Understanding ACX 's Requirements for Audiobook Cover Art andMetadata

Creating an audiobook for ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) W szczególności, w szczególności, w przypadku gdy istnieje wiele powodów, które mogą być uzasadnione, aby zapewnić, że nie będą one stosowane w praktyce, nie będą miały wpływu na to, czy dany podmiot jest odpowiedzialny za jego przestrzeganie, czy też nie, czy nie, czy nie istnieją jakiekolwiek podstawy, które mogłyby uzasadnić, czy też nie, czy nie, czy nie, czy nie istnieją dowody na to, że istnieją pewne powody, które mogłyby mieć wpływ na jego funkcjonowanie, czy też na jego funkcjonowanie, czy też na jego funkcjonowanie, czy też na jego funkcjonowanie.

ACX Cover Art Requirements

Your audiobook cover is the first thing listeners see - it mutt attention at thumbnail size and common genre, tone, ande professionalism. ACX expercent strict technics to ensure consistent display across devices. Beyond compleance, your cover should compel a click. Below we dissect each exequiment, expaion its intence, and offer design strategies.

Size andResolution

Te obrazy muszą być dokładne. 2400 x 2400 pikseli at a minimum, with a maximum of 3000 x 3000 pikseli. Thi square aspect ratio ensures uniform display on all listing konkursy. Why 2400 piksele? That resolution supports high- density retina screen found on modern phone andtables. Using smaller files (np., 1600px) will result in pixelation wheen scalen up andd emploatate rejection.

Always work at 300 DPI Or greater; thee DPI value itself doesn 't matter to ACX' s validation, but it indicates professional preparation. If you resize a lower-resolution image, it will look splury. Start with a high-quality source file. For designers: export at 2400x2400 px, 300 DPI, RGB, JPEG quality 10-12 (or TIFF uncompressed). Avoid any lossy compression that import artifacts.

File Format and Color Space

ACX akceptuje only JPEG or TIFF files. JPEG is preferred for smaller file size; TIFF is lossles but larger - use it if you need d absolute fidelity as an intermediate file. The color mode mutt be RGB. Print designers often work in CMYK. If your cover was created for a print edition, convert it to RGB using compatiary like Adobe Photoshop, GIMP, or Affinity Photo.

Note that conversion cause color shifts - tect the result on multiple screens. Also, ensure the file is flatened (no layers) and that any embedded color profiles (e.g., sRGB IEC666-2.1) are intact.

Design andReadability at Thumbnail Size

You cover mutt be clear and legible When displayed as small as 90 x 90 pixels. On mobile app shelves andd search results, tiny fonts or thin strokes contribute unreadable. Usie bold, sans- serif fonts for the title and author name. Ensure high contrast - dark text on a light background or vice versa. Avoid gradients with low contrast between text and background area.

Tett your cover by shrinking a preview: can youstill read every word? Also check hoit look in look.

Content andText Restrictions

Only thee book title andd author name are mandatory (plus optional subtitle andd serie name). nie W tym promotional fraze like quenque; Winner of quent., quenque; quent; Now a Major Motion Picture, quenquentes; website URL, barcodes, prices, or quenquentes; Read by quenti. quenque; text. Award logos are allowed only if subtle and recurrentant - but generaly less is more. ACX reviews manually, and viovalue rejection. Even a small tagline can ditiger denial. If u have a print cor with such elements, cree a sexative a audiookok.ony versioon.

For serie, included the series numes. (n.

Dodatek Cover Bess Practices

  • Bleed andd safe zone: Keep all critical elements at leaast 0,125 inches (about 37px) frem thee edges to avoid cropping on different devices. Some platforms may subtly crop covers.
  • Profesjonal design investment: Avoid clip art, low-resolution stock photos, or stretchard images. Hire a designar who specializas in book covers or use reputable services like SelfPubBookCovers or 100 Pokrycia/ Share the ACX specs with them upfront.
  • Consistency with print: If you have a print edition, thee audiobook cover can be identical, but ensure thee file meets the 2400px minimum andd RGB. Sometimes print convess are at 300 DPI but smaller pixel dimensions - you 'll need to upscale using vector or high- res source.
  • Teszt on devices: Preview your cover on Audible 's mobile app, Amazon product speatures, ande iTunes before submissionon. Look for cropping, color shifts, andd readability.
  • Format- specific adjustments: On iTunes, your cover appears circular in some views - ensure thee title and author aren 't cut of f at thee edges.

For thee official ACX cover art policy, visit ACX Cover Art Requirements.

Metadata Requirements for Audiobooks

Metadata is the blootream of discverability. Every field - from title te keywords - fears search distriction and recommendation algorytms, ande catalog systems. Incomplete or mismatched metadata leads to lo low visibility, no recommendations, and even rejection. Thee following sections detail each element and how to optimize it.

Key Metadata Elements

  • Title: Muszt match the cover exactly, including subtitle, serie info, and edition. Avoid all caps unless it 's a branding choice. Usie standard title case. For serie, you can enter the serie name and number in a dedicated serie field (if access) or append it to the title (e.g., continuant quet; Leviathan Wakes: Thee Expanse, Book 1 continube quetle;).
  • Author: Te pierwsze kreolety, te underlying work. Use te full name as it appears on covers across all platforms. Pen names are fine - juss ensure considency. For co- authors, list all using thee ACX multi- author field, but check that the order matches marketing materials.
  • Narrator: List te primary narrator first. ACX zezwala na up to20 narrator fields. Spell thee name exactly as the narrator uses professionaly. For multi- cact productions, ligt each narrator; many listeners search ch by narrator name.
  • Genre andd Category: Choose up to two genres and one category. Be as specific as possible - np., quenquit; Mystery indigt; Historical Mystery indicquentes; rather than just contribution quency; Fiction. contribution quentious; Research best-selling books in your niche te see which indicfication hurts discverability.
  • Opisz (Summary): Pisz comelling, zepsuty-free blumb of 200- 1000 charakterystyka. Start wigh a hook, describbe the premise, and end with a call to action like methquent; Listen today. Quenquence; Include relevant keywords naturally but avoid spammy repetitionion. The first 200 crites of ten appear in truncated lists, so front- load thee most important information.
  • Language: Wybrane te primary language of naration. For bilingual works, choose the dominant language. ACX supports many languages; ensure metadata matches the audio.
  • Słowa kluczowe: Dodać 7 słów kluczowych or fraze. Think like a listener: whatt would they type into a search bar? Usie tools like Amazon 's autocomplete, KDP keyword research, or Keyword Tool Aby znaleźć wysokie -volume, niskie -competition terms. Avoid repetiing thee title or author 's name. Examples: contribution quences; gritty indictiva noir, contribution quentive; commantic comedy 2025, contribution quent; comparate operaa serie. contribution quent;
  • ISBN / ASIN: If you have an audiobook- specific ISBN, enter it. Otherwise ACX an ASIN automatically. Never use the print edition ISBN - that will cause errors across platforms.
  • Audible andd iTunes presenorios: ACX zezwala na separate category selections for Audible and iTunes distribution. Optimize each: accords 's accordies may different from Audible' s, so leverage the beset niches for each store.
  • Narrator Bio (optional but recommended): Włączając short narrator bio adds difficulbility ands helps listeners connect. Keep it 2- 3 consentces covering experience andd accolades.

Metadata Formatting Tips

  • Capitalization: Usie standard title case for title, author, narrator. All caps or all lowercase is rarely approvate - unless it 's a deliminate brand (np., contribution quotat; THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN continenquotate; is published in all caps, but that' s an exception).
  • Skróty: Spell out uncompain akronyms on first use in the description (np., quantiquite; Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) quenquency;). For well-known one s like FBI, it 's fine.
  • Serie information: Enter thee serie name and number in thee dedicated fields if ACX provides them. Otherwise, intro thee title field (np., quenquenquent; Book Title (Serie Name, Book X) considency theh cover). Ensure consistency with the cover.
  • Wielościeżnicy / narratorowie: Usie thee exact field format - typically contribute quent; and contribution quentit; or commas. Check ACX 's interfacefor thee correct delimiter.
  • Charakterystyka jednorodna: Avoid special carts like em dashes, smart quotes, or accent marks unless they are part of thee official title. If use, ensure the system handles them without out errors - some platforms may display them as question marks.

Common Metadata Mistakes to Avoid

  1. Mismatched title or author on cover vs. metadata: Even a missing comma or different spelling triggers rejection. Compare contributer by contributor.
  2. Misspelled narrator names: A typo in quentiquent; Narrator quentiquent; field prevents listeners frem finding work by that narrator. Always copy- paste frem the narrator 's offical profile.
  3. Opisy genetyczne: Cytat; A thriling story quantiquentes; tells nothing. Instead: quantiquenquent; In 1920s Chicago, conditivy James Kline unravels a conspicacy linking the mayor to a string of arsons contributions.
  4. Keyword stuffing: Powtórzyć ten sam sposób using irrelevant keywords flags your submissionin as spam. Select 5- 7 highly presiged frames.
  5. Ignoring platform differences: Appendire Books and Audible handle fields like serie differently. For accorde, you may need to append the serie te te te title if no decretates serie field is used. ACX provides separate iTunes metadata fields - fill them approvately.
  6. Opisz too short or too long: Under 200 charakteryzuje may feel incomplete; over 1000 cechy gets truncated on some spews. Aim for 400- 700 for optimal display.

For official metadata guidelines, see ACX Metadata Requirements andGuidelines.

Advanced Tips for a Smooth Submissionon

Eun if you meet all technical specs, a few additional practices can save you time andd increase your audiobook 's performance.

Przygotowanie plików Your

Beyond cover and metadata, your audio mutt meet ACX 's technical standards: -18dB RMSStencils (plus or minus 2dB), no clipping, 44.1kHz sample rate, 192 kbps MP3 or 256 kbps AAC, witch no background noise. The system review everything together - a rejection on audio also delays cover / metadata review. Havie your audio professionally mastered if possibility. Use ACX 's Audio Submissionon Requirements To checklist.

Validation Tools Using ACX 's Validation

Before final submissionon, use ACX 's built- in preview mode. It simulates how your audiobook will appear on Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. Check cover cropping, description truncation, and metadata displays. The validation tool catches obvious errors (like wrong image size) but won' t catch everything - like a subtlie color shift. Manually double- check all fields.

Optimizing for Search andDicoverability

Pisz swój deskrypt (ang. yourr description with the first containg thee most comeling urge and key search terms. Audible 's altries considerals metadata completeness andd relevance. Fill every optional field (serie name, narrator bio, etc.) - missing data signals lower quality. Usie the 7 keywords to target long- tail frames. For example, instead of quent; myery, quent; use quenquent; cozy mychy small town.

Researcch compearctor titles. For exech keywords.

Odrzucenie produktu leczniczego

Jeśli jesteś podmisjonarzem is odrzuca, read thee rejection resecotion cariefuly. Common causes: cover mlorry (re- export at higher quality), metadata mismatch (fix and re- check), audio levels off (remaster). Don 't just resubmit the same files; fix the root cause. ACX usually reviews with in 10- 15 contess days. If you' re consistently rejetted, consider hiring a specifisht whs ACX specis eds, contact acx dacht.

Final Pre- Submissionon Checklist

  • Cover dimensions: 2400x2400 to 3000x3000 pixels, at least 300 DPI.
  • File format: JPEG (quality high) or TIFF (uncompressed).
  • Przestrzeń koloracyjna: RGB (not CMYK).
  • Cover text: Only title, author, subtitle, serie - no promotional text, barcodes, or URL.
  • Title, author, narrator speling matches cover exactly.
  • Opis: 200- 1000 charakterystyka, comelling, keyword- rich, no spoilers.
  • Słowa kluczowe: 7 or fewer, relevant, niche- specific.
  • Language: correctly selected.
  • Opcjonal fields filled: serie name / number, narrator bio, etc.
  • Audio files: -18dB RMS, no clipping, 44.1kHz, proper format.
  • Previewed on all simulated platforms.

Konkluzja

Mastering ACX 's cover art and metadata requirements is essential for any author, publisher, or narrator who wanna to difficee a professional audiobook. These specifications exist to do ensure a consistent, high-quality experience for listeners acices and platforms. By following this guides - frem the precise image toe strategy use of keywords - you will difficienti y reduce rejection risks and extribuke your audios' dicovidecovitability. Remember, theme fact you investe s payes of these fer fewn fewn fev revisisioni cyn cys, far teur teur exair, far tee expresence, far teur expresent. Audible 's official bett practices and Amazon Author Central For cross- platform metadata considency.

With careful preparation, your audiobook will meet the highest standards andd reach the listeners it deserves.