Science Fiction.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
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 Romance was the most popular genre, with 24.4% of books tagged. By combining Science Fiction and Fantasy though, to derive a total score of 32.1%, we can deduce that writers enjoy writing in this genre more than any other. Literary and Mystery & Detective both came in around 6%. How does this compare to what readers read?Reader's GenresTo understand the genres readers enjoy reading the most, we looked at revenue data. This doesn't incorporate units purchased or read, or ratings, but in aggregate, revenue is a good proxy indicator for reader enjoyment.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
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 Source: Leading book genres worldwide as of January 2014, by revenue (in million U.S. dollars)The highest selling fiction genres were Romance/Erotica, Crime/Mystery and Science Fiction and Fantasy. Romance was high in both charts, but we can broadly extrapolate that there's a potentially underserved market for Crime and Mystery & Detective and an oversupply for Science Fiction and Fantasy books (when combining the two genres in our first chart).The correlation isn't perfect of course, as our sample size is small, we're not considering units sold vs. price, and the revenue data is based on the less consistent human classification of books. We also assume the novelists in our sample wrote their books for the joy of it, and didn't select their categories purely for commercial potential. These points aside, for the purposes of this post, the proportional difference in genres across the two charts is interesting. BISAC CategoriesWe also wanted to understand the categorical split of each genre, so we dove deeper and analyzed the individual BISAC categories that made up each genre. The chart below is measured by category composition - which analyzes how much of each book belongs to a category. For example, instead of tagging a book as Romance and Fantasy, our systems tell us the book is 30% Romance and 70% Fantasy.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
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 (BISAC is the US publishing industry's system for categorizing books. You can read all about it here - https://www.bisg.org/tutorial-and-faq)This chart closely matches our genre chart, but tells us that Romance books typically consist of more granular categories than Science Fiction and Fantasy categories. This is somewhat reflected in the number of different BISAC subcategories for the genres - Romance has almost 50% more sub-categories than Science Fiction and Fantasy combined. It also alludes to a level of variance in the categories - our system was more easily able to split Romance titles into clearly distinct categories, but for Sci Fi and Fantasy, most content was generalized to Fantasy / General or Science Fiction / General.(We've also classified tens of thousands of freely available Gutenberg books, which you can browse here. Many of these books were published before BISAC was invented.)

 
 
 

 TopicsNext, we dove even deeper to look at the topic composition of our sample of books, and analyzed how much each book was made up of each topic. The topics listed below aren't industry standard, and were created by our team. Topics allow us to quickly and programmatically understand, at a more granular level, what a book is about.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
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 Given the strong bias for Science Fiction and Fantasy, the top few topics aren't particularly surprising. One observation we can make from this data, is that some genres have a higher proportion of genre-specific content than others. For example, a Romance novel will have many romantic scenes and dialogue, and be romance-themed. But the story will often revolve around another topic (western, military, etc.). A Science Fiction or Fantasy novel will usually contain a high proportion of genre-specific content - the whole world of the story will usually relate to the genre. Books in these genres are also likely to encompass elements of other genres too. Therein lies the categorization challenge we discussed earlier - should a novel be FIC027130 (Romance / Science Fiction) or FIC028000 (Science Fiction / General) or both? Are the romance elements strong enough for a book to be categorized as a 'Romance' book? Publishers of course, use knowledge of the book as well as strategic category selection, to influence placement of their books on bookstore bookshelves.

A few notes on the topics above. 'Existence' - covers concepts such as consciousness, the universe, humanity and realms - elements often found in Sci Fi / Fantasy. 'Vampires' have their own topic (instead of being part of 'Creatures & Monsters') which reflects the more prominent showing of vampires compared to other monsters, in recent fiction. 'Erotica' as a topic is smaller in representation for the reasons we discussed above for 'Romance'.

 Conclusion

 
 View image | gettyimages.com
 

 We speculate that writers write more Sci Fi and Fantasy books, as it's simply a lot of fun to create entire worlds with their own rules, creatures and customs. Mystery & Detective or Crime novels, while also fun to write, are often set in our reality, and typically require some technical or specialized knowledge - details which may need to be fact checked and accurate. Many authors in these genres have had prior experience in the field, or have spent significant effort researching their topics. These books will often teach the reader something, which is appealing to readers. As a writer, should you switch to Crime and Mystery in order to increase your odds of landing an agent or selling more self-published books? We don't think so. Write in the genre that is the best fit for you, as doing so will be reflected in your published work. We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into what self-published authors are writing. Please let us know how you interpreted our results in the comments below. If you'd like to see this data for your book, analyze your manuscript at Author Checkpoint.
## A Publisher's Advantage Over Indie Authors
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2015/5/23/a-publishers-advantage-over-indie-authors
Type: blog_post
Description: View image | gettyimages.com When it comes to book discovery and retail search, traditional publishers have two advantages over indie publishers. More KeywordsThe first is the abili
Published: 2015-05-23T04:30:22.942Z
Updated: 2018-07-23T17:46:02.459Z
Tags: publishing, metadata, keywords, amazon, barnes and noble, onix, seo
View image | gettyimages.com
 

 When it comes to book discovery and retail search, traditional publishers have two advantages over indie publishers. More KeywordsThe first is the ability to add more keywords to a book. Most independent authors will be able to add 5-7 keywords to their book's metadata. Each keyword (or phrase) provides an opportunity for the book to be matched with more search queries. The more search queries a book matches, the more times it will show up in search results, which of course means an increase in the potential customers who will see the book. How is this possible?Each online retailer (such as Amazon), accepts book metadata through different channels, and processes it for the search engine to use. Most independent authors add their data through a website (such as http://kdp.amazon.com). These websites are coded with specific rules about what data can be added and restrict, for example, how many keywords can be entered. (This is necessary to ensure a minimum level of quality in the data, which can impact search results).Enter ONIXPublishers, on the other hand, typically send book metadata to retailers in bulk, using an industry file format called ONIX. Under the ONIX standard, the keyword field has no restriction on the number of keywords that can be added to a book.

 
 View image | gettyimages.com
 

 Practically speaking, adding a very large number of keywords will lead to limited discovery benefit, as each online retailer will parse and process a maximum number of keywords. But retailers almost certainly accept more than 7 keywords. The ONIX standard recommends filling the keyword field with 250 characters. The BISG working group, dedicated to book keyword best practices, however, recommends using 500 characters. This working group comprises members from Amazon and Barnes & Noble, the consumers of this book metadata, who use it in their search engines (we covered this group in our last post). Given this recommendation, and the contributors behind it, it's unlikely the book retailers would restrict keywords to less than 500 characters.

 
 
 

 So how does this compare to the 5-7 keywords self-published authors are allowed? 500 characters equates to approximately 80 words, which is at least 27 keywords (phrases of 3 words in length - or more if keywords of 2 words are included). This is almost 4 times as many keywords. Isn't having too many keywords bad for SEO?Retail search engines process keywords from metadata in a structured manner (as opposed to web search engines that extract keywords content like web pages), and are unlikely to be subject to keyword dilution, which is the idea that using more keywords reduces an individual keyword's value. Keyword dilution can be a problem for a web page, as the breadth of topics a web page covers is likely to be less than an entire book. It makes sense to use many keywords to describe the many topics in a book. Does all this equate to a discovery advantage?It is highly likely. If you use one keyword, your book will be matched to related search queries about that one topic. If you use 20 or more keywords, your book has 20 opportunities to be matched against different types of search queries, therefore significantly increasing the number of customers likely to see the associated book. Better Search DataThe second advantage for publishers, who publish on Amazon, is data to help with Amazon SEO. Publishers with a high enough sales volume, will be invited to apply for access to ARA (Amazon Retail Analytics) which provides insight into search queries used by customers on Amazon. Core to any effective SEO strategy is the ability to evaluate and assess different keywords (search terms) for search volume (this is what Google Analytics provides free). ARA provides this data, albeit in a slightly obfuscated value called 'Search Frequency', along with data about conversions. Access to this data improves the efficiency and accuracy of keyword selection, as it allows publishers to determine whether to apply a long or short tail keyword to a book (depending on it's sales rank), and also to assess the type of books that convert the best for each search term.

 
 View image | gettyimages.com
 

 We can speculate why these differences exist, which are likely rooted in the history of traditional publishing and of self-publishing. In the early days of self-publishing, independent authors were much less sophisticated than they are today, as were the service providers to help them publish. It's likely disparities such as these, that provide considerable advantage to traditional publishers, will become less pronounced as the self-publishing industry matures.
## Why Keywords Are So Important
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2015/5/21/why-amazon-keywords-are-so-important
Type: blog_post
Description: View image | gettyimages.com Crafting effective keywords to add to a book's metadata, could be one of the highest return marketing activities to increase online sales potential. Th
Published: 2015-05-22T00:46:18.334Z
Updated: 2018-07-23T17:40:54.213Z
Tags: amazon, keywords, book discovery, metadata
View image | gettyimages.com
 

 Crafting effective keywords to add to a book's metadata, could be one of the highest return marketing activities to increase online sales potential. This post examines why keywords are so important, and how they affect discovery on Amazon. Let's break the logic down: Amazon is the biggest bookseller in the world. Around two thirds of online book sales are made through Amazon. Search is how most customers find products on Amazon. Keywords directly influence a book's visibility in Amazon's product search. In Amazon's own words (link requires a seller central login):Search is the primary way that customers use to locate products on Amazon. Customers search by entering keywords, which are matched against the search terms you enter for a product. Well-chosen search terms increase a product's visibility and sales. The number of views for a product detail page can increase significantly by adding just one additional search term-if it's a relevant and compelling term. We differentiate between keywords derived from web page text (Google, Bing, etc.) and keywords added to a book's metadata for consumption by a book retailer (Amazon, Barnes & Noble). Web search engines crawl web pages to derive keywords and concepts, to help users find information. Book product search engines consume book metadata (which includes keywords), provided by the publisher or author, and help customers find books to purchase. As Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt lamented:People don't think of Amazon as search, but if you are looking for something to buy, you are more often than not looking for it on Amazon.

 
 
 

 Why can't the machines just figure it all out?So why the difference between a web and a book (product) search engine? Why can't Amazon read a book's text to figure out what to index, just like Google crawls a web page? There are two core reasons for this:1. Human classification beats machine classification, when done properly. People are better at describing books, in terms other people relate to, than machines. The technology exists to understand the topical content of a book (we know, we've built it), but for a product search engine, it's more effective for Amazon to put the burden of describing a book in keywords, onto the author or publisher. The author/publisher, in turn, has a strong incentive to increase their book's discoverability in search.2. It's easier for Amazon to do. Pretend you're a technical superstar tasked with building a search engine for millions of books. What solution do you think would be easier to build? One where you had to index 5-20 human curated keywords that describe each book, or one where you had to index tens (or hundreds) of thousands of words per book to find out what it's about? Leveraging an incentivised crowd to manually add descriptive terms in a structured format, is a much smarter and technically simpler solution.

 
 
 

 Isn't it a search engine, not a discovery engine?

 
 View image | gettyimages.com
 

 It has been said that search is not discovery, but this perspective doesn't consider the complex task search engine's undertake to discern user intent (we've talked about the different user intents when searching before). Let's look at the distinction between book discovery and book search (within the context of a search engine), and how different elements of metadata support different user intents:Book SearchSearching for a specific book or title supports a customer who has 'discovered' a book through another channel, and is simply visiting a book retailer to purchase the book. In this case, the user intent is obvious, and the implementation is a basic, nuts and bolts 'search' engine. As a publisher or author, you really don't have much to do to optimize for this use case. Your book title and author (contributor) name is specified in the metadata. The engine performs a simple match for these fields to a customer's search query. This is why there is no need to include book title and author name in your keywords. Book DiscoveryBook discovery, in the context of a 'search' engine supports many cases of different user intent, where a customer isn't searching for a specific book. The engine helps the customer discover books that satisfy their query. For example, customers might use a book search engine to discover: a new book to read in their favorite genre ('contemporary romance new releases') a book to learn about a trending topic ('books about the islamic state') a book to solve a problem ('back pain')The metadata that directly influences book discovery on Amazon search are keywords. Cases exist where subtitles and category names impact discovery, but keywords are designed for, and have a direct relation to book discovery. Other discovery mechanisms also exist, of course, such as bestseller lists and item-to-item similarity recommendations, but these are often outside of the control of an author/publisher.

 
 
 

 Codifying how customers think about books

 
 View image | gettyimages.com
 

 Amazon categories are influenced by the way customers naturally group books together, and how they express these categorizations when searching for books. Book categories are continually refined to adapt to shifts in customers' tastes and collective interests. Books are categorized by manually curated metadata (BISAC or Browse Node - Amazon's equivalent of a category), as well as by analyzing a book's keywords. Many categories need a book to be associated with certain keywords, in order for it to qualify for the category. Analyzing the Science, Fiction and Fantasy category requirements we'll see keywords such as: angels, demons, dragons, vampire, aliens, horror and magic. These are all broad, book discovery terms that are designed to satisfy users looking to find books by search terms other than title and author. There is a clear link between how customers mentally label and group books, and how they express their intent when trying to find books. Amazon attempts to replicate this organization via it's search engine and associated categorical data. By using the language and terms customers actively use to search for books, it can more accurately answer book queries at scale. The bulk of the complexity of a successful book search engine, lies not in basic title/author matching, but in deciphering a user's intent when broad terms are used for discovery. Helping a customer find and purchase a book when they're unsure of exactly what they're looking for, is big business. After all, the 'search experience team' believe it's about "finding, not searching".Do readers even discover new books through search?Unless you have access to internal search query and purchase data from a major online retailer, it's not possible to make an absolute assertion one way or the other. So let's consider some visible signals:The industry believes soThe BISG has created a working group dedicated purely to defining best practices for keywords in book metadata. These keywords (in almost all cases) are curated by a person, to be stored with the rest of the book's metadata, and used by retailers (such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble) to help consumers find books. These are not the keywords that web search engines, such as Google, extract from the content of book descriptions on product pages. This working group has published a guide for publishers to use when defining keywords, which is available for download (via free registration). A summary, that doesn't require registration, is also available. The group comprises members from all the publishing service provider heavyweights (Ingram, Bowker, etc.), all big five publishers (plus many others), Library of Congress, Barnes & Noble and also Amazon. Most large publishers have also allocated in-house resources (of varying expertise) specifically to curating keywords for their books. Amazon has invested heavily in Search and Sales Business IntelligenceAccess to this data is only available to a small number of organizations that sell a lot online, through a product called Amazon Retail Analytics (ARA). It's goal is to help vendors optimize their product listings to sell more, largely through data optimization for search. Here's a screenshot. ARA provides publishers with data on how often keywords are searched for (volume), click through rates and conversion rates. It has it's limits, but is far more information than most smaller publishers and independent authors have access to. When considering the investment and focus the publishing industry has dedicated to keywords, which are created for the sole purpose of helping consumers find books - it's challenging to dismiss the vital role they perform in selling books online. A sales panacea?Will the perfect keywords alone magically whisk a book to the bestsellers list? No. The fundamentals need to be executed well, which results in a quality, professional product with market demand. Quality can't be faked over the long term, and short term hacks won't lead to sustainable ongoing sales. Effective keywords increase a book's chance of being located by the right customer, and help augment success achieved through other marketing channels. While keywords can increase a book's exposure, whether a customer discovers a quality book or not, will ultimately be represented by unit sales and reviews. ConclusionWe've analyzed how keywords work and why they're important - which is to help sell more books in the marketplace where most books are sold. The industry acknowledges the importance of this correlation, as evidenced by its focus and investment in keyword standardization and dedication of resources (at publisher and retailer level). Yet most authors and publishers don't create effective keywords for their books or update them very often. Compared to the effort and resources involved in publishing a title, a well-implemented keyword strategy can be one of the highest ROI marketing activities for a book. In many cases, this represents a strong, currently missed, opportunity for increased book discovery. Sign-up for Author Checkpoint and find keywords for any book.
## How Book Categories Have Changed This Year
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2015/5/14/how-book-categories-have-changed-this-year
Type: blog_post
Description: Amazon continually updates it's browse node categories for books, to cater to the shifting needs of the market. In the last six months, 563 new categories were added, and 122 were
Published: 2015-05-15T06:14:09.056Z
Updated: 2015-05-15T06:14:34.307Z
Tags: browse nodes, amazon, categorization
Amazon continually updates it's browse node categories for books, to cater to the shifting needs of the market. In the last six months, 563 new categories were added, and 122 were removed. There were also a number of category name refinements. Categories serve the purpose of helping readers find similar books. As the number of books allocated to a category fluctuates, the granularity of the categories needs to change too. If categories remained static, they'd become unbalanced, with too few or too many books, which would make browsing and searching for books a challenge. We've summarized the changes to book categories (browse nodes), that have occurred over the past six months, looking at the impact on various top level categories. Genres with new categories added

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 There were 345 new 'Teen & Young Adult' categories added in the past six months, which is likely a reflection of the huge increase in YA sales over the past year. Only one 'New Adult' category was added (Science Fiction & Fantasy/Fantasy/New Adult & College), to take the total to two categories (the other is: Romance/New Adult & College). Rather than expand this newer category, the breadth of 'Teen & Young Adult' has been expanded to accommodate the influx of titles in this area. Additions to 'Computers & Technology' were dominated by 'Software' (Adobe, Enterprise Applications and Business) and 'Web Development & Design' (Programming and Web Design) sub-categories. The largest increase to the 'Religion & Spirituality' genre was in the 'Religious Studies' sub-category, comprising 24 of the 52 additions. Teen & Young Adult Category AdditionsDigging deeper into the 'Teen & Young Adult' genre we see that of the 345 additions made, 152 were in fiction and 193 were in non-fiction. These were broken up as follows:

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 A full list of new categories is available here. Genres with categories removed

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 The 'Computers & Technology' genre had the most categories removed (88), but had an almost equal number of categories added (87). Technology experiences rapid changes, so a commensurate shift in categorization of the subject matter is likely to occur. The second largest genre with categories removed was 'Crafts, Hobbies & Home', and within that genre, almost half were in the 'Home Improvement & Design' sub-category. For a full list of the removed categories, click here. ConclusionChanges in browse node categories reflect shifts in the type of books available for sale. An increase in categories for a genre is likely driven by a combination of additional supply of books in the genre, and of increased effort to improve the searchability of those books. One may speculate how these two factors reflect increased demand for books in a genre.
## How do Amazon and Google use my book metadata in search?
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2015/5/11/how-do-amazon-and-google-use-my-book-metadata-in-search
Type: blog_post
Description: This post explains some basic concepts of how search engines work and index your book metadata, and the differences between Amazon and Google search engines.
Published: 2015-05-11T19:57:09.942Z
Updated: 2015-05-11T19:57:10.177Z
Tags: amazon search, google search
This post explains some basic concepts of how search engines work and index your book metadata, and the differences between Amazon and Google search engines. Before search engines can show you results for a query you type into a search box, they have to process and understand all the raw data that make up the search results you see after entering in your query. This process is called 'indexing'.Amazon and Google search engines differ in the type of data they index, and how they do it. Both search engines index structured (e.g. Amazon keyword fields, book categories and microdata) and unstructured data (e.g. web pages, or book excerpt text).Amazon indexes book data by reading the information you enter into KDP, or by reading ONIX files (if you're a larger publisher with many books). Google indexes book data by crawling the web and consuming any data it finds about your book, for example reading your book or author web page, your Amazon book page or social discussions about you book. The process of indexing includes a step called 'feature extraction', which involves extracting a subset of data from the raw data (e.g. book web page), and is actually what goes into the search index. Features are used by search algorithms to match your search query to a book page on Amazon, or a web page on Google. The features are used to determine which search results are most relevant, as well as the order to display them to you (also known as ranking).Amazon book search has a much easier job than Google, as almost all of the data that it indexes is structured (meaning it knows what each piece of data means) and it is generally answering a much narrower question - such as "find me books related to my search query". Compare this with Google, who needs to index and understand exponentially more mostly unstructured data, and then answer infinitely broader questions from users' search queries. There is some crossover in the book data each search engine indexes. Basically any data that you can see on your Amazon book page, Google also sees, and will index. Google will also know that your Amazon book page is about a book, but will need to infer that knowledge when analyzing your web page. Armed with a broad understanding of the different problems Amazon and Google's search engines are solving, and how they differ in indexing book metadata, we can start to analyze the impact changes to your book metadata will have on how you rank in search. This we'll leave for our next post.
## 9 Common Keyword Mistakes
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2015/2/3/9-common-keyword-mistakes
Type: blog_post
Description: Coming up with relevant and effective keywords is hard! Keeping them up-to-date and optimized for then number of sales your book is currently making is even harder. Here are common
Published: 2015-02-04T03:45:21.557Z
Updated: 2018-07-23T17:39:35.650Z
Tags: off-page keywords, amazon search
Coming up with relevant and effective keywords is hard! Keeping them up-to-date and optimized for then number of sales your book is currently making is even harder. Here are common mistakes we see authors make when implementing their keyword strategy on Amazon:1. Choosing keywords that are too broad2. Not validating that a keyword is commonly used by customers3. Choosing keywords without much traffic4. Not monitoring keyword progress (checking search rank for a book)5. Leaving keywords unchanged for a month or longer6. Choosing keywords that are too competitive for their book7. Repeating terms across keywords8. Not aligning keyword strategy with external marketing activities (to capitalize on sales rank increases)9. Not having a keyword strategy!
## How Copyediting Could Be Disrupted
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2014/2/28/how-copyediting-can-be-disrupted
Type: blog_post
Description: A human copyeditor is unlikely to be completely displaced by a machine, but a significant portion of common copy edit's to manuscripts could be automated. A primitive tool to assis
Published: 2014-03-01T01:46:19.682Z
Updated: 2018-07-23T17:37:34.447Z
A human copyeditor is unlikely to be completely displaced by a machine, but a significant portion of common copy edit's to manuscripts could be automated. A primitive tool to assist with copyediting exists (AutoCrit) which suggests changes to text based on readability and other metrics. An advanced tool could be created to capture micro edits across multiple manuscripts, compare these edits and then automatically apply the changes where confidence in the change is high. Publishing houses are best placed to create these specialized copyediting knowledge bases. They could start by installing software on editors' machines to capture each line-edit and log it to a central database. A copyediting rules engine would then analyze the before and after text changes using part-of-speech (POS) tagging to disambiguate word-categories. After collecting enough examples of similar edits, a rule could be learned by the system, and applied to similar occurrences in new text. These rules would be saved as templates that understand POS tagging. A rules-based library already exists that could easily be adapted to support this system. The new copyedit system will undoubtedly suggest suboptimal changes, or multiple text alternatives. In this scenario, a human would verify the change. The system would learn which changes were preferable, under which circumstances, until it has enough knowledge and confidence to apply edits automatically. The review process could be extended to include feedback from book reviewers, to rate the most effective changes. It's unlikely the system could turn good writing into great writing, but at the very least, it could learn enough Strunk-like style suggestions to improve poor writing, via rule based templates, for example to 'use the active voice', 'omit needless words' and to 'put statements in positive form'.
## Slush Filter beta version released!
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2014/2/3/slush-filter-beta-version-released
Type: blog_post
Description: Kadaxis is pleased to announce the beta release of Slush Filter, a tool for literary agents and publishers. Slush Filter accepts fiction manuscripts of 40,000 words or more, in doc
Published: 2014-02-03T23:22:00.000Z
Updated: 2014-03-01T01:51:46.861Z
Tags: literary agents, slush pile, slush filter
Kadaxis is pleased to announce the beta release of Slush Filter, a tool for literary agents and publishers. Slush Filter accepts fiction manuscripts of 40,000 words or more, in doc, docx, txt and ePub formats, and provides a machine generated report in seconds. Each report contains:A recommendation on whether to review the manuscript (based on potential marketability)BISAC CodesComp TitlesLocations and character names. Please email info@kadaxis.com for an unlimited trial license.
## 50 Shades of Grey meets Project Gutenberg
URL: https://kadaxis.com/blog/2013/9/2/50-shades-of-grey-meets-project-gutenberg
Type: blog_post
Description: If you were a fan of 50 Shades of Grey, you might be interested in these somewhat older, classic tales that our algorithms classified as Fiction / Erotica, purely by analyzing the
Published: 2013-08-30T13:45:00.000Z
Updated: 2013-09-04T10:12:46.822Z
Tags: project gutenberg, erotica, BISAC
If you were a fan of 50 Shades of Grey, you might be interested in these somewhat older, classic tales that our algorithms classified as Fiction / Erotica, purely by analyzing the content. All titles from Project Gutenberg are available as a free download to your eReader or to browse online. Check them out:Erotic books from Project Gutenberg Or... Browse all titles we've classified
## Amazon keywords work. Most keywords that publishers create don't.
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/amazon-keywords-work-most-publisher-submitted-keywords-dont
Type: note
Description: Plenty of people in publishing suspect keywords do not work. Recent Kadaxis research shows why: only about eight percent of publisher-assigned keywords rank in Amazon search. Keywords built for 2,000 books from a recent Kadaxis client ranked forty-two percent of the time.
Published: 2026-07-08
Categories: RESEARCH
The short version
 
 We built Amazon keyword sets for 2,000 books using the Kadaxis method and searched every one. 42% ranked in the top Amazon Books results. Publisher-assigned keywords, measured the same way, rank at about 8%. More than five times the visibility.
 The 8% baseline was not weak books. Those 24,367 titles were strong recent sellers, and their keywords still mostly returned nothing: the median book ranked for zero of its assigned keywords. The median book in the client set ranked for 42% of its keywords.
 The difference is how the keywords are created. Publisher keywords read like catalog labels: "fiction books," "gifts for her," "books for 7 year old girls." Client-set keywords read like real reader searches: "renal smoothie recipes," "technical rappel anchors," "public land elk hunting."
 Keywords work. The common way of choosing them does not, and almost no one measures whether it does. Kadaxis does.
 

 Recent Kadaxis research put a number on how often publisher-assigned keywords rank in Amazon search. Across a large baseline set, about eight percent produced a visible result when the keyword was searched. The other ninety-two percent returned nothing that surfaced the book.
 Numbers like that are why plenty of people in publishing have quietly decided keywords are theater. The conclusion is fair, and it is wrong. Keywords work. The way they are usually chosen fails, and it fails so reliably that it makes the whole tool look broken. To show the size of the gap, we built the keywords for 2,000 books from a recent publisher client the Kadaxis way, and ran the same test. That means starting from what the book offers a reader, checking candidate phrases against how Amazon actually returns books, and keeping the phrases with a realistic path to visibility instead of filling the field with broad category labels.

 The test
 We built the keyword sets for 2,000 books for a recent publisher client. The list is diverse: fiction and nonfiction, across many genres and categories, from practical guides to narrative history to novels. For each book, we searched every delivered keyword on Amazon Books, read the top two result pages, and recorded whether the book appeared. A book counted as ranking for a keyword if any of its editions surfaced, whether Kindle, paperback, hardcover, or audiobook.
 This is the same test behind the eight-percent baseline, and that baseline is both large and strong. It covers 24,367 books and 248,046 unique book-keyword pairs of publisher-supplied ONIX keywords, and those titles were selected for having real sales over the previous three years. Strong-selling books, with keywords assigned the usual way.

 The result
 Across the 2,000-book client set, forty-two percent of delivered keywords ranked in the top two Amazon Books pages. The publisher-assigned baseline ranked at about eight percent on the same measure. Kadaxis-built client keywords surfaced the book more than five times as often.
 
 
 The test measured whether the book appeared in the top two Amazon Books result pages for each keyword.
 
 The book-level split is wider than the pooled rate. The median book in the publisher-assigned baseline ranked for none of its assigned keywords: zero. Sixty-four percent of those books had no ranking assigned keyword at all. The median book in the client set ranked for forty-two percent of its keywords.
 The baseline books were the strong sellers, and most of their assigned keywords still returned nothing. Sales did not rescue a weak keyword. A book can move thousands of copies and stay invisible for the specific queries its metadata was supposed to capture.

 Why forty-two and not one hundred
 If the keywords are built well, why do fewer than half of them rank?
 No keyword set ranks for everything, and a good one does not try to. The measurement is a snapshot at shallow depth: two pages, roughly the top forty-eight results. A keyword sitting at position sixty counts here as a miss while still being indexed and climbing. A strong set also spans a range of difficulty on purpose, because Amazon rewards relevance and sales history together. Some keywords target competitive spaces a book grows into as it sells, and carrying a few of those is how a book keeps gaining ground instead of stalling. Forty-two percent is a floor, measured at shallow depth at one moment, and it rises as the book grows into harder searches.

 What makes the difference
 The gap comes from what the keywords are.
 Start with query shape. In the publisher-assigned baseline, forty-five percent of keywords are one or two words long. In the client set, ninety-two percent are three or four words. The length gap points to a deeper one: short keywords tend to be broad category labels, and specific reader searches run three or four words. "Romance" is a shelf. "Regency romance with a spy" is a search.
 
 
 Publisher keyword fields tend to describe shelves. Rankable keywords tend to describe specific reader searches.
 
 The publisher-assigned inventory is full of recognizable patterns that do not rank:
 Broad store categories, like "fiction books," "romance books," "health books." The book is one of hundreds of thousands of equally eligible results, and it does not surface.
 Demographic shelves, like "books for women," "books for 7 year old girls," "kids books ages 9-12." These describe a shelf, not the book, and the book competes against the whole shelf.
 Gift and merchandising phrases, like "gifts for her," "stocking stuffer," "best books." These chase a shopping occasion rather than the book's subject.
 Adjacent but unsupported topics, like "pearl harbor" attached to a Civil War book, or "horror movies" attached to a horror novel. The topic is nearby, the medium or the subject is wrong, and the query returns something else.
 A large share of the baseline keywords contain "book," "books," or "kindle," often bolted onto a broad category: "fiction books," "romance books," "yoga book." Sometimes "book" is the right call, as we have written, when it keeps a phrase from drifting toward journals, gear, or other products. It does not fix breadth. "Fiction books" fails for the same reason "fiction" fails: too many titles are eligible, and this one has no realistic path to surface.
 The takeaway looks simple: write reader phrases, not category labels. That is only the easy half. The harder part is knowing which searches a given book can actually rank for. "Technical rappel anchors" ranks; "canyon adventure book" reads plausibly and returns nothing. They look similar on the page. The difference depends on demand, competition, and whether Amazon reads the book as relevant, none of which is visible from the phrase alone. The publisher-keyword baseline is what capable people produce when they write their best guess. The gap closes only when guesses are tested against what Amazon actually returns.

 The same pattern, book by book
 The gap shows up book by book, and the pattern runs across the whole 24,367-book baseline, at publishers large and small. When a publisher-assigned keyword does rank, the hit is usually the book's own author, its own title, or a term so broad it means nothing: the book finding itself, or finding a shelf, instead of being found by a reader searching for what it is about. The named examples below illustrate that pattern rather than singling out any one house.
 The baseline titles below are public books from the strong-selling comparison set. The client books beside them are matched by subject and described by type. Every keyword shown ranked in Amazon search, on the same test.
 Across the seven baseline examples used for this table, 292 of 302 assigned keywords did not rank. The few that did rank were usually author, title, series, or shelf terms rather than useful reader-intent searches.
 
 
 
 Client book type
 Ranked / missed
 Sample of what ranked
 Baseline book
 Ranked / missed
 What ranked
 
 
 
 
 Kidney-health smoothie cookbook
 16 ranked1 missed
 renal smoothie recipes; low potassium smoothies; smoothie recipes for ckd; smoothies for dialysis patients
 Yoga for Osteoporosis
 1 ranked22 missed
 "yoga poses," a term too broad to place the book
 
 
 Canyoneering skills guide
 20 ranked0 missed
 technical rappel anchors; dry canyon route finding; wet canyon safety; slot canyon techniques
 Dogsledding and Extreme Sports
 2 ranked19 missed
 "extreme sports"; "iditarod books for kids"
 
 
 Regional haunted-history guide
 16 ranked0 missed
 oklahoma theater hauntings guide; ranch hauntings oklahoma; urban legends oklahoma; spooksville triangle tales
 A Head Full of Ghosts
 1 ranked37 missed
 the author's own name
 
 
 Historical pirate novel
 12 ranked7 missed
 physician turned pirate; tortuga pirate leader; romantic pirate adventure; classic sea romance
 Don't Know Much About the Civil War
 1 ranked36 missed
 one malformed string, nothing about the Civil War
 
 
 
 The volume cases make the same point at the extreme. One bestselling contemporary romance, A Lowcountry Bride, carried eighty-four assigned keywords and ranked for none of them. A young-adult novel, Spellhacker, carried seventy-eight and also ranked for zero. Their fields were full, and every slot returned nothing.

 So, do keywords work?
 Yes. The doubt is fair, because most people in publishing have only seen the common approach, and the common approach fails at a rate that makes keywords look like decoration.
 Two things separate a keyword that ranks from one that does not. The first is how it is built. Publisher-assigned keywords tend to read like catalog metadata: shelves, audiences, categories, occasions. The client keywords read like reader searches: specific, tied to the book, phrased the way a person types. That difference alone separates a field that surfaces the book from one that returns nothing.
 The second is whether anyone checks. In most cases, keywords are entered once and never searched to see whether a single one surfaces the book. The eight-percent rate survives because almost no one looks. Measuring against live Amazon search is the core of how Kadaxis works, and a study like this one is what that measurement produces.
 Built as real reader searches and tested against the marketplace, keywords surface the book more than five times as often. For a publisher, keyword quality is discovery infrastructure. A backlist with broad, untested, invisible keywords waits for readers who already know the title, author, or series. A backlist with keywords built around real searches, checked against Amazon, has far more ways to be found.
## When to put "book" in a keyword
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/when-to-put-book-in-a-keyword
Type: note
Description: The old advice was simple. Never spend keyword space on product descriptors, because the retailer already knows the product is a book. That rule is too crude. Product descriptors carry real retrieval value when they tell the search system what kind of object the shopper wants. They turn into waste only when they repeat what the catalog already supplies or force an unnatural phrase.
Published: 2026-06-03
Categories: METHOD
For years the standard advice on book keywords carried a firm instruction: do not spend keyword space on product descriptors like book, ebook, novel, or nonfiction. The retailer already knows the product is a book. Amazon files it as a book, shelves it in book categories, and shows it in book search. Using a keyword slot to say book looked like telling the catalog something it already knew.
 The advice was reasonable, and for the most generic cases it still holds. Appending "book" to a phrase that is already unmistakably about books adds nothing. As a blanket rule, though, it is too crude, and the reason comes out of how retailer search decides what a query is asking for.
 Product-type intent
 Amazon's published search research puts weight on a specific idea: the product type a shopper has in mind is part of the query's meaning, and getting it wrong produces visibly bad results. The standard example is a search for a dishwasher that returns dishwasher accessories. The words overlap. The intent does not. The shopper wanted an appliance and got a rack and a box of detergent tabs. Amazon gives explicit weight to product-type tokens to keep that kind of defect out of the top results.
 In books, words like book, memoir, workbook, guide, journal, novel, and textbook are product-type tokens. They tell the system what kind of object the shopper wants. On Amazon this is concrete, because the same phrase can return different kinds of book products. A search for "marathon training" pulls up training books alongside training-log journals. The phrase names the topic and leaves the object open. "Marathon training guide" closes it: the reader wants instructional material, not a logbook. The descriptor preserves the intent.
 
 
 A descriptor is useful when the root phrase leaves the product object open.
 
 So descriptors can do real work. Whether a given one should go in depends on the book and the query.
 When the descriptor does nothing
 Two things pull the other way.
 The first is redundancy with the catalog. Retailer search already reads the title, subtitle, categories, and description. When the book is already strongly represented as a book, or as a nonfiction work, in those fields, repeating "book" in keyword after keyword adds little. We have written elsewhere about how most keywords fail to add value because they duplicate what the visible metadata already supplies. Product descriptors are one of the most common ways that happens.
 The second is typicality. Amazon's research on generated query knowledge filters candidates for whether they reflect how people actually shop, not only whether they are technically accurate. A descriptor that produces metadata language instead of shopper language fails that test. "Distance running nonfiction" parses cleanly and is structurally sensible, but few readers type it. It reads like a catalog field rather than a search.
 Two examples
 Take two candidates from real keyword work.
 distance running nonfiction has three working parts. "Distance running" is the subject. "Nonfiction" separates the book from fiction and memoir. The trouble is that the whole phrase sounds like metadata, not like something a reader types into a search box. Stronger forms depend on what the book actually is:
 distance running book
distance running memoir
distance running training book
running nonfiction book
 If the book is a memoir, "distance running memoir" fits the intent more closely. If it is instructional, "distance running training book." If it is about the psychology of the sport, "running mindset book." The descriptor should match the object the reader expects, and that object depends on the book.
 runner discipline mindset book anchors the product type with "book," which helps, but the phrase is clunky and stacks three separate things: "runner" is the audience, "discipline" is the theme, "mindset" is the psychological angle, "book" is the object. Readers do not search in stacked descriptors. Cleaner candidates:
 running mindset book
mental toughness for runners
runner mindset book
running discipline book
 The choice among them comes from the result pages. If "mental toughness for runners" returns a set of similar books, it is a stronger pick than "runner discipline mindset book," which likely returns a thinner and noisier set.
 When to include "book"
 Include "book" when one of these holds:
 
 The phrase returns more than one kind of object on Amazon. "Running motivation" pulls up motivational books, training journals, wall posters, and slogan apparel. A descriptor like "book" or "guide" tells the system which object the reader wants.
 The phrase drifts toward low-content books. Journals, logbooks, and planners are filed as books, but the reader writes in them rather than reading them. When your book shares a phrase with that category, an object word such as "guide," "memoir," or "training book" separates it.
 The phrase names a need without naming an object. "Discipline for runners" describes what the reader wants to gain. Adding "book" names what they should land on.
 The book competes against other formats Amazon sells under the same phrase: journals, planners, logbooks, workout videos, and, in the default all-departments search, gear and apparel.
 
 Skip "book" when:
 
 Every keyword in the portfolio already carries it. That is portfolio redundancy, and it crowds out other lanes.
 The phrase is already book-specific. "Running memoir," "marathon training guide," and "sports psychology biography" already name a book object.
 "Book" turns the phrase unnatural. "Runner discipline mindset book" is less typical than "running mindset book."
 The catalog fields already supply the object type strongly and the keyword's real job is a facet the catalog misses. Spend the slot on the missing facet.
 
 When to include "nonfiction"
 "Nonfiction" needs more selectivity than "book." It does useful work when it separates the book from fiction, novels, or inspirational narrative. It does little when the phrase already implies nonfiction.
 Useful: "running nonfiction," "endurance sports nonfiction," "sports nonfiction."
 Redundant: "marathon training nonfiction," "running training nonfiction." Anything carrying "training," "guide," "manual," or "plan" already signals nonfiction. In those cases a precise object word does more than "nonfiction": "training book," "guide," "manual," "plan."
 Think in product objects, not just book versus nonfiction
 The stronger approach works in product-object precision. The object word should name what the reader expects to receive.
 
 
 
 Descriptor
 Use when
 
 
 
 bookbroad object disambiguation
 nonfictionthe fiction/nonfiction split changes the results
 memoirlived-experience narrative
 biographylife story of another person
 guidepractical instruction
 training bookprogrammatic athletic instruction
 workbookexercises, prompts, actions
 manualtechnical or practical reference
 journalthe reader writes in it
 devotionalreligious daily-use format
 textbookformal educational object
 novelfiction-object disambiguation
 
 
 For a running book, these are not interchangeable:
 distance running book
distance running memoir
marathon training guide
running mindset book
mental toughness for runners
endurance sports nonfiction
ultrarunning memoir
runner discipline workbook
 Each points to a different product expectation. "Distance running memoir" and "marathon training guide" promise different reading experiences. A reader who wants one will bounce off the other.
 The portfolio view
 At the portfolio level, the goal is enough product-object anchoring to prevent drift, and no more. Once the portfolio has fixed the object type, the remaining slots go to distinct commercial lanes: audience, outcome, method, substitute intent.
 For a distance-running mindset nonfiction book, a strong portfolio might run:
 distance running book
running mindset book
mental toughness for runners
endurance sports nonfiction
runner discipline book
long distance running motivation
marathon mindset training
 The weak version of the same portfolio:
 distance running book
running book
runner book
nonfiction running book
distance running nonfiction book
running nonfiction
runner nonfiction
 The second portfolio spends every slot on the same object-and-category lane and covers no audience, no outcome, no method, no substitute intent. It says "this is a running book" seven times and nothing else.
 How to decide
 The call on any single candidate comes down to a comparison. Run the base phrase and the descriptor phrase, and look at the result pages:
 distance running
distance running book
distance running nonfiction
distance running memoir
distance running training book
 Then ask whether the descriptor version brings in more genuine book substitutes and pushes out non-book or wrong-object results. If it does, the descriptor is doing intent-preserving work. If the result page barely changes, or if the phrase has become something no reader types, the descriptor is waste. Keep the strongest object form for each lane and drop the rest.
 Bottom line
 The old rule treated every product descriptor as wasted space. The truer rule is narrower. A descriptor preserves intent when the root phrase is ambiguous, when the result page would otherwise drift to the wrong kind of object, or when the phrase names a need without naming the thing that satisfies it. A descriptor is waste when it repeats what the catalog already says, when it stacks into an unnatural phrase, or when a more precise object word would do the same job better.
 "Book" is worth including when it disambiguates the object or prevents drift, and not worth appending everywhere. "Nonfiction" is worth including when the fiction/nonfiction split affects the results, and otherwise gives way to a more precise object: memoir, guide, workbook, training book, manual. The keyword field is too small to spend on words the catalog already knows. It is also too valuable to strip of the one word that tells a shopper they have found the right kind of book.
## Keyword portfolio ordering
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/keyword-portfolio-ordering
Type: note
Description: A keyword portfolio is an ordered coverage system. The first keyword is measured against the book's visible metadata. The second, against that metadata plus the first keyword. Every position is judged by what it adds over everything above it, so a lower-scoring keyword can outrank a higher-scoring one when it reaches readers the rest of the portfolio has missed.
Published: 2026-05-29
Categories: METHOD
We have written separately about portfolio membership: which keywords belong in a book's keyword field, and why a set of individually strong keywords often makes a weak portfolio. Membership is the first optimization. Ordering is the second, and it runs on the same logic applied one position at a time.
 Most systems treat ordering as sorting. Score every keyword, sort by score, and the order falls out: highest scorer first, next second, down to the budget limit.
 This gives the wrong order. Most keywords fail to add value because they repeat what the book's visible metadata already supplies, a point we have made before. The same logic governs the sequence. The value of a keyword at any position is the value it adds over everything ranked above it, starting with the book's own visible metadata.
 So the portfolio is an ordered coverage system. Each position is judged against a coverage set that grows as the list is built.
 
 
 Ordering is a sequence of marginal decisions. Each accepted keyword changes the coverage set for the next slot.
 
 The coverage set starts as the book's own metadata
 The starting coverage set is the book's visible metadata: title, subtitle, author, categories, and description. These already work for the book. They already index it for the queries they contain. A keyword's job is to open a door the visible metadata leaves shut. A door is a route by which a reader's search reaches the book: a query, or a family of related queries, that brings the book into the results. The title, subtitle, and categories already open the doors their own words describe. A useful keyword opens a different one.
 So the first keyword is measured against the visible metadata alone. For position one, the question is plain: among the candidates that belong in the portfolio, which opens the most valuable door the title, subtitle, author, categories, and description leave shut?
 Once that keyword is in, its concepts join the coverage set. The second keyword is measured against the visible metadata plus the first. The third, against the visible metadata plus the first two. The coverage set accumulates as the list grows.
 coverage_0 = title + subtitle + author + categories + description
k_1 = candidate that adds the most value over coverage_0
coverage_1 = coverage_0 + concepts(k_1)
k_2 = candidate that adds the most value over coverage_1
coverage_2 = coverage_1 + concepts(k_2)
...
 Every position is a marginal-value decision made against everything already covered.
 What "best first" means
 The best first keyword adds the most over the book's visible metadata. Often that keyword sits some way down the raw-score list.
 To take the first position, a keyword has to clear a set of checks:
 
 It is a query real readers type.
 It fits the book clearly.
 It has demand.
 The book is rankable for it.
 It is supported by evidence: how many results the query returns, what the search box's autocomplete suggests, how the results page behaves.
 It is absent from the title, subtitle, author, and category.
 It is neither a competitor's title nor a repeat of the book's own title or author.
 It opens a valuable door the visible metadata leaves shut.
 
 The last check decides most cases. A keyword can be true, in demand, and rankable, and still be a weak first pick when the visible metadata already covers its door.
 So a lower standalone score can beat a higher one. Take two candidates. The first scores well and mostly restates the subtitle. The second scores lower and opens a reader-outcome door that nothing in the visible metadata touches. The second adds more to the portfolio, so it ranks above the first, despite the lower score in isolation.
 Base value and marginal value
 Every candidate carries two distinct quantities.
 Base value answers a question about the keyword alone: is it good in isolation? It combines semantic fit, reader-search realism, demand evidence, rankability, phrase quality, evidence completeness, support from the book's facts, query specificity, and commercial intent. Base value is what a ranking-based system computes, and where it stops.
 Marginal value answers a question about the keyword in context: what does it add, given everything already covered? It turns on how much the keyword overlaps with the visible metadata and the keywords already selected, whether it targets the same reader intent, the same set of search results, the same lane, or the same book identity those earlier choices already cover. A lane is one commercially distinct way readers search for a book: by genre, by reader outcome, by audience, by format, by the problem the book solves.
 Useful marginal value comes from a new reader intent, a new use case, a new audience, a new category, a new problem or outcome, a new search behavior, a new long-tail phrasing, or a new rankable subtopic.
 Low marginal value looks like this:
 wealth habits
wealth building habits
millionaire wealth habits
habits of wealthy people
 All four may be true and on-topic. They compete for the same door. Once the first is in, the marginal value of the other three collapses, and they sink down the order or fall out of it, whatever their individual scores.
 The ordering score
 A slot-level ordering score looks like this:
 
 
 SlotScore(cCov)=Base(c)Marginal(cCov)wslot+BonusPenalty\begin{aligned}
\operatorname{SlotScore}(c \mid \operatorname{Cov}) ={}&
 \operatorname{Base}(c) \times
 \operatorname{Marginal}(c \mid \operatorname{Cov}) \times
 w_{\operatorname{slot}} \\
&+ \operatorname{Bonus} - \operatorname{Penalty}
\end{aligned}SlotScore(cCov)=Base(c)Marginal(cCov)wslot+BonusPenalty
 
 
 The bonus terms cover lane gaps and rankability. The penalty terms cover overlap with the visible metadata, overlap with the already-selected set, opening a door the portfolio already opened, competitor-title risk, dilution from terms that are too broad, awkward phrasing, and unsupported claims.
 The multiplication does the real work. A high base value times a near-zero marginal value still comes out low. A keyword cannot buy a top position with base value alone; it has to be good on its own and add something the portfolio lacks. The weights, the slot-weight curve, and the penalty functions are proprietary. The shape is the lesson: base value and marginal value multiply rather than add, which keeps the top positions clear of high-scoring duplicates.
 Membership and ordering are separate optimizations
 Two questions have to stay apart:
 membership: which keywords belong in the portfolio?
ordering: in what sequence should they appear?
 The right sequence of operations runs:
 
 Choose the final portfolio membership.
 Rerank the whole selected set by marginal contribution, position by position.
 Confirm that each position adds value over every position above it.
 Run a final pass for duplication, lane crowding, title risk, and phrasing.
 
 The rerank is necessary because membership selection and final ordering use the coverage set differently. During selection, candidates compete for inclusion against a large pool. Once the members are fixed, the order has to be rebuilt against the actual selected set, because the marginal value of each member depends on which other members made the cut.
 Skipping the rerank is a common error. A system that picks fifteen good keywords and then lists them by base score has done the membership work and skipped the ordering work. The published field then leads with whatever scored highest in isolation, which is often a near-duplicate of the title.
 Lane crowding shows up in the order
 Ordering interacts with lanes through diminishing returns. We have written about lanes and portfolio allocation at length elsewhere.
 The first strong keyword in a valuable lane counts for full credit. The second in the same lane counts for less. The third counts for much less, unless it carries distinct demand or intent. As the list grows and the coverage set fills, more keywords in an already-covered lane lose marginal value and sink.
 That decay keeps a portfolio from piling into one lane. Hard lane quotas are clumsy. Diminishing returns by lane, applied through the marginal-value calculation, produce balanced coverage without forcing it.
 Title-like keywords
 Some phrases are both a book title and a reasonable generic search phrase. The system has to separate title-driven demand from generic search demand.
 Block by default when the phrase is an exact or near-exact known book title, when its demand comes from a competitor title, when it mostly routes buyers to another commercial book, or when its demand exists because of brand, series, or identity.
 Allow or review when the phrase is genuinely generic, when the result page shows broad non-title usage, when it fits the book on its own, and when it adds distinct value.
 The distinction looks like this:
 secrets of the millionaire mind is a specific known title. Its demand belongs to that book. Block.
 frugal millionaire habits is generic, on-book, and descriptive of content. A possible keeper.
 millionaire mindset is ambiguous. It may be generic, or it may be brand-adjacent to a specific property. It needs evidence before it goes in.
 Getting this wrong costs more than a slot. A competitor-title keyword aims the book's own metadata effort at a query the book cannot win and should not chase.
 Edit before use
 A candidate's underlying concept can be good while its exact query string is unfit for production. The phrasing might be awkward or machine-generated, too long, or unnatural as search language. It might overlap too heavily with an existing keyword, or carry low demand precisely because the phrasing is strange.
 Take this candidate:
 long term wealth habits from millionaire research
 The concept is sound. The phrase is awkward, and no reader types it. Cleaned alternatives might be:
 long term wealth habits
research based wealth habits
habits of self made millionaires
 The rule here is strict. A cleaned phrase has to be rescored from scratch. It cannot be rewritten by hand and dropped into the portfolio at the original candidate's slot. The new phrasing carries different demand, different competition, and different marginal value. It goes back into the process as a new candidate, judged on its own evidence.
 A system that rewrites awkward phrases without rescoring them is publishing keywords on assumed demand. The rewrite changes the query, and the query's value has to be measured again.
 Bottom line
 Order each position by the highest marginal, evidence-backed, rankable, non-duplicative value, measured against the book's visible metadata and every keyword already ranked above it.
 Two habits work against this. Sorting the portfolio by raw score fills the top positions with high-scoring duplicates of the visible metadata. Listing existing keyword rows first and new additions last ignores value altogether and preserves whatever order history left behind.
 A portfolio's worth is the set of new doors it opens beyond the ones the book's own metadata already opens. The order is how those doors get opened, one marginal decision at a time. Membership decides what the book could cover. Ordering decides what it covers first, and under a finite budget, what it covers at all.
## Keyword portfolio allocation
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/keyword-portfolio-allocation
Type: note
Description: Most keyword strategy is treated as a ranking problem: generate candidates, score them, keep the top N, ship the list. That works at the individual-keyword level but fails at the portfolio level. A keyword buys access to a search doorway: a cluster of reader intent, search results, substitute books, and commercial expectations. Portfolio strategy is deciding which doorways deserve scarce metadata space, which overlap, and which introduce risk.
Published: 2026-05-28
Categories: METHOD
Most keyword strategy for books is treated as a ranking problem. Generate candidate queries. Score each one on relevance, demand, and competition. Remove the weak ones. Keep the top fifteen or twenty. Ship the list as the book's keyword field.
 Keyword tools work this way. Most agencies do too. So do the keyword strategy modules of general-purpose AI systems when handed a book's bibliographic information and asked to produce keywords. The terms produced are usually relevant. The volume estimates are usually defensible. The competition assessments are usually reasonable.
 The published portfolio still underperforms, and it underperforms in predictable ways. A keyword field is a limited allocation of metadata space across different ways readers might search for the book.
 In this article, a commercial doorway means a query neighborhood that points to a distinct reader intent, result-page pattern, and substitute-book set. A lane means the type of doorway being covered: exact category, product form, audience, method, use case, trope, setting, outcome, or bridge intent. Fifteen individually strong keywords can still crowd into the same doorway, miss important lanes, and introduce risk that no individual keyword score captures.
 The portfolio question is different from the keyword question. The keyword question is: "Is this term good?" The portfolio question is: "Given what the field already covers, does this term open a useful new doorway, strengthen an under-covered lane, or merely repeat what is already there?" Answering that question requires a different system from the one that produces a ranked list.
 
 
 A strong keyword field allocates scarce metadata space across commercial lanes instead of stacking similar terms.
 
 Six ways a portfolio of individually strong keywords can fail
 These are the failure patterns we see most often in tool-generated and AI-generated keyword fields. Each failure is a portfolio failure, not necessarily a keyword failure. The individual terms may be relevant, searchable, and defensible. The problem is how they behave together inside a constrained field:
 Redundancy failure. The portfolio contains multiple variants of the same commercial doorway: the same basic reader intent, product expectation, and substitute-book neighborhood. Adult ADHD workbook, ADHD workbook for adults, and workbook for adults with ADHD may all score individually well. But if they return broadly similar result pages and serve the same searcher need, three slots have been used to open one door.
 Coverage failure. The portfolio misses important reader-intent lanes: different ways a buyer might describe the same need. A workbook may be strongly represented for its exact category and product form but absent from the function-and-outcome lane that many readers actually search (executive function workbook adults, time management workbook). The book could rank for those queries and convert well on them. It cannot, because the metadata never tells the search system to consider it.
 Dilution failure. The portfolio includes broad terms that pull the book into wider distributions than it can satisfy. Self-help increases the candidate set's apparent reach and pulls the book into a result distribution where it cannot rank and would not convert if it did.
 Bridge failure. The portfolio stays too literal and misses valid customer-intent pathways. A bridge term is a query that does not name the book type directly but still describes a problem, outcome, or use case the book can satisfy. Readers often search for executive function help before they search for an ADHD workbook. A portfolio that names the book's category accurately but omits these bridge terms leaves substantial demand uncaptured.
 Over-diversification failure. The portfolio tries to cover too many lanes shallowly. A romantasy spread thinly across general fiction, fantasy, romance, magical realism, and adventure will end up weaker than the same book concentrated on trope and setting lanes (slow burn, enemies to lovers, fae court, morally gray hero).
 Wrong-depth failure. The portfolio keeps adding terms in a lane that has already saturated. Once a book has strong coverage for its exact category and product form, the eleventh variant in that lane adds less than the first term in an under-represented lane.
 These failures are systematic and predictable. They are also invisible to keyword tools that evaluate terms one at a time. Looking at any single keyword's score will not surface any of them.
 Keywords as doors
 At the portfolio level, the keyword string is not the unit of value. The commercial query neighborhood behind it is. A keyword is valuable because of the doorway it opens: the searches it can match, the result pages it participates in, the substitutes it is compared against, and the buyer expectation it activates.
 For an adult ADHD workbook, the candidate set may include several terms that look semantically similar:
 adult ADHD workbook
CBT ADHD workbook
executive function workbook adults
ADHD time management workbook
ADHD emotional regulation workbook
 A naive semantic deduplication model would collapse most of these because they cluster together in vector space. That collapse loses real commercial information. These terms are semantically close because they all belong near ADHD workbooks, but they do not do the same portfolio job. One names the exact product form, one names the method, one bridges into executive function, one names a time-management outcome, and one names an emotional-regulation outcome.
 Redundancy at the portfolio level is governed by commercial overlap. Linguistic overlap is a poor proxy. Two terms with high cosine similarity can open different doors. Two terms with moderate cosine similarity can open the same door. The right deduplication test asks whether two terms cover the same intent lane, the same result distribution, the same reader need, the same product expectation, and the same substitute neighborhood.
 This is the first place conventional keyword tools fail. They deduplicate linguistically, which removes diverse terms that serve different commercial functions and preserves terms that are commercially redundant. Both errors produce visibly mediocre published fields.
 The lane model
 Once candidates have passed the necessary hard gates (product-type fit, relation strength, distributional fit, hard-negative proximity, normalized duplicate collapse), each surviving candidate is classified into one or more commercial lanes.
 The lane model stops the portfolio from overbuying one kind of search exposure while ignoring another. It asks: what kind of buyer pathway does this term help cover?
 A lane is a commercially distinct way a reader may search for the book. For book metadata, the lanes that matter most often include:
 
 
 LaneMeaning
 
 
 Exact shelf or categoryThe core commercial category or genre
 Product form or objectWorkbook, novel, textbook, journal, audiobook, large print
 AudienceAdults, teens, parents, teachers, professionals, beginners
 Function or outcomeWhat the reader wants to accomplish
 Method or frameworkCBT, keto, phonics, Stoicism, Montessori
 Trope or attributeEnemies to lovers, slow burn, fae, female detective, illustrated
 Setting or contextRegency, dark academia, classroom, workplace, exam prep
 Substitute clusterThe comparable-product neighborhood the book belongs to
 Bridge intentCustomer needs that do not name the book type directly
 High-consideration researchComplex decisions requiring comparison
 Behavior-rich anchorBroader but still relevant head or mid-head queries that connect narrower tail terms to a stable search cluster
 
 
 A keyword can belong to multiple lanes. CBT ADHD workbook for adults contributes to product form, method, audience, function-and-outcome, and exact shelf simultaneously. Forcing each candidate into a single lane label, as many simpler systems do, throws away most of the useful signal about what the keyword is actually doing.
 Lane weights vary by book. A nonfiction workbook usually needs strong coverage of problem, method, audience, and function. A genre fiction novel usually needs strong coverage of genre, trope, setting, mood, and substitute cluster. A business or technical book usually needs strong coverage of audience, use case, method-or-tool, and high-consideration research. A children's book usually needs strong coverage of age, reading level, use context, theme, and the buyer audience (parent, teacher, librarian) rather than the reader.
 A portfolio that allocates lane coverage uniformly across all books is one of the more common failure patterns we see in tool-generated keyword fields. A romantasy and an ADHD workbook require different shapes of coverage. Producing the same shape for both yields uniformly mediocre results across both.
 The formal objective
 The formal version of the optimization simply turns the editorial judgment above into a selection rule. A good portfolio should reward useful coverage, reward strong individual terms, penalize overlap, and penalize defect risk. The formula below is a compact way to express that trade-off.
 The portfolio optimization problem can be stated as:
 
 
 maxP [llgl(Cl(P))+kPukRedundancy(P)Risk(P)]\begin{aligned}
\max_{P}\;[&
 \sum_l \lambda_l g_l(C_l(P)) \\
&+ \sum_{k \in P} u_k \\
&- \operatorname{Redundancy}(P) - \operatorname{Risk}(P)]
\end{aligned}Pmax[llgl(Cl(P))+kPukRedundancy(P)Risk(P)]
 
 subject to the character budget and mandatory floor constraints on certain lanes.
 
 The components:
 
 
 ComponentMeaning
 
 
 PortfolioThe set of selected keywords
 Commercial laneA distinct buyer pathway the portfolio can cover
 Lane weightThe importance of that lane for this specific book
 Coverage functionA diminishing-return curve for each lane
 Current coverageThe lane coverage already achieved by the portfolio
 Standalone utilityThe individual value of a candidate keyword
 RedundancyPairwise overlap penalty across the portfolio
 RiskPenalty for terms that may attract the wrong search intent, product expectation, or substitute set
 
 
 The objective is simple. Implementing it requires several models, each of which is its own multi-year problem:
 
 A lane-weighting model that adjusts lane importance by book type, genre, audience, product form, and competitive position
 A coverage function that saturates at the appropriate rate for each lane (product form saturates quickly with one strong term; trope coverage in fiction saturates much more slowly)
 A keyword-to-lane contribution model that produces multi-lane vectors rather than single labels
 A redundancy kernel that combines semantic similarity, search-result-page overlap, lane overlap, substitute-cluster overlap, and behavior-cluster overlap, with appropriate weighting
 A risk model that catches product-type drift, complement leakage, hard-negative proximity, and broad-parent pollution before they reach the optimizer
 
 The optimizer is the smallest component of the system.
 The marginal value selection rule
 The selection unit is marginal value given the existing portfolio. An individual keyword's standalone score is one component, but the unit being optimized is the gain from adding a keyword to the current set:
 
 
 (kP)=BaseUtilityk+LaneCoverageGain(k,P)+BridgeBonus(k,P)RedundancyPenalty(k,P)RiskExposure(k)\begin{aligned}
\Delta(k \mid P) ={}&
 \operatorname{BaseUtility}_k \\
&+ \operatorname{LaneCoverageGain}(k, P) \\
&+ \operatorname{BridgeBonus}(k, P) \\
&- \operatorname{RedundancyPenalty}(k, P) \\
&- \operatorname{RiskExposure}(k)
\end{aligned}(kP)=BaseUtilityk+LaneCoverageGain(k,P)+BridgeBonus(k,P)RedundancyPenalty(k,P)RiskExposure(k)
 
 
 A keyword should be added only when its marginal value is positive.
 When there is a fixed budget (and in metadata work there always is, because fields have character and slot limits), the selection rule is:
 
 
 k=arg maxk (kP)Costkk^* = \underset{k}{\operatorname{arg\,max}}\;
\frac{\Delta(k \mid P)}{\operatorname{Cost}_k}k=kargmaxCostk(kP)
 
 Pick the candidate with the highest positive marginal value per unit of metadata cost.
 
 
 
 Standalone keyword strength is only one part of the decision. The portfolio changes the value of the next term.
 
 This frames selection as a greedy submodular optimization. The optimizer picks the highest marginal-value-per-cost candidate at each step, recomputes marginal values for remaining candidates after the addition, and stops when no remaining candidate has positive marginal value or the budget is exhausted.
 Integer programming formulations exist and are sometimes worth running on smaller candidate pools. In practice the greedy approach is sufficient and more debuggable. Each component beneath the optimizer requires serious estimation work:
 
 BaseUtility combines demand, rankability, and relation fit (Exact, Substitute, Complement, Irrelevant probabilities), with the relation-fit terms weighted appropriately and the complement and irrelevant terms penalized rather than rewarded
 LaneCoverageGain measures how much the keyword contributes to each lane, weighted by lane importance for this book, with the diminishing-return coverage function applied
 BridgeBonus measures the value of opening a valid non-literal customer-intent pathway, only when the bridge passes its own admission checks
 RedundancyPenalty is calculated against the existing portfolio's commercial coverage, not against pairwise linguistic similarity
 RiskExposure captures the probability of search-intent defects entering the portfolio through this term
 
 A keyword tool that returns a ranked list is computing BaseUtility and stopping there. Everything that distinguishes a portfolio from a list happens in the other four terms.
 Redundancy
 Redundancy is where most keyword systems break. The break shows up at the published-field level rather than at the candidate-scoring stage: linguistically similar terms get collapsed when they should remain distinct, and linguistically dissimilar terms get preserved when they are functionally duplicates.
 Both errors come from treating semantic similarity as the redundancy test. Semantic similarity correlates with commercial overlap and does not measure it. A linguistically close pair like adult ADHD workbook and CBT ADHD workbook serves different commercial functions. A linguistically more distant pair like workbook for adults with ADHD and adult ADHD self help workbook can serve the same one.
 A more accurate redundancy measure combines multiple signals:
 
 
 Red(i,j)=w1NormEq(i,j)+w2SERPOverlap(i,j)+w3LaneOverlap(i,j)+w4SubstituteOverlap(i,j)+w5SemanticSim(i,j)\begin{aligned}
\operatorname{Red}(i,j) ={}&
 w_1 \cdot \operatorname{NormEq}(i,j) \\
&+ w_2 \cdot \operatorname{SERPOverlap}(i,j) \\
&+ w_3 \cdot \operatorname{LaneOverlap}(i,j) \\
&+ w_4 \cdot \operatorname{SubstituteOverlap}(i,j) \\
&+ w_5 \cdot \operatorname{SemanticSim}(i,j)
\end{aligned}Red(i,j)=w1NormEq(i,j)+w2SERPOverlap(i,j)+w3LaneOverlap(i,j)+w4SubstituteOverlap(i,j)+w5SemanticSim(i,j)
 
 
 where:
 
 Normalized equivalence captures plurals, token order, and trivial variants
 SERP overlap measures how similar the actual result pages are when both queries are run
 Lane overlap measures whether the two terms belong to the same commercial lanes
 Substitute overlap measures whether the two terms target the same substitute neighborhood
 Semantic similarity is the cosine-style similarity that most tools rely on exclusively
 
 The specific weights and the per-lane adjustments are proprietary. The structural point is that semantic similarity is rarely the highest-weighted component. A redundancy system that leans heavily on it will collapse terms that should remain distinct and will preserve terms that are genuinely redundant.
 Bridge keywords
 Bridge keywords carry the highest upside in the portfolio. They also carry the highest defect risk. The same candidates produce both.
 A bridge keyword is one where the reader does not name the book type directly, but the book is a valid answer to the underlying intent. Executive function workbook adults is a bridge for an adult ADHD workbook. Workflow automation for small business is a bridge for an AI strategy book. Meal prep for muscle gain is a bridge for a high-protein cookbook. Small town female sleuth mystery is a bridge for a cozy mystery.
 Bridge terms matter because readers often search by problem, outcome, occasion, or use case rather than by formal category. For some categories the bridge volume exceeds the literal-category volume. A portfolio that omits valid bridges leaves substantial demand uncaptured.
 Most portfolio defects also originate in admitted bridge terms that should have been rejected. The same logic that produces a valid bridge can produce a complement-leakage term. Tarot deck fails as a bridge for a fantasy novel involving tarot symbolism, even though the thematic connection is real. Meal planner journal fails as a bridge for a meal-prep cookbook, even though the topical adjacency is obvious. The queries expect a different product object, and admitting them creates measurable defect exposure on the result page.
 A bridge keyword passes a separate set of checks before admission:
 
 Reader typicality. Do readers actually search this way, at meaningful volume, with the intent the bridge implies?
 Substitute fit. Is the book a valid answer to this query, by the same standard the marketplace uses to assess substitutability?
 Result-distribution fit. Does the result page for this query contain books that look like substitutes for this book, or adjacent products and thematically related items?
 Field gap. Does this bridge open a pathway that other portfolio terms do not already cover?
 Complement risk. Does the term imply a different product form (a journal rather than a workbook, a deck rather than a book, a planner rather than a workbook)?
 
 The last check catches the largest share of false-positive bridges. Many semantically plausible bridges imply a different product form, and admitting them produces the same defect class that the hard gates were supposed to filter out at the candidate stage.
 A worked example
 Take a practical case: an adult ADHD workbook using CBT-style exercises, with content on executive function, time management, procrastination, and emotional regulation.
 A keyword tool, asked to produce a candidate set, might return something like this:
 ADHD book
adult ADHD book
adult ADHD workbook
ADHD workbook for adults
CBT ADHD workbook
executive function workbook adults
ADHD time management workbook
ADHD procrastination workbook
ADHD emotional regulation workbook
neurodivergent workbook
ADHD planner
anxiety workbook
self help
 Most of these have measurable demand. Most are individually relevant. A ranking-based selector would keep the top eight or ten by score.
 The portfolio analysis produces a different result.
 ADHD book is a broad anchor. It can connect the portfolio to the wider ADHD search cluster, but its result distribution may be wider than this book can satisfy. Admit only if no narrower anchor is available, and only after checking that the marketplace currently surfaces workbooks for the query at competitive positions.
 adult ADHD book is broader than workbook. Adds little once adult ADHD workbook is already in the portfolio.
 adult ADHD workbook and ADHD workbook for adults open the same commercial door in different surface forms. Keep one. The choice is decided by SERP differences if any exist, otherwise by demand and naming convention.
 CBT ADHD workbook opens the method lane. A different door from any other candidate in the set. Keep.
 executive function workbook adults is a bridge. The reader does not name ADHD, and the book is a valid answer. The result distribution for this query contains other adult-ADHD-adjacent workbooks. Keep, conditional on the bridge checks passing.
 ADHD time management workbook opens a specific outcome lane that the portfolio does not otherwise cover. Keep.
 ADHD emotional regulation workbook opens a distinct outcome lane. Keep.
 ADHD procrastination workbook opens an outcome lane that partly overlaps with time management. Whether to keep it depends on whether the procrastination result cluster is commercially distinct from the time management cluster in the current marketplace state. That is an empirical question for the optimizer to resolve.
 neurodivergent workbook is a broader identity lane with weaker precision. May function as an anchor, may pull the book into a noisier substitute neighborhood. Admit cautiously, after testing.
 ADHD planner is product-form drift. The query expects a planner. Reject.
 anxiety workbook is an adjacent condition. Reject unless the book's content materially addresses anxiety as a primary topic rather than as a secondary mention.
 self help is broad-parent pollution. Reject. If a self-help anchor is needed, replace with a narrowed variant such as ADHD self help workbook for adults, which sits in the self-help lane without the breadth penalty.
 A strong portfolio for this book might land at:
 adult ADHD workbook
CBT ADHD workbook
executive function workbook adults
ADHD time management workbook
ADHD emotional regulation workbook
ADHD self help workbook for adults
 Six terms. The portfolio covers exact product form and audience, method (CBT), the executive-function bridge, the time-management outcome, the emotional-regulation outcome, and a narrowed self-help anchor. It does not cover anxiety, planners, broad neurodivergence, or general self-help. The absent lanes are absent by design.
 This is what a portfolio looks like when each term has been admitted by marginal value.
 Why this is hard
 The algorithm is straightforward. Greedy submodular optimization with appropriate constraints is well understood, tractable to implement, and operationally easy to reason about. The work that requires real expertise is the system feeding it:
 
 A demand model that distinguishes head, mid-head, and tail traffic accurately enough to make lane-weighting decisions
 A relation-fit model that produces calibrated Exact, Substitute, Complement, and Irrelevant probabilities for arbitrary query-book pairs across many categories
 A distributional-fit model that compares result pages to substitute neighborhoods rather than to semantic neighborhoods
 A redundancy kernel that captures commercial overlap rather than linguistic overlap
 A lane classifier that produces multi-lane vectors with calibrated contribution weights
 A risk model that catches product-type drift, complement leakage, hard-negative proximity, and broad-parent pollution at the candidate stage, before the optimizer ever sees them
 A book-specific lane-weighting model that adjusts portfolio targets by genre, audience, product form, and competitive position
 A bridge admission system that distinguishes valid customer-intent pathways from semantically plausible defects
 
 Each of these is its own modeling problem. Each takes years to build and longer to calibrate against the changing state of the marketplace. The optimizer is the visible layer. The components beneath it are where the actual work lives.
 This is the operational reason that keyword fields produced by general-purpose tools, and by general-purpose AI agents asked to do keyword strategy from a book's bibliographic information, tend to underperform in ways that are not obvious until the book has been live for some time and the data has come back. The tool returns a list of individually strong keywords. The published field is a ranked list with the appearance of a portfolio.
 A real portfolio for a specific book requires that system underneath: candidate generation, lane weighting, bridge admission, redundancy control, distributional fit, and risk filtering. That is the difference between a list of plausible keywords and a portfolio built to use scarce metadata space deliberately. We have spent fifteen years building that system.
## Amazon's warm-start research makes launch metadata a ranking decision
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/amazon-warm-start-launch-metadata-ranking-decision
Type: note
Description: Amazon has described a production search-ranking system that uses substitute products to give new products a warm start before they have sales history of their own. For publishers, the implication is direct: cover, title, description, comp-title language, and category placement help determine the behavioral neighborhood a new book enters at launch. That neighborhood can shape early visibility, sales velocity, and the book's ability to build its own ranking signals.
Published: 2026-05-22
Categories: RESEARCH
A new book arrives on Amazon with little behavioral history. No meaningful sales velocity. Few or no reviews. Limited click history. Minimal conversion data. Those are exactly the signals Amazon's search-ranking systems use to decide which products deserve visibility for a given query.
 That creates the familiar cold-start loop: the book needs visibility to generate sales, but Amazon often needs sales before it gives the book more visibility.
 Publishers have usually attacked this problem upstream. Pre-orders create early sales velocity. Advance copies help generate review signal. Pre-launch advertising buys attention before organic visibility exists. Those tactics still work. But Amazon has now described another mechanism: using the behavior of similar products to give new products a stronger starting position.
 That changes how launch metadata should be understood. Metadata is descriptive copy, and it also helps determine which existing products Amazon treats as similar to the new book. If Amazon assigns the book to the right competitive neighborhood, the book may benefit from stronger inherited behavioral signals during the cold-start window. If the metadata is vague, contradictory, or miscoded, the book can be placed in the wrong neighborhood and lose that advantage.
 The commercial question for publishers is therefore simple: does the book's launch package make the right substitutes obvious?
 
 
 Launch metadata helps determine the substitute neighborhood a new book enters.
 
 How Amazon builds a warm-start neighborhood
 Amazon researchers describe a production system called Behavioral Feature Boosting via Substitute Relationships, or BFS. The system is designed to mitigate cold start by identifying substitute products and transferring useful behavioral signals from those substitutes to products with little or no history of their own.
 The mechanism is the point. A new product with no sales history can still be ranked partly through the recent behavior of similar products.
 For books, that makes the substitute set commercially important. The books Amazon decides are similar to a new title can influence the early signal environment around that title.
 The mechanism has four parts.
 1. Amazon identifies substitute products. Amazon reads the product's available digital signals together: cover image, title, subtitle, description, bullet points, and category labels. Those signals are combined into a representation of what the product is, and products with similar representations become substitute candidates.
 The research names BLIP2 as part of the underlying architecture. For publishers, the practical implication is that text and image signals are evaluated together. The cover is not isolated from the description. The title is not isolated from the category. The total package contributes to the product neighborhood Amazon sees.
 A book whose cover, title, description, and category all signal literary fiction with an introspective female protagonist is more likely to be grouped with books that share that market position. A book whose signals conflict - literary cover, thriller-flavored description, broad general-fiction categorization - gives Amazon a noisier substitute problem.
 2. Amazon transfers behavioral signal from the substitutes. Once substitutes are identified, the system uses their recent sales activity to estimate a stand-in behavioral feature for the new product. The primary signal described in the paper is Sales Velocity, a recency-weighted measure of recent sales.
 The paper's qualitative example is a Pilot fountain pen. The product's actual Sales Velocity was 89. Its substitute set averaged a Sales Velocity of 297. That substitute-based signal moved the product from rank 8 to rank 3 in the search results.
 The product itself did not change. The system changed the behavioral context Amazon could use to rank it.
 3. Amazon uses the substitute signal only when it helps. The safeguard is important. The system does not let substitute behavior drag a product down. If the product's own behavioral signal is stronger than the substitute average, the product keeps its own signal. If the substitute average is stronger, the product can benefit from the substitute signal.
 For a new book with little or no behavioral history, that makes the warm-start signal especially valuable. The book has little to lose and potentially meaningful early visibility to gain.
 4. Amazon validated the system in production. The paper reports a four-week A/B test comparing the BFS-enabled ranking model against the production baseline. The model improved total dollar sales by 0.11 percent, total units sold by 0.22 percent, and dollar sales of new products by 0.18 percent. The largest reported lift was in units sold for new products, at 0.35 percent.
 Those are small percentages on a large baseline, which is typical for mature search-ranking systems. The strongest lift was where the cold-start theory predicts it should be, among new products. The system went into production after the test and has been live on Amazon's search platform since 2025.
 What this means for publisher metadata
 The Amazon paper is not book-specific. BFS operates across Amazon's e-commerce search platform, which includes books but is not limited to books. The books vertical may have additional tuning, filters, or category-specific behavior that the public paper does not describe.
 Even with that limit, the implication for publishers is clear. Launch metadata helps Amazon decide what a new book is similar to. Similarity affects the substitute set. The substitute set can affect the warm-start signal. The warm-start signal can affect early visibility.
 That gives several familiar metadata decisions a more direct ranking consequence.
 Comp-title language helps define the book's ranking neighborhood
 Comp-title language has always helped human buyers, sales teams, reviewers, and readers understand where a book sits in the market. Under a substitute-based warm-start system, it can also help Amazon understand which existing books the new title belongs near.
 A description that says a novel is for readers of Susanna Clarke, in the tradition of Donna Tartt, or suitable for fans of Pachinko is doing more than positioning. It is sending Amazon explicit signals about the book's market neighborhood.
 That does not mean every book description should be stuffed with famous names. Weak or inflated comps can create the wrong neighborhood, which is worse than a narrower but more accurate signal. The strategic question is whether the comps make the book's true reader market clearer.
 Good comp-title language should identify the right adjacency: books whose readers, themes, format, tone, and commercial context plausibly overlap.
 Cover design has cold-start implications
 Cover design has always affected conversion. In search results, readers make fast genre and quality judgments from the thumbnail. A cover that miscodes the book can depress clicks even if the book is ranking.
 Amazon's substitute system adds another layer. If cover images are part of the substitute-identification process, then cover design can also influence which products Amazon groups together before the reader even sees the book.
 A literary novel that visually resembles literary fiction is more likely to sit in the right visual neighborhood. A cozy mystery that looks like a domestic thriller creates ambiguity. A romance package that looks like general women's fiction may attract the wrong substitute set.
 Generic covers are not the answer. The answer is legible market signaling. Distinctiveness helps after the book is in the right neighborhood. If the visual signal points to the wrong neighborhood, distinctiveness can become noise.
 Category accuracy affects the quality of inherited signal
 Category placement is one of the cleanest operational implications. Substitute systems commonly constrain or weight candidates by category. If a book is in the wrong category, or only in a broad parent category, it is more likely to inherit signal from a weaker or less relevant substitute set.
 A historical romance categorized broadly under Literature & Fiction is less discoverable through category browsing. It may also be asking Amazon to compare it against the wrong behavioral neighborhood. The inherited signal becomes diluted, noisy, or misdirected.
 This makes BISAC and retail category mapping more than housekeeping. It is part of launch-rank hygiene. Technical accuracy is the floor. The goal is to place the book where its strongest true substitutes already live.
 Description copy should reduce ambiguity
 A book description is often treated as persuasion copy: hook, stakes, tone, payoff. That remains true. But in a system that reads product text for substitute identification, description copy also needs to reduce machine ambiguity.
 The description should make the book's genre, subject, reader promise, tone, and market adjacency clear. It should avoid blending incompatible signals unless the hybrid positioning is deliberate and supported elsewhere in the package.
 For publishers, this creates a useful discipline. Ask whether the description would help a search system distinguish the book from adjacent but wrong neighborhoods. Literary suspense is not the same as procedural thriller. Narrative history is not the same as academic monograph. Cozy fantasy is not the same as epic fantasy. The description should make those distinctions easier, not harder.
 Pre-launch metadata is a compounding decision
 The cold-start window is short, but it is disproportionately important. Early visibility drives early clicks. Early clicks and conversion drive sales. Sales become the book's own behavioral history. Once that happens, the book is no longer relying only on borrowed signal.
 Good launch metadata can therefore compound. It helps Amazon identify better substitutes. Better substitutes can produce a stronger warm-start signal. Stronger early visibility can generate more sales. More sales become the book's own ranking signal.
 Bad launch metadata compounds in the other direction. The book is assigned to a vague or wrong neighborhood. The warm-start signal is weaker. Initial visibility is lower. The book accumulates less behavioral history. Organic ranking becomes harder precisely when the book most needs momentum.
 What publishers should audit before launch
 The practical application is straightforward: before publication, audit whether the launch package makes the right substitute set obvious.
 The strongest checks are:
 
 Category fit: Is the book placed in the most commercially specific accurate categories, rather than a broad fallback category?
 Comp fit: Do the named or implied comps reflect real reader, tonal, subject, and format adjacency?
 Cover-code fit: Does the cover signal the correct genre or subject area at thumbnail size?
 Description clarity: Does the product description make the book's true market position easier to identify?
 Signal consistency: Do cover, title, subtitle, description, keywords, and categories all point to the same neighborhood?
 Wrong-neighbor risk: Which successful books would be bad substitutes, and does anything in the metadata accidentally point toward them?
 
 That last question is useful because it forces precision. Metadata strategy adds attractive terms and prevents the wrong interpretation.
 What Amazon's warm-start system does not solve
 BFS is a mitigation mechanism, not a bestseller machine. The reported aggregate lifts were under one percent, and the paper's qualitative example shows a meaningful rank improvement for a specific product, not a universal guarantee.
 The system also depends on substitute quality. If the metadata package is sparse, generic, inconsistent, or miscoded, Amazon has less to work with. A substitute-based system cannot reliably infer the right neighborhood from unclear inputs.
 Finally, the public paper describes Amazon's general e-commerce search system, not a book-specific implementation manual. Publishers should not assume they know every feature weight or category rule inside the books vertical.
 The right conclusion is narrower and stronger: Amazon has productionized a system that uses substitute relationships to improve ranking signals for cold-start products. For books, the metadata package is one of the clearest publisher-controlled inputs into those substitute relationships.
 The strategic takeaway
 The cold-start problem used to be framed mainly as a lack of pre-launch demand. A book had no sales history, so the publisher had to create early signal through pre-orders, advance reviews, publicity, and advertising.
 Those levers still matter. But Amazon's warm-start research shows another layer: the platform can borrow signal from similar products when a new product has little history of its own.
 That makes metadata strategy more consequential. The cover, title, subtitle, description, comp-title language, keywords, and category placement together help define the book's launch neighborhood. That neighborhood can influence the behavioral signal Amazon uses during the period when the book has the least signal of its own.
 For publishers, accurate description is the floor. The stronger objective is to make the book's true commercial neighborhood unmistakable.
 The books that get the cleanest warm start are likely to be the books whose metadata makes the right substitutes obvious.
## The discoverability funnel
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/the-discoverability-funnel
Type: note
Description: Amazon accounts for roughly half of US print book sales and two-thirds of US ebook sales, and most US consumers now start their online product searches on Amazon rather than Google. The path from a book's metadata to a reader's purchase runs through a funnel with four sequential filters. Most candidate books drop out at one of them.
Published: 2026-05-21
Categories: METHOD
Amazon accounts for roughly half of US print book sales and around two-thirds of US ebook sales. Surveys consistently show that more US consumers begin their online product searches on Amazon than on any other platform, including Google: estimates range between fifty and sixty-six percent depending on the year and the methodology, but the direction has been steady for several years now. For books specifically, the combination of Amazon's retail dominance and its position as the default starting point for product discovery means that any practical conversation about book discoverability is, in large part, a conversation about Amazon search.
 We have written about pieces of this picture in earlier articles: semantic eligibility, the difference between relevance and ranking, and why most keyword fields do not produce visible search results. This piece pulls them together into the full sequence. From the moment a publisher's metadata leaves the warehouse to the moment a reader clicks buy, a book passes through four filters. Each one removes most of the books that reached it. The work of metadata strategy is the work of getting a book through all four.
 The four filters
 In order:
 
 Indexing. The book's metadata reaches the retailer's search index for the right market and the right product index.
 Eligibility. The keyword the book is targeting is understood as semantically relevant to the book by the retailer's search system.
 Rankability. The book surfaces at a visible position in the result set when a reader runs the query.
 Convertibility. The reader clicks through to the product page and then through to a purchase.
 
 These are sequential. A book that fails at filter one cannot be helped by anything done at filters two, three, or four. A book that passes one and two but fails three is invisible. A book that ranks but does not convert sells nothing. Effort spent optimizing later filters when an earlier filter is broken is wasted effort.
 
 
 Discoverability is a sequence of filters. A book has to pass each one before the next can matter.
 
 Filter 1: Indexing
 The book has to actually be in the index a reader is searching.
 ONIX feeds are sent from publishers and distributors to retailers, and each retailer maintains its own indexes. Amazon alone has separate indexes for Books, All, Kindle, and Audiobook. Each market and territory may be indexed differently: the US Amazon catalogue is not the same as the UK Amazon catalogue, and a book available in one market may not appear in another's index at all. Pricing rights, regional availability, format availability, and territorial sales restrictions all affect what gets indexed where.
 A lot of the discoverability problems publishers describe to us at the start of an engagement turn out to be indexing problems rather than keyword problems. ONIX errors, missing audiobook feeds, expired pricing windows, or rights conflicts can mean a book is simply not present in the search system being searched. Downstream work is wasted until the book is actually in the index. Before optimizing for any keyword, a publisher needs to verify the book is present in the priority retailers and markets.
 Filter 2: Eligibility
 Once a book is indexed, the keyword has to be understood as relevant to the book by the search system. This is what we have called semantic eligibility. Without it, the book is in the index but is not in the candidate set the search engine pulls from when a reader runs the query.
 We have written about this at length in Not every keyword is doing work. The short version is that keyword choices fall into roughly four categories of value, depending on whether and how they add relevance signal: identity repetition, metadata duplication, broad-category targeting, and connective keywords. The first three categories add little or no eligibility signal because the marketplace either already has the signal (title and author tell it most of what identity repetition would add) or because the keyword is too broad to specify the book among hundreds of thousands of equally eligible candidates. Connective keywords, the small category that adds genuine new eligibility, are the keywords that do work at this filter.
 Filter 3: Rankability
 Even when a book is eligible, the search system has to choose to surface it at a position the reader will actually see. This is where the marketplace's ranking algorithm weighs the eligible candidates against each other and picks an order.
 Two factors dominate that ordering: how closely the book matches the query semantically, and how well the book has been selling. The weight between those two factors shifts with the query, and the shift is what determines which books actually rank.
 For short, broad queries (one or two words, large categorical labels like "romance," "thriller," "business," "history"), the eligible candidate pool runs into the hundreds of thousands. Relevance alone cannot order that pool meaningfully because nearly all the candidates are equally relevant. The algorithm leans heavily on sales-based signals: recent sales velocity, conversion rate, review count and rating, recency of publication, and advertising spend. The books that surface at the top of "romance" are not the most relevant romance books; they are the ones that are selling. A new release with no sales history, no matter how well-positioned in metadata terms, will not rank for "romance" against established bestsellers.
 For long-tail queries (specific multi-concept phrases, intent-laden language, narrow audience qualifiers), the eligible pool is much smaller. Relevance does more of the ordering work because the algorithm has fewer candidates to choose between. A book with modest sales but strong specific relevance to a long-tail query can surface at the top of the result set. This is where eligibility most directly translates into visibility.
 The boundary between the two cases is not clean. Even on a long-tail query, the algorithm sometimes pulls in high-selling books that are not particularly relevant, because the algorithm's bias toward proven sellers can outweigh its bias toward semantic fit. A reader searching for a specific intent will often see a result set that mixes genuinely relevant books at the top with high-selling near-misses interleaved further down. This is a friction every metadata operator runs into: ranking is not purely a function of relevance, and queries with thin result pools sometimes get filled out with high-volume sellers whose only connection to the query is incidental word overlap.
 The more important implication, though, is about purchase intent.
 
 
 The useful keyword opportunity sits in the middle of the long tail, where relevance can rank and intent is high.
 
 A reader who types "romance" is browsing. They have no specific book in mind. They are looking for ideas, possibilities, a list to choose from. Their purchase intent at the moment of search is low; they may click through several results, add things to a wishlist, browse for a while before buying anything, or buy nothing today. A reader who types "regency romance with literary prose for fans of Susanna Clarke" has already done the narrowing themselves. They know what they want. Their purchase intent is much higher. They are closer to a purchase, the click-through rate from search result to product page is higher, and the conversion rate from product page to sale is higher again.
 The longest-tail query is the title-and-author search ("the seven husbands of evelyn hugo"). Purchase intent at this point is effectively certain; the reader is going directly to a specific known book to buy it. Keyword strategy is irrelevant at this end of the spectrum because the book's own title and author already identify it. But it is worth naming as the right-hand edge of the distribution.
 What this gives us, taken together, is a working picture of which keyword space is worth investing in.
 The very short-tail head terms are dominated by sales-based ranking and have low purchase intent. Even if a book ranks for "romance," the reader is browsing, not buying. The return on getting a book to rank for a head term is low unless the book already has the marketplace strength to compete there, which means the keyword work is not where the strength came from.
 The middle of the long tail is where eligibility translates most directly into ranking and where the reader's purchase intent is high enough to convert. This is where the connective keyword work pays off.
 The longest tail (title and author searches) is outside the reach of keyword strategy entirely.
 Most useful metadata work happens in the middle of this spectrum, not at either end.
 Filter 4: Convertibility
 A book that ranks for a query still has to convert. There are two conversions in this filter, each with its own factors: from the search result page to the product page, and then from the product page to a sale.
 From the search result page to the product page.
 When a reader looks at a search result page, they see the cover, the title and author, the star rating, the review count, and sometimes a small snippet of bibliographic information. The publisher's keyword strategy is invisible at this stage. What's visible is the work the cover, title, and accumulated social proof have done.
 The cover is doing two jobs. It has to signal the genre or category that the reader is searching for (a romance cover should look like a romance cover; a thriller cover should look like a thriller cover), and it has to stand out from the other covers around it on the page. A reader scanning a row of regency romance covers is looking for the one that hits the genre's visual codes most clearly while still being distinctive. A cover that doesn't match the visual codes will not get clicked even if the book is the most relevant on the page. A cover that matches but blends in too thoroughly with its neighbors won't either. Cover decisions made before the book reaches the marketplace are doing significant work at this stage.
 The title carries part of the conversion work too. A reader searching for "leadership books for first-time managers" is more likely to click a book titled The First-Time Manager than a book titled Leadership Insights, even if both books are equally good and both rank at adjacent positions. The title's job at the SERP stage is to confirm that this book is the answer to the query the reader typed.
 Social proof, in the form of star rating and review count, is the most visible quantitative signal on the search results page. A reader looking at two adjacent books is overwhelmingly more likely to click the one with twelve hundred reviews at four-point-five stars than the one with fourteen reviews at four-point-two stars, even if the books are otherwise comparable. Social proof is a conversion factor independent of all the others, and it compounds: more clicks lead to more sales lead to better rankings lead to more clicks.
 From the product page to the sale.
 Once the reader clicks through, a different set of factors takes over. The visible metadata on the product page becomes critical: the full title and subtitle, the description copy, the bullet points, the author bio, the look-inside sample, the format options, the price, and the comp titles in the "customers who bought this also bought" panel.
 The description is doing most of the conversion work. A description that opens with a strong hook, signals the reading experience accurately, and matches the language of the search intent the reader expressed is converting at a higher rate than a description written in trade-catalogue voice. We have written elsewhere about the gap between catalogue voice and reader voice; that gap is most expensive at the product-page stage, because the reader is closest to the buy decision and the wrong register loses them.
 The look-inside sample is the highest-fidelity preview a reader gets before buying. For fiction, the opening pages do work the description cannot, signaling whether the book actually delivers the experience the description promised. For non-fiction, the table of contents and a few sample pages let the reader verify that the book covers what they need. A sample that doesn't match the description's promise is a conversion killer at exactly the moment the conversion is being decided.
 The "customers who bought this also bought" panel is the marketplace's own associative work, and it cuts both ways. Strong comp titles in that panel can drive sales by extending the reader's interest. Weak or wrong comp titles position the book among the wrong neighbors, which subtly tells the reader they are in the wrong place, and the sale is lost.
 Why the funnel has to be thought of as a whole
 The filters compound. A book that passes indexing, eligibility, and ranking but fails at the cover or the description does not sell. A book that has a strong cover and strong reviews but never ranks does not sell either. Investments at any one filter are limited by the weakest filter upstream of it. Keyword strategy by itself does not move performance unless the rest of the funnel is also functioning.
 This is the case for treating metadata work as one piece of a larger system. Keywords are the work at filter two and have some influence at filter three. They have no direct effect on filters one or four. A publisher who invests heavily in keyword optimization while neglecting cover design, description quality, sample text, or review accumulation is optimizing the early stages of a funnel whose later stages still leak.
 The publishers we see produce the strongest results from our work are the ones who treat the funnel as a single connected system. They get the metadata right because that is where we focus, and they also get the cover right, the description right, the sample right, the pricing right, and the review-acquisition strategy right. Each filter's optimization compounds the next. Each leak anywhere in the funnel is a leak everywhere downstream of it.
 That is the version of the work that produces durable results. Anything narrower is partial.
## The narrow space where keywords actually work
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/the-narrow-space-where-keywords-actually-work
Type: note
Description: For a book keyword to do anything useful, it has to clear four independent tests: someone has to be searching for it, Amazon has to consider the book relevant to it, it has to add signal the rest of the metadata does not already supply, and the book has to be able to rank for it. Most keyword candidates fail at least one.
Published: 2026-05-19
Categories: METHOD
If you took an average keyword tool and ran it over a publisher's frontlist, it would produce thousands of phrases per book. Almost none of those phrases would do anything for the book's discoverability in retailer search. Some would have no reader demand. Some would not be recognized as relevant to the book by the search engine. Some would duplicate signal the rest of the metadata already supplies. Some would target queries where the book has no realistic chance of ranking. A small minority would survive all four of those tests at once. Those are the keywords that actually do work.
 We have written about these failure modes separately in earlier pieces, including whether a keyword adds new signal and the difference between relevance and ranking. This article is the synthesis: a description of the narrow space an effective keyword has to land inside, and why most keyword candidates do not land there.
 
 
 The working keyword is the small overlap where all four tests are true at once.
 
 The four tests
 The demand test. Someone has to actually be searching for the phrase. A keyword that no reader uses is text in a metadata field, no more. The phrase has to map to a real query that real readers are entering into the search bar. Volume does not need to be high; a long-tail phrase with steady low-volume use can be more valuable than a high-volume phrase the book cannot compete on. But the volume cannot be zero. Phrases that look plausible in a brainstorming session but do not appear in actual reader search behavior are dead weight on the metadata field.
 The relevance test. Amazon's search system has to consider the book a plausible answer to the query. This is what we have called semantic eligibility in earlier work. Without it, the book never enters the candidate set the search engine is choosing from. A keyword that sits in the publisher's metadata field but is not understood as relevant to the book by the marketplace is doing no work. Most fiction keyword tools fail this test because they extract keywords from the book's text rather than from the language readers use to search. A dystopian novel does not have characters using the word "dystopia"; a keyword pulled from the text will miss the queries that drive the category.
 The non-redundancy test. The keyword has to add evidence the rest of the visible metadata does not already supply. The marketplace already reads the book's title, subtitle, author name, series, description, and category labels. Those fields already send signals to search. If a keyword merely repeats them, it is using the keyword field to say something the rest of the record already says. The marketplace also performs its own associations: a query that names an author can surface that author's other books, a query that names a series can surface the rest of the series, a query that names a popular comp title can surface adjacent titles. Anything the marketplace already infers does not need to be on the keyword field. The keyword slot is most valuable when it carries a relevant association the marketplace would not otherwise make. In our broader analysis, about ninety-two percent of publisher-assigned keywords do not produce visible search results for the assigned book. The largest single reason is that most keyword choices duplicate signal the marketplace already has, which means the keyword is not adding incremental evidence.
 The ranking test. Even if a keyword passes the first three, the book has to be able to actually surface for the query at a position a reader will see. Broad queries with very large result sets are dominated by marketplace strength: sales velocity, review counts, recency, advertising, format availability. A book may be semantically eligible for "thriller" but is competing with several hundred thousand other eligible books for that query. Without significant marketplace strength behind it, eligibility alone does not produce visible ranking. Long-tail queries, where the eligible pool is smaller, are where eligibility most directly translates into visible position. The keyword has to be specific enough that the book can actually win the rank competition, given its current marketplace strength.
 The tests are simultaneous, not sequential
 These four conditions are not a checklist a keyword passes through in order. They are simultaneous requirements, all of which have to be true at the same time. A keyword can fail any one of them and have zero practical effect on the book's discoverability. A keyword can pass three of the four and still produce nothing.
 This is why the space of effective keywords is much narrower than the space any one of the tests would identify alone.
 A demand-only optimization, which is what most "keyword research" tools produce, generates phrases with high search volume but with no filter for relevance, signal redundancy, or ranking competitiveness. The output is a long list of popular queries, most of which the book cannot rank for and many of which do not match the book's actual content.
 A relevance-only optimization, which is what most book-text extraction tools produce, generates phrases that match the book's vocabulary but with no filter for whether readers actually search those phrases, whether the rest of the metadata already supplies them, or whether the book can compete for them. The output looks coherent and is mostly useless.
 An incremental-signal optimization without demand filtering generates phrases that are absent from the rest of the metadata but that no one is searching for. Filling the keyword field with these is filling it with text that will never be queried.
 A ranking-feasibility optimization without relevance filtering generates phrases that are specific enough to win rank competitions but that may not be relevant to the book at all. A book that "ranks" for a query it should not be in the result set for is a discoverability win on paper and a conversion loss in practice, because readers who click through bounce off a book that does not match what they were looking for.
 What this means for keyword strategy
 The work of producing keywords that pass all four tests is harder than any one test taken alone. It requires understanding what readers are actually searching for, what the marketplace already knows about the book, what the marketplace is going to associate on its own, and how competitive each candidate query actually is. Most of the keyword tools and workflows in the publishing industry are optimized for one of the four tests and ignore the other three.
 The practical implication for a publisher evaluating keyword work, whether internal or vendor-supplied, is to ask which of the four tests the output has been filtered against. If the answer is "we generate high-volume keywords," only one test has been applied. If the answer is "we extract from the book's text," only one different test has been applied. If the answer is "we audit against existing metadata," only one test has been applied. If the answer is "we score for ranking competitiveness," only one test has been applied. None of those is sufficient. The keyword space that has cleared all four filters is small, and the work of getting candidates into it is the actual job.
 That space is also where the discoverability gains live. A book with twenty keywords that have cleared four-filter scrutiny will outperform the same book with two hundred keywords that have cleared one filter, by a meaningful margin. The keyword field rewards quality over volume because the field is being read by a search system that is itself filtering for all four conditions before it surfaces a result. The keywords that align with what the search system is already doing are the keywords that work.
## Not every keyword is doing work
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/not-every-keyword-is-doing-work
Type: note
Description: In our recent analysis, only about eight percent of publisher-assigned book keywords produced a visible match in retailer search. The other ninety-two percent are not wrong; they are mostly repeating signals the rest of the metadata already supplies.
Published: 2026-05-08
Categories: METHOD
In a recent analysis of publisher-assigned ONIX keywords, only about eight percent produced a visible match in retailer search. The other ninety-two percent did not surface the assigned book in the queries they targeted. The reasons vary, and not all of them are problems publishers can solve. But a meaningful share of that ninety-two percent are keywords that were relevant to the book and that the rest of the metadata already explained. Those are the keywords this piece is about, because they are the ones publishers can do something about.

 
 The useful keyword slot adds relevance the marketplace does not already have.
 
A book's metadata file has a limited number of slots for keywords. The exact character budget varies by retailer and feed standard, but the budget is always finite. The question every publisher faces, whether they think about it explicitly or not, is which keywords to put in those slots. The default approach is to fill the slots with phrases that are relevant to the book. That sounds reasonable. It is also incomplete, and on close inspection it is the source of a lot of wasted keyword space. The reason is that not every relevant keyword is doing the same amount of work. Some keywords add structural signal. Others are decorative. Telling them apart requires a different question than the one most keyword tools and workflows are built to answer.
Consider two cases. A romance novel called The Duke's Last Letter has "regency romance" in its category and a description that talks about ballrooms, dukedoms, and inheritance plots. If a publisher adds "regency romance" as a keyword, what has been added? Almost nothing. The marketplace search system already has overwhelming evidence that this book is a regency romance. The category labels it explicitly. The description is dense with regency-coded language. Even the title's reference to a duke is itself a strong genre signal in this market. Three independent fields all point to the same conclusion before the keyword field is consulted.
Now consider a different romance novel, called The Chestnut Tree, in the same category. Nothing in the title or description uses the word "regency," because the author and editor wanted a more literary register and chose to evoke the period through detail rather than label. The book is genuinely a regency romance. But a reader who searches "regency romance" will not find this book through the title, will not find it through the description copy, and may or may not find it through the category alone, depending on how many thousands of other books share that category. In this case, "regency romance" as a keyword is doing real work. It is creating a relevance association the rest of the visible metadata does not make explicit.
Same keyword. Two books. One use is wasted. The other adds structural signal. The keyword's value is incremental, not absolute.
This is the principle that should govern keyword selection: the value of a keyword is what it adds beyond what the rest of the metadata already establishes. We have written elsewhere about the difference between semantic eligibility and ranking likelihood. This is the next layer down. Within eligibility, not all keyword choices contribute equally to the book's reachable search universe.
There are four rough categories of keyword value, ordered from lowest incremental contribution to highest.
The first is identity repetition. The keyword repeats the title, subtitle, author name, or series name. The marketplace can already match the book to these queries with very high confidence. Adding them as keywords is sometimes done as defensive coverage, but in a finite keyword field, identity repetition consumes space that could be doing work elsewhere.
The second is metadata duplication. The keyword repeats what the description, bullets, or category already say in clear language. A cookbook with "vegetarian Italian recipes" prominently in its description does not need "vegetarian Italian" as a keyword. The marketplace has the signal. The slot would be better used.
The third is broad-category targeting. The keyword targets a query so broad that the result set runs to the tens or hundreds of thousands of books. "Romance," "business," "fantasy," "self help." These queries have too many eligible competitors for any single keyword choice to move the book's visibility much. The book may be relevant. The book is also one of half a million relevant books. Without significant marketplace strength behind it, eligibility for a head term does not produce visible ranking.
The fourth, and the one with the highest incremental value, is what we have started calling connective keywords. These are keywords that target searches the book is genuinely relevant to, that have meaningful search volume, that the rest of the visible metadata does not clearly explain, and that are specific enough to have a manageable competitive set. The reader who searches for "regency romance with literary prose" or "post-war family saga set in northern England" or "leadership books for technical first-time managers" is performing a search the catalogue category and the description copy alone often cannot answer. The keyword field is where that bridge gets built.
Connective keywords are also the hardest category to identify. They require knowing what the rest of the visible metadata already supplies, knowing what the universe of relevant searches looks like, and knowing how those two sets do or do not overlap. A keyword tool that generates phrases without modeling the existing visible metadata cannot produce them by accident. It will produce identity repetition and metadata duplication and broad-category targeting in roughly the volume those things appear in any general keyword corpus, which is most of the volume. The connective keywords get lost in the noise.
The breakdown of the headline eight-percent number is itself instructive on this. Keywords that overlapped strongly with the title or author produced visible matches at much higher rates, often above sixty percent. That is not a vote of confidence in title-overlap keywords. It is a reminder that the marketplace can already identify the book from its title and author. The keyword field is not where that work needs to be done. Keywords in the discovery range, where the visible metadata did not clearly explain the query, produced visible matches at much lower rates, often under three percent. That is harder territory. It is also where the keyword field can do something the rest of the metadata cannot.
The reasons keywords fail to produce visible matches are several. Some are too broad for the book's marketplace strength. Some target queries already saturated by stronger competitors. Some are irrelevant to the book despite being assigned. And a substantial share are relevant keywords that the marketplace can already infer from the title, author, or visible metadata, which means the keyword field is being used to repeat a signal already present rather than to add a signal that was missing. That last category is where most of the recoverable keyword space lives.
The practical implication for a publisher is concrete. Keyword selection should start with an audit of what the rest of the visible metadata already says. The title, the subtitle, the author name, the series name, the description copy, the category selection. Anything the marketplace can already infer from those fields does not need to be repeated in the keyword slots. The keyword slots are for the relevant searches the marketplace cannot infer otherwise.
This is a different workflow than "generate a long list of relevant keywords and pick the highest-volume ones." That workflow tends to produce keyword lists dominated by identity repetition, metadata duplication, and broad-category terms, because those are what bulk keyword tools surface. The workflow that produces connective keywords is harder to automate and produces shorter lists. The lists are also more useful, because every entry is doing work the rest of the metadata is not already doing.
There is one corollary worth naming. A book whose visible metadata is rich and well-written has a smaller useful keyword field than a book whose visible metadata is thin or generic. If the title, description, and category already explain most of the book's reachable searches, the keyword field is left with a narrower set of legitimate connective opportunities. If the visible metadata is undercooked, the keyword field has more work to do. This means keyword strategy and visible-metadata strategy are not separate exercises. They are two halves of the same problem. Improving the description often reduces the keyword field's burden, which frees keyword slots for harder, more specific work that only the keyword field can do.
The summary, which we tell every publisher we work with: keyword space is real estate. The question is not whether each phrase is relevant to the book. The question is whether each phrase is adding relevance the marketplace does not already have. Most of the keyword fields we audit are filled with phrases that fail the second test. Cleaning that out, and replacing it with the smaller set of phrases that do pass the second test, is a meaningful share of what good metadata work actually consists of.
## Relevance is not the same thing as ranking
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/relevance-is-not-the-same-thing-as-ranking
Type: note
Description: Most keyword strategies treat search visibility as a single problem. It is two problems, in sequence, and confusing them is why so much keyword work fails to move performance.
Published: 2026-05-07
Categories: METHOD
The most common question we hear from publishers is some version of: will this book rank for this keyword?

 
 Keyword work has to solve the gates in order: eligibility first, marketplace strength second.
 
It is a fair question. It is also two questions in one, and the work of any serious keyword strategy starts by pulling them apart.
The two questions are these. First: can the search engine plausibly understand this book as relevant to this query? Second: will the search engine actually choose to surface this book, in a position visible to the reader, against everything else competing for the same query? The first is a question about meaning. The second is a question about marketplace selection. Both matter. They are not the same.
We have started calling the first question semantic eligibility and the second ranking likelihood, and the labels are useful because they keep separate things separate.
A book is semantically eligible for a query when its metadata, category positioning, and surrounding signals plausibly fit the reader intent behind the query. A grief memoir is eligible for "books about losing a spouse." A beginner watercolor guide is eligible for "watercolor techniques for beginners." A middle-grade fantasy with dragons is eligible for "dragon adventure books for kids." Eligibility does not mean the book will rank high enough to be seen. It means the book belongs in the candidate pool the engine is choosing from.
Ranking likelihood is the second gate. Among all eligible books for a given query, which ones get surfaced first? That selection is shaped by relevance, but also by sales velocity, conversion rate, review count and rating, recency, format availability, price, advertising, category traction, author and series recognition, and the cover and product-page elements that drive click-through. Some of those signals are public. Some are partial. Some are not visible at all to anyone outside the marketplace itself.
Two gates, in sequence. A book that fails Gate 1 cannot pass Gate 2. A book that passes Gate 1 is in the running for Gate 2 but is not guaranteed to win it.
This sequence is why so many keyword strategies fail silently. A publisher invests in advertising, promotion, and merchandising for a book that is not semantically eligible for the queries the campaign targets, and performance does not move. The reasonable inference is that the campaign is underfunded or poorly targeted. The actual cause is upstream: the marketplace search system has weak evidence that the book fits the query in the first place, so no amount of demand-side investment can pull it into a ranked position. The campaign was pushing against the engine's understanding of the book, not with it.
The reverse failure also happens. A publisher does the metadata work to make a book semantically eligible for a high-value query, and the book does not appear high in search results. The reasonable inference is that the metadata work was wasted. The actual cause is also upstream: eligibility is necessary but not sufficient, and the book has not yet built the marketplace strength to outrank stronger competitors for that particular query. Time, sales, reviews, and category traction may eventually pull it forward. The metadata work was not wasted. It was the foundation; the rest of the work was demand-side.
For a publisher trying to allocate keyword effort, the practical sequence looks like this:
First, identify the searches a book is genuinely eligible for. This is the reachable keyword universe. Without eligibility, no other work can help.
Second, prioritize within that universe by commercial value, query specificity, and competitive density. Some eligible searches are not worth pursuing because the result set is too crowded with stronger products. Some are worth pursuing because the demand is real and the competition is thin. The scoring is different from search volume alone.
Third, make the book's relevance clearer to the marketplace where it can be made clearer. This is the metadata work: title, subtitle, description, category selection, subject framing. The goal is not to stuff every plausible keyword into the product page. The goal is to make the book's actual subject, audience, genre, use case, and promise legible enough that a search engine can connect it to the right reader intents.
Fourth, layer demand-side investment (advertising, promotion, merchandising, reviews, conversion optimization) on top of a foundation of clear eligibility. This is where ranking likelihood gets built.
Done in this order, the work compounds. Done out of order, individual investments fight each other.
A useful diagnostic when evaluating a vendor or an internal keyword tool is to ask which gate the tool is operating on. If the answer is "we predict which keywords your book will rank for," the tool is making a Gate 2 claim that depends on marketplace performance variables most tools cannot see. The output may still be useful, but the claim is overstated. If the answer is "we identify the searches your book is genuinely eligible for and prioritize the ones worth pursuing," the tool is operating on Gate 1 with appropriate humility about Gate 2. The latter is the more honest claim and, in our experience, the more durable foundation for actual performance gains.
A note on long-tail queries, which are the kind of search where the distinction between the two gates is easiest to see in practice. Broad queries (one or two words, large categorical labels like "romance" or "business" or "fantasy") have result sets in the tens or hundreds of thousands of books. Ranking high for those queries is dominated by marketplace strength because the eligibility pool is enormous and most of the differentiation between visible and invisible books comes from demand-side signals. Long-tail queries, by contrast, are specific. They use multi-concept descriptions and intent-laden language: phrases like "leadership books for first-time managers" or "sad story with happy ending," where the reader has assembled multiple constraints into a single query. The result sets are correspondingly smaller, sometimes a few hundred books or fewer. In small result sets, eligibility does more of the work, because the competing pool is small enough that relevance-based selection dominates over popularity-based selection.
Long-tail keyword work tends to produce more measurable results than broad-keyword work because the gap between eligibility and ranking is much narrower at the long-tail end of the distribution. A book that becomes eligible for a specific long-tail query is much more likely to actually appear visibly for that query than a book that becomes eligible for a broad head term. The investment converts into visible ranking faster.
There is a second reason long-tail keyword work tends to outperform broad-keyword work, and it sits on the demand side rather than the supply side. A reader typing "leadership books for first-time managers" already knows what they are looking for. The query itself is the specification. The reader has identified a need (leadership development), narrowed it to a format (books, not articles or courses), and qualified it by audience (first-time managers, not seasoned executives). They are close to a purchase decision, looking for the right book to fill an already-defined gap. A reader typing "business" is doing something different: browsing, exploring, sometimes figuring out what they actually want. Both are real readers. They are at different stages of the buying funnel. Long-tail keyword work targets the readers closest to conversion, which is part of why the same impression at the long-tail end of the distribution converts at a much higher rate than the same impression on a head term.
The implication, which sounds obvious once stated but is rarely how keyword strategies are actually run: keyword work should start at the long tail and build inward toward the head, not the other way around. The long tail is where eligibility produces visible results most directly, and where the readers most likely to convert are doing their searching. Once a book has accumulated category traction across a wide base of long-tail queries, the marketplace strength to compete for broader queries follows. Starting at the head is starting at the gate where the work is hardest and the conversion from investment to visibility is slowest.
The honest summary, which we tell every new client some version of: we cannot promise that your books will rank for the queries we identify. What we can promise is that the queries we identify are ones your books are genuinely eligible for, prioritized by where the eligibility-to-ranking gap is narrowest. The rest of the work is demand-side, and it sits with the publisher's marketing investment, not with us. The two functions are complementary. They are not interchangeable.
Most of what looks like a keyword problem is actually one of these two distinct problems being mistaken for the other. Naming them separately is not splitting hairs. It is the first step toward doing each one well.
## Amazon Keywords Don't Stop at 250 Characters. Publishers Do.
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/amazon-keywords-dont-stop-at-250-characters
Type: note
Description: A direct look at whether Amazon ignores ONIX keyword phrases after 250 characters, and what publishers should actually do with the field.
Published: 2026-05-05
Categories: FIELD NOTE
Publishers have long operated on a simple rule: Amazon only reads the first 250 characters of ONIX keywords, so anything past that is wasted effort. It is a convenient belief. The data does not support it.
 
 
 Searchable phrases appear on both sides of the supposed 250-character cutoff.
 
 We looked at 4,052 high-selling books published in the last three years. Nearly half carried 400 or more characters of ONIX keyword text. If the cutoff were real, a lot of publishers were spending a lot of effort on nothing.
 To test it directly, we pulled keyword phrases from before and after the 250 mark and ran them through Amazon search. Post-250 phrases surfaced books at roughly the same hit rate as pre-250 phrases. Whatever Amazon is doing with the field, a hard 250 cutoff is not it.
 There was a ranking difference, and it points somewhere interesting. Phrases inside the first 250 tended to rank better when they hit. The easy interpretation is that Amazon weights early phrases more heavily. There is a simpler explanation that fits the same data.
 When someone writes keywords by hand, the first phrases out are usually the strongest. They have been thinking about the book. They know the obvious shopper queries. By the time they are 25 phrases in, they are reaching. The middle of the field thins out. The tail tends to be padding. The pre-250 rank advantage may have less to do with Amazon's algorithm and more to do with where publisher attention runs out.
 That changes the takeaway. The lesson is not to stop at 250. The lesson is to keep going until the phrases actually thin out, and most publishers run out of good ideas long before they think they have.
 Most of the keyword fields we reviewed showed the same problem. Generic terms like "mental health books," BISAC-adjacent category fragments, restatements of the title, author and award leakage, and the occasional CSS fragment nobody noticed. When publishers test their own keyword work and see weak results, they conclude keywords don't matter. What the data shows is that the keywords being tested were not very good to begin with.
 The practical target is a keyword field of roughly 400 to 500 characters where every phrase has a clear job. Specific long-tail terms. Secondary use cases. Audience segments. Problem and solution language. Comparable reader interests. Phrases an actual shopper would actually type. The publishers running fields like this are giving their books materially more credible paths to the shopper who would buy them. Publishers stopping at 250 are not playing it safe. They are leaving search visibility on the table for any competitor willing to do the work.
 The publishers gaining ground in Amazon search right now are not writing longer keyword fields. They are writing fields where the back half is as good as the front, all the way to 500.
## What reader reviews know that catalogues don't
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/what-reader-reviews-know-that-catalogues-dont
Type: note
Description: Catalogues describe books in the trade's language. Readers search in their own. The gap between those two registers is where most of the lost sales live.
Published: 2026-04-27
Categories: COMMENTARY
Open the catalogue copy for any novel and you will read a description in a particular register. Setting, premise, comp titles, BISAC code, age range, awards, sometimes a one-line endorsement from another author. The description is competent. It is also written in the voice of the catalogue itself, which is the voice of someone selling books to other professionals: agents to editors, editors to sales reps, sales reps to retailer buyers. That voice is a B2B voice, and it does its job well. It just does its job for a specific reader, and that reader is not the consumer.

 
 Catalogue language sells to the trade. Review language reveals how readers search.
 
Open the same novel's reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, or LibraryThing, and you will read about the same book in a completely different register. Readers do not describe books the way catalogues do. They describe how the book made them feel, what surprised them, which character undid them, how it compared to the last three books they read in the same vein, what they wanted more of and what they could have done without. This is not a more emotional version of the catalogue voice. It is a different vocabulary entirely.
The gap between these two registers is the gap between how a publisher describes a book and how a reader looks for one.
When a reader sits down to find their next book, they search in the second register. They do not type "literary fiction, women's, family saga." They type "messy mother daughter relationship that made me ugly cry" or "smart slow burn historical romance with a competent female lead" or "book like Beach Read but darker." The vocabulary of search is the vocabulary of experience and intent, not the vocabulary of cataloguing.
The retailer search engine, however, indexes whatever vocabulary the publisher supplies. If the publisher supplies catalogue language and the reader searches in experience language, the book is invisible at the moment of decision. The book is present in the catalogue. The book is missing from the search.
This is the case for using reader reviews as a primary source for keyword work. Reviews are a record, in volume, of how the actual buying audience for a book describes that book in its own voice. They are not a perfect record. They include outliers, off-topic complaints, plot summaries by readers who got the wrong book, and reviewers performing for an audience. But across a few hundred or few thousand reviews of a successful comparable title, a stable signal emerges: the words and phrases readers reliably use to describe what the experience of that book is like.
That signal is the closest available proxy for buying intent.
It is also a source of metadata that a publisher cannot generate from inside their own offices. A publisher describes a book using the language of the people who made it: editors, marketers, publicists. Those people are skilled describers, but they are not the audience. Their language is closer to the book and further from the search. The further upstream from the reader the description-writer sits, the larger the gap between what they write and what a reader is going to search for.
The objection we hear sometimes is that reviews are a noisy source. They are. So is every other large unstructured corpus that produces useful information. The work of using reviews well is the work of separating signal from noise: identifying which words and phrases are reliably tied to the experience of a specific book or its category, and which are random reviewer flourishes. Done at scale, this is solvable. Done one book at a time by hand, it is impractical, which is why doing it well requires a built methodology rather than a manual scan.
The practical implication for a publisher is concrete. The keyword strings, BISAC selections, and description copy you supply are competing with reader-supplied language for the attention of the retailer's search index. Whichever vocabulary is closer to the queries readers are actually running, wins. If your metadata vocabulary is upstream of the reader, which is the default for most catalogue work, you are losing that competition before it starts.
There is no fix for this on the catalogue side. Catalogues will continue to describe books in the language of the trade, because the trade is who reads them. The fix is on the metadata side: the keyword fields, search visibility work, and description copy that face the retailer rather than the trade. That work has to be written from the reader's side of the search, not the publisher's. Reviews are the closest available record of what the reader's side looks like.
## Why book keywords don't live inside the book
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/why-book-keywords-dont-live-inside-the-book
Type: note
Description: Most keyword tools start with the text of the book. The text has value, but reader search often lives in a different vocabulary: need, outcome, comparison, emotional texture, and intent.
Published: 2026-04-18
Categories: METHOD
Most companies that try to generate book keywords start with the most obvious source: the text of the book itself. We did too. The first version of the system we built, around 2014, was a pipeline that ran novels through extraction models. Stanford NLP for entities, term frequency analysis, lingpipe for significant phrases, the standard stack at the time. The output was a long list of words and phrases that showed up often in the text or seemed structurally important. We ran it across thousands of books and looked at what came out.

 
 The useful keyword source is the reader's search vocabulary, not the book's surface vocabulary.
 
For some nonfiction categories, the results looked reasonable. A cookbook may contain the words "garlic," "braise," and "Mediterranean." A technical book may contain the terms its audience already knows. In those cases, the text can provide useful raw material. But even there, the text rarely captures the whole search surface. A reader may search for "easy weeknight dinners," "anti inflammatory meal plan," "how to pass PMP exam," or "leadership book for new managers" even when those exact phrases are not central in the manuscript.
Fiction made the failure easiest to see.
Here is the problem in one sentence: a dystopian novel like The Hunger Games does not have characters talking, explicitly, about the dystopian world they live in. They live in it. They do not narrate it. Suzanne Collins did not need her teenage protagonist to think the word "dystopia" because the reader was supplying that frame for her. The book is about dystopia. The book's text is mostly not.
Run The Hunger Games through a naive keyword extractor and you get a long list of nouns and proper nouns: Katniss, Peeta, Capitol, Panem, mockingjay, arena, tracker jackers. Useful for context. Useless for keywords, because no reader who would buy that book is searching Amazon for "tracker jackers." They are searching for "dystopian young adult" or "survival romance" or "girl protagonist fights the government" or any of a dozen genre-adjacent phrases that reflect the experience of reading the book rather than its surface vocabulary.
This is the gap. The book describes itself in one register. Readers describe what they want in another. Naive keyword extraction treats the first register as the source of truth and produces output that is internally consistent with the book and almost entirely useless for retailer search.
The trap is that the failure is not visible. Run a keyword tool over a fiction list and the output looks plausible. The words are real, the phrases are real, the model is doing its job. A publisher who does not have a way to test the output against actual reader searches has no easy way to know that a tool with a long credible-looking word list is missing the queries that drive the book's category. You only see the failure when the keywords are deployed and search performance does not move.
The fix is to invert the problem.
Instead of starting with a book and asking what words it contains, start with the universe of searches readers are actually running and ask which subset of those searches is relevant to a given book. The unit of analysis stops being a book's text and becomes a body of real reader queries, weighted by category and search volume. The book is matched to that universe rather than mined for it.
This is harder to build. It requires a working corpus of reader queries, which has to be assembled rather than extracted. It requires an understanding of how retailer search algorithms weight different signals. It requires a method for mapping a specific book's category position onto the relevant query cluster. None of those are off-the-shelf inputs in 2014, when we were doing this work, or in 2026.
But the work is the work. Publisher metadata teams are not optimizing books in a vacuum. They are optimizing for a specific surface (Amazon, Apple, Audible, Kobo) where readers run real queries that the retailer's search engine resolves into ranked results. Any keyword approach that does not start from the reader's side of that interaction is solving a different problem.
The corollary is uncomfortable for any tool whose entire methodology is built on text extraction: most fiction keyword tools on the market today are built on text extraction. They produce credible-looking output that is wrong in a way that is hard to diagnose. The output reads as if it should work. It just does not move the search performance on the books it is applied to.
For a publisher evaluating keyword work, the diagnostic question to ask any vendor is: what is the source of the keywords you generate? If the answer is only "the book," the answer is incomplete. For fiction, it is usually badly incomplete. For nonfiction, it may produce useful terms, but it still needs to be checked against how readers describe the problem they are trying to solve, the outcome they want, and the emotional or practical reason they are searching in the first place.
Keywords live inside the searches readers run when they are looking for the experience, answer, problem, or outcome that the book provides. That distinction is the work.
## What we learned trying to predict bestsellers
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/what-we-learned-trying-to-predict-bestsellers
Type: note
Description: A year of work on bestseller prediction from manuscript text produced a working system and a clear lesson: the model was answering the wrong question, and the right question requires variables the manuscript cannot supply.
Published: 2026-04-09
Categories: COMMENTARY
In 2014 we spent the better part of a year trying to predict bestsellers from manuscripts. The hypothesis was straightforward: somewhere in the text of a book, in its language, structure, and topical content, there has to be signal that correlates with how the book will sell. If you could extract that signal at scale, you could build a tool that read a manuscript and gave a literary agent a defensible prior on its commercial potential. Agents receive seventy or eighty unsolicited submissions a day. Most go in the slush pile. The opportunity, in theory, was to flag the manuscript that should not be there.

 
 A model trained only on text cannot see the variables that often decide sales.
 
We built it. The system accepted manuscripts as email attachments, ran them through a pipeline of classifiers, and emailed back an analysis within seconds. The technical work was substantial. We trained on hundreds of thousands of books. The actual sales data is not public, then or now. We worked through the dimension-reduction problems that come with extremely sparse text matrices. We tried support vector machines, naive Bayes variants, latent Dirichlet allocation for topic discovery, latent semantic analysis, stochastic SVD for finding comparable titles. We integrated readability metrics, syllable counts, sentiment indicators, gender and tense features, named entity recognition. The results were credible.
We piloted with several of the largest literary agencies. Agents sent us manuscripts. The system returned classifications, comp titles, topic summaries, writing-style metrics. There was real interest. The work ended up sitting on shelves and not in workflows.
Two reasons it did not break through, both worth examining because they apply directly to how we think about metadata work today.
The first reason is that some manuscripts that scored well were poorly written. This is not actually a refutation of the model. The history of publishing is full of poorly written commercial successes. Twilight was widely panned for prose quality and sold over 160 million copies. The model was answering "is this commercially viable" rather than "is this well-written," and those are different questions. But for an agent, the distinction was a problem. Agents make their living on pattern matching across thousands of manuscripts. When a model recommended manuscripts the agent's pattern-recognition would have rejected, the agent did not have a way to evaluate whether the model was right or simply confused. The cost of being wrong, for an agent, is opportunity cost on the time spent shopping a book to editors. They were not going to take that risk on the basis of a score.
The second reason is more important and shifted how we think about all of this. The model was trying to predict an outcome (commercial success) using only one of the inputs to that outcome (the manuscript text). The other inputs (marketing investment, the publisher's existing relationships with retailers and reviewers, cover and design, timing, comp-title positioning, sometimes a single early endorsement) are not in the manuscript. They cannot be extracted from the manuscript. They are decisions made later, by people with budgets and judgment. A great manuscript with no marketing spend behind it is almost guaranteed to underperform. A merely good manuscript with significant marketing spend behind it can become a phenomenon.
This was the lesson we took away: the manuscript is necessary but not sufficient. Predictions about commercial outcome that ignore the marketing variable are predictions about a partial system. They will be right sometimes and wrong sometimes, and there is no way to know in advance which side of the line a given prediction sits on.
That lesson is what shaped the work we have done since. The keyword and metadata work is a different proposition. It operates on the variables that can be controlled, by a publisher, in service of the marketing investment that determines outcomes. We are not predicting whether a book will sell. We are giving the marketing investment a fair chance to find its audience, by closing the gap between how the book is described in metadata and how its likely readers are searching.
This is a more modest claim than "we can predict your bestsellers." It is also a claim we can stand behind, because the variables involved are inside the publisher's control rather than upstream of it. A book with strong metadata, in a category where the marketing investment is appropriate, is better positioned in retailer search than the same book with weak metadata. That is a defensible statement of cause and effect. "This manuscript will sell 50,000 copies" is not.
There are vendors in the publishing space who still claim some version of bestseller prediction from manuscript text alone. We are not one of them. The work we tried in 2014 produced real results and real limits, and the limits were instructive. The tools we have built since then are the answer to the question of what could actually be done well, not what would be impressive to claim.
The honest story is the more durable story. Anything that promises an outcome it cannot independently produce is going to fail at the moment when failure is most expensive, which is after the publisher has bought in.
## Why comparable titles fail when derived from book text
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/why-comparable-titles-fail-when-derived-from-book-text
Type: note
Description: Most automated comp-title tools operate on the text of the book. The comparisons readers and the trade actually make operate on something the text cannot fully capture: the reading experience.
Published: 2026-03-31
Categories: METHOD
Comp titles are everywhere in publishing. Editors use them to pitch acquisitions. Sales reps use them to position frontlist with retailer buyers. Marketers use them to brief copywriters and design teams. Algorithms on retailer sites use them to recommend "readers who liked X also liked Y." For a function this central to how books are described, sold, and discovered, the methodology behind generating good comp titles is surprisingly inconsistent.

 
 Textual similarity can be technically correct while reader similarity points to the useful comparison.
 
Most automated comp-title tools on the market are built around one of two approaches. The first compares books on the basis of their text: extract features from the book itself (topics, vocabulary, style, named entities, sentiment), build a similarity model, find books whose features cluster nearby. The second compares books on the basis of their metadata: BISAC codes, genre tags, age range, prose length, descriptive copy. Both approaches are technically respectable. Both produce output that looks reasonable. Neither produces consistently good comps.
We learned this the same way most people in the field learn it: by building both and watching them fail in instructive ways.
The text-based approach was the more technically interesting and the more thoroughly broken. We ran it through stochastic singular value decomposition, the same technique that powers a lot of recommendation systems. We reduced full-length novels down to around 150 dimensions and ran nearest-neighbor searches in that reduced space. The model worked. Books that came back as similar were genuinely textually similar. They used overlapping vocabulary, had structurally comparable prose, addressed adjacent topics. By any technical measure of similarity, the approach was successful.
The problem was that a reader would not have called those books comparable.
A reader, asked to name books like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, will reach for things like Daisy Jones and The Six, Malibu Rising, or maybe Lessons in Chemistry: books that share a very specific thing the model could not see, which is the experience of a strong-willed mid-century woman whose life is told to a younger woman by way of interview, with secrets, glamour, and emotional payoff. Two of those titles share an author. None of them necessarily share the closest textual similarity to Evelyn Hugo under SSVD analysis, because their textual surfaces are doing different things. What they share is a reading experience.
This is the shape of the problem. The text of a book is one specification of that book. The reading experience produced by that text is a different specification. Most of the meaningful comp-title comparisons readers and the trade actually make are operating on the second specification. Models that operate on the first will be technically correct and practically wrong.
The fix is to find a corpus that captures the reading experience rather than the text, and to compute similarity over that corpus instead.
Reader reviews are that corpus. When a few hundred or few thousand readers describe what Evelyn Hugo was like, the words they reliably use cluster around things like "old Hollywood," "secret love," "interview frame story," "queer historical," "twist ending." The words and phrases they use to describe Daisy Jones cluster around overlapping themes (band biography frame story, glamour, doomed love, interview format, secrets). The two clusters share a meaningful overlap. The two books' raw texts may not overlap nearly as much.
A similarity model run on reader-review topic distributions, rather than on book text, produces comp titles that match what a reader would call comparable. We ran this side-by-side with the text-based model on the same books and the difference was not subtle. The review-based model produced comparisons that read as obvious in retrospect. The text-based model produced comparisons that were technically defensible but useful to almost no one.
The implication for publishers is concrete: comp titles supplied by tools that operate on book text alone should be treated as suspect, especially in fiction categories where the reading-experience signal is the operative one. The pitch deck, sales conference, and retailer-buyer conversations are all going to use comp titles whether the publisher supplies them or not. Comps generated from the wrong source produce conversations that go in the wrong direction. A book mis-comped at acquisition gets sold to the wrong audience. A book mis-comped on the retailer surface gets recommended to the wrong reader. Neither failure mode is loud. Both compound across a list.
This is one of the cleaner technical wins available in publishing right now: comp titles produced from a corpus that actually represents how readers describe books, rather than from the text of the books themselves. The methodology is not novel and the math is straightforward. The hard part is having the corpus, the filtering pipeline, and the discipline to use the right input. The payoff is comp titles that feel correct to the people whose pattern-matching drives the market: readers, booksellers, and the trade itself.
## Different keywords on different formats of the same book
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/different-keywords-on-different-formats-of-the-same-book
Type: note
Description: A common piece of advice is to assign different keyword sets to the hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook editions of the same title to expand the work's reachable search surface. We tested whether this works at scale. The phenomenon exists in specific cases, but our data does not support recommending it as default practice.
Published: 2026-03-24
Categories: RESEARCH
A common piece of metadata advice in publishing is to assign different keywords to the different format editions of the same title. The hardcover gets one set of keywords, the paperback gets a different set, the ebook gets a third, the audiobook a fourth. The theory is that the marketplace will treat each ISBN's keyword field as additional surface area for the same underlying work, so spreading the keywords across editions expands the total set of searches the work can show up for.
 The theory is plausible. The behavior would be operationally useful if it were reliable. It also has not, to our knowledge, been tested rigorously in public. So we tested it on Amazon, which is where the conventional advice is usually applied.
 The short version: the phenomenon exists in specific cases, but our evidence does not support the broader claim that differentiated per-format keyword assignment reliably expands a work's search surface. Even the cleanest cases we found had partial alternative explanations.
 
 
 Per-format keyword variation only helps when each edition adds a genuinely different reader-search angle.
 
 What we did
 We looked at publisher-assigned ONIX keywords for several thousand multi-format works and identified the cases where the different ISBN editions had been assigned different keyword sets rather than identical ones. About thirty-five percent of multi-format works in our cleanest slice (English-only titles, same publisher across editions, keywords present on at least two editions) had genuinely differentiated keyword sets across editions. The majority had identical or near-identical sets across formats.
 For the differentiated works, we tested whether the unique keywords on one edition's ONIX record produced search results that surfaced any edition of the work, on any Amazon search index (Books, All, Kindle, Audiobook). The proof bar was specific: a keyword unique to ISBN A had to rank the work in Amazon search, and that result had to survive a check against the work's visible metadata. We wanted to rule out simple overlap with title, description, or category copy that Amazon could already see. For the strongest cases, we also tested whether Amazon was responding to the exact unique phrase or to a broader component of it, by running each ranked phrase against its component terms and rejecting cases where the broader term also ranked.
 We tested roughly eighty works in live Amazon search.
 What we found
 Out of seventy-four works tested under the strictest version of the protocol, no case fully cleared every test we threw at it. Two came closest, each with limits worth describing in detail.
 The first was The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave, a 2021 Scribner novel with hardcover and paperback editions. The hardcover ISBN had keywords including "eight hundred grapes," "800 grapes," and "lisa jewell." The paperback ISBN had keywords including "houseboat mystery" and "san francisco bay suspense." Each of these phrases, when entered into Amazon search, returned the work somewhere in the result set. None of them appeared in the work's visible title, description, contributor list, or category metadata. None of them produced a result that was explainable by a shorter component term.
 The paperback-side phrases hold up under further scrutiny. "Houseboat mystery" and "san francisco bay suspense" are descriptive content phrases. They are not author names, not titles of other books, not category labels. The ONIX keyword field is the most plausible explanation for why they surface the work.
 The hardcover-side phrases are weaker on closer examination. "Eight hundred grapes" is Laura Dave's prior novel. "800 grapes" is the same novel as a numeric variant. "Lisa jewell" is a contemporary author in the same category. Amazon performs author-adjacency surfacing independent of the ONIX keyword field: a query that is an author's name or the title of one of an author's other works can surface that author's other titles, regardless of whether any ONIX keyword has been assigned to make the connection. We tested this separately and saw it work cleanly in unrelated cases. That means the hardcover-side phrases in Last Thing may be ranking the paperback ASIN for reasons that have nothing to do with the publisher's ONIX work. The keyword field may be supplying signal Amazon was going to generate on its own.
 The second close case was Formula One: The Champions, an Ivy Press illustrated history whose two editions had been tagged with different driver-name keywords. Both sets of names produced rankings that survived our checks, though only one edition contributed multiple surviving phrases. Mechanistically this case is cleaner than the Last Thing hardcover side, because the driver names are content-adjacent rather than author-adjacent (the book's author is Maurice Hamilton; the keywords are mid-century F1 drivers). Author-clustering does not explain why the work surfaces for "denis hulme" or "giuseppe nino farina." The asymmetry is what kept us calling it supporting rather than strong: one edition carrying two surviving phrases and the other carrying one is a weaker shape than balanced contribution from both.
 Beyond those two cases, the vast majority of the seventy-four works produced no ranking for the work at all, results that collapsed under control checks, or results that were explained by visible metadata Amazon could already see.
 How Amazon handles per-edition keywords
 Two observations from the data are worth pulling out before turning to interpretation.
 When we looked closely at which ASIN actually ranked in response to a keyword from a specific ISBN's ONIX record, the answer was not the ASIN you would expect. In the Last Thing He Told Me case, keywords assigned to the hardcover ISBN consistently surfaced the paperback ASIN, not the hardcover. The keywords were doing work; they were just doing work for a different edition than the one their ONIX record was attached to. We saw the same pattern in other cases.
 Amazon also makes associations the publisher never supplied. The author-adjacency behavior described above is one example: a query that names an author can surface other books by that author even when the query phrase appears nowhere in any of those books' metadata. We have tested this directly. A query that is the title of one of an author's other works can do the same thing. This is a mechanism Amazon operates independent of any ONIX keyword field, and it produces results that look indistinguishable from "the ONIX keyword field worked" unless you specifically test for it.
 Both observations point at the same broader truth. Amazon appears to be associating signals at the work and author level, then choosing which edition to surface in response to a given query based on factors other than the per-edition keyword field. Price, availability, format preferences inferred from session behavior, the work's overall popularity, and which edition the user has already viewed or owns all appear to outweigh the per-edition keyword distinction at the surfacing stage. And the keyword field itself sits alongside several autonomous association mechanisms Amazon runs on its own.
 That has a practical implication: even when per-edition keyword differentiation appears to work, the edition you tag is not necessarily the edition that benefits, and the keyword field is not necessarily the mechanism doing the work.
 What this means
 The behavior the per-edition tactic is supposed to produce, where each edition independently widens the work's reach through ONIX keyword indexing, did not occur cleanly even once in seventy-four carefully selected attempts. The two closest cases each had alternative explanations or asymmetric evidence. Even granting the limits of any single research project (depth of result-set checking, time-of-day variance in Amazon search, the inability to see Amazon's internal indexing decisions), this is not a base rate that supports "spread your keywords across editions" as default operational advice.
 The more honest reading is that per-edition keyword differentiation can work, but only when the keywords on each edition are genuinely different and genuinely relevant and genuinely targeted at reader searches that the rest of the metadata does not already explain and that Amazon will not generate on its own. That last condition is the one publishers most often miss. Keywords that are author names, author-other-work titles, or close category labels may rank the work, but they may be ranking it for reasons that have nothing to do with the ONIX field. The slot on the keyword field has been spent; the signal it added is uncertain.
 The more common failure mode in our data was differentiated keyword sets that were technically different but not meaningfully different from a reader-query perspective: paraphrases of the same idea, singular-and-plural variants of the same phrase, or two phrases that both pointed at the same broad category. That kind of differentiation is what produces the broader negative result.
 For a metadata team that has been told to differentiate keywords across editions: the base rate of clean wins is low enough that the time is better spent elsewhere. For a team that wants to do it as a deliberate per-title investment, the bar to clear is harder than the conventional advice suggests. Each edition's keywords have to target a genuinely different reader-search angle that is not explained by the visible metadata and not something Amazon will generate on its own through author-clustering or category-adjacency.
 Limits
 A few things this research does not establish.
 It does not establish that the per-edition tactic cannot work. We found cases that come close. A publisher with deep insight into a specific title, who can identify two genuinely different and genuinely relevant reader queries that map cleanly to two different editions, and that are not phrases Amazon will surface on its own, can plausibly produce a clean case. Our evidence is against reliability and prevalence, not against possibility.
 It does not isolate per-edition strategy from underlying keyword quality. As we have shown separately, only about eight percent of publisher-assigned ONIX keywords produce a visible Amazon search result for the assigned book in the first place. The other ninety-two percent fail to surface the book at all, in most cases because the keyword choices themselves duplicate what visible metadata already supplies, target queries too broad to compete in, or do not match the language readers actually use when they search. That is a problem of keyword craft, not edition strategy. If the differentiated keyword sets in our sample drew disproportionately from that broader pool of weaker keyword work, which is a realistic assumption given how widespread the underlying problem is, the low cross-edition success rate partly reflects keyword-craft failures across publisher metadata generally, rather than a specific failure of per-edition spreading. We cannot cleanly separate the two effects in the data we have. A publisher who is already doing strong primary keyword work, and is layering per-edition differentiation on top of that foundation, may see better rates than our base data suggests.
 It does not establish anything about how Amazon's search system works internally. We observed inputs and outputs. The internal architecture of how Amazon chooses to associate ONIX signals to works and editions is not visible to us and changes over time. Other retailers may behave differently.
 The takeaway
 The conventional advice to assign different keywords to different format editions of the same work is not wrong in principle. The phenomenon it describes does exist in some form; we have named specific cases where keyword fields appear to be doing work at the cross-edition level.
 It is also rare enough, unreliable enough, and confounded enough by Amazon's own autonomous association behavior that the return on effort does not justify it as a default operational practice. Even the cleanest cases we found had partial alternative explanations or asymmetric evidence. Publishers who spread keywords across editions are often not getting what they think they are paying for: Amazon may be doing the association anyway, or the keyword may be ranking an edition other than the one it was assigned to.
 The practical version of the advice we give clients is narrower than the conventional one. Do one strong keyword set first, before thinking about edition-level differentiation. If you have headroom after that, consider per-edition work title by title, only on books where you have specific insight into a genuinely different reader-search angle for one edition versus another. As a backlist-wide templated practice, the return is not there.
## How Top Publishers Use Keywords
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/how-top-publishers-use-keywords
Type: note
Description: A study of 150,000 publishers, conducted with Bowker and Firebrand, on how the industry was actually using metadata keywords and where the practice was still falling short.
Published: 2018-10-16T04:21:29.710Z
Updated: 2018-10-16T17:55:03.845Z
Tags: keywords, amazon keywords, off-page keywords, book marketing, publishers
Categories: RESEARCH
In 2015, Kadaxis (with some help from Bowker, Firebrand and OnixSuite) set out to investigate whether publishers were adding keywords to book metadata. The conclusion was that of the 150,000 publishers reviewed, most weren't adding keywords, and of those publishers who did, the volume and quality of keywords was low. Anecdotally, we've seen a significant shift in the past three years in the priority publishers give to keywords. We wanted to understand this change more deeply, but instead of taking a large sample of publishers, we adopted a qualitative approach and narrowed our analysis to 846 fiction titles with significant sales. By looking at how keywords are used on a publisher's most important titles, we can infer how important keywords are to a publisher and gain some insight into different keyword methodologies. FindingsKeywords matter to the top publishers: of the 846 books we analyzed, 69% had keywords - a significant increase to three years ago.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Most publishers still target a 500 keyword character count. Of the books with keywords, 44% had a character count between 480 and 500 characters. See our investigation into why 500 keyword characters is not optimal for selling more books on Amazon: Optimization savvy publishers are emerging though: 6.2% of books had keyword character counts above 500, while 2% had character counts above 1000 characters (many of these are Kadaxis clients).

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Keyword ContentAlmost all of the top fifty most commonly used keywords across all books in our set related to category names.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 The keywords "fiction" (most common) and "fiction books" (6th most common) were seen throughout the sample set. Search engines are able to derive whether a book is fiction or not by examining the book's categories, so adding these terms as keywords is often not necessary. Likewise, BISAC and browse node (Amazon only) category names are also indexed by search engines, so if a book is assigned to a category, repeating the category name as a keyword won't increase the book's visibility in search. Category and genre names are relevant and appear to make sense as keywords, but understanding how search engines index metadata can often mean a more efficient use of the keyword field. Rule BreakersOne observation we've made from working with publishers, is that Amazon applies rules discriminately. Large accounts are generally afforded more relief from the rules, and it appears many publishers may be aware of this extra freedom. (See section "Keywords to avoid" from Amazon's rules for KDP authors).Of our sample set with keywords, 4% of books included the term "bestseller", while 15% broke the "Subjective claim about quality" rule by stating that their books were the "best", for example: "best horror books", "best selling fiction author", "best american novel" and "best fantasy series".

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 We also found countless examples of keywords comprised of competitive author and title names, along with the the use of Amazon program names (e.g. "kindle" as a keyword). One publisher even tried to cash in on deal days with the keywords: "cyber monday deals" and "black friday deals".Amazon likely filters out prohibited terms, but one exception is the use of competitive title and author names which, when indexed, do improve search visibility. ConclusionPublishers with high sales volumes take keywords seriously and in most cases add keywords to their book's metadata. The quality and volume of keywords has improved significantly over the past three years as we've seen publishers move from rarely adding keywords to commonly adding keywords. While keywords were generally well considered, when assessing phrasing, term redundancy, volume and other characteristics used to assess keyword efficacy on Amazon, the trend highlights coverage as a priority for most publishers, ahead of the more involved specifics of optimization. The industry is evolving though, and gaining a more sophisticated understanding of how search works. Our prediction is that in our next review we'll see an even greater incidence of highly optimized keywords, incorporating this growing body of knowledge.
## How Amazon Search Really Works
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/how-amazon-search-really-works
Type: note
Description: A working explanation of the algorithm that determines which books are surfaced and which are not.
Published: 2018-10-10T04:56:00.873Z
Updated: 2018-10-13T05:46:14.206Z
Tags: amazon search, amazon keywords, search engines
Categories: FOUNDATIONS
This post takes a deep dive into how Amazon's search engine works. We'll touch on information-theory concepts, and aim to use as little technical jargon as possible. If it's all a bit much, skip to the end to read the summary of takeaways to help you choose and optimize keywords for your book. Note: 'keyword' in this post refers to the keywords publishers send to Amazon in their ONIX files. 'Keywords' covers both single terms and key phrases (multiple terms). Keywords in this context are considered 'off-page'.Finding New KeywordsAs you've no doubt guessed, Amazon logs every search request a person makes, and stores this information. Every so often, this data is analyzed to find new keywords to use in the search engine. This way, when a lot of people start using a new keyword (e.g. because of a trending topic in the news) books matching these new terms will show up in search results. It pays to regularly review your keywords to incorporate the latest trending keywords. Doing so means you'll probably have less competition for the new terms, since most publishers update their keywords once and leave them. Less competition and increased search volume means it's easier to rank highly for these valuable terms. Keeping up-to-date with trending keywords related to your titles will give you a distinct edge.

 A search query isn't a keywordMost people who write about Amazon keywords believe a search query (which is entered by a person searching for books on Amazon) is the same thing as a keyword. Conventional advice is to search for terms readers might use to find a book, then use those exact terms as keywords on Amazon. As we'll see, this simplistic strategy is not optimal in every case. While direct matches from search query to book do form part of the matching algorithm, much more processing occurs to extract summary data from both the search query and metadata. In most cases, this summary data is used to match a search query to a book. Adding more terms in each keyword slot can often get you more search coverage ** For broad queries, such as category names. There's an exception to this for exact phrases, as we'll see below.simplifying your wordsOne process of extracting data from search queries and keywords involves changing the keyword/query to lowercase, removing very common terms, and lemmatising the remaining terms. Lemmatisation is a fancy word, but is a simple concept. It means variations of a word are reduced to a common base form. Here are some examples: walked, walking, walk walk paid, paying, paid pay is, was, am, being beVariations of keyword terms often don't matter (due to lemmatisation). So don't waste keyword slots on variations. E.g. 'romancing' will be interpreted as 'romance'.(You can test keyword variations to see their base form here: http://textanalysisonline.com/nltk-wordnet-lemmatizer).

 Keywords within keywords

 Another process extracts combinations of words from keywords/search queries. For example, the keyword "new adult contemporary romance" will have the following phrases extracted to match search queries to books: new adult contemporary romance new adult adult contemporary contemporary romance new adult contemporary adult contemporary romance new adult contemporary romanceYou often get more mileage from your amazon keywords by including multiple keywords in one slot.

 The sum is greater than the wholeImportant phrases are extracted from keywords and search queries, and given more value. We often use two or more words together, when combined produce a different meaning than the words on their own - in information theory, these phrases are called collocations. Here are some examples: "fast food" "united states" "southern culture" "beach read"The search engine identifies these groups of words as having special meaning when combined together. The more statistically significant a phrase is, the more important it is to the search engine (and to us). Phrases such as "volume 1" and "a book about" aren't statistically significant (or strong collocations either).If you're interested in learning more about this topic, search online for: 'collocations' and 'pointwise mutual information'.The order of terms, especially for phrases with special meaning, are important. Amazon's search engine understands when a phrase is important. Comparing Apples with Apples

 When your book is added to Amazon's search index, the search engine first tries to understand what your book is about, by seeing what browse node categories and topics it fits into. It chooses browse node categories by reading the categories you've chosen for the book, and also by extracting terms from the book's keywords (using the processes above) and from other data, such as the book's title. To be included in certain Amazon categories, the your keywords need to include certain words. A list of categories with keyword requirements can be found here. Ensure you review the keyword requirements for special amazon browse node categories, to increase the potential exposure of your book. A separate process reads all the book metadata for all the books Amazon has, and looks for groups of words that occur together. These clusters of words are called 'topics'. This sounds complicated, but think of a topic as a word cloud for all the words related to a topic. Words related to the topic 'World War II', might be: germany, invasion, nazi, auswitch and europe. Words related to the topic 'Vampires' might be: slayer, fang, stake, undead and bite. (For the data scientists: extracted terms are assigned to topics via LDA).For each topic and browse node category, a score is assigned for your book, which tells the search engine how relevant your book is to each topic or category. When a person performs a search, this same process of topic and category assignment, is also applied to the person's search query. The search engine takes all the matching topics and categories from the search query, and finds all the books that also match these topics and categories. This list of books is then ranked and returned as a search result to the person. It's important that the keywords you assign to your book, returns books in similar categories as your book. The search engine is pretty good at guessing the correct category a person is looking for when they type in a search query. So if your book doesn't match the categories of the other books in a search result, it'll be less likely the person will click through to your book page.

 Reading your mind

 
 View image | gettyimages.com
 

 The search engine takes a best guess at what you're thinking when you type in a search query, and tries to figure out what list of books will best answer your query. In other words, it tries to understand the intent behind your search. The search engine applies different algorithms, depending on what it thinks you're looking for. On the surface, you might think - well, a book search is a book search, but consider the differences in search intent, for a person searching for these queries: a book called a time to kill harper lee's new book (try this query, it works well) books by stephen king pulitzer prize winner 2015 zombie books loveswept romance story books in different languages a quote from a bookEach different user intent requires a different strategy to match a search query to books. The search engine needs to work out the best book results to match your intent, or even to satisfy multiple potential user intents for a search query. The logic to do this effectively is complex, and is combination of query classification and running multiple search query operations, then combining the results. Search queries with different intents, are ranked differently. RankingAs we mentioned above, books are matched to a search query based on how relevant they are to the query. While the order of search results is underpinned by relevance, the overriding goal of Amazon's book search (to help sell more books) and search intent heavily influence search ranking. Depending on the type of search intent, search results have their ranking influenced by 'non-relevance' factors, which include all the (seen and unseen) data attached to your book. Examples of non-relevance factors are number of reviews, average rating, number of clicks and sales rank. Non-relevance factors are weighted differently depending on the type of search query. For example, a search for a specific quote in a book is likely to be a long tail query. The best result for a person searching for the quote, is likely to be the book that the quote appears in. The same applies for searches for an exact book title or books by an author. As a rule of thumb, the more nebulous a query, the more short tail it is. Short tail queries usually match a large number of books, and typically receive a lot more search traffic (which means many more people will see the books returned in the results). Since the searcher has been less specific about what they're looking for, the search engine assumes that by returning relevant books many people have purchased, it has a higher chance of satisfying the person's search query (and also showing them books they have a higher chance of buying).For short tail queries, non-relevance factors are much more influential in ranking the search results. Chief of the non-relevance factors is sales rank, which is an indicator of how well a book is selling. A book with a lower (better) sales rank has sold well, so logically, it has a higher chance of selling when placed in front of a potential customer who has indicated a broad preference of potential books they might be interested in. Unless you have a high number of recent book sales, don't target all high volume, short tail keywords, as your book won't show up in the first couple of pages of search results, and won't receive much search traffic. Big Brother Search refinementSearch algorithms aren't perfect. Even with all the complicated algorithms working to deliver the best book search results, the search engine isn't going to hit the mark every time. Along with recording every search query you make, every click you perform on the site is also recorded. Every time you click on a book in a search result, your click data is recorded and used to improve the ranking of future searches. Other actions also factor into this calculation (such as purchasing a book). (For more information, see: How A Keyword Sells A Book On Amazon).Earlier we discussed how each book's relevance score was associated with the topics and categories it was matched to, and how non-relevance factors influence it's ranking score. Each action a person performs on a book in a search result contributes to this non-relevance score. If a book is continually clicked on when shown in a list of search results, it is a positive indicator that the search engine is doing a good job. Likewise, if a book never receives any interaction from a person, then perhaps it isn't the best fit for the query. The ranking of the books in the search results is adjusted based on this type of user behavior. It's difficult to game the search engine by using unrelated, high volume keywords - if your book shows up in search results, and other books are continually clicked or purchased more often than yours, your book will end up with a lower score for those keywords, and your search ranking will drop. Along with ensuring that your book is a good match to the keywords you've chosen, a good cover and catchy description will also help to convert to a sale and increase your chances of entering the positive ranking validation loop. Keep your metadata fresh!

 As we discussed in the beginning, indexed keywords are continually updated based on what people are actually searching for. Since recency is a factor, it means using newer terms can give you an advantage. It pays to keep abreast of trends and modify your book metadata (especially keywords), to use recently popular or seasonal keywords. Google trends is great for checking potential keywords. Here's an example for 'new adult romance', which has had a steady increase since 2013 and is enjoying a spike right now https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=new%20adult%20romance. Here's another example of 'beach reads', which peaks in popularity during the summer months: https://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=beach%20reads. Continually refresh and test your keywords!If you've chosen a poor set of keywords, the user interaction score for the book-keyword combination will be low. This means your book may have shown up in search results for relevant search phrases, but had a low number of people clicking through to your book page, or purchasing a book. This may result in your book showing up further down the search results list. Changing your keywords to new keywords will mean starting with a fresh keyword-book-user interaction score. If you're not achieving good rankings and interesting people in search, you should keep changing your book's metadata (keywords, title, description, cover, categories, etc.) until you do. ConclusionThese are a few ways your data is processed in Amazon search. There's much more to the search engine, but this post should give you an insight into some of the complexity involved. The best approach to success is to conduct research for high value keywords that are relevant to your book, and appropriate for the number of sales you're currently making. It's difficult to game the system in a sustainable, long-term manner. Summary of keyword action points Adding more terms in each keyword slot can often get you more search coverage. Variations of keyword terms often don't matter (due to lemmatisation). So don't waste keyword allocations on variations. You can often get more mileage from your amazon keywords by including multiple terms in one keyword slot. The order of terms, especially for phrases with special meaning, is important. The search engine understands when a phrase is (statistically) significant. Ensure you review the keyword requirements for special Amazon browse node categories, to increase the potential exposure of your book. Unless you have a high number of recent book sales, don't target all high volume, short tail keywords, as your book won't show up in the first couple of pages of search results, and won't receive much search traffic. It pays to keep abreast of trends and modify your book metadata (especially keywords), to use recently popular or seasonally popular keywords. Continually refresh and test your keywords!Additional Resources for Amazon Keywords What are off-page keywords? How a keyword sells a book on Amazon Measuring keyword effectiveness on Amazon How do keywords impact sales? Who uses the keywords in metadata?
## Why a 500-Character Keyword Limit Is Costing You Book Sales
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/why-a-500-character-keyword-limit-is-costing-you-book-sales
Type: note
Description: The widely accepted ceiling for keyword metadata is wrong, and the cost compounds across a list.
Published: 2018-08-16T20:09:42.569Z
Updated: 2018-08-22T03:34:43.637Z
Tags: amazon search, ONIX, keywords, metadata
Categories: METHOD
I bet that if you're reading this, you've always accepted 500 characters as the gold standard for maximizing book visibility through search - work your way up to 500 characters and you've joined the metadata elite. You've surpassed the majority of publishers who add only two or three hundred keywords, or gasp, don't add keywords at all. Well, dear reader, if your ONIX makes its way to Amazon, and Amazon is an important retailer for your sales, I have some news for you:If you only send 500 keyword characters to Amazon, you're probably missing out on sales. Contrary to what you may have been told, Amazon accepts and uses far in excess of 500 characters per book. In this post we'll uncover the origin of the 500 character limit, and provide actual hard data that shows Amazon does indeed accept keywords far beyond the 500 character limit. (In case you're wondering why more keywords are better, the short answer: more keywords = more chances for a book to be found in search = more sales opportunities. A longer explanation is available here).The "Best Practices For Keywords" RecommendationThe BISG's metadata keyword best practice standard states a recommended limit of 500 characters. The guide is a fine document, and I highly recommend you give it a read in case you haven't come across it before. I was a member of the committee who authored the document and contributed to it's content and discussions. If you're tasked with "creating keywords for online retailers", you should absolutely use this resource as a guide. When it comes to keywords destined to Amazon, it's worth noting that: Amazon wasn't involved in authoring the standard, and the "best practices" are a general recommendation to the industry as a whole. They're not prescriptive, and retailers can implement anything they wish to. In fact the committee, correctly, ensured they weren't too Amazon-centric in their recommendations. Long story short - even though 500 characters is the "recommended" limit, it doesn't require Amazon or any other retailer, to strictly abide by the recommendation. Where Did The 500 Character Limit Come From?I asked this question on the committee and the best answer I received was: "it's always been in the ONIX standard". As someone who has lead teams to build book search engines, I wanted to understand what the technical rationale might be - was there some data science based research that underpinned this widely accepted "best practice"? My search led me to the good folks over at EDItEUR who oversee the ONIX standard globally. From my exchanges with these publishing metadata veterans, I learned that:- The keyword character limit as it's defined in ONIX, has always been a "suggested limit".- The ONIX standard places no limit on how many keyword characters an ONIX sender can transmit.- Publishers should rely on receivers (such as retailers) accepting at least 500 characters.- The limit used to be 100 characters and was then raised to 250 before the current suggestion of 500.- The 500 limit considers old library systems that may not have the technological resources of retailers, and therefore are limited in what they can receive. Again, a sensible limit to accommodate myriad publishing systems of various sophistication levels and vintage. But also, still nothing prescriptive about what a receiver (retailer) should do with a keyword field, other than accept at least 500 characters. It's Easy To Test The Limit, But You Have To Do It ProperlySearch technology is complex and doesn't operate in the same manner as say, a bank transaction system. If you login to your online banking website and send money to someone, they better receive it. Every cent needs to be managed, accounted for and then auditable by all parties involved. Search engines are somewhat different. When a search engine indexes data, while it may read everything available to it, the use and visibility of the source data comes down to a whole host of factors which is far beyond the scope of this post. Suffice to say that if you supply Amazon with say 100 keywords, it will read all of them, but won't necessarily use all of them for your book (understand more about this here). If your character length test involves typing in each of your keywords into Amazon search, paging through countless results to check for your book, then using the absence of your book in results as evidence that the keyword wasn't indexed - you're doing it wrong. (We haven't even touched on partial term matches). Each keyword is an opportunity, not a guarantee. Cold, Hard, Data: How Many Keyword Characters Should I Provide?

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Running a test to correctly identify whether a keyword improves search rank, involves analyzing hundreds of books, removing words found in the title, author names and category (BISAC/browse node) names from test queries and also searching for combinations of individual keyword terms (as a metadata expert, you already know that exact keyword matches are the tip of the search iceberg). We did all of this and here's what we found:Amazon indexes at least 1500 keyword characters from the keyword field in an ONIX file (or uploaded directly using Amazon's internal tools).Kadaxis clients receive up to 1500 keyword characters, so this is the limit we tested. (On average, our clients receive an average of 1000 keyword characters per book). We found books matching search queries all the way up to the high 1400s character count after stripping away other metadata data we know is indexed. This approach gives us confidence that the book's presence in search is attributed to the keyword and not other sources (like BISAC names).30-50% of searches matched keywords were found in the 500-1500 character rangeSaid another way: if you're only adding 500 keyword characters, your book is missing out on matching to 30-50% of search queries, than if you'd used 1000+ characters. Books with 1000-1500 keyword characters match 67% more search queries, compared to books with 500 characters or less. One of our tests compared 100 books from two trade publishers - one with Kadaxis keywords, and one who used an alternative service that maxes out at 500 characters. Both sets included a mix of good selling fiction and non-fiction titles and were run through identical measurement systems. The Kadaxis publisher had an average of 1098 keyword characters (max 1500) which matched to 67% more search queries than the publisher who added an average of 446 keyword characters (max 500).Let's look at a couple of examples to illustrate further:Title: Medical-Surgical Nursing Made Incredibly Easy (Incredibly Easy! Series)This medical text matched numerous keywords in search, but one example of note is the keyword phrase "advanced pathophysiology". Neither of these terms are found anywhere in the book's metadata (as an aside, while this keyword is also not in the description text, know that the description isn't indexed for Amazon search, but that's a post for another day).

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 The keyword itself is present in the keyword field at character position 964 (out of 1079 total keyword characters). We can find the book in the Books search engine on Amazon for the search query "advanced pathophysiology, wedged between two other pathophysiology books. Note, the term is relevant for people interested in the topic, as evidenced by review mentions.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 Let's take a look at one more example:TITLE: The Greatest Story Ever Told--So Far: Why Are We Here?Again, this title matches numerous keyword derived search queries, but we'll focus on one keyword: "heisenberg uncertainty", which refers to Werner Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle. This keyword isn't mentioned anywhere in the book's metadata, but is mentioned several times by readers, including examples where "The Greatest Story Every Told" helped readers to better understand Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 The keyword "heisenberg uncertainty" is present in the book's keyword field at character position 1101, and the book is found in the search results among related titles.

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 

 

 A few other examples, from hundreds in our set:Blockchain Revolution: How the Technology Behind Bitcoin Is Changing Money, Business, and the World. Keyword with search match: "smart contracts", character position 1142. The Perfect You: A Blueprint for Identity. Keyword with search match: "neuroscience", character position 1267 (actually matches 5 search queries about neuroscience).Darkfever (Fever Series, Book 1). Keyword with search match: "male characters", character position 1095. What does this all mean? More keywords equals better search visibility, which equals more chances to sell (after all, most books are sold through Amazon search).Keyword ROI: It's Worth It1000 characters is a lot of work, 1500 characters even more so, but compared to the rest of the effort and expense that goes into making a book a success, it's a comparably small investment for the potential upside - especially when you consider the compounding value better search visibility earns a book. If you have questions about how we conducted our tests, how you can replicate our results or to learn more about our keyword services, please get in touch via the Contact form. Thank you to the folks at Firebrand (Catherine Toolan, Steve Rutberg and Joshua Tallent) for their help with this article.
## Measuring Keyword Effectiveness on Amazon
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/measuring-keyword-effectiveness-on-amazon
Type: note
Description: A practical framework for assessing whether metadata keywords are working once they are deployed.
Published: 2018-01-09T00:43:00.957Z
Updated: 2018-07-23T17:57:40.527Z
Tags: keywords, amazon keywords, amazon search, search rank
Categories: METHOD
So you've found the perfect keywords for a book, how do you know if they're effective? Off-page keywords aren't visible to potential customers, so assessing whether they'll work or not takes a completely different approach to assessing visible metadata (title, description, etc.) about a book. The purpose of a keyword is to help a search engine return a book to a customer in a set of search results, in response to a search query. If a keyword doesn't achieve this one task, then it is of no value to you. It doesn't matter how beautifully descriptive or categorically accurate a keyword is, if it doesn't help your book show up in search, then it is worthless. Public data, such as categories or subtitles are dual purpose - they can improve your book's search presence and also help to convince a searcher to buy your book. With an understanding of an off-page keyword's purpose - how do measure it's effectiveness on Amazon search? Amazon doesn't share much data in the way of search metrics and even the data in Amazon's Retail Analytics (ARA) is pretty limited. But it's still possible to measure whether a book has poor or good search visibility by analyzing public data. The most rudimentary method is to type every keyword into search, and see if the book appears, or ranks, in the search results. If it doesn't show up in the results, then it has no visibility for that search query and it's effectiveness is nil. It's pretty simple. If a book does show up for the keyword, where does it rank? By rank, we mean the position it holds in the search results. Is it number one? Number 5? Does it show up on the first page, second page? Search rank can have a huge impact on conversion. Customers are significantly more likely to click on the first few results of a search query, than further down the page. Techniques such as Discount Cumulative Gain to measure search quality are predicated on this assumption. Beyond simple one-to-one keyword to search query testing, to get a true appreciation of a keyword's impact, you also need to test for derived keyword combinations. As an example take these three key phrases: "ya romance", "contemporary romance" and "thriller". These keywords will also match to the search queries: "ya contemporary romance", "romance thriller", "contemporary romance thriller" and so forth. Books are also matched against search queries that only partially match keywords. Using the same example, the book might also match "romance suspense" and "ya paranormal romance" even if "suspense" and "paranormal" weren't specified as keywords for the book. To truly figure out how well a book ranks in search, requires figuring out all of these combinations, then running searches for each of them. Once you find a match for your book, you then need to calculate how valuable the search query is, as they're not all equal. Ranking in the top 5 for "romance" will generate more traffic for a book than ranking in the top 5 for "cozy beach romance set in florida". The latter search query is more specific and while it receives lower search volume, it may have higher conversion potential. Long-tail searches are more granular, specific and easier to rank for, and are likely to generate better leads. Publishers almost never include them. On Amazon, the majority of customer searches are long-tail - in fact a large percentage of searches have only been seen a couple of times or less. A significant percentage of these search queries on Amazon each month, have never been previously observed. With the knowledge above, it's quite easy, albeit time consuming, to measure the effectiveness of a keyword for a book on Amazon (or any other search engine for that matter).
## How A Keyword Sells A Book On Amazon
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/how-a-keyword-sells-a-book-on-amazon
Type: note
Description: A simple model for how one metadata keyword can influence retailer search and sales.
Published: 2017-11-08T21:48:00.175Z
Updated: 2018-04-20T17:56:59.901Z
Tags: keywords, search rank, amazon search
Categories: METHOD
In order for a keyword to create a sale through Amazon search, two events need to occur:1. The book needs to be present in the search results (or rank) for search queries matching the keywords added to the book.2. The book needs to convince customers (or convert them) to click on a search result, add the book to their cart, then check out (or, make the purchase).Each keyword creates an opportunity for sales to be made, as each keyword provides the Amazon search engine with an additional way to surface a book to customers. The more keywords assigned to a book, the more data the search algorithms have to work with. Not every assigned keyword will be matched to customer search queries, but you can think of each keyword as asking the search engine: have you thought about showing my book to customers who search for this query? It's up to the search engine to decide, but the more questions you ask, the more likely it will find more ways to return a book. Behavioural Influence On Search RankOnce keywords are ingested by Amazon, they're subjected to a whole lot of parsing and processing, and testing with customers. First, let's remember that the goal of a retailer search engine is to maximise revenue, not help people find information (like on Google). This means that on Amazon, discoverability and sales are tightly linked. The rationale behind this is pretty straight-forward - if you show the books most likely to sell, more often, you're more likely to sell more books. Every time Amazon displays a book to a customer in search, the customers' action is logged. If the action is positive, such as a click on a link to view the product page, a cart add, a purchase or a read on Kindle, it positively impacts the books search rank. The more positive actions a book accrues, the more visibility it's rewarded with. Conversely, if customers don't respond in a positive manner to a book in a search result, then the book will eventually be outranked by other books that customers respond more positively to. For example, if a book is shown in search, and the books above and below it are clicked, and not the book itself, this is regarded as a negative signal and will mean the book-query pair will be weighted downward. The book's search rank for the query hasn't encouraged positive behaviour so it is penalized. A simpler way to think of this is - if book A sells more than book B when shown in search, keep showing book A ahead of book B, because book A is making more money. Let's also try putting book C ahead of book B, and see if that book makes more money instead. The ability to maintain and grow search visibility is dependent on the book converting through this funnel of customer actions. Sales are the ultimate goal for publishers and retailers, and are a strong search magnifier, but these sales are dependent on conversion. All of these scores attributed to customer behaviour decay over time, which means momentum matters. It's easier to improve the discoverability of a book that is already selling and converting well, using keywords, than it is to improve a book starting from low sales. Conversion And Social ProofWe've all searched for books on Amazon before - you type in a search query and are presented with a list of books. Perhaps you were looking for an exact title, or perhaps you were searching for books about a topic - in either scenario, you might have been swayed to click on a search result if it looked interesting to you. Think about the factors that persuaded you to click into the book's product page from search. If you were encountering the book for the first time, the only information you would have at that point was the data visible to you in the search result - cover, title, subtitle, price and importantly: the review count and average rating. These last two elements capture the social proof of the expected reading experience. Social proof is one of the most powerful on-page converters, as customers often trust each other more than the organization trying to sell to them. Reviews are a book's public record - they convey more value to a reader than whether book it has sold well, and let them know what other people thought about their experience (good or bad) and why. Reviews are a permanent, mostly unbiased and irrefutable history of a book by it's readers. And unlike search rank, the social proof from reviews is cumulative and compounds over time - it doesn't really decay. Once you have 500 reviews you'll always have at least that many reviews. With an established positive star rating across a large base of reviews, it's also highly likely future reviews and ratings will follow a similar pattern, further strengthening the book's ability to convert. In a future post, we'll analyse some data to see how social proof relates to search visibility on Amazon, including examples where Top and Recent customer reviews have been impactful. But in the meantime, thinking about a keyword's place and ability to influence a sale in the search funnel, will help you to focus on which element of metadata to prioritize to maximize sales potential.
## BISG 2017 Annual Meeting - Rights, Metadata and Marketing Panel
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/bisg-2017-rights-metadata-marketing
Type: note
Description: A panel response on rights, metadata, marketing, and the infrastructure around book discovery.
Published: 2017-09-30T01:07:00.309Z
Updated: 2018-04-11T01:08:12.954Z
Tags: bisg, metadata, marketing, blockchain
Categories: COMMENTARY
I participated in a panel on "Rights, Metadata and Marketing" at the recent BISG 2017 Annual Meeting, held at the Harvard Club in New York City. Here are my responses to the questions I was asked:What is currently working for Kadaxis?Our approach combines machine learning techniques with a deep knowledge of Amazon search. We take a digital marketing approach to keyword creation by understanding how readers search for books. As a result, our publisher clients are experiencing success by using our keywords, and have seen how the right keywords can directly lead to an increase in search visibility. Creating keywords by hand isn't hard, creating keywords using algorithms also isn't particularly difficult, but creating keywords with an understanding of how a specific search engine (Amazon in our case) uses them can be challenging. This difference in platform optimization is key in creating keywords that have an impact. What trends do you see in rights, metadata, and marketing?A strong trend in moving away from the traditional gut instinct approach to around metadata content curation and marketing, to decisions backed by hard data. The most effective data engineering we've seen by publishers, are from those who iterate over metadata changes quickly, then use tools to measure the impact. As a result, their internal expertise and specialisation increases, leading to significant improvements to online visibility and sales. What's not working as well, or where would you like help? What are the persistent problems you think the industry needs to solve?Keywords have seen a significant increase in visibility for publishers this year, which has meant a significant increase in queries and interest in our service. But as with any new solution or technique, it's human nature to look for a silver bullet to solve a problem (in this case to boost search visibility and sales). Part of our engagement process for new clients is to set expectations that creating impactful keywords requires time and focus. While we can scale retail SEO expertise to work with tens of thousands of books at once, not every book will be boosted equally. Metadata optimization works best when using tools such as audience driven keyword analysis, but it can take iterating over the process to find what works best. A single metadata change is almost never the single piece of the puzzle for a meaningful increase in sales. Platform optimization is key here also - many companies in the space have come and gone, making the same mistakes of extracting keywords from the content of the book, ignoring the audience and not optimizing for a platform - for us we focus on Amazon search. Creating keywords from a body of text isn't technically challenging, but creating keywords that have a high probability of working on a specific platform is our goal, which can be at odds with a gut instinct approach to keyword optimization. We've also worked hard on helping to educate publishers on the importance of measuring keyword success - many publishers take the "set, forget and hope" approach to metadata optimization. Without a methodology in place to measure and understand how changes impact a book's performance, it's impossible to know if the changes made a difference or not, and how the process can be improve upon. How can BISG help in these areas? What should we be thinking about for 2018 and beyond?Publishers strengths have always been in identifying the content and creating a product that resonates with an audience. This is the traditional art, the skill that hasn't changed and I don't think it will or needs to. What has changed is how people find books - search and recommendation engines, social media, deals, and so forth. Audiences are reached using these newer systems through data and are the perfect target to apply data analysis techniques. The better data a publisher has about an audience - the better it can target them. Think about how other types of data might be shared and accessed and eventually monetized - beyond book metadata. The more you understand an audience, the more likely you are to reach them. Consider all the rich data about reader interests and behaviour that exists online - think book bloggers, email list owners, retailers, and so forth. If this data was captured and available to publishers in a standard format - data owners could monetize their data while publishers and other service providers could access powerful insight into audiences in a standard (potentially real-time) method at a low cost. Creating a standard around how this data might be shared would be powerful and create significant value for audience data owners and consumers. Ideally if such data were decentralized and made available on a blockchain, it could facilitate the next generation of market intelligence and discovery services in publishing. If you could ask the companies represented by the people assembled here today for help in one area, what might that be?Share with us how you're experimenting with data to understand who a readership is so we can understand and learn with you. Publishers often aren't given enough credit for being innovative. During my time in the industry, I've learnt an incredible amount from many smart publishers and always welcome the opportunity to understand how publishers are redefining marketing.
## Machine Learning and Bestseller Prediction: More Than Words Can Say
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/machine-learning-and-bestseller-prediction
Type: note
Description: Why book sales cannot be predicted by text alone, and what machine reading can and cannot explain.
Published: 2017-09-07T19:16:00.317Z
Updated: 2018-07-23T17:59:51.594Z
Tags: machine learning, publishers, publishing, metadata, bestsellers
Categories: COMMENTARY
There's been much recent conjecture on whether book sales can be predicted by text analysis alone. My company, Kadaxis, has dedicated the past few years to machine learning research and product development for the publishing industry. In our early days, we set out to build an algorithm to predict bestsellers, and tested it in the wild. In this post, I'll share my perspectives on why the text alone isn't enough. If You Publish It, Will They Come?To predict book sales, you need to account for the factors that influence book sales. The text of a book is core to the product, but many other factors, such as sales and marketing, influence whether a customer will discover and buy it. An algorithm predicting book sales using only the text as input will only work in a book market meritocracy, where the best-written books always sell the most copies. Author platform (brand awareness) is one such non-text factor that influences sales, as in the following examples:- The Cuckoo's Calling hits the top of Amazon's bestseller list only after Robert Galbraith is revealed to be J.K. Rowling.- Amy Schumer's memoir, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, hits the New York Times bestseller list in its first week-an improbable feat without her strong personal brand.- Dave Eggers publishes multiple books and receives several award nominations prior to releasing bestseller The Circle, and does so after having appeared on television numerous times. Even amongst well-discovered books, the relationship between reader satisfaction and sales volume can be tenuous. Consider Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Go Set a Watchman, books that have sold millions of copies each, but have achieved star ratings of 3.6 and 3.4 on Amazon, respectively-scores below the average indicator of satisfied readers. Many other factors might also influence book sales, such as the editorial process, cover design, marketing budget, seasonal trends and book metadata. A machine, just like a human, needs to consider which of these factors will make a book sell more, to make an accurate prediction. Machine ReadingAssume for a moment a linear relationship exists between reader satisfaction, discoverability and sales (i.e. the best written books are found the most often and sell the most copies). In this author's utopia, we can reliably predict sales volume directly from a book's text, as long as we can measure what's important to readers. As products go, books are nuanced and complex, and the reasons why they resonate with us are also complex (compared to, say, a toothbrush). How do we uniformly distill the unique traits of a book into data?This is, of course, where machine learning helps us. One approach, which is also the method used by the authors of the much-talked-about The Bestseller Code, is topic analysis (or latent Dirichlet allocation). This technique allows us to define a book in terms of how much of a topic it contains, such as "Homicide - 8.7 percent."Topic modeling gives us a good snapshot of the content of a book, and allows us to make apples-to-apples comparisons between them. It is also useful data to use as input to training a predictive algorithm. The Curse of DimensionalityOur machine reader might define thousands of topics for each book we're analyzing. While more data points might seem like a good thing, the more we add, the more books we need to read in order to make reliable predictions. If, for example, we had 2,500 different data points about a book, we'd likely need several tens of thousands of books to be confident our algorithm is accurate. Even 20,000 books (the data set used in The Bestseller Code) is likely far too few books, and puts us at risk of the curse of dimensionality.(A quick tech side-bar: even with cross-validation we're still likely overfitting our data, and hold-out is no guarantee against this, especially when using heavily unbalanced classes such as "bestsellers" for classification.)Too many data points, and not enough books, means our algorithm will probably find patterns to say whatever we want them to say. The patterns exist in the data, but they aren't representative of the real cause of what we're trying to predict. In the world of black-box trading systems, this phenomenon is well-known. So is there value in analyzing the intrinsic qualities of books such an algorithm might identify as selling well? It might be an interesting exercise, and the similarities the algorithm finds might make sense to a human observer. But you couldn't reliably conclude that those similarities were the reason the books both sold well. In a contrived example, we might conclude that books with a red cover, 250+ pages in length and featuring a dog instead of a cat, will sell more copies than those without. There is, of course, a simple way to prove the efficacy of any predictive model, and that is to apply it to new, unseen books before publication. Predicting What's ImportantEven with access to enough books in our author's utopia, we of course need a reliable metric to measure. Bestseller lists are a weak proxy for actual sales volume for many reasons, not least for the fact that they reflect "fast sellers," meaning a book on a list may sell less overall copies, over time, than a book that isn't. But rather than searching for a magic formula to help move more copies of a book, a more valuable and attainable goal is to solve for reader satisfaction. By tying together data about the content of a book, with data capturing a reader's reaction to it (beyond tracking where they stopped reading), we can begin to understand the true impact a book has on a particular audience and why. Armed with this insight, we can better match books to readers (recommendation systems) and books to markets. This article originally appeared on the DBW blog September 28, 2016
## How Do Keywords Impact Sales?
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/how-do-keywords-impact-sales
Type: note
Description: Why search visibility, sales history, and metadata quality reinforce each other over time.
Published: 2017-05-22T19:09:00.869Z
Updated: 2018-07-23T17:50:55.200Z
Tags: keywords, amazon keywords, amazon search, metadata, online sales, off-page keywords
Categories: RESEARCH
The question I receive most often from publishers is: "How do keywords impact sales?" While adding keywords to book metadata is considered best-practice, publishing businesses are naturally more interested in whether the practice will increase revenue. Keywords in this context are 'off-page' keywords, which are sent to retailers in an ONIX feed. Keywords aren't visible to customers, but are indexed directly by retailer search engines (such as on Amazon), and allow publishers to influence how readers find their books online. At Kadaxis, we've added keywords to thousands of books, on behalf of a wide variety of publishers, and while some titles have seen significant short-term sales improvement, in most cases, publishers observe an average overall increase across a portfolio of titles over time. In this post we'll cover the relationship between search traffic and sales, and outline how the title selection component of a keyword strategy can have an impact. Keywords Direct Online Shoppers To BooksWhen purchasing a book online, a customer, can take many paths in a session of book browsing. We've isolated one path for discussion. A typical path a customer might follow involves:Typing a search queryViewing a list of search resultsClicking on a bookViewing the book's product informationMaking a purchaseKeywords can assist at the start of this flow, by helping books to appear in search results more frequently. But getting customers from search result to purchase is dependent on their previous exposure to the book, product information and other factors. Readers need to discover a book three times before they're ready to buy, says Peter Hildick-Smith of the Codex Group, and ranking in search presents them with that option. But the final responsibility to sell the book sits with the book's product page. The stronger this page is the higher the likelihood of converting search traffic to sales. Some factors include and appealing title and cover, well-written descriptions, and positive customer reviews. A book with a bland, wordy description and a low count of negative reviews is unlikely to yield much return from adding keywords. Sales Leads to Discoverability Leads to SalesFrom a publisher's perspective, a keyword's core utility is to direct search traffic to books in the hope of selling more copies. If excellent, reader-focused keywords are assigned to a book, these keywords will only serve their function if the book appears in the search results of customers searching for books by those keywords. If the book doesn't rank for those keywords, they are of no value. So how do you determine whether a book will rank for its assigned keywords? The best predictor is sales. We consistently see a correlation between sales and the number of keywords a book ranks for: higher selling books also rank higher in search results. Generally, the more a book sells, and the more recently those sales occurred, the more discoverable it will be. It can be insightful to examine the intent of different search providers when understanding how search works. Ecommerce retailers, such as Amazon, use search to sell products, whereas search companies, like Google, use search to help people find content. The focus on selling in retailer search can strongly influence how discoverable books become. (See also: How do Amazon and Google use my book metadata in search?).For many reasons, products that have sold well in the past have a high chance of selling well in the future. Amazon exploits this phenomenon in search (and across their site), by boosting the visibility of higher selling books in an attempt to maximize sales. They understand that the odds of a sale are higher if a customer is presented with a popular item, so search results are reordered based on sales data (and other signals, such as page views and conversion rate). This means even the most well reasoned keywords might not have any impact for some books, but for others, they're afforded the opportunity to rank for disproportionately more search queries. Maximizing Return Through Title SelectionThe myriad factors influencing search visibility, conversion and buyer sentiment, make it challenging to determine which books will benefit most from keywords. But since the endeavor is relatively low cost compared to rewriting jacket copy or updating a cover, and the possible return is high, the most prudent strategy to maximize ROI is to add keywords to a number of high potential titles. Tying the concepts above together, this means selecting titles with:A high chance of converting: books with good publisher-provided metadata (to assist customers in their buying decision) and customer-created reviews and ratings (social proof).A high chance of ranking in search: typically books with a solid sales history, ideally performing above the competition, with recent sales valued more highly (or pre-promotion).Recurring ROITitles that respond positively from keywords will experience increased sales over time, while maintaining search visibility and accumulating social proof, criteria which positively reinforce each other. But this can take time to build, and the rate of improvement varies for different genres, audiences, titles, and is heavily influenced by the prevailing zeitgeist of the moment. It's not uncommon for titles to "tip" after several months of gradual improvement, which is why it's best to adopt a medium to long-term outlook for any keyword strategy. But once the right keywords take effect, the return can persist long after the keywords were put in place. As with most sound marketing strategies, keywords aren't a silver bullet to an overnight improvement in sales. But when applied strategically across a quality catalog, they can significantly impact discoverability, leading to an ongoing recurring increase in sales over time. This article originally appeared on the DBW blog May 22, 2017
## Who Uses the Keywords in Metadata?
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/who-uses-keywords-in-metadata
Type: note
Description: A look at how publishers and retailers were using ONIX keywords, and why Amazon was the outlier.
Published: 2017-03-04T20:00:00.703Z
Updated: 2018-07-23T17:49:10.834Z
Tags: keywords, publishing, publishers, metadata
Categories: RESEARCH
We often hear that keywords are important to help readers find and discover books. But what does that mean, and do keywords actually make a difference? In this post, we look at how keywords are used to search book websites (in particular, online booksellers), and their adoption by publishers. For this investigation, I had help from Pat Payton (Bowker) and Catherine Toolan (Firebrand). We set out to answer the following questions: Are publishers adding keywords to book metadata? Are they providing quality keywords? Do online booksellers use keywords in their search engines?In this post, "keywords" refer to consumer-oriented terms to describe a book that are added to an ONIX feed and sent to third parties. These terms aren't seen by the public and are primarily used for search indexing. Conversely, web search engines (such as Google) don't make use of ONIX keywords, but analyze the text of public webpages to create search indexes. As book content isn't public, search providers rely on metadata to help consumers locate books. Keywords Help Consumers Find BooksMost retailers solve the simple use cases of finding a book by title, author or category. Many searches, however, are comprised of natural language queries that describe different elements of a book, such as its setting, characters, theme or an emotional response to its content. Keywords were designed to fill this gap, by allowing people knowledgeable of the book to specify additional terms by which to find it. Books are multi-dimensional, complex products that are typically highly nuanced and represent multiple buy trigger points for different types of consumers. Books have much more depth than, say, a kettle or a toothbrush, and determining the best keywords is therefore proportionally complex. Note that extracting keywords from the book's text is a naive approach to solving this problem. The most effective keywords relate to a reader's experience with a book, and the language she uses to describe it. Are Publishers Adding Keywords to Their Books?Bowker analyzed the keywords added to ONIX files from roughly 150,000 publishers, which included reprint and self-publishing service providers to university presses, trade, school and audio publishers. Of these publishers, about 23,000 (15.3 percent) had added keywords to at least one book. And of these, smaller publishers (less than 100 titles) typically had a higher percentage of keyword coverage than did larger publishers. Over the past 10 years, though, publishers have increased the number of titles with keywords from approximately 25,000 to approximately 114,000, in 2015. But this number is still a very small proportion of all books available. How Sophisticated Are Publishers' Efforts to Choose and Maintain Keywords?While keywords have been part of the ONIX standard for many years, they definitely rose in importance around 2013. As publishers had whole backlists without keywords, obtaining coverage was (and still is) a resource-intensive task. In order to achieve high coverage of keywords across a catalog, many publishers undertook a stopgap approach, adding other metadata to keywords (from title/subtitle, subject codes, contributors, product format, and audience), which are already available to search providers, and therefore are unlikely to help with search visibility. To improve keyword quality and to recommend against practices such as keyword stuffing, the Book Industry Standard Group (BISG) published the "Best Practices for Keywords in Metadata," in 2014, to guide publishers on choosing effective keywords. Keyword quality is still low today, though. One example from Bowker shows the use of the keyword "audiobook" (relating to form, not content) in just about 12,000 of the approximately 114,000 titles sampled from 2015. Do Online Retailers Use Keywords?Every book search implementation is proprietary, so the exact use of keywords is generally not public knowledge. It is possible, however, to determine whether keywords, when used as search queries, return the books they're associated with in ONIX.Kadaxis tested 13 websites that consume ONIX and provide book search, and found that only Amazon showed books returned in search results for keywords attributed to the book in ONIX.Keywords are central to Amazon's search capability across all its product lines. The site receives keywords of wildly varying quality from a huge number of product suppliers (from individuals to large companies), which means its capability for filtering, cleaning and incorporating keywords into a search index and mapping these to consumer search queries is sophisticated. As the quality of keywords provided by publishers is generally low, it is a challenging endeavor for other websites, without this history and experience, to use the data as extensively. Are Keywords Worth the Investment?From the research above, Amazon is the only online bookseller making use of keywords today. If increasing sales of books on Amazon is important, then investing in keywords may be worthwhile. As most publishers aren't adding keywords to their titles (and of those that are, the quality is typically low), there also appears to be a window of opportunity in which publishers can gain a ranking advantage in Amazon's search by adding keywords to titles. ConclusionWhile some publishers (see here and here) are quietly providing effective, consumer-oriented keywords, most aren't investing significant resources. But doing so might represent a low cost, low risk investment for a potentially strong, recurring return. At least until a better solution is created, that takes the onus of keyword curation away from publishers. Additional thanks to Chris Saynor from OnixSuite. This article originally appeared on the DBW blog March 4, 2016
## What are off-page keywords?
URL: https://kadaxis.com/notes/what-are-off-page-keywords
Type: note
Description: An evergreen definition of off-page keywords and how retailer search engines use them.
Published: 2015-09-30T20:38:00.607Z
Updated: 2018-07-23T17:47:25.076Z
Tags: off-page keywords, metadata, amazon search, books, publishing
Categories: FOUNDATIONS
In the world of publishing metadata, when we talk about keywords, we're talking about structured off-page keywords, often sent in an ONIX file, from a publisher to a retailer like Amazon. The retailer indexes the keywords and matches them against customer search queries, in order to display relevant books to them. Keywords are made up of phrases used to describe a book and their purpose is to give a search engine clues about how to show a book to consumers. We call them "off-page", because the retailer uses them directly, and doesn't show them to customers, like they do with other book metadata such as the title or description. Web search engines, such as Google, determine what content such as a web page is about, and also how people might search for the content. Off-page keywords put this burden on publishers, who have the complex task of trying to understand how readers might search, then how a search engine will use the provided keywords. A typical book search engine, that reads ONIX, will index various metadata fields, like the title, author, categories and so forth, data who's primary purpose is to inform consumers about the book - it's public data. It needs to be appealing and be constructed in a way that is optimized for a search engine to work with. Conversely, the primary purpose of off-page keywords is to directly inform a search engine how to match a book against search queries. The intended audience is a machine, and the data is hidden from consumers - it is "off" the product "page". This private nature gives publishers a lot of freedom to test and experiment. Here's an official, dry, textbook definition of keywords in publishing:"Keywords are words or phrases to describe the theme or content of a book. They are assigned by the metadata creator to supplement title, author, description or other consumer facing data."While accurate, it leaves out the motivation behind why we use keywords at all. On the surface, keywords are just a metadata element. But used properly, they can be a powerful discovery mechanism to capture a reader's experience with a book, in a way that facilitates sharing that experience with others. Creating effective keywords is an exercise in studying reader psychology and linguistics, requiring empathy and insight into how people communicate about books with each other. If you're able to think and talk like your audience, you're more likely to reach them. Keywords are used to sell all kinds of products online, but creating them is probably toughest for publishers, as books are far more complex and subjectively experienced than other products, like toothbrushes or hair dryers. So figuring out which elements to express can be challenging. How do search engines use keywords?Search engines are just computer programs written to find information for us. We type a query, and the engine thumbs through large swathes metadata to decide what books to display. The richer the metadata, the more search queries the book might match to. A book with only basic metadata (title and author and so forth) will show up in fewer search results than the same book with 100 or even 50 good keywords. Every keyword you add is an opportunity to widen the search funnel, letting you suggest to the search engine another way consumers can find your book. Most books are sold online, and most people find books through search (per Amazon). If you can improve a book's visibility in search, you improve it's likelihood of selling more copies. A recent study by Recode, a tech news website, found that more shoppers begin their product search on Amazon (55%) than Google (28%).
## Keywords for Career Change Book
URL: https://kadaxis.com/keywords-career-change-book
Type: page
Description: Kadaxis uses data science to improve book discovery across the publishing value chain. Our flagship Keyword Analysis product improves the visibility of books in retailer search.
Keywords for a book on career changeThis book targets people who are re-evaluating their careers. It provides advice on self-assessment of values and how those values should guide career choices. The book challenges people to qualities about a job they may have typically overlooked. It targets readers who are starting out in their career, or are considering a career change later in life. The existing Amazon browse node categories for this book were:Business & Money \ Job Hunting & Careers \ GuidesSpecialty Boutique \ New, Used & Rental Textbooks \ Business & FinanceAfter analysis of the books description, categories, customer reviews and other competing books in its categories. Our team came up with the keywords listed below. The author is able to cycle through these keywords to determine the combination that best resonates with their audience. Keywords:branding yourselfcareer advicecareer assessmentcareer burnoutcareer changecareer change bookscareer choicescareer coachingcareer counselingcareer development and planningcareer guidance and counselingcareer helpcareer journeycareer optionscareer pathcareer planning strategiescareer searchcareer self helpcareer transitioncareers over 50coach yourselfhate your jobidentify your strengthsidentify yourselfjob coachingjob developmentjob hunting and careersjob interviewingjob searchingmidlife career changenew joboccupations and careerspassion in workquality of work lifesuccess at workwork life integration
## Keywords for New Adult Romance Book
URL: https://kadaxis.com/keywords-for-new-adult-romance-book
Type: page
Description: Kadaxis uses data science to improve book discovery across the publishing value chain. Our flagship Keyword Analysis product improves the visibility of books in retailer search.
Keywords for New Adult Romance NovelThis book was targeted at the developing 'New Adult' fiction genre. The story can best be described as romance, with elements of erotica. It's set in New York, amidst a backdrop of nightlife and celebrities. This archived example shows how genre-specific reader language can inform book metadata and discovery strategy. The Kadaxis team researched the book's audience, genre, reviews and metadata, and created the keywords listed below, from our extensive book keyword database. Note that certain keywords qualified the book for special Amazon subcategories, providing increased exposure for the book. These categories are:Romance/Romantic ComedyLiterary Fiction Themes/Love StoriesWomen's Fiction Themes/Career & Workplace, Romantic Themes/WorkplaceRomance/New Adult & CollegeKeywords:adult romance with sexadventure romance and comedybeach readschick novelschick litcontemporary romance and sexadult romance with sexexplicit romancehot and steamylove and romanceloveswept contemporary romanceloveswept romancemodern romance novelsnew adult contemporary romancenew adult erotic romancenew adult romancenew adult romantic suspensenew adult romance with sexnew york fictionnew york noveloffice romanceromance and sexromance with sexset in new yorksex new yorksexy romancesteamy sex storiessuspense and romancesweet but sexyMore Book Keyword Resources How Amazon search really works (and how this helps you sell more books) How a keyword sells a book on Amazon What are off-page keywords? Measuring keyword effectiveness on Amazon How do keywords impact sales? Who uses the keywords in metadata? How do Amazon and Google use my book metadata in search?
## Book Keywords
URL: https://kadaxis.com/keywords/book-keywords
Type: page
Description: Archived Kadaxis guidance on book keyword research and Amazon discovery strategy.
Book KeywordsEffective book keywords are grounded in the language readers actually use when searching, browsing, and describing books. This old self-service checkout is no longer active, so this URL is preserved as an archive and reference page. The original page offered a fixed-price keyword package for individual books. That checkout is no longer active, but the underlying keyword strategy remains useful for metadata and advertising decisions. Kadaxis now applies these methods at publisher and catalog scale. Related resourcesKeywordsMeasuring keyword effectiveness on AmazonHow a keyword sells a book on AmazonFor current publisher discovery and metadata work, contact Kadaxis.