Best Publisher Rocket Free Alternatives for Self-publishers
For self-publishing authors, increasing a book’s visibility is vital for generating sales. However, to earn significant income from Amazon KDP, it’s essential to find a profitable niche. Publisher Rocket is a popular tool for researching keywords, categories, and competitors. However, not everyone can afford it, especially when starting out. Fortunately, there are several free Publisher Rocket alternatives that can help you find your niche in the Amazon bookstore.
BKLNK: A Publisher Rocket Alternative for Book Category Research
When you upload your book to Amazon KDP, you can specify three categories where you want it to be listed. It’s very important to select the ones that best represent your book because the right categories can significantly impact its discoverability. Choosing less competitive but relevant categories increases your chances of ranking higher, which can lead to more visibility and sales. Learn how to choose the best categories for your book.
This is where BKLNK comes in and can serve as a partial alternative to Publisher Rocket. This free tool analyzes the categories a book is listed in. For example, you can analyze your competitor books to see what categories and keywords they use on Amazon.
Here’s how it works:
First, go to Amazon and search for books on your topic and copy their ASINs from the Amazon book product page.
Then enter the ASIN or ISBN of a book, and BKLNK will show you all the categories where it is listed on Amazon.
This lets you see not just the primary categories but also the additional ones that Amazon chooses automatically according to the book topic. Additionally, you can see the book’s sales rank in each category.
Repeat this process with all your competitors’ books and note down all categories that suit your book.
If you click the “Catalize” button, it will also display other categories related to those listed for books in that genre. You can easily check out the bestselling books in each category by clicking the red “Top 100” button and view the latest book releases by clicking the blue “New” button. This allows you to evaluate your chances of competing in your chosen category, while also giving you insight into the titles and book covers other authors are using. Not bad for a free tool.
Amazon Suggestion Expander: A Publisher Rocket Alternative for Keyword Research
When it comes to keywords, you need to consider what your potential readers are typing into the Amazon search bar when looking for books like yours. If you install the free Google Chrome extension AMZ Suggestion Expander, it will expand the number of search suggestions that are shown in the Amazon search bar, like in the picture below. It will also show the keywords that Amazon would suggest before and after the ones you have entered.
Simply imagine yourself as one of your readers and think about the types of phrases they might use when searching for your book. Start typing a keyword and go through the auto-suggestions Amazon provides. For instance, if you type “cat training,” you’ll see suggestions like “cat training clicker,” “cat training for dummies,” and so on through the alphabet.
AMZ Suggestion Expander can help you quickly find the keywords people use when searching for books on your topic. Aim to use phrases that are 2-4 words long, as these are more specific and relevant than single words that can be too generic and highly competitive.
The goal is to have a list of 10-15 relevant keywords to choose from when finalizing your book title and description. This approach ensures your book appears in the most relevant search results, increasing its visibility and potential for success.
Self-Publishing Titans: Analyze Books While Browsing Amazon
Additionally, you can install the Titans Quick View and Titans Pro extensions to your Google Chrome browser. These tools provide valuable insights as you browse Amazon books, helping you access useful data like sales rank, review count and competition at a glance.
Self-Publishing Titans also provides a free Amazon Book Sales Calculator. This tool estimates how many sales a book is making based on its Amazon Best Seller Rank (BSR) and provides approximate sales figures.
Paid Alternatives for Amazon KDP Book Research
The tools described in this article are a great starting point for analyzing the Amazon KDP marketplace and exploring profitable publishing opportunities. For those willing to invest in their self-publishing journey, Publisher Rocket offers a comprehensive solution at $199 for lifetime access, while KDP Spy is a more budget-friendly option at $69. If you prefer a monthly subscription, Book Beam is a good alternative, providing advanced features for $47 per month (use DIGGI50 for a 50% discount on the first month, or DIGGI10 for a 10% discount on the yearly plan).
