Glossary

Metadata fields

Title

A short phrase describing what's in the file. Indexed separately from keywords and also used in search.

Description (caption)

A fuller text: context and detail the title has no room for.

Keywords (tags)

The set of words and short phrases a platform uses to match your file to a buyer's search.

Category

The section of the platform's catalogue a file is filed under. Each platform has its own list.

Editorial flag

Marks a file as news- and education-use only, not for advertising.

How platforms index

Text search

The platform matches the buyer's query to your title and keywords; it doesn't rank by analysing the image directly.

Controlled vocabulary

A fixed list of approved terms that a platform matches every keyword against (Getty and iStock work this way). A word on the list connects to synonyms and translations; a word off the list is only found literally.

First-keyword weight

A rule on several platforms where terms near the start of the list influence ranking more: Adobe Stock, the first 10; Vecteezy, the first 5.

Keyword spamming

Repeating one meaning in different words, or adding unrelated terms to fill the limit. Grounds for rejection on many platforms.

Long-tail phrase

A precise multi-word query like "female entrepreneur working from a mountain cabin". Low competition and an exact match to buyer intent.

Literal and conceptual layers

The two kinds of keywords: what's physically in the frame, and what the shot means or would be used for.

How stock metadata works →

Metadata inside the file

EXIF

Technical camera data: exposure, ISO, capture date, GPS. Written into the image file's header.

IPTC

The set of descriptive and rights fields: title, description, keywords, creator, copyright. These are the fields platforms read.

XMP

The modern metadata container, a block of text inside the file that holds the IPTC fields and others. Supported by images, video, PDF and audio.

ID3

The tag format for MP3: title, artist, album, genre, BPM, comment.

Embedding

Writing metadata into the body of the file itself, so it travels with the file when copied.

Sidecar

A separate .xmp file next to the original, holding metadata for formats an editor doesn't change directly (usually RAW). Lost if the original is moved without it.

Platform CSV

A spreadsheet of metadata that some platforms take as a separate file instead of reading it from the file itself (this is how Shutterstock works).

C2PA, Content Credentials

A standard for cryptographically signed provenance data, including whether AI was used. Some editors add it automatically.

Licences and releases

Commercial licence

The file can be used in advertising and promotion. Requires all necessary releases.

Editorial licence

News and education only; usually because releases are missing or the shot is documentary.

Model release

A recognisable person's consent to the commercial use of their image.

Property release

The same for private property: a building, an interior, a recognisable object.

AI disclosure

A label stating the file was created or substantially changed with AI. Required on some platforms.

VisBreeze terms

Platform

The external service you upload your work to: Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, Pond5, Apple Podcasts and others.

Preset

A ready-made generator configuration for a specific platform: its limits, keyword format, category list and rules. Built-in, universal (by content type), or your own.

VisBreeze credits

The unit of payment for the Pro generators. They don't expire, they're shared across all products, and they're spent per generation.

Token

Your access key to Pro instead of an account. Credits, settings and history are attached to it.

Batch generation

Processing several files in one pass: up to 50 images on Free, up to 500 on Pro, up to 50 video or audio files.