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Tagging images at source enables a standard to be reached when all images are used during a production process, both for print and online. If they are tagged properly, valuable metadata can be captured inside the JPEG file that can be read by applications later, either on or off line. |
Optimising images enables;
- · speedy retrieval of images from within an image archive
- · resource sharing across different departments or companies, allowing a greater library of images available to all
- · Metadata inclusion within the files themselves. Enabling a higher level of findability when the files are used online within websites
To ensure that this occurs, guidelines should be followed by the image creators and those who manage the administration of these images. As tagging images can be highly subjective the guidelines drawn up here are designed to be quick and simple to create within the Photoshop File info panel.There are four main fields that need descriptive information to ensure images hold metadata that will provide SEO benefit and enable the files to be found easily.The fields are;
- · OBJECT – What the image is of. Is it a person, animal, logo, building or machinery?
- · LOCATION – Where the photograph was taken, this is an entity type that helps searching for specific images around a subject area by specifying geographic place. For images such as graphics, this descriptor will not be necessary.
- · DATE – The date on which the image was created.
- · REASON – The purpose for the image being created and what the image illustrates (seen in the description field below). This is another entity type.
- · KEYWORDS – This enables searching for the image within an archive and externally
The image above has been taken for use in a magazine and online. As it is a generic image of food there is also a good chance that it could be searched for. Once the image has been downloaded from the camera it is here where the initial information needs to be added via an application, preferably Photoshop.Using the File Info command a box will appear like the example shown below. Within the first option, Description, all the metadata can be added that will aid SEO and will be maintained when taken into other applications such as Fotoware. The first option in the menu (description) uses the metadata to populate other areas, such as IPTC info areas further down the option list.
1. Document title field
This is effectively the OBJECT attribute mentioned earlier. It must be a concise description of the image contents in as few words as is possible. This will also form the JPG file name and for this reason has important SEO implications. In this example the image is called rhubarb_diced.jpg. The author’s information can also be added under this field.
2. Description field
This is the area that holds information about the LOCATION and REASON for the image’s existence. It also holds information regarding the DATE. The description should be targeted and concise. The description field should not be used as a further way to inform the art editors on the picture’s usage. This should be done in a separate document as all date within file info refers to metadata and will remain with the image after it has left the production desk.
3. Keywords field
For search engine optimisation and search through the Fotoware’s online interface – FotoWeb. These keywords are really important as they define the ease in which a user can find the appropriate image.
The image above shows a user searching for images that have been tagged ‘Langley Vale Farm’ and Fotoweb has returned 640 results. To narrow the search the categories list on the left hand side enables a user to drill down into results that have been put into relevant sections.
Clicking on ‘Land’ enables the user to see the 18 images that have the keywords associated to them. Clicking on a thumbnail allows the user to preview the image and also to examine the metadata. Here we can see that the term ‘Langley Vale’ has revealed the image of the farm on the Langley Vale estate.
4. Copyright field
It is important that the correct copyright information is displayed and Photoshop can help ratify if a copyright license agreement is in place. The © logo will appear next to the file name of the Photoshop file. The file info panel will allow the creator or the picture editor to establish what copyright information is in place.
Where possible, images should be tagged following the what (OBJECT), when (DATE), where (LOCATION) and why (REASON) of the image. Where images have rights management issues keywords and copyright information will help give a minimum standard to the tagging of images.If this data is within the JPEG of an image then there is a much higher chance of the images appearing in a search engine results page (SERP). Tagging images this way now, also helps in maintaining a standardised approach to tagging of images that will ensure placement in SERPs in the future as crawlers become more adept at reading metadata from different file types.
Tags: Content Management, Findability, image tagging, Metadata, SEO
