As mentioned in a previous Blog entry about SEO, detailed Descriptions and a variety of Keywords are things the search engines are looking for. One of the great functions of the LicenseStream engine is the ability to import these fields from Metadata already stored in your images. If you are using Photoshop, Adobe Bridge or LightRoom, then there is a wealth of information you may enter before you even upload to the LicenseStream system.
In Adobe Photoshop, even in the Elements version, you may pull down the File menu and find File Information. In Adobe Bridge and LightRoom, the display grid may be set up so the most common fields are visible and easily editable. However, there are additional fields you should access through the File Information option, such as whether the images are Copyrighted, which places the copyright symbol (©) directly next to the file name when opened in applications like Photoshop.
Another area of File Information is referred to as IPTC Contact, where you may store your name, company name, mailing address, email address, phone number(s) and web site(s). This will help reduce the possibility of your images becoming what is referred to as “Orphan Works”. There is new legislation in Congress that basically states, if an image creator cannot be found with a reasonable amount of effort, then the image is considered an orphan work and will fall into the public domain, meaning no royalties are due to anyone for use of the image. While the information may still be stripped out without much effort, that becomes what is referred to as a “Destructive” violation for images properly registered with the Copyright Office, thereby increasing the penalties.
For Keywords, the Keyword Generator function in LicenseStream is a good place to start for the basics. But notice there are blocks below the pulldowns for “Additional Keywords”. This is where you may enter words you think appropriate that are not in the pulldown menus, or where those entered in the editing applications mentioned above will fall. Look at the Celebrity Gallery of Roth Stock Digital Media for example. While “Entertainment” is available in the pull down menus, we've added Entertainer, Red Carpet, and things like Movie Premiere in our keywords.
Orlando Bloom© Lee Roth
Don’t feel limited by the suggestions from the Keyword Generator. They are simply that, suggestions, although they do contain common search terms often used by publishers. However, if you have a woman in a blue dress in a field of yellow flowers, there is no reason you cannot enter the second color as an additional keyword. Similarly, if you have a man and a woman in a photo, “adults” works, but so does man, woman and couple. The point is to not feel limited by the Keyword Generator, but to use it as a good starting point. And if you have happened to enter some of the suggested keywords in your editing software, they will populate those fields when you upload the image. In fact, it is a bit faster to load those words in the image metadata before the upload, once you get used to the system.
As for descriptions, they end up as text on the LicenseStream Gallery pages. This carries a lot of weight with the search engines. In writing your descriptions, keep your keywords in mind. Looking in the Roth Stock Scenic Gallery, take note of the Wofldogs. There are paragraphs describing wolfdogs as a subspecies and talking about the sanctuary where the subjects we photographed reside. Even though those keywords also appear as text on the page, when used in sentences and paragraphs, they weigh heavier with the search engines. But don’t overdo it. In some search engines, using the same keyword more than six times might actually be looked at as spamming the engine and result in penalization in the rankings instead of the higher ranking you are after. Just try to be natural with your descriptions, almost conversational. That way, it’s easier to read, and should result in better search engine rankings. After all, that is the goal of every Web designer, whatever the topic!
Wolfdog© Lee Roth
Lee Roth is executive producer of Roth Stock Digital Media, based in Hollywood, California, with their newest studio located in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lee’s celebrity photos are syndicated worldwide and regularly appear in such magazines as People, In Touch, Us Weekly, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar and many others around the world. In addition to celebrities, Lee also specializes in live events, scenery, environmental issues, and private glamour sessions.
Lee’s bio and links to all of his content categories are available at his portal, RothStock.Com. He may be reached at 702.202.4555 or producers@rothstock.com for more information and booking inquiries.
© Lee Roth 2008 / RothStock.Com
