How is video metadata different from photo metadata?

A clip has to be described over time. Titles and keywords should cover the subject, the action and how the shot moves — camera movement, slow motion or time lapse — not just what appears in the first frame.

How many keywords should stock footage have?

Aim for 25 to 49 keywords. Keep the same 49-keyword ceiling used for photos so one metadata set works on both Adobe Stock and Shutterstock.

Do motion keywords help footage sell?

Yes, when they are accurate. Buyers filter by terms like slow motion, aerial, loop and handheld, so include them only when the clip actually shows them.

Guide

Stock video metadata: keywording footage that actually gets found

Footage is judged over its whole duration, yet most contributors write metadata from a single thumbnail. That is why clips with three distinct scenes end up keyworded like one still photo — and why they never surface for the searches that matter.

Analyse the clip frame by frame, not from the poster

A useful description needs several moments from across the timeline. The Metadata World studio samples up to 18 frames per clip, drops near-duplicates using a visual fingerprint, and keeps the six most distinct frames spread over the running time. Multi-scene clips get described as multi-scene clips.

Describe subject, action, and progression

A strong footage title names who or what is on screen, what they are doing, and where. "Chef plating pasta in a busy restaurant kitchen" tells a buyer far more than "food video". Keep it at 70 characters or fewer so it clears the Adobe Stock title limit.

Motion keywords only when the motion is real

Static shots: avoid action words entirely — use "locked off", "still", "background plate".
Gentle motion: "slow motion", "calm", "ambient", "drifting".
Dynamic motion: "handheld", "tracking shot", "aerial", "fast", "action".
Technical filters buyers use: "loop", "time lapse", "4k", "vertical", "slow motion".

The studio measures the difference between sampled frames and passes the resulting motion level to the model, so these terms are added only when the footage supports them.

Orientation and format matter to buyers

Vertical clips sell into social campaigns and horizontal clips into web and broadcast. Keep orientation and resolution accurate in your keywords — mislabelled formats are a common reason a clip is downloaded, refunded and then ranked lower.

Keep both marketplaces in one metadata set

Cap titles at 70 characters, descriptions at 150 and keywords at 49, and the same row works for Adobe Stock and Shutterstock. See the metadata limits cheat sheet for every field.

Frequently asked

How is video metadata different from photo metadata?: A clip has to be described over time. Titles and keywords should cover the subject, the action and how the shot moves — camera movement, slow motion or time lapse — not just what appears in the first frame.
How many keywords should stock footage have?: Aim for 25 to 49 keywords. Keep the same 49-keyword ceiling used for photos so one metadata set works on both Adobe Stock and Shutterstock.
Do motion keywords help footage sell?: Yes, when they are accurate. Buyers filter by terms like slow motion, aerial, loop and handheld, so include them only when the clip actually shows them.

Keyword a whole footage batch

Drop your MP4, MOV or WEBM files in and export a marketplace-ready CSV.

Open the studio

Next: becoming an Adobe Stock contributor and the Adobe Stock CSV format.