Research - Write & Sell Erotica

Alright, friends, buckle up because today I'm sharing everything I've painfully learned about keywords and metadata while trying to make my erotica books actually sell. Honestly, when I first started on Amazon KDP, I thought throwing in a catchy title with a bit of spice would do the trick. Turns out—nope! Metadata, particularly keywords, can make or break your book's visibility. It's like the secret sauce to getting your work noticed. I've made the mistakes (oh man, have I made the mistakes), so you don't have to. Here it is, my step-by-step guide to nailing everything from keyword slots to writing irresistibly marketable book descriptions. Why Keywords Matter (Seriously, They're Life-Changing) Here's what I've learned the hard way—keywords aren't just some random techy nonsense you add. They're like a GPS that helps readers find your book amidst 500 shades of other options. For erotica, this is especially important because your audience is niching down hard. Billionaire romances? Workplace scandals? Paranormal alphas? People search for exactly what they want. If your book isn't optimised for those searches, it's game over. Metadata, which includes your title, subtitle, keywords, and description, works together to tickle Amazon's algorithms just enough to push your book in front of the right readers. The goal? Sell more, work less. Sounds good, right? How to Create Scroll-Stopping Book Titles Okay, confession time. For my first book, I named it something daft and literary-esque like "The Lady of Orford Hall." Bad move. It screamed "boring" and blended into the ocean of forgotten titles. After way too much trial and error, here's what actually works. What Makes a Great Title Use emotionally charged words that slap the reader across the face (in a good way). Think "forbidden," "seductive," or "dark." Be specific as hell. Instead of "Untamed Passion," try something like "Untamed Passion with My Alpha Boss." Keep it short and punchy. Long titles can be a scroll-killer. Examples That Work "Billionaire's Dark Temptation" "Howl at Midnight" (for all my shifter fans out there) "His Forbidden Innocence" 💡 Pro tip: Play around in Amazon's search bar and see what autofills—you'll likely corral some ideas for what people are actually hunting for. Subtitles Are Your Secret Weapon Subtitles have saved me more than once. They're like a sneaky second chance to scream, "HEY, LOOK AT MY BOOK!" Subtitles support your title by giving extra context and sneaking in bonus keywords. This is metadata gold, my friends. Winning Subtitle Examples "Billionaire's Dark Temptation: A Steamy Office Romance" "Howl at Midnight: A Reverse Harem Alpha Wolf Story" Notice how they hit all the juicy tropes people are constantly searching? Subtitles are your moment to flex your knowledge of your audience. If it's hareem, second-chance, or some other hot trend, drop those keywords in. Titles Are Great, But Descriptions Sell the Dream I don't care how catching your title is—if your description sucks, they won't buy it. End of. This is where you reel them in and make them click that lovely orange button. The blueprint I swear by now: Start with a bold hook. Think one line that gives emotional whiplash (the good kind). "When I took a job as his assistant, I never imagined I'd be working under him… in more ways than one." Explain the stakes. "She has everything to lose. He has nothing to give… except obsession." End with a cliffhanger. "Will their passion destroy them or make them whole?" ⚡ Hot tip: Work keywords in subtly; don't batter readers over the head with them. No one wants to read a description stuffed like an SEO sausage roll. If you are really stuck on your description, check out my Book Description Generator to get you started. Those 7 Keyword Slots on KDP? Use Them Wisely Here's the deal with Amazon's keyword slots—they're valuable, and you only get seven, so don't waste them. When I started, I kept repeating words already in my title or keywords that were suuuuper broad like "romance" (as if that'll cut through the millions of books on Amazon). Now I break my slots down like this: Slot 1 → Main trope or theme like "steamy billionaire office romance." Slot 2 → Secondary theme like "lesbian age gap." Slot 3 → Emotional appeals like "forbidden dark love." Slot 4 → Niche modifiers like "erotica shifter novella." Slots 5-7 → Mix in variations (e.g., plural forms, synonyms). 🚨 Keyword Don'ts: Don't use already obvious ones, like "romantic fiction." Pointless. You will be adding your book to relevant categories anyway. Don't guess! Use tools like Publisher Rocket or just test keywords in Amazon's search bar to confirm they're being searched. Time to Pimp Your Author Page Ah, Author Central. I truly underestimated how important this was in building trust with readers. Your bio? It's searchable too! Make sure to sprinkle in some keywords but keep your personality upfront. For example, my bio went from "Jane Smith writes romance novels" (yawn) to: "Jane Smith, bestselling author of dark paranormal erotica, creates worlds where passion knows no bounds—and neither do her fearless heroines." And don't even get me started on the A+ Content option (yes, it's free!). Add all the juicy visuals, extra plot teasers, or behind-the-scenes looks you can muster. Evaluating and Updating Metadata (This Part Changed My Life) Here's the thing—they don't tell you that you should revisit your metadata like you would your TikTok feed. Your book isn't static! Metadata needs constant love and tweaking. How I Built My New Routine: Check Sales and Traffic Reports on Amazon regularly. This will show you which keywords are performing and which are dead weight. Adjust for seasons or trends. Is it Christmas? Add keywords like "sexy festive romance." Is everyone screaming about spicy fae kings on BookTok? You get the idea. Don't forget your blurb! Update it to reflect new keywords or trends. 💡 Pro Tip: Third-party tools like SellerSprite can make tracking things much easier if you're like me (aka glued to too many tabs already). One Final Note… If there's one thing I've learned (besides that "keywords" will haunt my dreams), it's this—metadata isn't intimidating once you break it down. It's just a matter of making Amazon's search system fall a little bit in love with your book. And once that happens? The sales start rolling in. If you need help getting started with keywords, check out my how-to on using DS Amazon Quickview, a nifty little plugin that will do a lot of the hard work for you. If you are eager to get into the nitty-gritty of your book's title and description, head over to my guide on Crafting Killer Descriptions and Titles for Erotica Authors.