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You know what’s really surprising? How easy it is to design and sell planners on Amazon KDP. I’ve seen people completely overlook how much potential there is in low-content books, especially planners. It doesn’t take much to create one, and once it’s up there, it’s passive income! Plus, the beauty of planners is that they can be as simple or as specific as you want them to be.
If you’re sitting there wondering where do I even start with this?, don’t stress. I’m going to break it down step by step, and I’ll even throw in 10 planner ideas that are totally doable for your Amazon KDP Publishing journey. Whether you’re a design pro or you’re still figuring out Canva, you can totally pull this off.
Design Planners for Amazon KDP Publishing!
Start with Simple, Functional Layouts
First off, planners don’t need to be complex. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel here. People are buying planners because they want something functional to organise their life, whether that’s for work, personal goals, or even hobbies.
For Amazon KDP, keep in mind that the formatting needs to fit their size specs. I usually stick to 6x9 inches or 8.5x11 inches for planners—nice and spacious, but still practical. You can use tools like Canva or Book Bolt to design the interior pages. Even simple layouts like daily or weekly logs, habit trackers, or blank calendar templates can work wonders. It’s all about functionality and aesthetics.
Make It Niche
The big secret to creating bestselling planners? Find your niche. Sure, everyone loves a generic planner, but what if you could offer something more tailored? Think about who you’re targeting. Are you going for busy mums, small business owners, fitness enthusiasts, or maybe even cat lovers? (Yes, cat-themed planners are totally a thing, and they sell!)
The more specific you get with your planner theme, the easier it is to stand out in a crowded market. Plus, people tend to spend more money on something that feels tailor-made for them.
Here Are 10 Planner Ideas for You to Try:
1. Wellness Planner
This is huge right now! People are all about self-care and mental well-being, so a wellness planner is an easy win. You can include spaces for daily affirmations, mood tracking, water intake, exercise, and self-care routines.
2. Social Media Content Planner
With more people jumping into the content creation game, social media planners are becoming a hit. They help influencers, small businesses, or budding creators keep track of their posting schedule, hashtags, analytics, and engagement strategies. It’s a perfect niche for people running Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube channels.
3. Fitness and Meal Planner
Fitness planners have always been popular. You can break this one down by workout routines, meal plans, and progress tracking. Add sections for meal prep, grocery lists, and workout goals. People love tracking their fitness journey, and a well-designed planner can make all the difference in sticking to their goals.
4. Budget Planner
People are always looking for better ways to manage their finances, so budget planners do really well. You can include monthly expense trackers, savings goals, debt management sections, and even a bill payment calendar. It's functional and in high demand, especially at the start of the year when people are planning out their finances.
5. Wedding Planner
The wedding market is massive, and a wedding planner is a great low-content book idea. Brides-to-be love having a place to plan their big day. You can add checklists for venues, caterers, and dress fittings, and space for jotting down ideas for themes, guest lists, and seating arrangements.
6. Student Planner
Students, especially university students, are always looking for ways to keep their academic life in check. A student planner can have weekly and monthly calendars, assignment trackers, study schedules, and sections for notes. It’s simple, but super useful for students trying to balance deadlines and study time.
7. Daily Gratitude Journal
This one’s a mix of a journal and a planner. It’s simple—a few prompts each day for things you’re grateful for, and maybe a spot to jot down goals or to-do lists. Gratitude journaling has become really popular, especially with the rise of mindfulness practices, so this could easily turn into a bestseller.
8. Project Planner
For freelancers or creatives working on big projects, a project planner is a lifesaver. You can include task lists, project deadlines, milestones, and brainstorming sections. Think of it as a way to break down huge tasks into manageable chunks.
9. Gardening Planner
For those with a green thumb, a gardening planner can help track planting schedules, watering routines, and seasonal tasks. You could include spaces for sketching out garden layouts, noting down plant care tips, and tracking plant growth.
10. Travel Planner
People love to plan trips in detail, and a travel planner helps them do just that. It could include packing lists, daily itineraries, and budgeting for expenses like accommodation and transport. You could even throw in sections for destination research or bucket list goals.
Design Tools to Get You Started
Now, how do you actually design these planners? Start with Canva. It’s easy, free (with optional paid features), and has loads of templates you can use as a starting point. You don’t need to be a designer—Canva’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create professional-looking planners.
If you want to dive a bit deeper, tools like Book Bolt or even Adobe InDesign offer more customisation options, though they might have a steeper learning curve.
Final Touches for Amazon KDP
Once your planner is designed, you’ll need to format it for Amazon KDP. Remember to check KDP’s guidelines for margins and bleed settings. You can choose between a glossy or matte cover, and you’ll need to design that as well. Canva has cover templates for KDP, so use those to get the dimensions right. And don’t forget your keywords—make sure your planner title is SEO-friendly, so it pops up in search results.
So there you have it—planners are a simple, effective way to get into Amazon KDP publishing. Whether you’re going for a fitness tracker or a wedding planner, the key is to find a niche, keep the design functional, and let your creativity shine. It doesn’t have to be perfect; just get started!
Let me know how it goes, and if you’ve got any questions, I’m here to help!
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