Metadata Minute (Issue #22): Christmas in July—Planning Ahead for Holiday Metadata
While the holiday shopping season officially kicks off in late fall, the most effective metadata prep starts well before the leaves begin to change. With nearly 25% of annual book sales occurring during the winter holidays—and many shoppers beginning in October—publishers who plan ahead have a clear advantage.
To help you plan, here’s a streamlined month-by-month guideto holiday metadata updates.
August: Prepare for Updates
Some publishers may have already begun this process. Use August to clarify your goals and plan ahead for the busy season.
- Check your Fall releases—Begin planning how the metadata for your Fall and later releases will be handled in conjunction with the planned marketing.
- Decide which backlist titles to target—Most small to mid-sized publishers should aim for 10-30 titles. Larger publishers may scale up to 50-100+.
- Prioritize—Focus on proven holiday performers and titles with strong gift appeal (e.g., cookbooks, children’s titles, box sets, feel-good fiction, evergreen nonfiction).
- Audit Past Sales: Review last year’s Q4 performance to help decide which will be the best titles to update this year.
- Schedule Ahead—Set calendar reminders and team check-ins now to stay on track.
- Evaluate your tools—Take time this month to review any metadata or monitoring tools you may need for the season. Services like Eloquence on Alert or Flywheel can help automate metadata updates, track pricing and availability, monitor buy buttons, and flag unexpected changes—ensuring your titles stay visible and error-free during peak sales.
Tip: Create a simple spreadsheet to track which titles have been updated and revisit during team check-ins to keep your team focused and proficient. If you’re using Title Management, a saved list is the perfect solution.
September: Begin Metadata Updates
With holiday shoppers ramping up in October, aim to complete your core metadata assessment and major updates this month. Refresh descriptions to highlight gift appeal, add timely seasonal keywords, and double-check BISACs and categories. Be sure to place holiday keywords near the top of your list, as ranking them too far down may result in them being dropped by retailers.
While you’re in update mode, add fall-themed terms like “cozy mysteries” or “Thanksgiving recipes” to capture early seasonal traffic. If you’re using a metadata or monitoring tool (or you plan to), now’s the time to get it running so you can start tracking performance ahead of peak shopping.
Tip: If you are signed up for the Flywheelservice, our team will manage the backlist metadata changes for you, choosing the right changes to make at the right time to have the biggest impact on your backlist sales.
October: Polish and Finalize Metadata
October is your final window to refine metadata before the bulk of holiday shopping begins. Focus on final touches that make your titles stand out and perform.
- Lock in discount metadata for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and early December sales.
- Add seasonal touches to author bios, comparative titles, box set or series information, and review quotes.
- Refresh product images with festive flair like bows, Santa hats, digital gift tags, cozy holiday backgrounds, etc.
Tip: If your team uses Eloquence on Alert, include a “holiday metadata update” event for each title to track previous and future impact and performance.
November/December: Promote and Monitor Titles
With your metadata in place, shift your focus to promotion and performance tracking. These high-traffic months are about visibility and responsiveness
- Promote featured titles through newsletters, social media, ads, and gift guides—all aligned with your updated metadata.
- Monitor title performance, either manually or using tools like Eloquence on Alert to catch issues with pricing, availability, buy buttons, or images.
- Act faston any errors or disruptions, and keep an eye on sales rank and momentum.
January: Review and Reset
After the holiday rush, assess what performed well and where there’s room to improve. Use those insights to refine your future strategy—and begin rolling back any seasonal language in your metadata.
Take control of your holiday metadata now!
Firebrand Technologies offers a full suite of tools—including Title Management, Eloquence on Demand, Flywheel, and Eloquence on Alert—that support every stage of your holiday metadata strategy, from initial metadata updates and distribution to advanced retail monitoring.
Click here to sign up for Eloquence on Alert today or connect with our team to find the best Firebrand solutions for your metadata needs.
Happy (almost) holidays—and may your titles be merry, bright, and easy to find!
For more publishing insights and book metadata tips, stay tuned to Metadata Minute—your monthly guide to smarter, sharper metadata.
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