Book metadata: the information systems use to place your book

What counts as metadata

Metadata is the structured information that travels with a book: title and subtitle, contributors, description, subject or category codes, keywords, audience, format, price and publication details.

Retailers, libraries and distributors use it to decide where the book is listed, which searches it can match and which other books it is shown next to.

Subject codes and categories

Book-trade subject schemes such as BISAC (widely used in North America) and Thema (an international scheme) describe what a book is about. Retail categories are often derived from, but not always identical to, these codes.

Choosing accurate, specific subjects is usually more useful than choosing the broadest possible ones.

Descriptions and keywords

The description is both a sales text and a source of searchable language. It should make the book's genre, audience and central promise clear early, in words readers would actually use.

Keyword fields, where available, work best when they reflect reader language rather than repeating the title or category.

Who controls it

Depending on how a book is published, metadata may be managed by the author, the publisher or a distributor. Knowing who can change each field is the first practical step before any recommendation can be acted upon.