The Webmaster's Corner - Amazon ASIN Values

Being able to link directly to the Amazon database is one of the exciting new features of the MWSA website. However, there seems to be some confusion about the ASIN fields in our content forms and how those fields can be used. Also, there is a nice feature from Amazon that some people haven't discovered: inline Amazon links. 

First, a word about Amazon ASIN values. The Amazon ASIN for an item is not always the ISBN. Because Amazon is global, they have had to force a ten-digit field to worth with millions of products (not an exaggeration). The EAN, ISBN, UPC, and other magical code values do not always fit neatly into the Amazon database. Here is our advice: 

Always search for your work on Amazon, find the ASIN,
and use that value on the MWSA website.  

If you follow that big, bold tip, your items should always be listed in the MWSA store and throughout our website.

Also, because every field in a form is linked to the keywords and tags you add to a posting, it is important that you add Amazon ASIN values only when the work is related to the post topic. For example, if you're writing about children's books but include the ASIN for your book on war crimes... probably not a good idea. That's because the ASIN will be "tagged" with children's books. We want to make sure the tags and keywords don't bring up unrelated works. 

Promote Your Works

Do include all your current works on your personal profile. The profile is not searched the same way as other content. If you have three books on Amazon, include all three. I suggest listing no more than ten, because people won't scroll through a long page, but if you have ten, include them. Be sure to update your profile ASIN fields when new editions or new formats of your works are released, too.

Most of all, enjoy using the MWSA website to share what you're writing with all the members.