How to Find a Profitable KDP Niche for Activity Books (Simple Manual)

Many people in the self-publishing community complain that “KDP is too competitive” or that “all the good niches are taken.” In reality, most of this frustration comes from beginners who pick the wrong niche and try to compete with giants while having no real tools, strategy, or positioning.

Here’s the reality - KDP isn’t oversaturated, it’s full of low-quality books. Competition only becomes a problem if:

You choose niches blindly,

You don’t follow data,

Or you produce books that look like the rest of the market.

If you follow a method, researching search volume, checking BSR, examining competitors, and positioning your book correctly, you can absolutely break into KDP even in categories with tons of competitors. Activity books, word search books, word scrambles… all still sell incredibly well when they’re done right. This manual shows your users exactly how to find profitable niches and outshine the average publisher.

This is just one strategy you can use. There are many ways to find a niche, but this is the method we’ve personally tested and proven to work.

1. Start With a Simple Idea

Start with a clear, simple concept so you know exactly where to begin your research. Try:

word search book

word scramble book

themed activity books

puzzle books for kids, adults, or seniors

To explore a specific niche, check Google Trends to see what’s hot, or start with a main keyword on Amazon, look at the bestsellers, and experiment with the search bar to discover related ideas.

2. Look for Search Demand

Aim for roughly 1,000 searches for your keyword. Why this number?

Enough people are looking for the topic

But it’s not so competitive that you get buried

Perfect for growing a series

Remember this: too low search volume means there’s no audience, too high means you’re competing with major publishers and books.

3. Check Amazon Search Results with Your own eye

Check the number of search results, then look for books with a BSR around 200k–300k; that’s a solid indicator of consistent sales. After that, evaluate quality with your own eyes: are the covers strong, do the books look well-made, or are they sloppy? If you notice low-quality books selling well, that’s your signal to enter the niche and outperform them easily. Your short checklist:

Number of results in Amazon search

Quality of covers and content

Strength of titles

Repetitive or generic content

If the top books look outdated or poorly made, your users can easily outperform them with good design and layout.

4. Confirm Demand with BSR

Once you’ve checked search volume, the next step is to verify whether people are actually buying in this niche. The fastest way to do that is by looking at the Best Seller Rank (BSR) of the top books that appear under your keyword.

What You’re Looking For? You want to see: Several books ranking between 100k–300k.

This specific BSR range is the sweet spot because it means:

Steady sales (usually 1–3 copies per day)

Healthy, recurring demand

Multiple books are selling, not just one random bestseller dominating the niche. This confirms that the market is active and has room for new high-quality books.

What to Avoid: If most books are above 500k BSR, the niche is weak, not enough buyers. If many are below 150k BSR, the niche is strong but more competitive, meaning your quality must be significantly better to stand out. BSR doesn’t lie. It’s the clearest way to judge whether the niche can make you money.

5. Evaluate Competitor Quality

After confirming demand, take a deeper look at the actual books you’d be competing with. This is where you’ll spot gaps in the market that you can exploit. Check for Signs of Low Quality:

Ugly, outdated, or overly simple covers

Low-resolution puzzle pages

Repetitive puzzles with no theme

Weak or generic descriptions

Books that clearly look mass-produced or rushed

Many publishers upload low-effort activity books just to “fill” the niche. If you can create something cleaner and more polished, especially using tools like BookGenie.io or any reliable activity book generator, you can instantly beat a large percentage of competitors. Quality doesn’t have to be artistic perfection. It just needs to be better than what’s already there.

6. Understand What It Means to Compete in a Crowded Niche

A niche having a lot of books doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enter. In fact, it often means the opposite; people are spending money there. But crowded niches require a smarter approach. What You Need to Stand Out:

A better cover than your competitors (this alone wins most battles)

A specific angle. Example: Large Print Bird Word Search for Seniors, not just Word Search Book

Cleaner, more consistent puzzle layouts

More value (themes, large print, bonus sections, answer guides)

Branding (series sell far better than standalone titles)

If you copy what already exists, you’ll disappear. If you bring even a small twist or higher quality, you can outperform the market, even in crowded categories.

7. Quick Checklist Before Creating the Book

✅ Search volume is around 1,000

✅ Several books have a BSR between 200k–300k

✅ Competitors appear weak or easy to outperform

✅ You can offer better or more thematic puzzles

✅ Your cover concept stands out from the top listings

✅ You can deliver a clean, polished layout (or use a generator to ensure it)

Not sure how to start or create puzzles?

BookGenie.io makes it easy. You don’t need any design skills; you can create word scrambles, word search puzzles, and more in just minutes. It’s simple, fast, and beginner-friendly. Start creating your puzzle book today in our activity book generator 📚