Self-publishing is a popular option for authors these days. However, going that route means not having access to a lot of the same contacts and resources you would have if you worked with a big-name publisher.
Understanding book metadata and keywords and using this information to your advantage can help increase your book’s visibility, searchability and ultimately increase your sales.
To help we have outlined the key points below.
1. What Is Book Metadata?
Book metadata is simply any data that describes your book. Examples are the title, the subtitle, the ISBN number, publication date, your author bio, and any other relevant information that will help readers find your book. When you self-publish, it’s crucial to have as many different ways to search for your book as possible so that people can find and purchase it. In that book metadata is a powerful tool.
On the more technical side, good metadata is what drives Search Engine Optimization or SEO and for self-publishing, especially, it’s important to understand the basics of SEO and use them to your advantage.
2. What Are Keywords?
Keywords are all the descriptive words that people might use to search for your book. Keywords make up your metadata. The more variety of descriptive words and phrases you can include in your description of your book and in the metadata, the better the chance of your book coming up in a search.
3. The Importance Of Using Book Metadata.
When you decide to self-publish you don’t have the input of a publishing company, one of which includes having someone else (albeit for a short amount of time) handling your publicity and marketing. Much of “getting your book out there” comes down to creating a solid and thorough list of keywords and creating as many ways to signpost people searching for book like yours. The more accurate your keywords and book metadata are, the better your chance of making more sales.
4. Where Do You Begin?
So, you are ready to publish your book and you want it to sell well. How do you make a good keyword list and create book metadata that will lead people to your book and generate sales? The first thing you want to do is generate the most complete list of keywords you can. There are three steps to follow.
a. Brainstorm words and phrases people searching for your book would use.
Compile a thorough list of short phrases and words that people could use to find your book.
b. Use a keyword search tool
Take your list of search terms and start typing them into a keyword research tool. There are several you can choose from: Google Keyword Planner, Soovle, Jaaxy, and Moz Keyword Explorer. Be sure to get rid of any words that don’t work and add words or phrases that keep coming up.
c. Go to Amazon’s search bar and look for terms that describe your book.
Amazon is one of the biggest and best places to sell a self-published book, so it makes sense to see what keywords and keyword phrases are coming up when you use their search bar too. Learn about the many versions of that search query and add them to your list.
After you have done these three things, you should have a created a great keyword and book metadata list and be able to write your metadata descriptions and have your book be very searchable.
5. A Thing To Keep In Mind About Keywords And Book Metadata.
It’s important to remember to evaluate new trends and check the popularity of your keywords and make any necessary updates, and don’t forget to update your personal website, social media profiles, and book description to help search engines find you and increase sales.
Understanding how to use book metadata and keywords will help increase the searchability of your book and increase your sales.
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Kendra Beckley is an editor at Academicbrits.com and Phdkingdom.com. Kendra is a business development manager who helps companies enter new markets and builds long-term relationships with partners. She also writes articles on various topics at Do My Coursework.