Shutterstock Keywords and CSV Metadata
Descriptions, ordered keywords and categories for every photo, exported in Shutterstock's CSV column layout
Stock agency output needs a Pro or Studio plan. See pricing.
Try it free →Real Sentence Descriptions
Shutterstock wants a factual, complete sentence, not a keyword list. Each description is one sentence of at least five words, kept well under the 200 character mark.
40 to 49 Ordered Keywords
Well above Shutterstock's minimum of 7 and inside its maximum of 50. Ordered by importance, with no hashtags, duplicates, brand names, trademarks, camera names or private people's names.
One or Two Categories
Shutterstock takes categories by name. PhotoScanr picks one or two from Shutterstock's photo category list and writes the names the CSV expects.
One-Click Shutterstock CSV
The Export menu has a "Shutterstock CSV" option with the columns Filename, Description, Keywords and Categories, the four required columns.
Batch Processing
Pro handles up to 25 photos per batch and Studio up to 100. Work through a shoot in batches, then export when the review is finished.
Review First
The "Stock agencies" view shows every field for review, with copy buttons. Make your fixes in the exported CSV before you upload it. Nothing goes to Shutterstock automatically.
Why the Metadata Matters on Shutterstock
Search Is the Whole Storefront
Customers search by phrase and buy what comes up. If your description and keywords do not use the words they type, a good photo does not show up. Metadata is the difference between a library that earns and one that sits.
The trouble is volume. A single shoot can mean hundreds of files, each needing a sentence, a keyword list and categories.
Descriptions Are Sentences Here
Shutterstock asks for a factual description in a complete English sentence of at least five words, not a keyword list. Contributors used to stuffing keywords into a description field will run into this rule.
PhotoScanr writes a clean sentence and keeps the keyword list in its own column, where it belongs.
Spam Keywords Hurt You
Padding a list with terms that do not describe the image is treated as keyword spam, and it is one of the listed reasons for rejection. More keywords only helps when every one is true.
That is why the review step matters. Delete any keyword you cannot point to in the frame.
Bulk Upload Saves Hours
Shutterstock lets you add a CSV on the Submit page after your media is uploaded, so you do not have to fill in every field in the web form.
PhotoScanr produces the CSV in the column layout Shutterstock expects, which turns the metadata job into a review and one upload.
Shutterstock Workflow, Step by Step
Turn on Stock agency output
Tick the "Stock agency output" checkbox above the upload area on the PhotoScanr home page before you add photos. It is available on Pro and Studio.
Upload the files you will submit
Add up to 25 photos per batch on Pro or 100 on Studio. Use the final file names. Photos are resized in your browser before analysis, and your originals stay on your computer. Only a resized copy is sent for analysis.
Open the Stock agencies view
In the results, choose "Stock agencies" from the Platform dropdown. You will see the description, keywords and the one or two Shutterstock categories for each photo.
Review and fix
Read each description as a sentence a stranger could check against the image. Remove keywords that do not apply. If a photo is editorial, rewrite the description in Shutterstock's editorial format, covered below.
Export the Shutterstock CSV
Open the Export menu and choose "Shutterstock CSV". The file has the columns Filename, Description, Keywords and Categories. The optional Illustration, Mature Content and Editorial columns are left out, so you set those on Shutterstock. Apply the fixes from your review in the CSV before you upload it.
Upload media, then add the CSV
Upload your photos to Shutterstock first. On the Submit page, use the CSV button to add the file. CSV metadata is not sent through FTPS. Then set Illustration, Mature Content and Editorial where they apply, check the result, and submit.
What the CSV Looks Like
This is an illustrative example of one row, shortened for display. A real export has 40 to 49 keywords per row. Shutterstock's column names must match exactly, so compare the header with Shutterstock's own instructions before you upload.
Filename,Description,Keywords,Categories IMG_4821.jpg,A red fox stands in a snowy field at sunrise,"red fox, fox, wildlife, snow, winter, sunrise, field, mammal, predator, nature, cold, morning","Animals/Wildlife,Nature"
Notes on the format:
- Keywords and Categories are quoted because each holds several comma-separated values.
- Categories are names from Shutterstock's list, one or two per photo.
- There is no Editorial, Illustration or Mature Content column. If you need them, set the values on Shutterstock.
- Check that file names avoid special characters such as # % & ? * : | and commas, which Shutterstock warns about.
Shutterstock Metadata Rules and Common Rejections
What the CSV Requires
- Upload media first, then add the CSV with the CSV button on the Submit page.
- Column names must match exactly.
- Required columns: Filename, Description, Keywords, Categories.
- Optional columns: Illustration, Mature Content and Editorial, each taking Yes or No.
- Description: a factual, complete English sentence of at least 5 words, up to 2048 characters.
- Keywords: at least 7 and at most 50.
- Categories: one or two, by name.
Common Causes of Rejection
- Trademarks and brand names. They are a rejection trigger in commercial content. PhotoScanr leaves brand and camera names out, but check any title or description you edit.
- Emojis. Do not paste them into descriptions or keywords.
- Spelling errors. A typo in a keyword is a wasted keyword and can be flagged.
- Spam keywords. Terms that do not describe the image.
- Keyword lists as descriptions. The description must be a sentence.
- Editorial in Categories. Never write "Editorial" as a category.
Editorial Photos Need Extra Work
If a photo shows a real news event, a recognizable place or people without releases, it belongs in Shutterstock's editorial stream. That has three consequences for your CSV.
- The description must give the location and the full date, in this format: CITY, COUNTRY - MONTH DAY, YEAR: Description.
- The Editorial value must be Yes. PhotoScanr leaves that column out, so you set it on Shutterstock.
- The Categories column must not contain the word Editorial.
PhotoScanr writes a general description. For editorial work, prefix it with the location and date yourself, using what you know. Do not rely on a guess about where or when a photo was taken.
Shutterstock Photo Categories
Categories are written by name. PhotoScanr picks one or two from this list, and you can change them in review.
Use the second category only when buyers would genuinely look for the photo in both places. A photo of a lighthouse might be Buildings/Landmarks and Nature. A second category added to be safe adds nothing.
Tips for Better Shutterstock Metadata
Say what is in the frame, plainly
"A red fox stands in a snowy field at sunrise" beats "Beautiful stunning wildlife photograph". Subject, action, setting. Buyers search for things, not adjectives.
Lead with the subject
Keywords are ordered by importance in the PhotoScanr output. Check that the first handful name the real subject, then the setting, then the concept. The photo keywording guide covers how to layer them.
Clean the file names
The Filename column carries each photo's original file name, and it has to match the file you upload. Rename files before analysis if they contain special characters, not after.
Add local knowledge
Species names, regional terms, the town, the season. If you know it and the image supports it, add it, because the AI cannot know what is not visible.
Keep a copy in your catalog
PhotoScanr has a Lightroom output too. The Lightroom metadata guide shows how to store titles and keywords in your catalog, so the same work serves your own archive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What columns does the Shutterstock CSV from PhotoScanr contain?
Filename, Description, Keywords and Categories. These are the four required columns. The optional Illustration, Mature Content and Editorial columns are left out, so you set those on Shutterstock after the CSV is applied.
Where do I add the CSV on Shutterstock?
Upload your media first. Then, on the Submit page, use the CSV button to add the CSV file. The column names must match Shutterstock's exactly. The CSV is not something you send through FTPS.
How should a Shutterstock description be written?
As a factual, complete English sentence of at least five words, not a list of keywords. Shutterstock allows up to 2048 characters, but a clear one-sentence description is usually best. PhotoScanr writes a one-sentence description for each photo.
How do I handle editorial photos?
Editorial descriptions need a location and a full date in the format CITY, COUNTRY - MONTH DAY, YEAR: Description. Set the Editorial flag to Yes, which is not included in the PhotoScanr CSV, and never put the word Editorial in the Categories column. Add the location and date to the description yourself before submitting.
How many keywords does Shutterstock require?
At least 7 and at most 50. PhotoScanr returns 40 to 49 keywords ordered by importance, with no hashtags, duplicates, brand names, trademarks, camera names or private people's names.
Which PhotoScanr plan do I need for stock output?
Stock agency output and the CSV exports are available on Pro and Studio. Studio has a larger batch size. See the pricing page for current plan details.
Try It Free
Analyze a photo and see the metadata PhotoScanr writes. Stock agency output and CSV export need Pro or Studio.
Generate Shutterstock Metadata →See pricing for plan details
Related Guides
Shutterstock is a trademark of Shutterstock, Inc. PhotoScanr is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Shutterstock. PhotoScanr generates metadata that you review and submit yourself, and you are responsible for following Shutterstock's contributor terms and guidelines.