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Michael Adams
If you’re an author, you might think that writing a book is the toughest part—think again! The real challenge comes with publishing. Whether you go with a traditional publisher or decide to self-publish on Amazon KDP, the process can be long and complicated. While you can learn many things as you go, there’s one important thing you need to know: BISAC codes.
Today, I am writing this comprehensive guide where I will talk about the importance of BISAC categories and how BIASC subject codes work in increasing your book sales and visibility.
Key Takeaways:
- BISAC Codes Simplify Book Categorization: These codes are nine characters and numbers used to classify books by subject, helping retailers, libraries, and distributors categorize your book correctly.
- Improve Discoverability: The correct categories and codes not only help readers find your book both in physical stores and online retailers like Amazon but also help authors by improving the discoverability of their books.
- Industry Standard: These codes are universally recognized across the book industry, ensuring consistency in how your book is classified regardless of where it’s sold, from local bookstores to global online platforms.
- Impact on SEO: Choosing the right BISAC subject codes enhances your book’s search engine optimization (SEO), improving its visibility when potential readers search for books in specific categories.
What Are BISAC Codes?
BISAC stands for (Book Industry Standards and Communications.) It is a nine-character alphanumeric code that acts as a universal system to categorize and organize books according to their subject matter. Each category represents a specific genre or topic that makes it easier for people to find the book of their interest. These codes and categories also tell booksellers, libraries, distributors, and even search engines what your book is about.
For example, the BISAC code TRV025070 translates to “Travel / United States / South / General,” which instantly communicates the book’s subject matter to retailers and librarians, regardless of the title or cover.
Why Do BISAC Codes Matter?
1. Discoverability: Helping Readers Find Your Book
The most challenging part of book publishing is that authors fail to gather the crowd they need to increase the book’s readership. Just like premium custom book design services make your book stand out with great formatting and custom illustrations – BISAC categories also attract the right crowd and increase your book’s visibility.
By assigning the right BISAC codes to your book, you improve its discoverability both in physical bookstores and online retailers like Amazon. These codes help retailers properly categorize your book, ensuring it appears in the right searches.
Imagine someone walking into a bookstore looking for a self-help book on personal growth. If your book is categorized under “Business” instead of “Self-Help,” it’s unlikely the customer will stumble across it—even if your book is exactly what they’re looking for. Proper categorization ensures your book reaches its intended audience, making it more likely to sell.
2. Standardization Across the Publishing Industry
One of the greatest strengths of BISAC subject headings and codes is that they’re universally recognized across the entire book industry. Whether your book is sold on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or in a local bookstore, these codes ensure that it’s categorized consistently. This means that no matter where a reader searches for your book—whether in a physical store or an online catalog—they’ll always find it under the same heading.
This kind of standardization benefits everyone in the book distribution chain. Retailers, librarians, and distributors can rely on a consistent system to shelve and list books, while readers can easily locate the books they’re interested in. If your book ends up in the wrong section due to incorrect categorization, it could drastically reduce its chances of being found by the right readers.
3. Boosting SEO
It’s no secret that in today’s digital age, a significant portion of book sales occurs online, and this is where BISAC codes can play a pivotal role in your book’s visibility. Whether you’re publishing traditionally or independently, understanding and strategically selecting BISAC codes is an essential step in maximizing your book’s reach and success.
For example, if someone is searching for a book on “digital marketing,” having your book categorized under the appropriate BISAC subject headings (like “Business & Economics / E-Commerce / Digital Marketing”) will improve its chances of appearing in search results.
Inaccurate or broad categorization could mean your book gets lost in the shuffle, making it harder for readers to discover it.
How BISAC Codes Work
Each BISAC code is organized in a way that starts with a broad category and then gets more specific. For example, a science fiction book about time travel would have a classification like this:
- FIC000000 – FICTION / General
- FIC028000 – FICTION / Science Fiction
- FIC028010 – FICTION / Science Fiction / Time Travel
The first part of the code (FIC) represents the broad genre— for example, here it is Fiction. The numbers that follow indicate a more refined classification. This helps booksellers and online retailers place the book in the right section so that the readers can easily find them.
How to Choose the Right BISAC Codes for Your Book
Choosing the right code might seem like a small, administrative task, but it’s essential to your book’s marketing strategy. Here’s how to pick the right BISAC subject codes for your book:
1. Research Your Competitors
A great starting point is to look at how similar books are categorized. Browse platforms like Amazon or visit your local bookstore to see where books in your genre are placed. While you may not have access to their exact BISAC codes, you can get a good sense of which categories are used to describe them.
Pay attention to where bestselling or popular books in your niche are categorized—this can offer valuable insights into where your book fits.
2. Consider Your Target Audience
Think about your readers: how would they search for your book? Would they use broad terms like “business” or something more specific like “e-commerce”? The more you understand your audience’s expectations, the better you’ll be able to select BISAC categories that align with their search intent.
If you’re writing a thriller novel, for example, would your readers look for it under “Suspense” or “Mystery”? Be as specific as possible to ensure your book gets in front of the right readers.
A good example of how considering the target audience while choosing BISAC categories helps with discoverability is Justin Cronin’s 2011 bestseller, The Passage. Before writing this book, Cronin had focused on literary fiction. His publishing team at Random House knew that fans of literary fiction would enjoy the book, but they also saw chances to attract readers of thrillers and fantasy/science fiction.
By tagging the book with the categories “Literary Fiction,” “Fantasy,” and “Thriller,” it becomes easier for readers to find it since The Passage will show up in search results across several genres.
3. Be Specific, Not Broad
It might seem counterintuitive, but choosing a broad BISAC category like “Fiction / General” won’t help you reach a larger audience. In fact, it does the opposite—your book will be lost among millions of other titles in that same broad category. Narrowing your category down to something more specific, like “Fiction / African American / Mystery-Detective,” increases your book’s chances of standing out and reaching its niche audience.
Not only does this help with discoverability, but it also improves the likelihood of your book being shelved next to other similar titles. Readers who browse one book are more likely to notice yours if it’s categorized in the same section.
Tip: Select codes from multiple BISAC categories. For example, you might find Mindy Kaling’s memoir under both biography & autobiography and humor.
4. Select Only Three Codes
A good rule of thumb is to select at least one to three codes. Do not elect more than three. It is true that choosing multiple codes can improve discoverability, but too many can cause confusion. The first code should determine the book’s primary category, and the second or third should be used to expand the book’s reach.
For example, a historical romance novel might have the following codes:
1. Fiction / Romance / Historical / General
2. Fiction / Historical / Medieval
3. Fiction / Romance / Action & Adventure
5. Avoid Mismatched or Misleading Codes
Picking a BISAC code just because it seems popular or has fewer other books is a bad idea. If you choose the wrong code, it can result in readers not connecting with your book, getting negative reviews, and losing trust in you as an author.
It’s important to choose codes that truly reflect what’s in your book. For example, if you label a business self-help book as “Fiction / Thrillers / Crime” just to be different, it will confuse readers and hurt your sales.
Self-Publishing a Book on Amazon KDP: What You Need to Know
Self-publishing a book on Amazon KDP is easier than ever. Once you have written your manuscript, hire the best editing services to polish your content and hire the best custom book design for your book’s interior and exterior formatting. Once done, you are ready to publish it. But what about BISAC codes?
Amazon KDP does not use BISAC codes to categorize books. Instead, Amazon has its own internal category system. So, what should you do to ensure your book is placed in the right categories?
Follow These Steps to Optimize Your Book’s Category on Amazon KDP
Choose the Right Categories: When you’re publishing on KDP, you can choose up to three categories for your book. Make sure to pick the ones that best match your book’s genre and subject.
Use Strong Keywords: Amazon relies on keywords. So, you must use relevant keywords that match books with customer searches.
Request Additional Categories: After you publish your book, get in touch with KDP support to ask for up to 10 more categories. This will help more people see your book on Amazon in different areas.
Monitor and Adjust: This process is not a one-time, set-it-and-forget-it task. Watch how your book is doing. If it’s not selling well, change the keywords and think about changing the categories.
Invest in Quality Formatting & Cover Design: First impressions matter. Work with affordable custom book design services to ensure your book meets industry standards and attracts more readers.
Give Your Book BISAC Code: Keep in mind that while Amazon doesn’t use BISAC codes but still including them as a precaution can still be helpful. Amazon may reference the code when determining the best category for your book, which can improve its visibility.
A Tip: here is to choose the most specific subcategories you can. These smaller categories usually have less competition and help Amazon understand what your book is about more clearly.
Final Thoughts
While selecting BISAC codes may not be the most exciting part of publishing a book, it’s one of the most crucial prerequisites for making your book reach its target audience. These codes increase your book’s discoverability, ensure its categorization consistently across retailers, and even influence your book’s SEO and design.
So, do not rush. Take your time with this step. Whether you’re a first-time author or an experienced publisher, taking the time to understand and apply BISAC codes effectively is a smart move that can make a significant difference in your book’s success.
FAQs
How often are BISAC codes updated?
BISAC codes are checked and updated every year by the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) to keep up with new book categories and industry trends. Keeping these codes current helps make sure your book is classified correctly.
Do BISAC codes affect my book’s ISBN?
BISAC codes are different from ISBNs. The ISBN is a special number that identifies your book, while BISAC codes are used to classify it in stores and online.
Are BISAC codes different from keywords?
BISAC codes sort books into specific subject categories/genres, and keywords make it easier to find them online.
Can BISAC codes help with bookstore placement?
Bookstores and libraries usually use these codes to decide where to put books on the shelves. Choosing the right code increases the chances of your book being stocked.
About Author
Hi My name is Micheal Adams, When I am not watching horror movies and helping my kids with homework or reading my favorite fantasy/supernatural novels – I’m writing to guide aspiring authors. I focus on exploring and simplifying both the technical aspects and the often-overlooked details of book writing and publishing so I can empower new writers to climb the Amazon bestseller list and connect with more readers.
