Keywording 101
KEYWORDING IS ONE OF THE ESSENTIAL KEYS TO SUCCESS WHEN IT COMES TO STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY, STOCK VIDEO, OR STOCK ILLUSTRATION.
By the time you get to this step in your submission, you’re probably ready to click “SUBMIT” and watch the dollars roll in. But it’s vital that you don’t cut corners on this step! Many stock photographers rush through keywording, once they reach the final stage of the process.
Keywording is much more important than any of the other steps you’ve taken to prepare your submission, so take your time and try to find the most accurate words and phrases to describe your images.
In this post, I’ll explain why keywords are important and give you some tangible takeaways for successful keywording.
WHY ARE KEYWORDS SO IMPORTANT?
No matter how amazing your photos are if you’re not keywording thoughtfully, the chances of your photos being discovered are much smaller without solid keywords. On the opposite side of that coin, even if you are shooting the most generic images that seem to get lost in the crowd, using keywording strategies will help your photos stand out, which means more sales! Keywords are the number one way to connect potential consumers to your product.
FINDING KEYWORDS
You will need to write keywords for any type of asset you upload, whether it’s photos, videos or illustrations. For the sake of this post, I’m going to use the example of photos. Just know that these tips can be applied to all of the above.
There are so many great resources out there for finding keywords. Here are four options for finding relevant keywords for your stock photos.
Stock photo sites | Search similar images on stock photo sites to see what keywords they're using.
Use Wikipedia | Search the name of your location, animal, plant, etc. in your image on Wikipedia. Use the keywords you find. Pay specific attention to alternative names, scientific names, additional information for a place such as a county and local details.
Mykeyworder.com | This site is a very powerful tool that can help you find relevant keywords for just about anything
Use a Thesaurus | When selecting keywords, try to anticipate what someone might search for. A Thesaurus will give you alternate options for the same word.
SELECTING THOUGHTFUL KEYWORDS
Using the resources above, you’ll have plenty of keywords to choose from. The hardest part comes in narrowing down which ones to use! I would recommend using the maximum amount of keywords the agency will allow, which can vary. I’ve found that the limit is often 50, so I would aim for that when gathering relevant keywords.
When Photos are generic, get specific. For example, If you upload a sunset photo on the beach, thousands of photos like this will already be available. To increase your chances of selling, Use very specific terms including the beach, town, landmark, state, etc. This will help you break into unsaturated categories. Buyers will be looking for specific location photos.
Scientific names are also great for getting specific.
CREATING A KEYWORD BLOCK
A keyword blog consists of three categories of keywords
1. Literal keywords | Describe the “who, what, where, and when” of your images. Include country, state, and where they were taken, then break it down by specific location (city, town, tourist attraction), followed by the month and year when it was taken
2. Conceptual keywords | Describe the emotions or ideas they could illustrate.
3. Stylistic keywords | Refer to creative choices, like “flat lay” photography or “iconographic” illustration, color palettes, or vertical or horizontal orientations.
Include a variety of all three to make it easier for buyers to find your photos.
DESCRIPTIONS
After sourcing your keywords, the next step is to write a descriptive title for each image. Your title is the headline for your image and needs to answer Who, what, when, where, and why.
Include unique information that sets your image apart: "Overhead shot of a plate of carne asada tacos on white background"
Once you’ve made it through this step, you’re ready! Upload those photos and let the consumers do the rest. If your keywording is done well, hopefully, your buyers will seamlessly be connected with your content and you’ll start earning a steady passive income stream!
Wondering where to start uploading your stock photos? Download my free little black book of stock photo agencies to get started!
Wanting more tangible advice and guidance for selling stock photography? Sign up for my signature course, Stock Photography Academy or download PHOTO TO PROFIT, The Ultimate Stock Photo Starter guide!