Pro Corner: How to Add Keywords to Your Photos
Make your photos searchable by Houzz users by adding keywords for style, product descriptions and more
Uploading photos to your professional profile is the first step in getting your projects seen by the Houzz community. Then add keywords to your photos to make sure they show up when Houzz users are searching. This ideabook will walk you through the process of adding keywords to photos and will provide some best practices.
Start by uploading photos to a project. During that process you’ll be asked to enter keywords. These are keywords for the entire project. Enter keywords only if they apply to every photo you are uploading.
Think about the elements that are important to the space in your photo. What terms would a homeowner use to search for a space like this? These are the keywords to use.
Be sure to include synonyms such as ‘white sofa’ and ‘white couch.’ As you type, some suggestions will appear. Click a suggested keyword to add it when applicable.
Do not:
Capital letters and punctuation are ignored in search, so it is OK to use all lowercase.
When you are finished adding keywords – try to use five to 15 per photo – click ‘Done’ at the bottom of the page.
Do not:
- Use keywords that are not relevant to or visible in the photo (even if the element appears elsewhere in the room).
- Include the names, locations or services of the professionals involved in the project.
Capital letters and punctuation are ignored in search, so it is OK to use all lowercase.
When you are finished adding keywords – try to use five to 15 per photo – click ‘Done’ at the bottom of the page.
After you’ve uploaded your photo(s), you’ll be able to enter information for each. The keywords box appears towards the bottom, as shown. Type short (one- or two-word) keyword phrases, separated by commas.
Appropriate keyword terms include:
Appropriate keyword terms include:
- Materials (’silk curtains,’ ‘satin pillowcase,’ ‘wood table’)
- Colours, colour schemes and patterns (’white bed,’ ‘neutral bedroom,’ ‘plaid bedding’)
- Sizes and shapes (’rectangular pool,’ ‘mini chandelier,’ ‘small kitchen’)
- Styles (’Federation-style house,’ ‘art nouveau mirror,’ ‘beach-style decor’)
- Quantities (’two sinks,’ ‘two twin beds’)
- Products with their features (’basket with lid,’ ‘self-cleaning oven’)
- Products in general (’canopy bed,’ ‘wood-burning stove,’ ‘lounge chair’)
- Designer or brand names (’Eames chair,’ ‘Kohler Purist tap,’ ‘Dulux Baltica paint’). Products can also be tagged and described in more detail in the photo description field.
If you need to edit a photo’s keywords, go to ‘Your Houzz’, then find the project. Click on the photo you want to change and click the ‘Edit’ button at the bottom of your screen.
For more best practices, check out our Inside Houzz section.
For more best practices, check out our Inside Houzz section.