Metadata, workflows and technology:
Ten takeaways from David & Charles
James Woollam, Managing Director of David & Charles, gave publishers at the 2023 Autumn Conference expert advice on metadata and how technology partners like Virtusales Publishing Solutions can improve efficiencies and sales. Here are ten lessons from the session.
1. Metadata is at the heart of publishing and sales
Metadata is all about selling more books and improving their visibility. David & Charles’ experience is that good practices and processes lead directly to better sales. This means it should be a priority for everyone at a publisher, and integral to every stage of a book’s lifecycle.
2. Start from acquisition
Good metadata practice begins at Day One. It should be part of new title proposal documents and approval processes. Early thinking about aspects of metadata like descriptions and keywords means they can flow straight into title management systems later on. David & Charles’ editorial teams own this early stage, and use templates, copy instructions and prompts to ensure they follow best practice.
3. Data needs constant review
Accurate and complete metadata requires a constant process of review and checking. After David & Charles’ editors’ work is complete, sales and marketing teams check and enhance data. About six months before publication all metadata fields are scrutinised again and confirmed, and three months after release they are all reviewed for accuracy and any gaps, and amended where necessary.
4. Think like a customer
As well as checking data internally, it’s useful to look at it in the real world and through the eyes of a customer. How well is a title presented on Amazon and other websites, internationally as well as in the UK? Familiarise yourself with how your books should be presented so you can ensure they reach your standards.
5. Establish a single source
Embracing a single publishing management system like the BiblioSuite solution from Virtusales can improve workflows and productivity and keep metadata accurate and up to date—which in turn increases sales. By establishing a single source, publishing teams get better visibility of a project’s progress and reduce the time they spend on admin and follow-up queries between colleagues.
6. Use scheduling tools
Scheduling tools help to keep workflows on track. David & Charles’ team use the BiblioSuite solution to check off key points and dates in the development process, avoid bottlenecks and ease workloads. Scheduling and streamlining in this way helps publishers to be as efficient and effective as possible, and grow their title lists without overloading staff.
7. Control feeds
It’s important to manage the timing of metadata feeds to customers and partners and avoid sending anything too early or late. For example, partners in the sales process will need data sooner than end-readers. BiblioSuite gives David & Charles greater control of this process and helps prioritise feeds. It makes the export and import of data easier too.
8. Get buy-in
Publishers considering a new title management system need to make sure they get company-wide buy-in. Training as many people as well as possible—not just on the use of a system but on how workflows slot into it—will maximise the benefits. Regular dialogue between team members and departments, and allocating ownership of tasks, will make workflows even more efficient.
9. Check the metrics
Various metrics can help you understand the effectiveness and accuracy of your metadata. Analysis of things like order patterns, consumers’ engagement and conversion rates helps to optimise fields; if any of these look out of the ordinary, check the data.
10. Continually improve
The David & Charles team continually look for ways to make metadata better and find new benefits. Areas for attention at the moment include better integration of metrics and third-party data into the publishing management system and the backlist, where Artificial Intelligence tools may be able to help.
More support on metadata and its various fields and standards are provided by EDItEUR. The IPG Skills Hub has several metadata resources, including a learning pathway.
Click here to watch James Woollam’s full presentation at the IPG’s 2023 Autumn Conference.
Find out how David & Charles is putting metadata at the heart of its business to maximise sales by reading Virtusales’ latest case study.