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Optimize Your Amazon Author Central Page in 10 Steps

by | Jan 21, 2025 | Book Marketing Basics

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Stepping into the Amazon marketplace as an author is like opening your very own storefront in the world’s largest online bookstore. And your Amazon Author Central page is your secret weapon—a free and powerful tool designed to help you optimize your presence, attract more readers, and build a brand that gets noticed.

With Amazon Author pages receiving over 2 million hits each year, they’re an unparalleled opportunity to showcase your books and connect with readers.

Surprisingly though, I talk to many authors who have never taken advantage of this free Amazon feature – or if they have, they haven’t done a lot with it.

Simply having an author page isn’t enough. To truly stand out, you need to make the most of the tools Amazon provides. In this post, I’ll walk you through 10 essential steps to optimize your Amazon Author Central page and position your brand for success.

Let’s dive in!

What Is Amazon Author Central?

If you aren’t familiar with Author Central, this is a good place to start.

Amazon Author Central is a platform where authors can create a profile to represent their books and brand. It’s your hub for managing how you appear on Amazon, from uploading a professional bio and photos to tracking sales and reviews. Once set up, your Author Page becomes a clickable link on all your book listings, giving readers a one-stop shop to learn about you and explore your catalog.

An optimized Author Page can:

  • Increase your visibility.
  • Help readers connect with your books and your brand.
  • Make it easier for fans to find all your books in one place.

Step 1: Create Your Amazon Author Central Account

If you’ve already published on Amazon you already have an Author Central page, whether you’ve grabbed it or not. Whereas Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) is the publishing side of Amazon, Author Central (and Amazon Ads) are the marketing side of Amazon.

Here’s how to get started:

  1. Visit Amazon Author Central.
  2. Sign in with your Amazon or KDP account credentials.
  3. Follow the prompts to verify your books and set up your profile.

Step 2: Upload a Professional Photo

Your photo is often the first thing readers notice. Choose a clear, professional-looking image or a logo that aligns with your genre and author brand. Keep it clean, uncluttered, and approachable. And yes, an author photo is a must – don’t be a grey box on Amazon!

Step 3: Write an Engaging Bio

Your bio is your chance to connect with readers on a personal level. Include:

  • Why you write in your genre
  • A fun or quirky fact about yourself
  • Relevant background or expertise
  • An invitation to follow you on Amazon and your social media channels

Pro Tip: Your bio isn’t static! It can be updated to reflect new things that are going on related to your brand. For example awards you’ve won, new releases, etc.

Step 4: Add All Versions of Your Books

Make sure every edition of your book—print, digital, and audio—is linked to your Author Page. This makes it easy for readers to find and purchase the format they prefer. It’s also a great way to gather all of your books under one “umbrella.”

Step 5: Customize Your Author Page URL

Amazon lets you create a custom URL for your Author Page – which I highly recommend! You can see mine, here: https://amazon.com/author/therealbookgal .

You can use this link in your marketing materials, social media bios, and newsletters to direct readers to your books.

Step 6: Use All the Sections Provided

Amazon gives you a great opportunity to add Editorial and Customer Reviews, with that you can:

  • Add editorial reviews
  • Feature standout customer reviews
  • Use bold or italic formatting to draw attention to key phrases

But beyond the reviews sections, there is also a space for “Inside the Front Cover” and “From the Author” which can be used in a variety of creative ways. Like including your author interview, which can help you include some keywords, too! You could also do a book excerpt, to give potential readers a flavor of your book!

Step 7: Monitor Sales and Rank

The “Reports and Marketing” tab provides valuable insights into your sales performance, customer reviews, and Amazon Best Seller Rank. Use this data to gauge how your books are doing and what new reviews you’ve gotten!

Step 8: Showcase Book Recommendations

Author Central allows you to recommend books—your own or others’. It’s a great way to highlight new releases, underappreciated gems, or books that serve as the perfect entry point for new readers.

Step 9: Grab Your International Author Central Profiles

Most authors are selling their books globally and for this reason, you really want to make sure that all of your international Author Central profiles are complete. You can review these within your Author Central, under the “Profile” tab.

Step 10: Encourage Followers

The Amazon “Follow” feature is, in my opinion, one of Amazon’s best kept secrets. It’s a free feature that notifies readers of new releases or pre-orders! So yes, free marketing!

Make it part of your strategy to encourage followers through your website, email lists, and social media. (You can see your follower number in your Author Central account!)

An optimized Amazon Author Central page is a must-have tool for any author serious about their success. It’s free, easy to use, and puts the power of Amazon’s vast ecosystem at your fingertips. By following the easy steps outlined in this post, you’ll not only elevate your author brand but also create a lasting connection with readers.

Your author page is your digital handshake—make it one that readers won’t forget!

Resources and Free Downloads

Your New Year Checklist: A roadmap to success.

Tips for optimizing your Amazon retail page.

5 types of podcasts you should be listening to as an author.

Secrets to writing books readers can’t resist.

Top book marketing questions of the year – answered!

How to maximize Goodreads giveaways for better engagement.

Amazon news: urgent updates to bestseller claims.

The must-have author success marketing checklist.

Choosing the right team to produce your book.

How your publishing schedule will affect your success.

Check out all the episodes of our book promotion podcast anywhere you listen to podcasts!

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