This article outlines metadata best practices for publishers supplying ONIX data to TitlePage, including guidance on keeping metadata complete and up to date, coding Australian author data correctly, and representing First Nations content accurately.
Who this is for
This article is for publishing and distributing staff responsible for product data on TitlePage who want to:
- Understand metadata best practices for supplying ONIX data to TitlePage.
- Correctly code Australian author and First Nations metadata in their ONIX files.
- Improve the discoverability and accuracy of their titles across the supply chain.
Metadata best practices
Good metadata improves discoverability by ensuring product information is complete, accurate, and structured using recognised ONIX standards and codelists. Industry guidance emphasises keeping marketing text out of title and subtitle fields, using the correct ONIX elements instead, and regularly updating metadata as information changes.
Following EDItEUR ONIX documentation and APA best-practice resources helps ensure metadata is consistent across the supply chain and can be processed correctly by trading partners.
Key metadata best practices
- Remove titles when distribution rights no longer apply. Ensure that products you no longer supply are deleted from TitlePage using the appropriate ONIX delete workflow. See Deleting Titles.
- Keep ONIX feeds updated whenever product data changes. Submit updates promptly when pricing, availability, descriptive metadata, or supply details are modified. See ONIX Update Workflows.
- Keep marketing copy out of title and subtitle fields. Place promotional text in the appropriate descriptive elements such as descriptions, reviews, or endorsements.
- Use accurate and detailed Thema subject classifications and contributor tagging consistently. Precise tagging improves discoverability, search relevance, and audience targeting across supply chain systems. See Thema.
- Ensure metadata is complete and regularly reviewed. Missing or outdated fields reduce the ability of booksellers and trading partners to identify and promote titles effectively. Your weekly Data Quality Report shows which fields are missing across your list. See Data Quality Reports.
Australian author data
Providing complete and consistent Australian author metadata helps improve discoverability, local classification, and reporting across the Australian supply chain. Publishers should ensure contributor names are correctly structured, include appropriate contributor roles, and supply relevant biographical information where available.
To flag a contributor as Australian, use ContributorPlaceRelator code 08 ("Citizen of") with CountryCode AU within the ContributorPlace composite. TitlePage uses this coding to identify Australian authors and surface them in local discovery and classification tools. Without this coding, TitlePage cannot identify a contributor as Australian, which may affect how the title appears in Australian-specific searches and reports.
Example ONIX 3.x coding for an Australian contributor:
<Contributor> <SequenceNumber>1</SequenceNumber> <ContributorRole>A01</ContributorRole> <PersonNameInverted>Wood, Stephanie</PersonNameInverted> <ContributorPlace> <ContributorPlaceRelator>08</ContributorPlaceRelator> <CountryCode>AU</CountryCode> </ContributorPlace></Contributor>
First Nations metadata
First Nations metadata supports the accurate identification and respectful representation of works created by, about, in the language of, or for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Accurate classification ensures these titles are discoverable and accessible to the right audiences across bookselling, library, and education channels.
Significant advances in First Nations metadata standards have been introduced in recent years. Thema 1.6, released in October 2024, introduced 30 new subject codes for First Nations content areas, including Australian-specific codes covering Aboriginal peoples, Torres Strait Islanders, Australian South Sea Islanders, Connection to Country, and Welcome to Country. These codes are fully supported on TitlePage.
ONIX codelists 70 and 71, released in 2025, introduced further enhancements including the addition of Austlang as a recognised subject classification scheme, a new contributor place relationship of "Indigenous to", and a new website role for linking to Indigenous statements or resources.
The APA has collaborated with EDItEUR to develop best practice resources with practical guidance on applying ONIX and Thema for First Nations content, covering subject classification, contributor metadata, consent, and language representation. These resources are available on the APA First Nations metadata page.
Further resources
- APA: Best practices for metadata
- EDItEUR ONIX for Books: Release 3.1 documentation and codelists
- APA metadata training resources
- ONIX Versions, requirements, codelists, the versions and codelists TitlePage supports
For further information please contact TitlePage support.