New Insights on Amazon’s A10 Update
If your Amazon book sales have taken a hit lately, you're not alone. Behind the scenes, Amazon has quietly rolled out major changes to how books are ranked and discovered. Dubbed the "A10 algorithm," this update shifts the game for indie authors—putting more weight on engagement, relevance, and external traffic. In this post, we break down what’s changed, why it matters, and how you can adjust your strategy to stay visible and keep your sales moving forward.
Have you noticed a dip in your KENP reads or book orders over the past couple of months?
At Adverley, we’ve been researching this trend in detail. After speaking with our AMS representatives, consulting Amazon support, and reviewing recent case studies, one main factor stood out: Amazon’s new ranking and relevance algorithm, previously known as A9, now unofficially referred to as A10.
Since July, Amazon has been prioritizing different ranking factors, meaning that even authors with great books, strong reviews, and steady ads are seeing changes in visibility.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s changed and how it affects your books: A9 vs. A10 Differences.
1. Emphasis on Organic & External Traffic:
A10 now rewards listings that bring in outside visitors (from Google, social media, or newsletters). External traffic is now a major ranking factor, while A9 mainly focused on internal signals.
2. Reduced Reliance on Paid Ads
PPC ads alone no longer guarantee ranking boosts. A10 values genuine reader engagement: organic clicks, sales, and repeat visits, more than ad-driven traffic.
3. Focus on Long-Term Engagement:
Instead of rewarding fast launch spikes, A10 prioritizes sustained engagement, such as consistent sales, KENP reads, and reader retention. Natural keyword use now outperforms keyword-stuffed titles.
4. Seller/Author Authority & Listing Quality:
Amazon now weighs factors like seller credibility, feedback, and listing quality. Well-structured blurbs, professional covers, clear descriptions, and updated A+ content all play a larger role.
5. “Google-Like” Search Behavior:
Search results are becoming more personalized. Amazon tracks engagement quality —CTR, conversion rate, and time on page —similar to Google’s approach to relevance.
What This Means for Authors:
A10 is more holistic. It still values sales, but now emphasizes authentic engagement, off-site visibility, and professional presentation. One-day sales bursts or keyword-heavy strategies no longer have the same impact.
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Update Your Book Page – Polish your title, subtitle, cover, and description. Make it professional and reader-focused.
Tighten Your Keywords – Use relevant, specific search terms that real readers would type in. Avoid keyword stuffing.
Fix Your Categories – Make sure your book is listed in the most accurate, high-visibility categories.
Audit Your Cover – Genre-fit is non-negotiable. If it doesn’t scream your genre, redo it.
Drive External Traffic – Send readers from social media, email, blogs, or podcasts to your Amazon book page. A10 rewards it.
Build (or Use) Your Email List – Email subscribers are golden. Send them directly to your Amazon page during launches or promos.
Run Facebook or TikTok Ads (Strategically) – Use ads to bring in external traffic. Track results. Optimize.
Fix Your “Look Inside” – First 10% of your book should hook the reader. If not, edit it now.
Watch Your Return Rate – Misleading blurbs or bad formatting can cause refunds. Fix what’s breaking trust.
Ask for Reviews (Gently) – At the end of your book, ask readers to leave an honest review if they enjoyed it.
Aim for Quality Reviews – 10 thoughtful reviews beat 50 generic ones. Depth matters more now.
Track Your Conversion Rate – Use tools like Amazon Attribution or KDP reports to see what’s working.
Don’t Rely Solely on Amazon Ads – A10 favors a mix. Organic + external > pure PPC.
Sustain Your Launch for 30 Days – Launch week isn’t enough. Promote your book consistently for the first month.
Engage Your Readers – Reply to comments, thank reviewers, share behind-the-scenes. Build trust and loyalty.
How We’re Responding:
We’re expanding our program to help authors adapt and thrive under the new A10 rules.
Here’s what we’re adding starting in November:
• Social Media Management
20 image creatives per month, captions, and engagement (Facebook, Instagram, and possibly TikTok).
• Cross-Platform Advertising
Facebook ads focused on newsletter growth and traffic to Amazon and author stores.
• AMS Optimization
Continued ad management to sustain algorithmic visibility and reader momentum.
• Product Page Enhancements
Updated blurbs, new A+ content, and optional “re-release” editions of Book 1s to reset visibility.
Program Details:
We’re currently offering this expanded package at:
$850/month for current clients
$950–$999/month for new clients
This includes AMS management, Facebook ad management, content creation, engagement, and creative production; all integrated for a single price.
From our research, no other agency offers this complete scope of services at a similar rate.
We can also tailor a custom plan if you have specific goals or platforms in mind.
Our goal remains simple:
To provide a complete solution that lets you focus on writing, while we handle the marketing, optimization, and growth.
We’re currently onboarding a few authors into this new A10-ready program, but since we’re training new team members, only a few spots are available at the moment.
If you’d like to reserve a spot or keep your current plan while we transition, please reply and let me know how you’d like to proceed.
We completely understand that not every author will want or be able to upgrade to the full A10 package right away.
If you’d rather keep things simple, our plans start at $350. We’ll still make sure your ads and listings are aligned with the new A10 requirements as much as possible within your service package.
Our goal is to help you adapt and keep your catalog competitive, even with a smaller setup. Of course, the full range of services, like social media management, creative production, and multi-platform coordination, will remain exclusive to the expanded program.
But we’ll always do our best to help you implement a solid version of the strategy at your current level.
Thank you for taking the time to read through this; I know it was a bit longer than usual, but there’s a lot to cover about these recent changes and how they affect advertising. If you’d like to dive deeper into any of these points, just let me know.
Gerardo.
Adverley