Everything You Thought You Knew About Metadata…
Here's what metadata really is: It's all of the title information that used to reside just in your title catalog and your EDI (electronic data interchange) system, like Pubnet. Since online selling became tops for combined digital and physical books, the title information became paramount, as it's the only way publishers can guarantee online retailers list their books correctly.
To put it another way: Metadata is your book online.
Thad McIlroy is an electronic publishing consultant, analyst and author, and principal of The Future of Publishing. Since 1988, Thad McIlroy has provided consulting services to publishing and media companies, printers, prepress shops, design and advertising agencies, as well as vendors serving the publishing industry.