Beyond the Basics – Enhanced

Metadata for Discovery Metadata Map – Suzanne Franks, Bowker

Provider Relations

Basic Element

s

• Title• ISBN• Format

or Binding

• Price• Status• Publish

er• Pub

Date

2

Enhanced

Elements

• Cover Images• Descriptions or Annos (Short

and Long Description)• Contributor Biographies • BISAC Subjects• Keywords

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MotivationDiscoverability: The ease with which products can be

identified and purchased through the supply chain.

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Cover Images

5

Average unit sales for titles with or without cover images

(taken from the Nielsen Book US Study “The Importance of Metadata for Discoverability and Sales” conducted with Bowker bibliographic data)

Descriptions

(Annos) and

Biographies

6

Average unit sales for titles with varying levels of descriptive elements

(taken from the Nielsen Book US Study “The Importance of Metadata for Discoverability and Sales” conducted with Bowker bibliographic data)

Keywords

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Average unit sales for titles with or without keywords

(taken from the Nielsen Book US Study “The Importance of Metadata for Discoverability and Sales” conducted with Bowker bibliographic data)

ExpectationsIndustry standards: Requirements for metadata

submissions to providers.

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BISG Best

Practices

• Cover Images (placeholder image if warranted)

• Descriptions (Annos) – Keep these evergreen

• Contributor Biographies --_Use correct ONIX tag

• BISAC Subjects – Avoid general codes

• Keywords – ONIX part of the Subjects composite

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Submit 180 Days Prior to Pub Date

Reality

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Improvements: Analyze which enhanced elements could perform better – greater discoverability can lead to greater sales.

Bowker Content Compari

son

Enhanced Metadata Presence – Print and Ebooks

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Active ISBNs with Bios

Active ISBNs with Annos

Active ISBNS with Cover Image

Active ISBNs with BISAC

0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00%

2016 2015 2014 2013 2012

Bowker Sources

and Timing

of Metadat

a 12

Bowker Publisher Gap Report*

*Taken from an anonymous publisher’s Bowker Gap Report where cover images, annotations and prices were analyzed

BISAC Subject Analysis

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Bowker BISAC Subject Report

Avoid general codes: ART000000 ART / General

Quality, not quantity

Metadata

Tips

• Same metadata for all formats of a title.

• Follow industry expectations for metadata timeline.

• Revisit titles after publication to update metadata.

• Be aware of individual supplier preferences.

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Resources

• BISG Best Practices for Product Metadata

• Nielsen US Book Study: The Importance of Metadata for Discoverability and Sales

• BookNet Canada: Who Should Own Keywords?

Thank you! Questions? Email me at Suzanne.Franks@Bowker.com

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