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Metadata Minute (Issue #11): Backlist Metadata Review

A Nielsen UK study found that backlist titles with enhanced metadata saw a 42% sales increase in books that previously had no enhanced metadata. Given that backlist sales account for nearly 70% of all print products, your backlist metadata is NOT something that should be ignored! Increasing the quality of your metadata can directly correlate to increased visibility and sales for your backlist titles. Firebrand Technologies offers two services to help publishers with their backlist sales and marketing efforts.

Metadata Review Service

For publishers who would prefer the DIY method, Firebrand Technologies’ Metadata Review Service will provide publishers with a metadata assessment and consultation for a small one-time fee. We will run your entire product list through an automated quality assessment process that analyzes four, key metadata elements:

  • Keywords
  • BISAC subject codes
  • Author biography
  • Long description

Publishers will receive a report describing where metadata does not currently meet industry recommendations, along with a consultation afterwards. Once you’ve completed the metadata cleanup, we’ll provide one last assessment to compare your results!

Flywheel

For publishers who don’t have the team or the time for backlist metadata cleanup, Flywheel is a backlist sales and marketing service powered completely by Firebrand Technologies staff. Using data science and machine learning, Flywheel identifies hidden opportunities in your backlist, then our team does the hard work of metadata enhancement for you, providing you with in-depth updates of the progress each week while saving you time and resources.

Flywheel strategically selects which titles should be enhanced for optimal performance, allowing us to make changes to the right titles at the right time. Recommendations are made by utilizing:

  • Statistical predictions regarding which titles are likely to trend
  • Metadata opportunities (which titles need metadata enhancement)
  • Current events in the world
  • Sales history and which books are likely to see a spike in sales

To qualify for Flywheel, publishers must have a minimum of 500 backlist titles that are at least three years old.


No matter which option best fits your needs, taking action to refine your metadata will not only enhance your backlist’s performance but also position your titles for greater success in a competitive market.

To get started on either of these metadata services and boost the sales of your backlist, reach out to Joshua at joshua@firebrandtech.com today.


The Metadata Minute is your monthly guide to boosting book sales and visibility by mastering metadata elements! Whether you’re an author, publisher, marketer, or industry enthusiast, “Metadata Minute” has something to offer everyone.

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  • Tips and techniques to perfect your metadata for backlist & frontlist titles
  • The latest industry trends in metadata practices, ensuring you’re always one step ahead
  • Case studies proving the power of metadata transformations

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