Every image you upload to a stock site or Etsy needs a title, description and keywords that fit the platform's rules. Keywords past the limit are silently cut, tags that break the rules are rejected, and metadata in the wrong language never shows up in search. Here are the limits of the three biggest platforms in one table.
The Limits at a Glance
| Platform | Title | Keywords / tags | Language and characters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe Stock | Up to 200 characters; under 70 recommended | Up to 49; the first 10 carry the most weight | English |
| Shutterstock | The description doubles as the title, up to 200 characters | Between 7 and 50 | English |
| Etsy | Up to 140 characters | Exactly 13 tags, each up to 20 characters | Letters, numbers, spaces and - ' ™ © ® |
Adobe Stock
Adobe Stock shortens titles in search results, so fit the key information into the first 70 characters. Keywords are capped at 49 and order matters: the first 10 weigh the most in search. Put the main subject, the concept and the use case in those first 10.
Shutterstock
Shutterstock has no separate title field; your description is used as the title. Write one sentence of up to 200 characters that describes the image. Use between 7 and 50 keywords: fewer than 7 blocks the upload, and more than 50 are not accepted.
Etsy
Etsy listing titles are limited to 140 characters. Tags follow a strict rule: 13 tags, each up to 20 characters. Tags may only contain letters, numbers, spaces and - ' ™ © ®; symbols like & or / are rejected. Use all 13 and prefer short phrases buyers actually search for (e.g. "ceramic mug", "gift mug") over single words.
The 5 Most Common Mistakes
- Non-English metadata on stock sites. Buyers on Adobe Stock and Shutterstock search in English; other languages make your image nearly invisible.
- Repeated keywords. "coffee" and "Coffee" are the same keyword; repeats only waste your allowance.
- Lists over the limit. Adobe Stock cuts everything after 49. If your key term is at the end, it is gone.
- Irrelevant keyword stuffing. Listing things that are not in the image is a common reason for rejection.
- Etsy tags over 20 characters. Long tags are not saved; shorten the phrase or split it in two.
Check Before You Upload, for Free
Paste your title and keywords into the free Metadata Checker. It checks character and keyword counts, duplicates, Etsy tag rules and English-only rules against the platform you pick. "Clean and copy" removes repeats and copies the list. No sign-up, and nothing is sent to a server.
Generate the Metadata from Your Image
MayaListing analyzes your photo and writes titles, descriptions and keywords that fit Adobe Stock, Shutterstock and Etsy rules. You can embed the metadata in the JPG and upload it directly.
Try It Free