Metadata Minute (Issue #24): Endorsements as Strategic Metadata

Endorsements aren’t just optional marketing extras—they’re essential metadata assets that establish reader credibility and improve sales algorithms for better discoverability in an incredibly competitive market. Fewer than 20% of independently published books include endorsements in their metadata (Ingram, 2016). In an overly crowded market, that’s a massive missed opportunity.

Even when publishers do include endorsements, they may be underutilized or implemented ineffectively. Common mistakes include:

• Burying quotes in long product descriptions where they get overlooked.
• Leaning on generic blurbs instead of quality endorsements from trusted or strategic voices.
• Listing endorsements in only one place, rather than distributing them across product descriptions, ONIX feeds, press materials, and marketing collateral.
• Adding endorsements too late, instead of pursuing them during the pre-publication process. That being said, it’s really never too late to add endorsements to backlist titles.

Who Should Endorse Your Book?

The most effective endorsements aren’t always from celebrities or bestselling authors (although, those can certainly help). Sometimes a librarian, bookseller, niche influencer, industry leader, or subject expert carries more credibility with your target audience.

Choose endorsers who:

1. Have credibility in your genre.
2. Are recognized by your target audience.
3. Provide unique insights that set your book apart from others.

If possible, ask endorsers to also share their endorsement on their own platform to amplify reach.

Where Should Endorsements Live?

Endorsements should never live in just one location. Publishers should consider placing endorsements across multiple metadata and marketing touchpoints:

• ONIX feeds (Code List 153): Use <TextType>09</TextType> for endorsements and <TextType>06</TextType> for quotes from published reviews. This ensures endorsements display consistently across retailers and feed algorithms.
• Book descriptions: Consider placing your strongest endorsement at the beginning or end of your description, formatted to visually stand out.
• Inside the Book: Some publishers include an entire page—or even two—of endorsements in print editions. While this may feel like overkill on paper, including these endorsements in metadata provides richer data for retailer algorithms and reinforces credibility for readers browsing online.
• Cover and Back Panel: Endorsements from your strongest sources can also be placed on the front or back cover. Make sure these cover images are consistently used across online listings (Eloquence on Alert can help!).
• Secondary Images: Endorsements don’t just have to live on the cover or back cover of your book. Add them to secondary images for your retail listings so casual scrollers can easily see them.
• A+ Content: Placing visuals of your endorsements in your A+ content is a great way to highlight the best ones..
• Title Management: Use the appropriate fields in Title Management to store reviews and endorsements, and use Eloquence on Demand to deliver them to your trading partners. Eloquence on Demand can also help when partners do not show your citations properly.
• Marketing: Incorporate endorsements throughout sales sheets, catalogs, social media, email campaigns, and other promotional efforts.

Endorsements aren’t just “extra praise” to sprinkle on a jacket—they’re structured metadata that directly influences sales. When chosen strategically, formatted correctly, and distributed across multiple metadata touchpoints, they boost discoverability, credibility, and conversion. Publishers who treat endorsements as metadata assets (and not just marketing copy) unlock measurable gains in visibility and long-term sales.

So, ask yourself: are your endorsements working as hard as they could?