What is book metadata optimization?
Book metadata is the information that describes your book to retailers, libraries, and readers. It labels your book's content, target market, and format in a standardized way, so that it’s put on the appropriate shelf. In other words, it’s how engines decide what your book is, who it's for, and whether to show it to someone browsing for “cozy mystery with a cat” or “productivity books for entrepreneurs.”
Book metadata optimization, meanwhile, is the process of refining all that information to make sure your book reaches the right readers — right before converting them into buyers.
Your book's metadata includes, among other elements:
- Title and subtitle
- Author name (and the names of other contributors)
- Series information
- Price
- Book cover
- Blurb (or book description)
- "About the author"
- Editorial reviews
- Categories (BISAC codes on most retailers; browse categories on Amazon)
- Keywords
To help you optimize it, a metadata specialist will dig into your genre's bestseller lists to find the categories where your book can actually rank, research the search terms your readers type, and rewrite your blurb so it hooks readers and signals your genre to the algorithm. In short: they'll make sure your book is seen — and bought.
Hire a professional
Tara L.
I am a children's, middle-grade, and YA book marketing expert with 25 years of experience at top publishers. *BEWARE OF SCAMMERS*
Request a quote
Sara U.
Digital marketer with a tech and analytics background to help you get those sales going! Mentored by Reedsy's CMO. Expert on Amazon Ads.
Request a quote
Jaime W.
I'm a publicist with over 17 years of experience managing debuts and high-profile authors at some of the biggest publishing houses in the UK
Request a quoteWhat’s the difference between metadata optimization and other marketing services?
Book metadata optimization is the foundation that every other marketing effort rests on. Where a marketing strategy maps out your growth plan and advertising pays to put your book in front of readers, metadata optimization makes sure that when readers do land on your product page, it converts.
Think about it this way: if you crack book advertising without optimizing your metadata, you’d be sending paid traffic to a page with a flat blurb that audiences may simply click right back out of. That's why many marketers on Reedsy recommend tackling metadata first.
Find out more
Amazon Keywords: How to Find Them
What makes a good metadata specialist?
Anybody can call themselves a metadata specialist — which is why authors have to be so careful about who they purchase metadata optimization services from. A good metadata specialist always has:
- A deep understanding of how retailer search and recommendation algorithms work, especially on Amazon
- Genre expertise, and a working knowledge of where books like yours actually sell
- Strong copywriting skills — a blurb has to sell, not just summarize
- Familiarity with the back end of KDP, IngramSpark, Kobo, Apple Books, and other distribution platforms
- A data-driven approach: they should be able to show you why one category or keyword beats another
- Good interpersonal skills, including the ability to explain their decisions clearly
- Knowledge of current publishing trends and reader expectations
Note that we haven't included any particular certification in this list. At Reedsy, we value proven expertise and experience over formal qualifications: many of our metadata specialists spent years in the marketing departments of major publishers, or built their skills launching and relaunching their own bestselling books.
Here's what working with a book marketer looks like in practice.
“Rachel was extremely patient in working through every step of the plan with me. Together, we chose suitable keywords and categories for my book so that it was easily findable with Amazon’s search engine and didn’t get lost in the sea of humorous memoirs and medical nonfiction books. Rather than choosing well-known genres with a lot of competition, Rachel found more niche categories, such as ‘Doctor-Patient Relations’, which was less crowded and gave my book more visibility.
By making these changes to my Amazon page, I soon saw my sales increase. But it wasn’t until we started using Facebook ads that it fully clicked, and I understood why we spent months polishing my Amazon page. Once Rachel and I set up my sponsored posts on Facebook, and people were interested enough to check out my book on Amazon, they landed on a promising-looking book page. What would have happened if my Amazon page had looked sparse? We’d have lost those new readers! But having reached the right audience on social media, my polished book page did the final heavy lifting in convincing them to buy my memoir.
With my Facebook ads in place to attract new readers to my Amazon page, my book crept up the ranks in the Orthopaedics category… until I hit #1!”
Hear from more authors who have worked with marketers on Reedsy below:
Reedsy reviews
Maria was quick and responsive, and her notes, not just on BISACs but general formatting of copy on promotional material, was great! I'll definitely be working with her on future installments of my series.
Martin R. N.
If it were possible to give you six stars, we would. Robin was incredibly professional and helpful through the entire process. She went above and beyond in every sense, taking the time to clearly explain what services she offered in clear, plain language, and offered incredibly helpful advice eve...
Allison Wheeler A.
Vicky was insightful, active, and professional, delivering a very thorough plan that I could use to promote my book. She also answered any questions that I had, both throughout the process and after I received my marketing plan. I would absolutely recommend her!
Maria Lua B.
Everything about working with Maria was first rate. She was professional, knowledgeable, easy to talk to, and crystal clear as she walked me through her process and the optimization of my book's metadata. She fully understood what I was looking for and delivered ahead of schedule. I would work wi...
Johnny G.
Getting helpful advice from Vicky on how to market my books in the UK has been an amazing experience. Vicky certainly went the 'extra mile ' to ensure that I had all the information I needed to push my books out into the marketplace where they belong. Helpful and so full of useful ideas - thes...
Gloria B.
How much does metadata optimization cost?
Metadata specialists for hire on Reedsy can charge $300 - $1200 per project, with an average of $950.
Unlike editing, metadata optimization is rarely priced per word. Most specialists quote a flat fee per book, and the price may vary depending on scope, number of titles, and the experience of the professional. You can reach out to five marketers on Reedsy for free to get an exact quote.
Find out more
How to find the right metadata specialist
On Reedsy, you'll find professionals who’ve worked with authors like James Patterson and R.F. Kuang. We handpick our marketers for their industry experience: to guarantee the quality of your collaboration, only the top 3% of applicants are accepted.
Assemble your team
Request quotes from up to 5 professionals in your genre with a free Reedsy account.
That said, not every specialist is a good fit for every author. We recommend following these tips to find one who's right for you on our marketplace:
- Search for specialists who know your genre. Categories and keywords are wildly different for a romance series than for a business book. Filter by genre, then browse portfolios to see whether they've optimized books like yours.
- Check which retailers they specialize in. Some are Amazon experts; others have deep experience with Kobo, Apple Books, or IngramSpark. If you publish wide, mention it.
- Ask what you'll receive. Make sure you’re on the same page as the professional in terms of deliverables. If a particular set of researched keywords matters to you — or if you’d like a finished blurb with two or three variations to test — bring it up.
- Choose someone who has worked with first-time authors, if applicable. Metadata can feel like a black box. An experienced hand will walk you through the "why" so you can maintain your listing yourself down the line.
Find out more
