Affiliate disclosure: I may earn a commission if you purchase Publisher Rocket through my link, at no extra cost to you.

🚀 Publisher Rocket – My favorite keyword research tool for authors: https://publisherrocket.cartknox.com/buy-rocket?aff=539

Are you wasting your 7 KDP keyword slots?

In this video, I use my romance novel A New Chapter by the Canal as a real case study to research and improve my Amazon KDP keywords using Publisher Rocket.

I compare my original keywords with actual search data, look at search demand and competition, and show why a keyword can describe your book perfectly and still be a poor choice. I also discover that one of my KDP categories was wrong—and change it.

You’ll see how I research keywords like slow burn romance, closed door romance, love triangle romance, feel-good romance, and more before choosing my final seven.

The biggest lesson? The best keyword isn’t the one with the biggest number. It’s the one the right reader is actually searching for.

Publisher Rocket is a tool I personally use. I am an affiliate, which means I may receive a commission if you purchase through my link. All opinions and keyword choices in this video are my own.

#selfpublishing #KDP #bookmarketing #indieauthor #authortube

00:00 Intro

03:38 What KDP keywords actually do

06:32 My book as case study

09:06 How I’m judging the keywords

11:16 Keyword 1

12:25 Keyword 2

15:36 Keyword 3

16:38 Keyword 4

17:38 Keyword 5

19:46 Keyword 6

21:01 Keyword 7

22:01 New keywords

24:36 Final seven

26:57 Biggest takeaways

If you have one book and no audience, you do not need a complicated marketing machine.

You need a simple path that helps the right stranger discover you, become interested, join your email list, buy the book, and stay connected long enough to become a future reader.

In this video, I break down the exact author funnel I would build from scratch with just one book and no existing audience. We’ll cover discovery, reader magnets, email lists, welcome sequences, book pages, backmatter, reviews, and why I would not rush into direct sales or heavy ads too early.

The real goal of your first-book funnel is not to squeeze maximum profit from one book. It is to make sure your next book does not launch to zero people.

If you are an aspiring author, indie author, or first-time self-publisher trying to build an audience from scratch, this video will help you connect the different pieces of book marketing into one simple system.

🚀 Publisher Rocket – My favorite keyword research tool for authors (affiliate): https://publisherrocket.cartknox.com/buy-rocket?aff=539______FOLLOW ME ON SUBSTACK: https://diaryofanauthor.substack.comMY BOOKS:📙 A New Chapter by the Canal https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/255267123-a-new-chapter-by-the-canal 📓 Library of Eternity https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245897025-library-of-eternity📘 The 66-Day Writing Challenge: Build a Sustainable Writing Habit with Daily Prompts https://a.co/d/8rAAeng🎧 Flykten - ljudbok https://www.storytel.com/se/books/flykten-2255091📔 Essäer om skrivande och vardagsflykt https://amzn.eu/d/0eUeZSLTMy name is Natalie Forslind, I am a writing coach, author, and Growth Markter who teaches writers how to become more productive and market themselves online.Some of the links in this description are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting the channel!✨Timestamps ✨

00:00 Intro

02:14 What is an author funnel

04:31 Why one book changes the strategy

07:47 Who is your reader?

11:49 How to make readers discover you

14:42 What to post on social

16:40 Don’t just sell the book

18:58 How do I get email subscribers?

21:11 Create a landingpage

25:48 Time to sell the book

28:59 The most underrated step

30:14 Get reviews

32:55 The entire funnel

I spent $3,628 publishing my romance novel, A New Chapter by the Canal — but not every expense was necessary.

In this video, I break down exactly what I spent on editing, proofreading, cover design, formatting, audiobook production, special editions, and admin costs. I’ll also share what was worth paying for, what I’d DIY again, and where I think first-time indie authors can save money.

If you’re planning to self-publish your first book, I hope this helps you build a smarter publishing budget.

#selfpublishing #indieauthor #authortube #publishing

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

01:22 What I published

02:42 Developmental editing

06:23 Copy editing

09:45 Proofreading

10:50 Cover design

13:50 Translations

16:50 Formatting

17:43 Audiobook

20:41 Print run

22:28 Admin

23:10 Total spend

24:47 What I’d spend money on again

26:46 Three budget examples