Print on Demand Publishing Glossary for KDP Authors

Platform & Publishing Terms

AMS (Amazon Marketing Services) - Amazon's advertising platform for book promotion through sponsored product ads, sponsored brand ads, and display ads. Now called Amazon Ads. Why it matters: Direct access to Amazon's customer base with targeting options unavailable elsewhere.

ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) - Unique 10-character identifier Amazon assigns to every product, including books. Format: B08XXXXX for ebooks, different format for paperbacks. Why it matters: Required for tracking sales, reviews, and advertising campaigns.

Browse Node - Amazon's internal category system using numerical codes to classify books. Example: 154606011 represents "Coloring Books for Grown-Ups." Why it matters: Determines where your book appears in category searches and affects discoverability.

CreateSpace - Amazon's former print-on-demand service, merged into KDP in 2018. Legacy CreateSpace accounts still function but new features only available through KDP. Why it matters: Understanding migration helps troubleshoot older account issues.

Expanded Distribution - KDP's service placing paperbacks in bookstores, libraries, and online retailers beyond Amazon. Reduces royalty rates but increases market reach. Why it matters: Can increase sales volume but requires pricing strategy adjustment.

ISBN (International Standard Book Number) - Unique identifier for books worldwide. Amazon provides free ISBNs for KDP books, or authors can purchase their own. Why it matters: Free ISBNs list "Kindle Direct Publishing" as publisher; purchased ISBNs allow custom publisher names.

KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) - Amazon's self-publishing platform for ebooks and paperbacks. Handles printing, distribution, and royalty payments. Why it matters: Primary revenue source for most indie authors with 70% market share.

KDP Select - Exclusive program requiring 90-day Amazon exclusivity in exchange for promotional tools like Kindle Unlimited inclusion and free promotion days. Why it matters: Can increase visibility but limits distribution to other platforms.

Kindle Create - Amazon's free formatting tool for converting manuscripts into Kindle-ready files. Handles text, images, and basic layouts automatically. Why it matters: Eliminates need for expensive formatting services for standard books.

Print on Demand (POD) - Publishing model where books are printed individually when ordered, eliminating inventory costs. KDP uses this model for all paperbacks. Why it matters: Allows publishing without upfront printing costs or storage requirements.

Sales & Performance Metrics

BSR (Best Sellers Rank) - Amazon's ranking system showing how well a book sells relative to others in its category. Lower numbers indicate better sales. BSR under 50,000 typically means top 10% visibility. Why it matters: Primary indicator of sales velocity and category competitiveness.

Category Rank - Book's position within specific Amazon categories. A book can rank #1 in a subcategory while having BSR over 100,000 overall. Why it matters: Easier to achieve #1 bestseller status in narrow categories than broad ones.

Impressions - Number of times your book appears in Amazon search results or ads. High impressions with low clicks suggest cover or title issues. Why it matters: Measures visibility reach before customer engagement.

Kenp (Kindle Edition Normalized Pages) - Amazon's page count system for Kindle Unlimited royalties. Based on standard formatting, not actual page count. Why it matters: Determines KU payout rates; longer books earn more per read.

Look Inside - Amazon feature allowing customers to preview book content before purchasing. Includes cover, table of contents, and first pages. Why it matters: Critical conversion factor; poor preview content kills sales.

Page Reads - Kindle Unlimited metric tracking actual pages read by subscribers. Authors earn approximately $0.0045 per page read (as of 2024). Why it matters: Alternative revenue stream that can exceed direct sales for engaging content.

Sales Velocity - Rate of sales over time, measured daily, weekly, or monthly. Amazon's algorithm favors consistent sales over sporadic spikes. Why it matters: Steady velocity improves organic ranking more than irregular high-volume days.

Marketing & Advertising Terms

ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sales) - Percentage of ad spend relative to ad-generated sales. Formula: (Ad Spend ÷ Ad Sales) × 100. Target ACoS typically 30-50% for profitable campaigns. Why it matters: Primary metric for ad profitability and budget allocation.

BookBub - Promotional platform sending discounted book deals to subscribers. Featured deals can generate 1,000+ sales in 24 hours but require acceptance. Why it matters: Highest-converting book promotion service with measurable ROI.

Click-Through Rate (CTR) - Percentage of ad impressions resulting in clicks. Formula: (Clicks ÷ Impressions) × 100. Good CTR for book ads: 0.3-0.8%. Why it matters: Measures ad creative effectiveness and targeting accuracy.

Conversion Rate - Percentage of book page visitors who purchase. Amazon's average: 10-15% for books. Higher rates indicate strong cover/description combination. Why it matters: Determines how well your book page converts traffic into sales.

CPC (Cost Per Click) - Amount paid each time someone clicks your ad. Book ads typically cost $0.20-$1.50 per click depending on competition. Why it matters: Direct impact on advertising profitability and campaign sustainability.

Keyword Harvesting - Process of extracting high-performing search terms from successful ad campaigns for organic optimization. Why it matters: Improves organic discoverability using proven customer search behavior.

Launch Strategy - Coordinated marketing approach for new book releases, typically spanning 30-90 days with escalating promotional activities. Why it matters: Critical window for establishing sales momentum and algorithm ranking.

Organic Traffic - Customers finding your book through Amazon search without paid advertising. Accounts for 70-80% of most authors' sales. Why it matters: Sustainable long-term revenue source with zero ongoing costs.

Financial & Royalty Terms

70% Royalty Rate - KDP's highest ebook royalty tier for books priced $2.99-$9.99, minus delivery costs. Requires meeting specific criteria including file size limits. Why it matters: Maximizes per-unit profit for standard ebook pricing.

35% Royalty Rate - Standard ebook royalty for books under $2.99 or over $9.99, and paperbacks sold through expanded distribution. Why it matters: Lower rate but allows pricing flexibility and wider distribution.

Delivery Costs - Amazon charges authors for ebook file delivery based on file size. Approximately $0.15 per megabyte for 70% royalty books. Why it matters: Large files (image-heavy books) can significantly reduce net royalties.

Net Royalty - Actual payment received after Amazon deducts printing costs, delivery fees, and applicable taxes. Formula varies by format and distribution channel. Why it matters: True measure of per-unit profitability for pricing decisions.

Printing Costs - Variable costs for paperback production based on page count, ink coverage, and paper type. Typically $2.15-$5.00 per book. Why it matters: Directly impacts paperback pricing strategy and profit margins.

Royalty Threshold - Minimum earnings required before Amazon issues payment. $100 for direct deposit, $10 for electronic funds transfer. Why it matters: Affects payment frequency and cash flow planning.

Tax Interview - IRS form completion required for US tax reporting. Non-US authors may qualify for reduced withholding through tax treaties. Why it matters: Determines tax withholding rates and compliance requirements.

Technical & Formatting Terms

Bleed - Extra image area extending beyond final trim size to prevent white borders after cutting. Standard bleed: 0.125 inches on all sides. Why it matters: Required for full-cover designs and professional print quality.

DPI (Dots Per Inch) - Image resolution measurement. KDP requires 300 DPI for print covers, 72 DPI acceptable for ebook interiors. Why it matters: Affects print quality and file size; wrong DPI causes rejection or poor appearance.

EPUB - Standard ebook format used by most retailers except Amazon. KDP converts uploaded files to Amazon's proprietary format automatically. Why it matters: Understanding format compatibility helps with multi-platform publishing.

Gutter - Inner margin where pages bind together. KDP requires larger gutters for thicker books to prevent text cutoff. Why it matters: Inadequate gutters make books difficult to read when opened.

Spine Width - Calculated measurement for paperback spine based on page count and paper type. KDP provides automatic calculation tools. Why it matters: Incorrect spine width causes cover rejection and printing delays.

Trim Size - Final dimensions of printed book after cutting. KDP offers standard sizes like 6"×9" and 5.25"×8". Why it matters: Affects printing costs, shelf appeal, and genre expectations.

Terms Often Confused

KDP vs KDP Select - KDP is Amazon's publishing platform available to all authors. KDP Select is an optional exclusivity program within KDP offering additional promotional tools in exchange for 90-day Amazon exclusivity. Many authors mistakenly think they must choose KDP Select to publish on Amazon.

Print on Demand vs Traditional Publishing - POD prints books individually when ordered, eliminating inventory. Traditional publishing prints large quantities upfront, requiring storage and distribution networks. POD allows smaller print runs but higher per-unit costs.

Royalty vs Revenue - Revenue is total money generated from sales before costs. Royalty is the author's percentage after Amazon's fees, printing costs, and other deductions. A $10 book sale might generate $3 in royalties.

BSR vs Category Rank - BSR ranks books across all Amazon books (millions of titles). Category rank shows position within specific categories (thousands of titles). A book can be #1 in a small category while having BSR over 100,000.

Organic vs Paid Traffic - Organic traffic comes from Amazon search results without advertising spend. Paid traffic results from sponsored ads. Both appear in search results, but paid traffic requires ongoing investment while organic builds over time.