"Whether you_re an author or a publisher, metadata_that is, the data that describes and differentiates your book_should be one of your biggest considerations. It_s of importance to your customers because it brings a book to life for the buyer and provides important details on what he or she should expect.Titles with incomplete or nonspecific metadata result in higher returns and, generally, lower sales.

Supplying metadata might seem like an easy problem to tackle, but it_s been incredibly difficult for authors and publishers to know where they should focus their efforts. Spreadsheets and _best practices_ documents place a heavy emphasis on what can be sent throughout the supply chain. But what metadata should you send? What_s most important?

Through extensive research, surveying, and interviewing, we_ve gathered many insights to share with you on what metadata matters most. The fact is that many publishers are wasting time on metadata that may never see the light of day, let alone contribute to sales growth. We wrote this book to help publishers and authors prioritize their metadata efforts and to demystify the way that booksellers, discovery sites, search engines, and libraries catalog, market, andmerchandise your book.

In this book, you_ll find unique research, screenshots, and case studies to give you the tools you need to better prioritize the time, money and effort you spend on metadata.