Book marketing is ever evolving, and book discoverability online is one of the most critical areas marketers and publishers need to pay attention to. In this webinar panel, we discussed:
- What makes books show up in online searches?
- What does and doesn’t work for keywords?
- How can AI be used to optimize metadata?
- What is a BISAC code and where do you use it?
Thank you to our panelists for a lively discussion of these important strategies in book marketing. The session recording is available below.
Panelist Bios
Angela Bole is Chief Executive Officer of Firebrand Technologies & NetGalley LLC, both a strategic part of the Firebrand Group collection of companies owned by Media Do International that offer comprehensive technology solutions to nurture book publisher success. Previously, she was Chief Executive Officer of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), a position she held for 9 years.
With over 20 years of book industry experience, Angela has spent her career creating and nurturing the kind of collaboration that builds best-in-class products and services. In 2019, she was named a Publishers Weekly notable person of the year for her work moving the causes of independent publishers forward. She has served on the boards of the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) and the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF). During her service to BISG, she was awarded both the Community Builder Award and the Industry Champion Award.
Angela has a master’s degree in Book Publishing from New York University and a bachelor’s in English with a minor in Gender Studies from Indiana University Bloomington.
Anna Landsverk is a writer, editor, and metadata specialist living in the Twin Cities. She has worked in publishing for a decade, primarily with indie presses and children’s publishers. A proud member of the Book Industry Study Group’s Metadata Committee, Anna is at the forefront of evolving industry best practices.
Anna currently serves as Metadata Operations Assistant for Consortium Book Publishing and Distribution, part of Ingram Content Group. There, she helps Consortium’s more than 150 client publishers optimize their metadata across a variety of formats and sales channels. When she’s not staring at spreadsheets or tweaking title records, Anna enjoys playing soccer, reading middle grade, and attending concerts.
Mariessa Shein is a freelance editor and publishing strategist based in New York City, specializing in metadata optimization, Amazon Ads implementation, and content development for children’s book, toy, and game publishers. She currently supports multiple clients with backend keyword strategy, browse node refinement, and product copy enhancements to improve discoverability and sales across platforms like Amazon and Faire.com.
Mariessa is actively developing seven children’s books and holds certifications in Amazon Ads Foundations and Sponsored Ads. She previously served as Publishing Manager at Sussman Education and managed editorial workflows at Penguin Random House, where she produced custom picture books, activity books, and prompted journals for major retailers.
She earned her B.A. in English Literature from Ohio University and is passionate about using metadata and AI-driven tools to support book marketing. Outside of work, she volunteers at her local animal shelter, fosters dogs and enjoys reading thrillers, beach reads, and romantasy novels.
Martyn Beeny, PhD, is Director of Marketing and Sales at Cornell University Press. Across more than twenty years in book marketing he has developed and executed marketing strategy, focusing on modernization and creativity at three different publishers.
Martyn has served on the board of the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association, the Nebraska Book Festival, and the Association of University Press Marketing Committee, and has presented on multiple marketing topics. When not doing book stuff, he can be found boating, camping, and hiking with this wife and dog, playing golf, or watching the Arsenal.