amazon-category-research
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ChineseAmazon Category Research
Amazon KDP分类研究
Select the right 3 Amazon categories for your book. This is a one-time, high-stakes decision—categories can't easily be changed after publishing, and 27% of KDP categories are "ghost categories" that don't actually work.
为你的图书选择合适的3个Amazon KDP分类。这是一次高风险的一次性决策——图书出版后分类无法轻易更改，且27%的KDP分类是毫无作用的「幽灵分类」。
Purpose
目的
Answer one question: Which 3 categories should this book be in?
This skill does NOT cover keywords (separate skill) or book descriptions (separate skill). Just categories.
回答一个问题：我的图书应该选择哪3个分类？
本技能不涉及关键词研究（有单独的技能）或图书描述撰写（有单独的技能），仅专注于分类选择。
When to Use This Skill
适用场景
- "Which categories should I choose for my book?"
- "I'm publishing on KDP and need to pick categories"
- "Is [category name] a good category?"
- "How do I become a bestseller on Amazon?"
- "What categories are my competitors in?"
Not for: Keyword research, book description writing, cover design, or pricing strategy.
- "我的图书应该选择哪些分类？"
- "我要在KDP上出版图书，需要挑选分类"
- "「某分类名称」是个好选择吗？"
- "如何在Amazon上成为畅销书？"
- "我的竞品都在哪些分类里？"
不适用场景： 关键词研究、图书描述撰写、封面设计或定价策略。
The 4-Step Method
四步研究法
Step 1: Find Comp Titles
步骤1：找到竞品图书
Identify 5-10 books similar to yours that are selling well.
How to find them:
- Search Amazon for your topic
- Look for books with 50+ reviews and BSR under 100,000
- Note the ASIN (10-character ID starting with B) for each
What makes a good comp:
- Similar topic/genre to your book
- Published in last 2-3 years
- Actively selling (BSR under 100,000)
找出5-10本与你的图书主题相似且销量不错的图书。
查找方法：
- 在Amazon上搜索你的图书主题
- 筛选评论数50+且BSR低于100,000的图书
- 记录每本图书的ASIN（以B开头的10位字符ID）
优质竞品的标准：
- 与你的图书主题/类型相似
- 近2-3年内出版
- 正在热销（BSR低于100,000）
Step 2: Extract Their Categories
步骤2：提取竞品的分类
Use BKLNK (free tool) to see all categories for each comp title.
Process:
- Go to bklnk.com
- Enter the ASIN
- See all categories the book is listed in
- Note which categories appear across multiple comps
What you're looking for:
- Categories that multiple successful comps share
- Specific subcategories (not just "Fiction" or "Non-Fiction")
- Categories that actually have bestseller rankings
使用BKLNK（免费工具）查看每本竞品图书的所有分类。
操作流程：
- 访问bklnk.com
- 输入ASIN
- 查看该图书所归属的所有分类
- 记录多个竞品共同归属的分类
重点关注：
- 多个成功竞品共同归属的分类
- 具体的子分类（而非仅「虚构类」或「非虚构类」）
- 有畅销书排名的分类
Step 3: Analyze BSR for Each Category
步骤3：分析每个分类的BSR
For each candidate category, check the competition level.
How to check:
- Go to Amazon's category page
- Note the BSR of the #1 book
- Note the BSR of the #20 book
- Use the BSR calculator:
scripts/bsr_to_sales.py
Competition levels:
| #1 Book BSR | Level | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| < 500 | Very High | Hard to crack |
| 500-5,000 | High | Needs strong launch |
| 5,000-10,000 | Medium | Achievable |
| 10,000-50,000 | Low | Good opportunity |
| > 50,000 | Very Low | Easy, but low traffic |
针对每个候选分类，分析其竞争程度。
查看方法：
- 进入Amazon的分类页面
- 记录排名第1的图书的BSR
- 记录排名第20的图书的BSR
- 使用这个BSR计算器
scripts/bsr_to_sales.py
竞争程度分级：
| 排名第1的图书BSR | 竞争等级 | 说明 |
|---|---|---|
| < 500 | 极高 | 难以突围 |
| 500-5,000 | 高 | 需要强力的发布推广 |
| 5,000-10,000 | 中等 | 可实现突围 |
| 10,000-50,000 | 低 | 良好的机会 |
| > 50,000 | 极低 | 容易突围，但流量少 |
Step 4: Apply the Portfolio Strategy
步骤4：应用组合策略
Select 3 categories with different competition levels:
| Slot | Target | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Niche | BSR #1 > 10,000 | Easy bestseller badge at launch |
| 2. Mid-range | BSR #1 = 5,000-10,000 | Steady visibility |
| 3. Growth | BSR #1 < 5,000 | Upside if book takes off |
Why this works:
- Slot 1 gives you a quick win (bestseller badge = social proof)
- Slot 2 provides consistent discoverability
- Slot 3 positions you for growth
选择3个不同竞争程度的分类：
| 分类位置 | 目标 | 目的 |
|---|---|---|
| 1. 细分 niche | BSR排名第1 > 10,000 | 发布时轻松获得畅销书徽章 |
| 2. 中阶 mid-range | BSR排名第1 = 5,000-10,000 | 稳定的曝光度 |
| 3. 增长型 growth | BSR排名第1 < 5,000 | 若图书爆火可获得上升空间 |
为什么该策略有效：
- 位置1能让你快速取得胜利（畅销书徽章 = 社交证明）
- 位置2提供持续的曝光
- 位置3为你预留增长空间
Critical Warning: Ghost Categories
重要警告：幽灵分类
27% of KDP categories are "ghost categories" that:
- Have no category page on Amazon
- Can't earn bestseller badges
- Provide zero discoverability
Before selecting ANY category:
- Search Amazon for that category
- Click through to verify the page exists
- Confirm books in that category have bestseller badges
If you can't find a real category page: DO NOT SELECT IT.
See for details on identification.
references/ghost-categories.md27%的KDP分类是「幽灵分类」，这类分类：
- 在Amazon上没有对应的分类页面
- 无法获得畅销书徽章
- 无法带来任何曝光
选择任何分类前，请务必：
- 在Amazon上搜索该分类
- 点击进入以确认页面存在
- 确认该分类下的图书有畅销书徽章
如果你找不到真实的分类页面：请勿选择该分类。
如需了解识别细节，请查看。
references/ghost-categories.mdTools
工具列表
| Tool | Cost | Use |
|---|---|---|
| BKLNK | Free | See any book's categories by ASIN |
| Kindlepreneur BSR Calculator | Free | Convert BSR to daily sales |
| Free | Local BSR calculator |
| Publisher Rocket | $199-299 | Automated category research + ghost detection |
| KDSPY | $79 | Browser extension for BSR data |
| 工具 | 费用 | 用途 |
|---|---|---|
| BKLNK | 免费 | 通过ASIN查看任意图书的分类 |
| Kindlepreneur BSR Calculator | 免费 | 将BSR转换为日销量 |
| 免费 | 本地BSR计算器 |
| Publisher Rocket | $199-299 | 自动化分类研究 + 幽灵分类检测 |
| KDSPY | $79 | 用于获取BSR数据的浏览器扩展 |
Reality Check: The Free Path Requires Manual Work
现实情况：免费方案需要手动操作
BSR data is not easily scraped. Amazon pages are JavaScript-rendered and don't yield BSR numbers to automated tools.
The free workflow:
- Find comp titles via Amazon search (works)
- Extract categories via BKLNK (works)
- Get BSR numbers → Must visit each Amazon product page manually, scroll to "Product Details," and note the BSR
- Convert BSR to sales via calculator (works)
The paid workflow:
- Publisher Rocket ($199-299 one-time) automates steps 2-4 AND detects ghost categories
- KDSPY ($79 one-time) adds BSR overlay to Amazon pages as you browse
Recommendation: For a single book, the free path is fine (budget 1-2 hours). For multiple books or ongoing publishing, Publisher Rocket pays for itself in time saved.
BSR数据无法轻易爬取。Amazon页面采用JavaScript渲染，自动化工具无法直接获取BSR数值。
免费工作流：
- 通过Amazon搜索找到竞品图书（可行）
- 通过BKLNK提取分类（可行）
- 获取BSR数值 → 必须手动访问每个Amazon商品页面，滚动到「商品详情」部分并记录BSR
- 通过计算器将BSR转换为销量（可行）
付费工作流：
- Publisher Rocket（一次性付费$199-299）可自动化步骤2-4，还能检测幽灵分类
- KDSPY（一次性付费$79）可在你浏览Amazon页面时叠加显示BSR数据
建议： 若仅出版单本图书，免费方案足够（需预留1-2小时）。若出版多本图书或持续出版，Publisher Rocket能为你节省大量时间，物有所值。
Quick Reference: Research Template
快速参考：研究模板
Copy and fill in for your book:
assets/research-spreadsheet.csv| Category Path | BSR #1 | BSR #20 | Ghost? | Competition | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Fill in] |
复制并为你的图书填写内容：
assets/research-spreadsheet.csv| 分类路径 | BSR排名第1 | BSR排名第20 | 是否为幽灵分类？ | 竞争程度 | 备注 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [填写内容] |
Example: Applying the Method
示例：方法应用
Book: A guide to Christian fasting practices
Step 1 - Comp titles:
- "Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin (ASIN: B001ANSS7U)
- "The Fasting Edge" by Jentezen Franklin
- "A Hunger for God" by John Piper
- "Atomic Power of Prayer and Fasting" by Cindy Trimm
Step 2 - Categories extracted via BKLNK:
- Religion & Spirituality > Christian Living > Spiritual Growth
- Religion & Spirituality > Christian Living > Prayer
- Health, Fitness & Dieting > Diets > Fasting
Step 3 - BSR analysis:
- Spiritual Growth: #1 BSR = 3,500 (High competition)
- Prayer: #1 BSR = 8,000 (Medium)
- Fasting (Health): #1 BSR = 15,000 (Low)
Step 4 - Selection:
- Niche: Health > Diets > Fasting (easy badge)
- Mid: Christian Living > Prayer (steady)
- Growth: Christian Living > Spiritual Growth (upside)
图书： 基督教禁食实践指南
步骤1 - 竞品图书：
- 《Fasting》 by Jentezen Franklin（ASIN: B001ANSS7U）
- 《The Fasting Edge》 by Jentezen Franklin
- 《A Hunger for God》 by John Piper
- 《Atomic Power of Prayer and Fasting》 by Cindy Trimm
步骤2 - 通过BKLNK提取的分类：
- 宗教与灵性 > 基督教生活 > 灵性成长
- 宗教与灵性 > 基督教生活 > 祷告
- 健康、健身与节食 > 节食 > 禁食
步骤3 - BSR分析：
- 灵性成长：排名第1的BSR = 3,500（高竞争）
- 祷告：排名第1的BSR = 8,000（中等竞争）
- 禁食（健康类）：排名第1的BSR = 15,000（低竞争）
步骤4 - 分类选择：
- 细分分类： 健康 > 节食 > 禁食（轻松获得徽章）
- 中阶分类： 基督教生活 > 祷告（稳定曝光）
- 增长型分类： 基督教生活 > 灵性成长（预留上升空间）
Bundled Resources
相关技能
- - What BSR numbers mean for sales
references/bsr-thresholds.md - - How to identify and avoid ghost categories
references/ghost-categories.md - - 8+ real case studies with results
references/category-examples.md - - Convert BSR to daily sales estimates
scripts/bsr_to_sales.py - - Template for tracking research
assets/research-spreadsheet.csv
- kdp-keyword-optimizer - 优化7个后端关键词位
- book-description-writer - 撰写高转化率的图书描述
- kdp-launch-checklist - 出版前验证清单
分类选择是一项战略决策。3个名额，27%的幽灵分类，一旦选择无法更改。请在出版前做好充分研究。
Common Mistakes
—
- Selecting broad categories - "Fiction" or "Non-Fiction" = drowning in competition
- Not verifying for ghosts - Trust the KDP dropdown at your peril
- All eggs in one basket - Using all 3 slots on similar categories
- Ignoring comp research - Guessing instead of following proven paths
- Set and forget - Categories that worked last year may be saturated now
—
Related Skills
—
- kdp-keyword-optimizer - Optimize the 7 backend keyword slots
- book-description-writer - Write conversion-optimized descriptions
- kdp-launch-checklist - Pre-publish validation
Category selection is a strategic decision. 3 slots, 27% ghosts, permanent choice. Research before you publish.
—