Our Amazon A+ Content Process — What to Expect
A friendly walk-through of how we design and ship Amazon A+ Content for KDP authors and brand-registered sellers: Brand Registry requirements, module design, Amazon's approval timeline, and exactly which spec gotchas trip people up.
Amazon A+ Content sits below the basic product description and turns a flat detail page into something that actually sells. Done well, it lifts conversion by 5–20% on average. Done badly — wrong module type, off-spec image, no Brand Registry — it fails Amazon moderation and you get rejection emails for weeks. This page walks you through the prerequisites, the module choices, the approval timeline, and exactly what trips people up so you commission with all the platform reality up front.
1Before You Order: Do You Have Amazon Brand Registry?
A+ Content is gated behind Amazon Brand Registry. Without an active Brand Registry account, your A+ Content can be designed but never published. Brand Registry requires a registered trademark in each marketplace where you want to use A+ Content (US, UK, EU, etc.), which typically takes 6–12 months to obtain via USPTO/UKIPO/EUIPO and costs £170–£300 per jurisdiction. KDP authors increasingly trademark their author name or imprint to clear this gate.
💡 Pro Tips
- Brand Registry is free once you have a registered trademark — the trademark itself is the cost
- If you don't have a trademark yet, start that process FIRST — A+ Content design without somewhere to publish it is sunk cost
- If you already have Brand Registry in one Amazon marketplace (e.g. Amazon US), you don't automatically have it in others — each needs its own registration
- Check brandregistry.amazon.com to confirm your status before ordering
⚠️ Important
- Don't order A+ Content design until Brand Registry is active in at least one target marketplace — or you'll have finished modules sitting in a folder waiting for trademark approval
- Brand Registry approval takes 5–10 business days after you submit; trademark registration takes 6–12 months. Plan accordingly.
2What A+ Content Actually Is (and Isn't)
A+ Content is the rich-content section that appears below the basic product description on Amazon detail pages. It uses pre-built module templates — image+text, comparison charts, image headers, multi-image layouts — that you fill with your assets and copy. It's NOT a custom-coded webpage; you can only use the modules Amazon offers, in the order Amazon allows. Module choice and image quality decide whether yours looks polished or off-the-shelf.
💡 Pro Tips
- Basic A+ Content: 5 modules per ASIN, available to anyone with Brand Registry
- Premium A+ Content: 7 modules, video module, comparison chart, interactive hotspot — invitation-only for top-performing brands or via Amazon's vendor team
- Brand Story (separate from A+ Content): a horizontal banner that appears at the TOP of every detail page for products sharing a brand. Different module set; different submission path
- All A+ Content is non-promotional — no prices, sale claims, urgency language. Amazon rejects modules that look like ads
⚠️ Important
- A+ Content cannot include external URLs, claim 'best-selling' without an Amazon-verified rank, or compare your product to competitors by name
- Image text must be substantive — under ~25% of the image as text, or Amazon flags as 'too text-heavy'
- Trademark and copyright violations get rejected fast; we won't include logos or quotes you don't own the rights to
3How the Process Works — Step by Step
Every A+ Content project follows the same five-step rhythm. Total project time from order to live on Amazon is typically 2–3 weeks: 5–7 business days for design, 1–7 business days for Amazon moderation, plus your review windows.
You complete the A+ Content intake form
ASIN(s), Brand Registry confirmation, target marketplaces (US/UK/EU), book genre + reader profile, key selling points (what 3-5 things should the reader take away?), brand assets (logo, palette, existing fonts), competitor ASINs whose A+ Content you admire. About 15 minutes.
We design the modules
Based on tier (3, 5, or 7 modules), we draft each module with header, body copy, and imagery. Image specs are baked in: 970×600px banners, 300×300px comparison thumbnails, 220×220px feature icons. We deliver a Figma or PDF preview showing how the modules will sit together on the detail page.
You review and request revisions
First review round catches anything — copy that doesn't sound like you, imagery that doesn't fit your brand, modules in the wrong order. Two revision rounds included; additional rounds £15 / $19.99 each. The cheapest revisions happen here, before submission.
We submit for Amazon moderation
Once you sign off, we upload through Amazon Seller Central or KDP's A+ Content manager and submit for review. Submission goes into Amazon's queue; typical approval window 1–7 business days, occasionally longer for new accounts.
Live on the detail page (or rejection + resubmit)
Approved A+ Content appears on the detail page within 24 hours of approval. If Amazon rejects, we get a rejection reason — usually image text density, claim language, or category-specific restriction. We fix and resubmit at no charge; resubmission is another 1–7 day wait.
4Choosing the Right Modules
Module choice is more important than copy quality. Amazon offers ~17 module templates; only 5–7 of them carry the conversion lift. We default to a tested module sequence by genre and only deviate when the manuscript has specific structural reasons to.
💡 Pro Tips
- Image header with text: opens the section visually — every A+ should start with one
- Single-image-and-text or four-image highlight: best for explaining what the book delivers
- Comparison chart: very effective for non-fiction with multiple books in a series, or when comparing your edition to others
- Image and dark-text overlay: dramatic for thrillers, fantasy, horror — high visual impact
- Multiple-image-module: good for showing range (e.g. interior page samples for illustrated books)
⚠️ Important
- Avoid the FAQ module — Amazon often hides it on mobile, where ~70% of book buyers browse
- Avoid product-description-text-only modules — they look identical to the basic description above and don't add value
- For fiction, comparison charts are usually weaker than rich imagery — readers buy on emotion, not feature comparison
Need 3D mockup imagery for your A+ modules?
Most A+ Content modules look stronger with a 3D book mockup rather than a flat ebook cover. Use our free Mockup Generator to produce promotional 3D imagery (paperback, hardcover, audiobook on-device) sized for the A+ Content modules — a simple lift on visual quality at zero cost.
5Image Specs and the Real Spec Reality
A+ Content images have strict specs that change occasionally. Out-of-spec images either fail upload or get rejected during moderation. Here are the current spec requirements (verified against Amazon's January 2026 documentation); we always check the live spec at the time of submission since Amazon updates these without notice.
Banner / image-header modules
970×600 pixels, RGB JPEG or PNG, under 5 MB. Background should match your detail page surrounding (white-ish), text overlay no more than ~25% of total area, no surrounding borders or shadows.
Comparison chart thumbnails
300×300 pixels, RGB JPEG or PNG, under 2 MB. White or transparent background recommended. Text in image must be readable on mobile (typically minimum 14pt equivalent).
Four-image highlight feature icons
220×220 pixels, RGB JPEG or PNG, under 1 MB. Centred subject, white background. Each icon should be visually parallel to the others (same lighting, same crop, same scale).
Single image and sidebar modules
300×400 pixels (sidebar) or 600×450 pixels (main image), RGB JPEG or PNG, under 5 MB. Same text-density and border rules as banners.
6Copy Specs — What's Allowed, What Isn't
A+ Content copy is moderated under Amazon's content guidelines, which are stricter than the basic description above it. Several categories of language consistently get rejected.
💡 Pro Tips
- Substantive value claims: ✓ ('Twelve frameworks for B2B leaders') — what the reader gets
- Audience targeting: ✓ ('For founders scaling past £1M ARR') — who the book is for
- Author authority: ✓ ('25 years in publishing') — credibility signals
- Editorial reviews: ✓ — quote them with attribution
⚠️ Important
- No prices, discounts, or sale language — Amazon rejects 'Save 50%' and similar within hours
- No urgency: 'Limited time', 'For a short period' all get rejected
- No external URLs — your author website, your social media, even your own publisher site are all banned in A+ Content copy
- No comparison-by-name: you can compare module types but not say 'Better than [Competitor's Book Title]'
- No 'best-selling' without an Amazon-verified rank category to back it
- No quotes from named publications or reviewers without attribution explicitly granting reuse rights
7Brand Story Module (Separate Submission)
Brand Story is a horizontal banner that appears at the TOP of every detail page for products sharing a brand. It's submitted separately from A+ Content and uses different module templates. It's a single design that propagates across every ASIN tied to the brand — useful for series authors and imprints, less useful for single-book authors.
💡 Pro Tips
- Brand Story is included in our Premium A+ Elite tier; available as an add-on otherwise
- Three Brand Story module types: full-image+text, two-image+text, four-image grid + text
- Same image specs apply (970×600 banner standard); same copy moderation rules
- If you have a series, Brand Story is essentially free promotion across every book — set it up once
8Approval Timeline and Rejection Handling
Amazon's review window is the most opaque part of the process. Typical approval is 1–7 business days; extreme outliers go to 14 days for new accounts or during peak (November–December retail crunch). When rejection happens, the rejection email contains a reason code that we translate into a fix.
💡 Pro Tips
- First-time submissions on a new Brand Registry account often take longer (5–10 days vs 1–3)
- Q4 (Black Friday onward) is slower across all Amazon moderation queues; budget extra time
- We track rejection reason codes — about 80% of rejections are image-text-density issues or claim-language issues, both of which we re-cut quickly
⚠️ Important
- Resubmission after rejection is unlimited and free on our side — but each resubmission is another 1–7 day wait, so getting it right first time matters
- Some rejections are appeal-able (especially trademark/copyright misjudgements) — we'll handle the appeal at no extra charge if the rejection is wrong on the merits
9Updates After You're Live
Once A+ Content is live, you can update it any time — but every update goes through Amazon moderation again. We bundle small updates (text tweaks, image swaps) into our Refresh add-on; substantial redesigns are quoted as a fresh module set.
💡 Pro Tips
- Quarterly refreshes keep A+ Content tied to current marketing and seasonal angles
- Substantial price changes don't require A+ Content updates — your basic description handles that
- If you launch a new edition (new cover, new ISBN), you'll likely want a fresh module set tied to the new ASIN
- A+ Content does NOT carry across to a new ASIN automatically — each ASIN gets its own assignment
10A Small Note on Conversion
A+ Content is the highest-leverage detail-page improvement most KDP authors can make once they have Brand Registry, but it's also the easiest to over-invest in. A clean 5-module setup with strong imagery and tight copy outperforms a 7-module sprawl with mediocre images. Module count is a vanity metric; module placement and image quality decide conversion. We design for what actually moves the buy-now click rate, not for filling every available slot.
Ready to commission your A+ Content?
If you've got Brand Registry active in your target marketplace and a sense of which 3-7 modules best support your book, pick a tier and we'll have your first design previews within 5 business days. Not sure about Brand Registry status or marketplace strategy? Book a free consultation first — we'll walk through your existing detail page and recommend a module structure before you commit.
Common Questions
Do I need Amazon Brand Registry to use A+ Content?
Yes — Brand Registry is the gating requirement. Without an active Brand Registry account in your target marketplace (US, UK, EU, etc.), A+ Content cannot be published, only designed. Brand Registry itself is free, but it requires a registered trademark in that marketplace, which costs £170–£300 per jurisdiction and takes 6–12 months to obtain via USPTO/UKIPO/EUIPO. Many KDP authors register their author name or imprint as a trademark to clear this gate. If you don't have Brand Registry yet, start that process before commissioning A+ Content design — otherwise you'll have finished modules waiting in a folder.
Can I use A+ Content for KDP / self-published books?
Yes — KDP authors with active Brand Registry can use A+ Content on their KDP books just like any seller. The submission path is slightly different (KDP has its own A+ Content manager rather than using Amazon Seller Central directly), and only basic A+ Content modules are available to KDP — Premium modules with video and interactive hotspots are reserved for invitation-only Vendor Central accounts. We design within KDP's available module set if your book is published through KDP.
How long does Amazon take to approve A+ Content?
Typical approval window is 1–7 business days from submission. First-time submissions on a new Brand Registry account often take longer (5–10 days). Q4 (Black Friday through December) is slower across all Amazon moderation queues — budget extra time if you're targeting holiday launch. About 80% of rejections we see are image-text-density issues (more than ~25% of an image is text) or claim-language issues (urgency, prices, comparisons by name). We translate the rejection reason code into a fix and resubmit at no charge; resubmission is another 1–7 day wait.
What's the Brand Story module and is it different from A+ Content?
Brand Story is a separate horizontal banner that appears at the TOP of every detail page for products sharing a brand. A+ Content sits below the basic description and is per-ASIN; Brand Story is per-brand and propagates across every ASIN tied to that brand. They're submitted through different paths and use different module templates. Brand Story is included in our Premium A+ Elite tier or available as an add-on. For series authors, Brand Story is essentially free promotion across every book in the series — set it up once and it appears everywhere.
Can I update A+ Content after it goes live?
Yes — A+ Content can be updated any time, but every update goes back through Amazon moderation (typically 1–7 business days again). Small refreshes (text tweaks, image swaps for seasonal angles) are bundled in our Refresh add-on; substantial redesigns are quoted as a fresh module set. Quarterly refreshes are common for non-fiction tied to evolving market positioning. Note: A+ Content doesn't carry across to new ASINs — if you publish a second edition with a new ISBN, you'll need fresh module assignment.
Will my A+ Content work on Amazon UK and Amazon US separately?
A+ Content is per-marketplace, not global. You design once, but each marketplace (Amazon.com, .co.uk, .de, .ca, etc.) is a separate submission and a separate moderation queue. Brand Registry is also per-marketplace — you need active Brand Registry in each marketplace where you want A+ Content. We can design module sets that work across multiple marketplaces (e.g. avoiding US-specific or UK-specific language) and submit to each separately at no extra design cost; the submission and moderation work is part of the package.
Ready to start? Head to the A+ Content service page to pick a tier — Conversion Starter (3 modules), Brand Builder (5 modules), or Premium A+ Elite (7 modules + Brand Story) — or book a free consultation if you want to walk through your current detail page and Brand Registry status before committing. We'd rather have one honest conversation upfront than ship modules to a dormant Brand Registry account.
What's your next move?
If your Amazon Brand Registry is already active in the marketplace you want to target, pick an A+ Content tier — Conversion Starter (3 modules), Brand Builder (5), or Premium A+ Elite (7 + Brand Story) — and we'll have your first design previews within 5 business days. Need to talk through Brand Registry status, marketplace strategy, or which modules will lift conversion most for your book? Book a free consultation first.
Or contact support if you have questions before ordering.
Free Tools
3D Book Mockup Generator
Produce 3D mockup imagery (paperback, hardcover, audiobook on-device) sized for A+ Content modules. Higher visual quality than flat ebook covers in modules.
Amazon Book Description Generator
AI-assisted Amazon description copy. The basic description sits above your A+ Content; both work together to convert browsers.
Cover Calculator
Spine width and trim size math — useful when generating module imagery that includes physical-book mockups.