Description/title, keyword, category, and location information are collectively called “metadata.” Metadata drives Shutterstock’s search and discovery tools and helps customers find the content they are looking for in our vast collection of photos, illustrations, vectors, and videos.
Metadata Requirements
Description/Title
A description/title is a factual sentence that describes the content’s subject matter. When submitting documentary editorial content, descriptions also must include the following:
The day, month, and year the content was taken. For content shot before the year 2000, only the year/decade is required.
The geographical location where the image was taken.
Descriptions/titles must be relevant and applicable to the content you are submitting.
The maximum length of a description/title is 200 characters.
Descriptions/titles must be in English, however, exceptions are made for scientific Latin names of plants and animals, names of places, and foreign terms or phrases commonly used in the English language.
Keywords
Keywords are individual words or compound words that describe the content’s subject matter.
Keywords must be relevant and applicable to the content you are submitting.
A minimum of 7 keywords are required and the maximum is 50.
Keywords must be in English, however, exceptions are made for scientific Latin names of plants and animals, names of places, and foreign terms or phrases commonly used in the English language.
Categories
Categories organize content into groups that are based on a similar theme or subject. Shutterstock’s category options and definitions can be found at the bottom of this page.
Categories must be relevant and applicable to the content you are submitting.
1 category is required; a second category is optional.
Location
Location is the geographic location that is shown in the content.
Location information is optional, but if provided, be as specific as you can. Select neighborhoods, towns, or cities if possible.
Location information must be relevant and applicable to the content you are submitting.
Content will be rejected for Metadata - Commercial Requirements or Metadata - Editorial Requirements if the associated metadata does not relate to the depicted subject matter. The Metadata - Editorial Requirements rejection reason is also used if the year or geographical location is inaccurate or missing from a documentary editorial description.
Additional Description/Title & Keyword Requirements
Metadata must comply with Shutterstock’s Intellectual Property title and keyword guidelines. For example, descriptions and keywords associated with commercial content cannot contain trademarks such as brand names or product names.
Content that relates to race, ethnicity, disabilities, age, religion, gender, or sexual orientation should accurately and respectfully represent people’s identities. See our Guidelines for Submitting Diverse and Inclusive Content article for additional information.
Terminology that is offensive, hateful, racist, derogatory, discriminatory, or disrespectful is strictly prohibited. See our Objectionable or Explicit article for more information.
Never include sensitive, personally identifiable information such as social security numbers or financial information in titles or keywords.
Titles and keywords should be free of spelling errors, grammatical errors, emojis, and spam.
Do not include case numbers in titles or keywords.
Relevant Metadata Examples
Image 122085496 by Luciano Mortula - LGM
Title: Aerial view of Paris at sunset.
Keywords: aerial, french, city, sunset, eiffel, europe, destination, france, travel, landmark, buildings, sky
Category: Buildings/Landmarks
Location: Paris, France
Image 1832522350 by fotografia juan reig
Editorial Caption: London, UK, England - APRIL 27, 2019: Traditional fish & chips van at Southbank.
Keywords: british, chips, food, fast food, fish, food truck, london, truck, snack, blue, outdoors
Categories: Food and drink, Transportation
Location: London, UK
Category Definitions | |
Abstract* | Content with fractals, blurs, patterns, textures, and content where the subject matter is abstract in nature. Can also be used to describe abstract concepts or ideas. |
Animals/Wildlife | Content with animals (domestic and wild). |
Arts | Content with objects used to make art or people making art. Can also be used to describe any artwork, painting, or illustration. |
Backgrounds/Textures | Content that has the appearance of a computer screen wallpaper/background or a photograph/illustration that was created as a background. For example: landscapes, architectural details, textures, patterns, flat lay photos, etc.) |
Beauty/Fashion* | Content related to beauty products, hairstyles, clothing, or other fashion-related subjects. Can also be used to describe content with fashion models in a studio or on location. |
Buildings/Landmarks | Content with architectural structures, structural details or the built environment. |
Business/Finance | Content with businesspeople, workplaces, office environments, financial districts, money and/or money-related items such as calculators, etc. |
Celebrities* | Content with celebrities/public figures or places related to celebrity such as movie premieres, limousines, and red carpets. This category also applies to editorial content including names of celebrities/public figures. |
Education | Content featuring school scenes, graduations, or education-related items such as books, chalkboards, school supplies, etc. |
Food and Drink | Content depicting food and/or food related topics and subject matter including cooking, eating, and/or drinking. |
Healthcare/Medical | Content related to health, wellness and medicine. Content with medical subjects including exam rooms, pills, nudes when in a medical content, weight loss and healthy eating concepts. |
Holidays | Content related to international calendar events such as Easter, Passover, Halloween, Holi, Ramadan, etc., including holiday food/drink. Can also be used for content related to seasons and "life" events such as, travel, birthdays, weddings, etc. as well as content related to vacation and/or travel. |
Industrial | Content related to construction, mining, electricity, and any other trade. Can also be used for items such as tools, building materials, blueprints, hard hats, and tradespeople. |
Interiors* | Content featuring the interiors of buildings, houses, religious structures, or any other interior space within the built environment. |
Miscellaneous* | Can be used for any subject matter. |
Nature | Content featuring plants, animals, clouds, bodies of water, or any other environmental-related subjects. |
Objects | Content with any object or group of objects as the main focus. |
Parks/Outdoor* | Content relating to parks and the outdoors such as national parks, playgrounds, camping equipment or people engaged in outdoor activities such as gardening, hiking, sailing, etc. |
People | Content with a person, a group of people, or a body part(s) such as faces, hands, feet, etc. |
Religion | Content featuring items and concepts related to any religious or spiritual topic. |
Science | Content related to chemicals/drugs, living things, planets, or technology. Can also be used for any object or symbol related to a scientific or medical field. |
Signs/Symbols | Content featuring signs or symbols including flags, icons, logos, stop signs, arrows, or people gesturing. |
Sports/Recreation | Content related to fitness and any sport or hobby performed on land, air, or water such as hunting, surfing, biking, yoga, weight lifting, etc. |
Technology | Content related to computers, phones, electrical appliances, or any other wired or wireless technology. Can also be used for content on screens, programming code, or other tech-related concepts such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality. |
Transportation | Content related to any mode of transportation such as airplanes, trains, automobiles, buses, boats, or any other object that transports people. Can also be used for content related to roads, highways, raceways, etc. |
Vintage* | Content with a vintage or retro look-and-feel, including kitsch, sepia tone scenes, or anything relating to a non-modern era. |
* Not available for video. |