HMD Publishing - Professional Book Publishing Services
About HMD Publishing
HMD Publishing is a leading professional book publishing services company based in the UK, serving authors worldwide since 2015. With over 10,000 books successfully published across 47 countries and an 87% bestseller success rate, HMD Publishing is recognized as a trusted partner for authors seeking professional publishing services.
Find the best Amazon.co.uk categories for your book. Our AI analyses the UK marketplace's category tree, matches Nielsen BookData BISAC classifications, and identifies categories where British authors can achieve bestseller status with less competition than on Amazon.com.
Choosing Categories on Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk is the second-largest English-language book marketplace after Amazon.com. The UK category tree has fewer subcategories than the US store in some genres but includes UK-specific categorisations that reflect British reading preferences. Crime fiction, literary fiction, and historical fiction have particularly strong category depth on the UK store.
Competition for the #1 Best Seller badge is generally lower on Amazon.co.uk than Amazon.com, making it an excellent marketplace for indie authors to earn bestseller credentials. A book that needs 500 sales in a day to reach #1 in a US category might need only 50-100 on the UK equivalent. These credentials transfer well — 'Amazon #1 Best Seller' looks the same regardless of which marketplace.
For UK distribution, Nielsen BookData is the primary metadata service, and they use BISAC codes alongside their own BIC (Book Industry Communication) codes. If you distribute through Gardners (the UK's largest book wholesaler) or plan library placement through Askews & Holts, having correct BISAC codes ensures proper classification.
British readers have distinct genre preferences that affect category strategy. Cosy mysteries (note: 'cosy' not 'cozy' on Amazon.co.uk), literary fiction, and domestic thrillers perform proportionally better in the UK. If your book fits these genres, the UK-specific subcategories offer excellent bestseller potential.
Amazon.co.uk Author Central operates separately from the US version. You can request additional categories by contacting the UK support team. The process is the same — provide your ASIN and exact category paths — but response times may vary from the US team.
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Fill in your book details and click "Find Categories" to get AI-powered KDP category and BISAC code recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Amazon KDP categories and BISAC codes
What are Amazon KDP categories?
Amazon KDP categories (also called browse categories) are the virtual shelves where Amazon places your book. When a reader browses 'Science Fiction > Space Opera' or 'Self-Help > Motivational', they're browsing categories. Amazon allows you to select up to 3 categories when publishing. Being in the right categories means your book shows up when readers browse topics they're interested in — and it determines which bestseller lists you can rank on.
How many categories can I choose on KDP?
When you first publish on KDP, you can select up to 3 browse categories. However, you can request up to 10 total categories by contacting Amazon Author Central support after your book is live. Email them with your ASIN, book title, and the exact category paths you want. Most requests are approved within 3-5 business days. Having more categories means more discovery paths for readers to find your book.
What are BISAC codes and do I need them?
BISAC (Book Industry Standards and Advisory Committee) codes are the universal classification system used by the book industry — bookstores, libraries, distributors like IngramSpark, and metadata services all use BISAC to categorise books. While Amazon uses its own browse category system (which overlaps with but differs from BISAC), you'll need BISAC codes if you distribute through IngramSpark, want library placement, or sell through traditional bookstores. Our tool maps Amazon categories to BISAC codes so you're covered for all distribution channels.
How do I change my book's categories after publishing?
You can change categories through two methods: (1) Edit your book details in your KDP dashboard — this lets you modify your initial 3 category selections at any time. (2) For additional categories beyond 3, email Author Central support at amazon-author-central@amazon.com with your ASIN and the exact category paths. You can also remove categories the same way. Changes typically take 24-72 hours to reflect on your listing.
What's the difference between a browse category and a BISAC code?
Browse categories are Amazon's proprietary classification system — they're the categories readers see when browsing the Kindle Store. BISAC codes are an industry-wide standard maintained by BISG. While there's significant overlap (many Amazon categories map directly to BISAC codes), Amazon has more granular subcategories in some areas and fewer in others. For example, Amazon has specific romance subcategories like 'Billionaire Romance' that don't have direct BISAC equivalents. Our tool shows both systems so you can optimise for all platforms.
Should I choose competitive or niche categories?
The optimal strategy is a mix: one competitive category for maximum visibility and two niche categories where you have a realistic shot at the bestseller badge. The orange '#1 Best Seller' badge is one of Amazon's most powerful conversion tools — it increases click-through rates by 20-30%. Check the #1 book in your target category: if it has fewer than 50 reviews, the category is likely achievable. Our tool shows competition levels to help you balance visibility with bestseller potential.
How does this tool work?
Our tool uses Google's Gemini AI, trained on extensive book industry data, to analyse your book's title, genre, synopsis, and comparable titles. It cross-references this with a database of BISAC codes and Amazon KDP browse categories to recommend the most relevant and strategically optimal categories. It also assesses competition levels and provides a strategy for which 3 categories to select first. The AI understands category nuances across all 5 major Amazon marketplaces (US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany).
Do different Amazon marketplaces have different categories?
Yes, each Amazon marketplace has its own category tree that can differ significantly. Amazon.com (US) has the most granular categories — for example, it breaks romance into 20+ subcategories. Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.de have fewer subcategories in some genres but may have unique categories for local content. Our tool lets you select your target marketplace to get recommendations specific to that store's category structure.
Can I request additional categories from Amazon?
Yes! After your book is published, you can email Author Central support to request placement in additional categories — up to 10 total. Include your ASIN, book title, and the exact category browse paths (e.g., 'Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy > Epic'). Our tool provides these exact paths in a copy-paste-ready format. Most category addition requests are approved within a few business days.
How often do Amazon categories change?
Amazon updates its category tree periodically — typically a few times per year — adding new categories, merging others, and reorganising subcategories. Major changes are often tied to seasonal trends or emerging genres (for example, 'LitRPG' was added as a category after the genre gained popularity). We recommend revisiting your category strategy every 3-6 months or whenever you notice changes in your bestseller rankings. Our AI stays current with the latest category structure.