Smarter Keyword Research for Authors: How to Validate Your Book Idea Before You Write

You’ve got what feels like a killer book idea.

But the real question is:

Will anyone actually buy it?

One of the worst feelings for any author is spending months writing a book, only to publish it and realize that it never sells — not because the writing was bad, but because readers weren’t searching for it in the first place.

That’s why keyword research is no longer optional.
It’s one of the smartest ways to know before you start writing whether your book has a real shot at success.

In this guide, you’ll learn the latest approach to Amazon keyword research, including:

• A powerful free tool built specifically for authors
• A premium research option you can try at no cost
• How to validate keywords instead of guessing

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Why Keyword Research Matters More Than Ever

Writing a great book isn’t always enough.

If no one is searching for the topic, your book simply won’t sell.

Many authors rely on guesswork, hoping their book finds an audience after publication. But real success comes from making data-driven decisions before launch.

Even if you don’t want to fully “write to market,” keyword research helps you understand one critical thing:

What readers are already buying.

Instead of hoping your book finds readers, you want to publish where demand already exists.

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The Old Keyword Research Method the Authors Used

For a long time, authors on a budget had limited options.

One of the most common workflows was:

1. Search for a keyword on Amazon
2. Use a free Chrome extension like DS Amazon Quick View
3. Look at search volume and metadata
4. Make an educated guess if the keyword was worth targeting

DS Amazon Quick View works well for general Amazon sellers, but it wasn’t built specifically for authors.

That’s where things have recently changed.

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Meet KIP Scout: A Free Keyword Validation Tool for Authors

A new tool called KIP Scout (by Dibbly Create) has been introduced as a free Chrome browser extension designed specifically for researching and validating Amazon book keywords.

Unlike older extensions that only showed basic book information, KIP Scout provides a complete snapshot of what matters most for authors.

With one click, it displays key data such as:

• Average Amazon bestseller rank
• Estimated average monthly revenue
• Average price
• Individual sales and rank for books in the search
• Reviews, page count, and more

This makes it much easier to determine if a keyword is profitable without doing hours of manual research.

And the best part?

You don’t have to spend a dime to use it.

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Why Incognito Mode Is Mandatory for Keyword Research

When doing keyword research, Amazon personalizes search results based on your browsing and purchase history.

That means normal browser searches can produce biased results.

That’s why the script emphasizes:

• Incognito mode = good
• Normal browser mode = bad

Incognito gives you untainted results that the general public sees.

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How to Set Up KIP Scout Step-by-Step

To use KIP Scout properly, you need to:

1. Install the extension
2. Go into Chrome Extensions settings
3. Enable KIP Scout for Incognito Mode
4. Open Amazon and select Kindle Store or Books
5. Search a keyword related to your book
6. Click the KIP Scout popup to view metrics

You can also connect your free Dibbly Create account so your research can be saved into projects.

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Customizing Profitability Settings Inside KIP Scout

One of the strongest features of KIP Scout is that you can define what “profitable” means for your niche.

You can configure:

• Maximum number of reviews allowed
• Minimum revenue requirements
• Minimum number of profitable books in the results
• Suppressing sponsored ads so they don’t skew data

This helps focus only on books that rank organically.

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Understanding Keyword Competition (Fitness Example)

The script gives a clear example:

Searching a broad keyword like:

Fitness

…brings back over 50,000 products, making it extremely competitive.

But a longer phrase like:

Fitness for women over 50

…reduces results to around 4,000, creating a more manageable niche.

This demonstrates why authors should focus on keyword phrases, not just single-word terms.

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What Metrics Matter Most?

When evaluating a keyword, the script highlights two major factors:

1. Avoid Too Many Permanently Free Titles

Free books can distort pricing and revenue insights.

2. Pay Attention to ABSR (Amazon Bestseller Rank)

The author recommends looking for keywords where the average rank falls between:

10,000 to 100,000

This range typically represents achievable sales volume with a solid marketing plan.

Ranks above 100,000 may produce little traction, while ranks below 10,000 can be very competitive.

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Expand Keyword Ideas with the Query Finder

If you feel stuck with a keyword, KIP Scout includes a feature that pulls additional keyword ideas from Amazon autocomplete.

This makes it easier to seed new phrases and build a larger list of profitable targets.

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Where to Use Keywords in Your Book Listing

Once you find profitable keywords, the script explains that they should be placed strategically in:

• Title
• Subtitle
• Series name
• The 7 backend keyword boxes inside KDP
• Book description
• A+ Content
• Editorial review section (via Author Central)

These are key areas of discoverability on Amazon.

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Premium Research Options Inside Dibbly Create Pro Plan

For authors who want deeper research, Dibbly Create offers advanced tools through its Pro Plan, including:

Category Search Tool

Provides breakdowns of categories and topic ideas.

Search Term Batch Analysis

Analyzes multiple books related to a keyword and highlights strengths, weaknesses, and reviewer suggestions.

Keyword Analysis

Generates both short-tail and long-tail keywords, dramatically expanding your research list.

In-Depth Book Analysis Using ASIN

Allows you to enter a bestselling book’s ASIN and uncover related keyword opportunities.

The script also mentions that authors can try the Pro Plan through a free 7-day trial.

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Why Dibbly Create Is Positioned as an Author-Friendly Writing Platform

Beyond keyword research, the script describes Dibbly Create as a writing software designed for authors, offering features such as:

• Outlining and organization tools
• Character development support
• Collaboration with editors or co-authors
• Custom templates for different genres
• Writing prompts and grammar checks

The goal is to help authors write efficiently while maintaining quality.

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Stop Guessing – Validate Before You Write

Gone are the days of blindly guessing whether a book idea will work.

With tools like KIP Scout and the deeper research features in Dibbly Create, authors can validate keyword demand upfront, ensuring that every hour spent writing is an investment — not a gamble.

Whether you’re budget-conscious or ready to level up with premium features, these tools give both new and experienced authors a smarter edge in Amazon publishing.

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