Authors worldwide understand the importance of including Amazon.com in their book distribution plans, as it continues to be the world’s largest online retailer of books. What many authors are unaware of are the additional platforms and free tools Amazon offers to help optimize book pages and improve a book’s discoverability. One of these powerful tools is Amazon Author Central. If you’re not already using this valuable platform as a part of your book marketing strategy, we encourage you to keep reading to learn how to get started and utilize all it has to offer.
Developed by Amazon for authors, Author Central is an online platform that allows authors to manage their public profiles and connect with their readers directly. It is designed to give authors control over how their books are presented on Amazon.com and help them engage with their audience in a more personalized way. Essentially, it’s a one-stop hub for managing an author’s presence on Amazon.
Through an Amazon Author Central account, authors can:
A compelling biography: In your author bio, you’ll want to highlight your background, writing style, and any interesting, personal details you want readers to know. Be sure to mention awards, accomplishments, and other important achievements relevant to you as an author. When you use keywords related to your book genre and themes, it will help improve search visibility both on Amazon and on external search engines. You can also include information such as your website URL and social media handles, but they won’t be clickable links due to Amazon’s guidelines
A professional author photo or logo: You’ll want to upload a high-quality, professional headshot to your profile page. This adds credibility and a personal touch to your profile. If you are publishing under an imprint name or a pen name and don’t wish to upload a headshot, you can upload a professionally designed logo instead.
The author profile page is what potential readers see when they click your name under your book’s title on your book page. If you see an author’s or publisher’s name that isn’t clickable, it means they haven’t claimed their author profile page in Amazon Author Central.
By claiming your Amazon Author Central profile and utilizing these features, your books are grouped under a single, cohesive author page. This means when readers search for your name or browse your books they will find all of your work in one place. Additionally, having an Author Central profile allows Amazon’s algorithms to better understand your work and recommend it to the right readers. This can lead to increased visibility, higher sales, and improved book recommendations.
Anyone with a book listed on Amazon.com can sign up for an Author Central account. Even contributors such as illustrators and editors can sign up if they are listed by the author as contributors to a published book. To sign in and claim your Amazon Author Central profile, please follow these steps:
Amazon Author Central is an essential tool for authors looking to build a stronger online presence, connect with readers, and manage their brand on Amazon.com. Once you’ve set up your account and claim your author page and books, you’ll want to take advantage of these additional features to optimize your presence on Amazon:
Multiple author pages under one account: Author Central allows account holders to create up to three different author profile pages. So, if you write under more than one pen name, you can manage these pages under the same account.
Request a custom URL for your author profile page: The default URL that Amazon assigns to your author profile page is long and unsightly. You can request a shortened version with your author name at the end so you can share it and more easily send potential readers to your profile page.
Look Inside the Book tool: Also known as the “Read Sample” tool, this feature allows potential readers to see around ten percent of your book. If you published your book through Amazon KDP, your book page will automatically include this feature. If you published outside of Amazon, you will need to contact Amazon through Author Central and request this feature be added to your book page.
Country-specific author profile pages: Author Central author pages are also available for several of Amazon’s country-specific websites. Not all the features are available in every marketplace and you may need to get your profile information translated, but it a cost-effective way to connect with potential readers in foreign countries.
Book recommendations: This is a newer section on the author profile page that allows authors to share book recommendations from their own portfolio of work, and book recommendations from the work of other authors.
In a world where readers are increasingly turning to Amazon.com for their book-buying needs, claiming your Author Central profile is not just a good idea—it’s a necessary step toward long-term success as an author. By claiming your profile and making the most of its features, you can gain control over how your books are presented, improve your visibility, and form stronger connections with potential readers.
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