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The end of the year is fast approaching, which means the time is now to ensure you capitalize on the final months of the year and end the quarter strong. To help, we a comprehensive list of things to have in place to maximize sales heading into the holiday season.
As the holiday shopping season approaches, it's more important than ever to ensure your books are easily discoverable. Optimizing your book's metadata, including keywords, descriptions, and categories, is crucial for helping potential readers find your titles. By providing accurate and relevant metadata, you can improve your book's visibility in search results and increase its chances of being discovered and purchased during this busy time of year.
BICAS codes are a standardized classification system used to categorize books based on their subject matter. While BISAC codes may seem like an elementary metadata practice, it’s still a good idea to look and make sure everything is in order. By accurately assigning BICAS codes to your books, you can maximize their discoverability in online catalogs and databases during the fourth quarter, increasing sales.
Keyword aren’t required metadata for your book, but they’re recommended and can provide a lot of additional value and information. They’re often said to supplement other forms of metadata that publishers supply, such as the BISAC subject categories mentioned above. This improves the functionality of search, so finding books becomes even easier and efficient. Thinking like a reader and providing relevant keywords is a vital component to increase visibility in search engine results, and helping books land in the hands of readers this holiday season.
Thema codes, like BISAC codes, are crucial for accurate book categorization. But Thema offers a broader, more comprehensive system, covering everything from trade to academic and library markets, print to digital. By using both BISAC and Thema, you’re giving your books a significant advantage in global markets. This expanded categorization leads to better visibility and more sales, especially in international markets. Currently, Thema usage in the US is relatively poor, giving you a leg up in the global market.
There’s a lot more to metadata then just what’s listed above! Take a deeper dive with our Metadata Guide.
It’s more important, no matter the time of year, to ensure your books are accessible to a wide range of readers. Offering your titles in multiple formats, such as print, e-book, and audiobook, can help you reach a larger audience and maximize sales during this busy time of year.
Paperbacks are great, but by offering a hardcover edition of your book, you're tapping into a growing market of discerning readers who are willing to invest in beautifully crafted books. Offering hardcover versions of your titles, even for a limited time, can help boost sales. Not to mention, hardcovers make great gifts!
Each year, audiobooks grow in popularity, offering a convenient way for readers to enjoy stories on the go. It's easier than ever to listen to audiobooks while commuting, working out, or relaxing. This growing trend presents a great opportunity for publishers to expand their reach and cater to the preferences of a wider audience.
eBooks have long been popular and continue to keep gaining traction, giving readers the ease of reading across a variety of devices. The instantaneous access readers get to such a vast number of titles is a huge pull for avid readers.
Many readers utilize multiple formats, mixing and matching between all formats based on their preference at the time and even availability of the title. Because of this, it’s crucial to have as many formants available as possible to reach as many readers as possible.
Accessibility is a big part of the value of both eBooks and audiobooks. Both are very convenient for people who want to listen to books while they do something else or read on a device, they're also needed for those with low vision or other reading difficulties. Because of that, your publishing house should be sure it's complying with accessibility standards.
To do that, and to make the experience a better one, implement features including text to speech, adjustable playback speeds, and enhanced navigation options, to provide listeners with choices and the ability to make adjustments that fit their needs.
Global discovery is essential for publishers to thrive in today's interconnected world. With platforms like TikTok and other social media giants reaching audiences worldwide, publishers must ensure their books are easily discoverable in international markets. By doing so, they can tap into new readership bases, increase their global reach, and capitalize on the growing trend of cross-cultural content consumption. This can lead to higher sales, increased brand recognition, and greater opportunities for licensing and translation rights. Additionally, global discovery can help publishers connect with readers who share their passion for literature, fostering a sense of community and belonging in the digital age.
One way great way to do this successfully is by using Global Connect. Global Connect helps publishers reach more countries by using local Print-on-Demand (POD) printers who have established relationships with booksellers in their markets. This complements Ingram’s existing reach from the USA, UK, Australia, France, and Sharjah by adding 11 more markets. Through Global Connect, distributors use POD technology to fulfil demand, helping ensure books are supplied closer to both the reader and bookseller. Covering nearly 50% of the world’s population, Global Connect reaches more booksellers worldwide.
To learn more about Global Connect, click here.
With just a little bit of preparation, you can make the final months of the year the best ones yet. Follow the tips above and end the year strong!
