Metadata should match everywhere
The title, subtitle, author name, ISBN, language, and other core fields should agree across the cover, copyright page, EPUB package, distributor account, and retailer listing. Inconsistency creates record-matching and reader-trust problems.
Descriptive metadata drives relevance
Descriptions, subject categories, and keywords help systems decide when a book is relevant to a browse path or query. They should describe the actual book rather than chase unrelated high-volume terms.
Identifiers are not decoration
ISBNs and platform identifiers help distinguish editions and formats. The identifier assigned to one edition should not be casually reused for another format or materially different publication.
Accessibility metadata is part of discovery
For accessible EPUBs, metadata can communicate accessibility features, hazards, summaries, and conformance information. This helps readers and systems understand whether the publication meets particular access needs.
Primary sources
- PublishDrive getting started — distribution preparation and metadata accuracy
- PublishDrive upload guide — metadata and contributor guidance
- W3C EPUB Accessibility 1.1 — accessibility metadata requirements