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Marissa Incitti
Marissa Incitti leads research and content at Feedvisor focused on Amazon, Walmart, and the broader e-commerce marketplace ecosystem. Her work covers retail media performance, pricing strategy, and how AI-driven discovery is reshaping how brands compete across marketplaces. Prior to Feedvisor, she worked in content leadership roles at a Fortune Global 500 omnichannel commerce technology company.
Amazon Author Central: How It Works, Features, and Optimization
Published: February 27, 2017
Last updated: April 29, 2026
Amazon Author Central is a free platform that allows published authors to create and manage their Author Page on Amazon. Through Author Central, authors can add biographies, photos, editorial reviews, and sales tracking data - giving them control over how they are represented to book buyers.
Author Central is available at author.amazon.com to any author whose books have ISBNs listed in Amazon’s catalog. It integrates with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and works across Amazon’s international marketplaces.
Table of Contents
- What Is Author Central?
- How to Set Up Author Central
- Author Central Features
- Managing Your Bibliography
- Look Inside the Book
- Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
- International Author Pages
- Optimizing Your Author Page
- FAQs
What Is Author Central?
Author Central is Amazon’s dedicated platform for published authors. It provides tools to:
- Create and customize an Author Page visible to all Amazon customers
- Claim and manage your published books (all editions and formats)
- Track sales data and rankings
- Add biographical information, photos, and editorial reviews
- Connect with readers through your Author Page
Author Central is free and available to any author with books listed on Amazon. It is primarily relevant to book authors and publishers rather than general Amazon marketplace sellers.
How to Set Up Author Central
- Go to author.amazon.com
- Sign in with your Amazon account
- Search for your book to verify your authorship
- Complete your profile - add your biography, photo, and other information
- Wait for approval - your Author Page typically appears on Amazon within three to five days
Once approved, changes to your Author Page appear within 24 hours.
Note: Any profile sections left empty will not appear on your Author Page - only completed sections are displayed to customers.
Author Central Features
Author Profile
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Biography | Text-based author bio. Links are no longer clickable - Amazon removed hyperlink support in bios. |
| Author photo | Upload a professional photo displayed prominently on your Author Page |
| Social media links | Connect your social media profiles to your Author Page |
| Editorial reviews | Add up to 5 reviews, testimonials, or quotes about you or your work |
| Sales data | Access BookScan sales data and sales rank tracking |
Removed Features
Several features that were previously available no longer exist:
- Blog feeds / RSS - Amazon discontinued RSS feed integration
- Discussion boards - Amazon removed all customer discussion forums across the platform
- Global image gallery - Images are now managed per individual book page rather than as a global author gallery
- Clickable links in bios - Amazon quietly removed the ability to include clickable URLs in author biographies
Managing Your Bibliography
Author Central lets you claim and manage all editions of your published works:
- Hardcover, paperback, eBook, and audiobook editions can all be linked to your Author Page
- Book images can be uploaded per book page
- Editorial reviews can be managed for each title
- Customer reviews can be monitored (though not edited or removed by the author)
To add a book to your bibliography, search for it in Author Central and claim authorship. All editions sharing the same ISBN or ASIN can be linked to your profile.
Note: Even if your book is sold under an Amazon program you do not directly control, you are still eligible to join Author Central and manage your Author Page.
How Customers Find Your Author Page
Buyers can reach your Author Page by:
- Clicking your name on any book detail page
- Searching for your name in the Amazon bookstore
- Following the Author Page icon that appears at the top of search results
Look Inside the Book
Amazon’s Look Inside feature (previously called “Search Inside”) allows buyers to preview select portions of a book before purchasing, including:
- Table of Contents
- Sample pages
- Index (if applicable)
Authors or publishers who hold the copyright and marketing/promotion rights can enroll their books in Look Inside. This feature helps buyers make informed purchasing decisions and can increase conversion rates for well-structured books.
Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP)
Amazon’s self-publishing ecosystem is now Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), which has grown into a major platform for authors:
- Formats: eBooks, paperbacks, and hardcovers
- KDP Select: An optional program offering additional benefits including Kindle Unlimited enrollment and promotional tools (countdown deals, free book promotions)
- Integration: Author Central and KDP are tightly integrated - books published through KDP automatically appear in your Author Central bibliography
Authors who hold electronic publishing rights can publish directly through KDP. If a publisher holds those rights, the author should request that the publisher make the work available in Kindle format.
International Author Pages
Amazon operates separate Author Pages for each international marketplace:
- Amazon automatically creates Author Pages in international marketplaces where your books are listed
- Authors must claim and manage each country’s page separately - content does not sync automatically
- Key marketplaces: amazon.com (US), amazon.co.uk (UK), amazon.de (Germany), amazon.fr (France), amazon.co.jp (Japan), amazon.ca (Canada), and others
Managing international pages is important for authors with global readership, as each marketplace may display different information if not actively maintained.
Optimizing Your Author Page
To maximize the impact of your Author Central page:
Write a compelling biography - this is your primary marketing space on Amazon. Make it engaging and professional. Since clickable links are no longer supported, reference your website or social handles by name.
Upload a professional author photo - a high-quality, recognizable photo builds trust and recognition.
Claim all editions of your books - link hardcover, paperback, eBook, and audiobook editions to ensure buyers find everything in one place.
Add editorial reviews - include up to five reviews, endorsements, or testimonials from publications, other authors, or media coverage.
Connect social media - link your profiles so readers can follow you outside of Amazon.
Enroll in Look Inside - letting buyers preview your book increases confidence and conversion.
Monitor sales data - use BookScan data and rank tracking to understand where and how your books are selling.
Maintain all international pages - if you have readers in multiple countries, ensure each Author Page is claimed and populated.
FAQs
Who is eligible for Author Central?
Any author with a book listed in Amazon’s catalog with an ISBN is eligible. Author Central is free to join. You do not need to be a self-published or KDP author - traditionally published authors qualify as well.
Can I delete my Author Central page?
No. Once created, an Author Central page cannot be deleted. You can edit or remove content from your page, but the page itself persists permanently.
Where is Author Central located?
Author Central is now at author.amazon.com. The previous URL (authorcentral.amazon.com) redirects to the new address.
Does Author Central help with book discoverability?
Yes. A complete and active Author Page improves the likelihood that your books appear in Amazon search results. The more information you provide - biography, photos, editorial reviews - the more data Amazon’s algorithm has to surface your books for relevant searches.
Can I add blog posts to my Author Page?
No. Amazon removed blog feed and RSS integration from Author Central. Authors who want to share written content should direct readers to external blogs or social media through their connected profiles.
How does Author Central relate to KDP?
Author Central manages your Author Page and public profile. KDP manages publishing and distribution. They are separate but integrated - books published through KDP automatically appear in your Author Central bibliography.
Summary
Amazon Author Central is a free platform for published authors to manage their presence on Amazon:
- Access at author.amazon.com - free for any author with books in Amazon’s catalog
- Core features - biography, author photo, editorial reviews, sales tracking, and social media links
- Removed features - blog feeds/RSS, discussion boards, clickable bio links, and global image uploads are no longer available
- Look Inside (formerly Search Inside) lets buyers preview book content
- KDP integration - books published through Kindle Direct Publishing automatically link to your Author Central profile
- International pages must be claimed and managed separately for each Amazon marketplace
- Cannot be deleted - Author Central pages are permanent once created
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