How to write correct microstock image description to address more customers and reach proper SEO for search engines, microstock agencies and Pixcoll.com?
I wrote down some recommendations for contributors to help them raise the chance of their images to be shown while searching via internet search engines, stock agency or Pixcoll. This will make the search more effective and successful for the potential buyers.
Try searching for an image in your microstock agency using your keywords. You will then be able to see the process from the perspective of the customer.
You can edit and correct all descriptions and keywords in Pixcoll at anytime according to the following recommendations.
You can find the tutorial on how to edit descriptions in Pixcoll at the following address: How to edit your image title, description and keywords in Pixcoll.
1. Keywords
First, create a list of keywords that properly describe your image. The list of words will help you with vocabulary for writing image titles and descriptions. Start with describing the main object in the picture and then continue describing the background, time, place and other relevant information.
Do not include special symbols: “- + / ( ) ! ? ”
wrong – keyword: “dandelion-background”
correct – keyword: “sci-fi”
Write semantically correct keywords.
wrong – keywords: “New”, “York”, “half”, “ball”, “social”, “network”
correct – keywords: “New York”, “half ball”, “social network”
wrong – “spring background”, “white background”, “dandelion-background”
correct – “spring”, “white”, “dandelion”
Do not use common keywords.
Each contributor describes their photos with common and general words. The search results are then too extensive and your image gets easily lost and is hard to reach for the buyers. Try using uncommon words and avoid copying other authors’ keywords.
Do not use general keywords.
keywords: colored, closeup, close-up, close, top view, texture, background, art, object, isolated, beauty, detail, beauty, photo, photography, micro, beauty, beautiful, no people, nobody, trend, idea, concept, unique concept, creative background, new, bokeh, macro shot, modern, trend, colorful
Get inspired but do not copy other contributors.
You can always get inspired by quality contributors and extend your keyword vocabulary with new ideas. It is also very important to differentiate from others and improve your own keywords by eliminating mistakes.
2. Title
Title is the essential text describing the main object. It represents the most important description of the image. The URL address is generated out of your image title. It also has a great impact on the position of the image in the search and is the evaluating SEO factor for search engines.
Images with incorrect or inaccurate title and description will be made impossible to be found.
+ The title has to be different from the description.
+ Write the title using the keywords that precisely describe the main object or the situation in the picture.
+ The title has to contain important keywords, only.
+ A short title up to 40 letters is the most profitable one, making it easy for SEO and generating the URL address.
+ Start with capital letter at the beginning of a sentence.
– Do not end the title with a dot. It takes one symbol in the SEO title.
– Do not use special symbols for the title “- + / ( ) ! ?”.
Do not include location of the object in the title.
Object location needs to be mentioned in the description.
Do not include dates in the title.
General dates consume too much valuable space in the title. They should be included in the description.
Wrong – Title: “Summer 2021”
Do not use general keywords in the image title.
Try to use accurate and important words that describe the main object and are essential for SEO of search engines and generating URL address.
Do not use general keywords in the title:
colored, closeup, close-up, close, top view, texture, background, object, isolated, beauty, detail, beauty, photo, photography, micro, beauty, beautiful, no people, nobody, trend, art, idea concept, unique concept, creative background, new, bokeh, macro shot, modern, trend, colorful
3. Description
The description should contain general description of the image. It is used for SEO, therefore it is very advantageous to choose relevant keywords. The description can consist of multiple phrases.
The image description includes the following: appearance of the object, its features, location, function, situation and abstract description of the image.
Start your phrases with a capital letter.
It is gramatically correct and moreover it is visually appealing to the readers.
The description must be different from the title.
Search engines index your keywords and it is useless to repeat the same phrases and keywords. Use the limited space for important keywords in your description and title wisely.
Write important information first.
When writing a description, mention the important features of the image first and then continue with general or abstract description.
Internet search engines work with limited description length and use only a certain number of symbols.
4. Common mistakes
– inaccurate and misleading keywords
– only general and overused keywords
– vague title containing frequent keywords
– long title composed of multiple phrases
Title contains special symbol “/”.
Wrong – Title: “Wooden pencil, levitating minimal creative office/school/business concept, blue background.”
Title does not contain special symbols, is short and does not end with a dot.
Correct – Title: “Wooden pencil”
Title contains date.
Wrong – Title: “Christmas and New year 2022 concept. Diamond sparkling deer on pale rose background. Minimal copy space concept.”
Title and description are the same – the worst mistake when writing a description.
Wrong – Title: “Christmas and New year 2022 concept. Diamond sparkling deer on pale rose background. Minimal copy space concept.”
Description: “Christmas and New year 2022 concept. Diamond sparkling deer on pale rose background. Minimal copy space concept.”
Title and description are not the same:
Correct – Title: “Diamond sparkling deer”
Description: “Diamond sparkling deer on pale rose background. Christmas and New year 2022 concept. Minimal copy space concept.”
It is upon each contributor’s consideration whether they use our recommendations and advice in practice.
If you have any comments on the article or your own recommendations for writing image descriptions effectively, please share it with us on support@pixcoll.com.