iStock & Getty Images Keyword Generator

PhotoTager is an AI keyword generator for iStock and Getty Images contributors. Getty and iStock only accept keywords from their controlled vocabulary, so PhotoTager matches its keyword suggestions against a vocabulary of about 20,600 iStock terms, and writes titles and descriptions from your shoot context.

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iStock & Getty Images metadata requirements

Keywords	Up to 50 per file
Vocabulary	Keywords must match Getty's controlled vocabulary; unmatched terms are dropped
Disambiguation	Ambiguous words must be matched to the intended meaning during submission
Submission	Through Getty's Enhanced Submission Platform (ESP) or the Contributor app

Last checked: October 2026. Agencies update their rules, so confirm against the official guidelines.

How PhotoTager handles iStock & Getty Images

Controlled-vocabulary keywords

The iStock keyword step maps suggestions onto a dictionary of about 20,600 iStock vocabulary terms, so fewer keywords are rejected during submission.

Search the vocabulary while you edit

Look up approved iStock terms from the keyword sidebar and add them to one image or a whole selection.

Titles from your context

Titles and descriptions use your project note, so editorial facts like names, places and dates are correct.

Bulk editing

Select similar images and add or remove keywords for all of them at once.

From upload to iStock & Getty Images in four steps

Upload your photos or videos (jpg, png, webp, mp4, mov and more) into a project.
Add context: one line on who, what, where and when, for example “Diverse group of women having a bridal shower”.
Generate titles, descriptions and keywords for the whole project, then review and bulk-edit.
Export the iStock & Getty Images CSV and upload it with your files.

Why context matters

Without context: “Diverse Group of Women Conversing at an Indoor Festive Event with Balloons and Floral Decor”

With the note above: “Diverse Women Sharing Laughter and Joy During Bridal Shower Gathering”

Tips for better iStock & Getty Images metadata

Generate titles first; iStock keywords are built from the title and image.
Quality beats quantity: 15 to 25 precise keywords usually outperform 50 loose ones.
Check disambiguation in ESP for words with several meanings.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Getty controlled vocabulary?

Getty Images and iStock match every keyword against a fixed list of approved terms. Keywords that are not in the vocabulary, or are not disambiguated, are not used.

How many keywords can I add on iStock?

iStock and Getty Images allow up to 50 keywords per file.

How does PhotoTager generate iStock keywords?

After titles are generated, PhotoTager suggests keywords from the image and title and matches them to a dictionary of about 20,600 iStock vocabulary terms.

How much do iStock keywords cost?

iStock keywords cost $0.02 per image and $0.06 per video, on top of title and description generation. There is no subscription.

Spend more time shooting, less time tagging

Pay-as-you-go: full metadata from $0.04 per image, no subscription, credits never expire.

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Also for: Adobe Stock · Shutterstock · Alamy · Compare all agencies