When you sell on a major online shop, you can choose your category. If you simply list your book as “business books,” it will be challenging to achieve a high ranking due to intense competition. However, if you narrow down the category of business books further, the competition decreases significantly, making it easier to achieve a higher ranking.
For instance, on Amazon, you start from “All Categories,” then select “Books,” followed by “Business and Economics,” and within that, there are subcategories like IT, management, statistics, and so on. There are about five levels down from the top category. Targeting a very specific subgenre with fewer competitors can increase your chances of ranking well.
In extreme cases, if there are no recent publications in that specific subgenre, your book could automatically rank number one.
Moreover, you can proudly advertise “Achieved number one in Amazon’s XX category!” This can significantly boost your marketing impact.
This strategy isn’t limited to books or online shops. For example, becoming the number one ramen shop nationwide or in Tokyo is extremely difficult. However, focusing on a smaller area like Shibuya or Shibuya Dogenzaka makes achieving a high ranking more feasible. In some small towns or regional cities, there might only be one shop in a particular category.
Ultimately, achieving “number one” or being in the “top three” has a powerful effect. It’s worth pursuing, even if it seems challenging at first.
