Google has an automated content fetching system that enables publishers and service providers to easily provide book metadata, rights, and content to Google Play. We provide separate instructions for sending eBook content files, metadata, and rights. The instructions below provide additional information for sending audiobook content files, metadata information and supplemental material.
Automated Content / Metadata Fetch Setup
There are two ways for Google to receive your audiobook content, covers, metadata and supplemental material files:
- Periodic, scheduled fetches off of your (S)FTP or HTTP(S) server
- Uploaded to a Google-provided SFTP dropbox
Server Directory Structure
If you are sending eBook files (.pdf, .epub) to Google via scheduled fetches from your own server, you will need to ensure audiobook content (.mp3, .aac, etc) and accompanying supplemental material (.pdf) is in a separate folder on your server. eBook and audiobook content files cannot be in the same folder.
However, metadata files (either ONIX or CSV) can combine both eBook and audiobook records, as the product form is required for each record.
File type |
Top directory |
Sub-directory | Filename examples |
Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Audiobook content
Cover images
Supplemental material |
audio/ |
<collectioncode>/ |
<ISBN>.zip, <ISBN>.mp3, <ISBN>.wav, <ISBN>.m4A, <ISBN>.flac | Files can be sent as .mp3, .wav, .m4a, or .flac files. Files of the same format can be zipped together into a single zip file. |
<ISBN>_1of10.mp3 … <ISBN>_10of10.mp3 | Audio files can be sent as multipart sets if correctly named. | |||
<ISBN>.jpg, <ISBN>_frontcover.jpg | Front covers, back covers, and interiors can be sent separately as JPEG or PNG files. TIF files are not supported. | |||
<ISBN>.pdf | Supplemental material (.pdf only) can be provided separately or zipped together with audiobook content. | |||
ONIX metadata |
onix/ |
<collectioncode>-full/ |
<filename>.xml (or .zip) |
ONIX files can be sent as individual files or in ZIP files. Full feeds provide metadata-only. |
<collectioncode>-rights/ |
<filename>.xml (or .zip) | Rights feeds provide metadata and prices and will create new book records in Partner Center | ||
validate/ | <filename>.xml (or .zip) | Sample files only for ONIX validation purposes | ||
CSV metadata |
csv/ |
<collectioncode>/ | <filename>.csv | If not sending ONIX files, metadata can be sent as a CSV file; the format is the same as when uploading CSV files via the Partner Center. |
Content Files
Audiobook File Formats
Google Play Books can accept audiobook files in any of the following formats:
- M4A with AAC encoding (CBR preferred), >128Kbps (mono) or >=256Kbps (stereo)
- MP3 (CBR preferred), >=128Kbps (mono) or >=256Kbps (stereo)
- FLAC, 16 bits/sample, >=44.1 KHz sampling rate
- WAV PCM encoded, 16 bits/sample, >=44.1 KHz sampling rate
Filename and packaging guidelines
For each audiobook file you submit, the filename must contain an ID. You have 3 options for the value you use as an ID:
Value | When to use | What to do |
ISBN | If you have an ISBN available | Use the ISBN as your ID value. |
Proprietary ID | If you have a non-ISBN proprietary ID | Work with your account manager to set up a custom key. Then, submit your proprietary ID as your ID value. |
GGKEY | If you don't have an ISBN or proprietary ID available |
Create a record in your Google Play Books Partner Center account. Then, use the assigned GGKEY as your ID value. |
Filename formatting
How you name your files depends on how you submit the audio content.
Submission | How to name the files | Example |
Single audio file for entire audiobook |
|
9783000422560_1of1.mp3 9783000422560.mp3 |
Multiple audio files for single audiobook |
Using any other format results in a 24-hour processing delay while we wait to collect all your files. |
9783000422560_1of2.mp3
|
Here are some good examples of filename formats:
Standard naming for unzipped audio files, using the ISBN and XofY. Leading zeroes aren’t not required.
9780123456789_1of50.mp3
9780123456789_2of50.mp3
9780123456789_3of50.mp3
Other information can be included in the filenames, as long as the ISBN is at the beginning and XofY is at the end.
9780123456789_intro_1of50.mp3
9780123456789_ch1_2of50.mp3
9780123456789_ch2_3of50.mp3
If you’ve set up a proprietary key pattern with us, you can also use those.
ABC1234_001of050.mp3
ABC1234_002of050.mp3
ABC1234_003of050.mp3
Standard naming for zipped files.
9780123456789.zip
9780123456789_01.mp3
9780123456789_02.mp3
9780123456789_03.mp3
Other characters in filenames are permitted, both in the ZIP filename and the individual filenames, as long as the first part of the ZIP filename is the ISBN.
9780123456789_01_128kbps_mp3.zip
9780123456789_AB_01_003_r1_128kbps.mp3
9780123456789_AB_01_002_r1_128kbps.mp3
9780123456789_AB_01_001_r1_128kbps.mp3
When the ZIP is named by ISBN, the individual filenames don't need to contain the ISBN, but they must be named so that the sort order is the order of the files.
- 9780123456789.zip
Chap01.mp3
Chap02.mp3
Chap03.mp3
9780123456789.zip
- Audio
9780123456789_ch1.mp3
9780123456789_ch2.mp3
9780123456789_ch3.mp3
- Cover
9780123456789.jpg
- Audio
Cover Image Files
File Packaging and Delivery
- As a standalone file, named as
ID.jpg
orID_frontcover.jpg
(or other supported formats) - Inside a zip file together with the audio content files. In this case, any name works.
- Only one image file is allowed for each ID.
File Requirements
- Accepted File Types: PNG, JPG, or PDF. TIF files are not supported.
- Resolution: Minimum 72 dpi
- Pixel height & width: Minimum 1,024 pixels; maximum 7,200 pixels
- Proportions: Square cover images are recommended. If you provide a non-square image, Google will letterbox it to be a square image.
Supplemental Material
Google will accept supplemental material that is meant to accompany the audio content as long as the supplemental material meets the requirements below:
- Must be a PDF file. Non PDF supplements are not supported.
- Consists of only one PDF file for any audiobook. Multi-file PDFs are not supported.
- Must be named as <ISBN>.pdf. The PDF can be zipped with other content or provided separately.
- Under 100 MB in size.
ONIX Metadata
Google can parse and implement information from either ONIX 2.1 or ONIX 3. We provide separate instructions for sending non-audiobook-specific ONIX 2.1 and ONIX 3.
ONIX can only be used with ISBNs, not proprietary key formats or Google-generated keys (GGKEYs). If your audiobooks have GGKEYs or a proprietary key format, you will need to upload metadata and prices via CSV spreadsheet (see the “CSV Metadata” section below).
Metadata item | ONIX 2.1 | ONIX 3 |
---|---|---|
Book format |
List 7: AA - Audio, Audio recording–detail unspecified; AJ - Downloadable audio file, Audio recording downloadable online Required |
List 150: AA-Audio, Audio recording–detail unspecified; AJ-Downloadable audio file, Audio recording downloadable online Required |
List 78: A103 - MP3 format, MPEignored1/2 Audio Layer III file; A104 - WAV format; A107 - AAC, Advanced Audio Coding format; A110 - FLAC, Free lossless audio codec Optional |
List 175: A103 - MP3 format, MPEignored1/2 Audio Layer III file; A104 - WAV format; A107 - AAC, Advanced Audio Coding format; A110 - FLAC, Free lossless audio codec Optional |
|
Duration |
List 23: 09 - Duration, Total duration in time, expressed in the specified extent unit. This is the ‘running time’ equivalent of codes 05 or 11 Required |
|
<ExtentValue>720</ExtentValue> (<b219>) |
||
List 24: Extent unit code: 04-Hours (integer and decimals); 05-Minutes (integer and decimals); 06-Seconds (integer only); 14-Hours HHH; 15-Hours and minutes HHHMM; 16-Hours minutes seconds - HHHMMSS |
||
Contributor type: Narrator |
List 17: E03 - Narrator; E07 - Read By Highly recommended for better discovery to users |
|
Edition type |
List 21: UBR-Unabridged—Where a title has also been published in an abridged edition; also for audiobooks, regardless of whether an abridged audio version also exists; ABR - Abridged edition - Content has been shortened: use for abridged, shortened, concise, condensed Required |
List 21: UBR-Unabridged—Where a title has also been published in an abridged edition; also for audiobooks, regardless of whether an abridged audio version also exists; ABR - Abridged edition - Content has been shortened: use for abridged, shortened, concise, condensed Required |
CSV Metadata
CSV files can be used to send both audiobook metadata and prices. Files can either be uploaded directly in the Partner Center or by an automated fetch.
We provide separate instructions for eBook metadata CSV uploads, but many fields are shared between eBooks and audiobooks.
The following are audiobook-specific fields to include in CSV metadata:
Metadata item | Description | Example |
---|---|---|
Book Format |
Book format with value “Audiobook” is required. Additionally, the book format must match the file type of content delivered (see Audiobook File Formats). This field is required. |
Audiobook |
Duration |
The full running duration of the audiobook can be specified in the format “HHH:MM:SS” or “HHH:MM”. This field is required. |
T:10:37:58 or 10:37:58 |
Contributor |
Narrator is highly recommended, in addition to other contributors (e.g. Author). This field is required. |
Wanda G. Watinski [Author]; B. Graves [Narrator]; Jennifer Johnson [Read By] |
Audiobook Preview Length Percentage |
Specify the preview length as a percentage of the full audiobook. The value is a non-negative integer. Note: If both minutes and percents are provided, we’ll use the larger of the two. If both are smaller than the minimum preview size in the contract, the minimum size will be used. This field is optional because if empty, we will use the default value. |
10% |
Audiobook Preview Length Minutes |
Specify the preview length as a number of minutes. The value is non-negative integer. This field is optional because we can use the default value in your template. |
15 |
Publisher Name |
The name you want displayed as the person, imprint, or publisher who submitted this audiobook. This field is optional. |
Electric Aardvark Publishers |
For Mature Audiences? |
Whether this audiobook contains mature content and is intended to be read by adults only. This field is optional. |
For mature audiences: Yes,Y,+ Not for mature audiences: No,N,- |
Abridged Version? |
Whether this audiobook is an abridged (shortened) version of the full book. This field is required. |
Abridged version: Yes,Y,+ Unabridged version: No,N,- |
Currency Conversion
Please read about currency conversion for both audiobooks and eBooks. Note that if currency conversion is turned on for eBooks, it will be turned on for any audiobooks in the same account, as well.