Description length and content

Include a rich, detailed product description to improve search engine optimization, maximize sales, and ensure the best possible consumer experience. (Marketing Insights assesses the length, structure, and formatting of your book description, but we do not analyze keyword usage or the quality of the content itself.)

Best Practices & Guidelines

Your book description should be at least 150 words long and up to a maximum of 4,000 characters (including HTML markup). Rich information about the book will help buyers make an informed purchasing decision. Typically, the more detail you can provide the better.

You want to describe the book in the ways in which readers think about and talk about books and aligned with how likely buyers might be looking for it. Include details about the content and themes of the book, relevant information about the author, and other attributes that your potential audience cares about.

• Genres, subjects, topics, and themes
  What is the book about? Describe the book in simple, straightforward, and consumer-friendly terms.
• Important people or characters, series, institutions, and media properties
  Who or what matters in the book? Include the important people and/or other “entities” (real or fictional) that the book is about or directly related to.
• Locales, time periods, and historical eras
  When and where is the book set? Name any places or time periods important to the book.
• Audience or age-appropriateness in prose
  Who is it for? Include recommended age/grade range and/or leveling information and other audience guidance in the descriptive copy.
• Key selling points specific to edition
  What sets this edition apart? Describe the format of the book (particularly relevant for highly designed/illustrated titles). Detail any special features.
• Bestseller history, critical reception, and awards
  How was the book received? Update copy after release to include any notable items.
• Contributors’ other titles, series, awards
  What else has the author done? Mention other important works and accolades (for books or other work closely related to the topic of the book).
• Adjacent people, organizations, experience, media properties, and other connections
  Any other relevant context? Describe any other important people and properties that have to do with the title or the author, including important background experience or relationships.

Further Reading

• Identifying and using consumer keywords, topics, and phrases
• Structuring and formatting your description
• Writing a book description that sells