Organize your audiobook metadata for maximum discoverability: what info to include and how to keep it up-to-date?

If you’re involved in audiobook publishing, it’s important to understand audiobook metadata management.

Metadata is the information that describes your audiobook, such as the author, narrator, title, and genre.

Proper metadata management can help your audiobook be discovered by potential listeners and increase your sales.

Getting started

Anyone involved in audiobook publishing should learn about metadata management.

This includes authors, publishers, producers, and distributors.

By understanding metadata, you can ensure that your audiobook is easily discoverable and stands out from the competition.

How to

Start with the basics: Make sure your audiobook has accurate and complete metadata, including the title, author, narrator, genre, and publisher.
Include keywords: Use relevant keywords in your metadata to help your audiobook appear in search results. Think about what words potential listeners might use when searching for audiobooks in your genre.
Use consistent formatting: Keep your metadata consistent across all platforms where your audiobook is available. This includes using the same spelling and capitalization for the author’s name and book title.
Update regularly: Keep your metadata up to date, especially if there are any changes to the book’s title, author, or narrator. This will ensure that potential listeners have the most accurate information.

Best practices

Include all required metadata fields: Make sure to include all required metadata fields when submitting your audiobook to retailers.
Use descriptive language: Use descriptive language in your metadata to help potential listeners understand what your audiobook is about and why they should listen to it.
Think about discoverability: Use relevant keywords and categories to make your audiobook more discoverable.
Stay up to date: Keep up to date with changes to metadata standards and best practices to ensure that your audiobook is always optimized for discovery.

Examples

Let’s say you’re publishing an audiobook called “The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd, narrated by Jenna Lamia.

Here’s an example of how you might format the metadata:

Title: The Secret Life of Bees
Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Narrator: Jenna Lamia
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Description: Set in South Carolina in 1964, this is the story of Lily Owens, a 14-year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. When Lily’s father abuses her, she and her black maid Rosaleen run away and are taken in by a trio of beekeeping sisters.
Keywords: coming of age, family, race relations, bees, South Carolina

By including accurate and descriptive metadata, this audiobook is more likely to be discovered by potential listeners who are interested in books about coming of age, family, and race relations.