ABSTRACT
The publishing industry must market to both ‘readers’ and ‘customers’, managing the communication of products that could literally appeal to anyone. Within the publishing industry, the term metadata is used for all the information relating to a book that Industry professionals want to communicate, in the context of how that information is arranged and structured and communicated. All of this information helps bookshops and end customers understand where the book fits and facilitates the sale process. It is very important to get this right, given the number of new books and editions that come out each year, the similarity in their titles and the importance of reaching the market. The marketing process begins at commissioning, and will continue well after the release date, and there are many avenues to consider at each step of the title’s genesis. Website product information is sometimes managed by different people from those in charge of printed marketing materials.
