Rejected for Keywords or Title: What Counts as Keyword Spam
A Keywords or Title rejection means the words attached to your file broke the agency's rules: the same word repeated across many keywords, terms that do not describe the picture, or a title that reads like a list.
What the agency says
Shutterstock
Keywords / Title
Shutterstock defines it plainly: "Keyword spamming is overusing repeated or irrelevant terms." For titles, "The use of repeated words or phrases in the title is not permitted."
Adobe Stock
Similar content and metadata
Adobe's distinct content guidance warns against giving different images identical titles and keywords, and its rejection guide notes that intellectual property problems can sit in the title, description or keywords.
What counts as spam
Shutterstock's own examples make the line clear:
| Field | Spam | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Keywords | car ride, car road, car drive, car move | Kansas City, city street, street scene |
| Title | Summer Season. Summer Wallpaper. Summer Time. | Runner running on city street. |
The pattern is repetition (one word stretched across many keywords) and relevance (terms that describe what you hope people search for rather than what is in the picture).
How to fix this file
- Cut repeated stems. Keep "car" once, then add what is actually different: "road trip", "highway", "driver".
- Delete anything not visible or clearly implied. A photo of a laptop on a desk is not "success" and "teamwork" unless people are working together in it.
- Rewrite the title as one sentence: who or what, doing what, where. Answer who, what, when, where and why if you can.
- Run the list through the Keyword Checker to catch repeats, plural pairs and brand names before you resubmit.
How to stop it happening again
- Start with the subject, action and setting, then add concepts and mood, then technical terms like "copy space" or "top view".
- Write a new title and list for each photo rather than pasting one set across a whole shoot. Adobe calls identical titles and keywords across different images a sign of similar content.
- Accuracy beats length. A shorter list that matches the picture is safer than a long one padded to the limit.
Check your keywords in seconds
The free Keyword Checker finds repeated words, singular and plural pairs and possible trademarks in a title and keyword list, and checks the count against each agency's limit. It runs in your browser.
Sources and when this was checked
Last checked: November 2026. The agency wording on this page comes from the help pages below. Agencies reword their reasons from time to time, so open the source if your message reads differently.
Frequently asked questions
Is it spam to have both 'dog' and 'dogs'?
Shutterstock's examples of spam are repeated words and phrases such as 'car ride, car road, car drive'. A singular and plural pair is not named, but it spends two slots on one idea, so most contributors keep just one.
Can I add popular keywords that are not in the photo?
No. Irrelevant terms are spam by Shutterstock's definition, and they also hurt sales: buyers who find a photo that does not match their search do not buy it.
How should a stock title read?
As one short descriptive sentence. Shutterstock's example of a good title is 'Runner running on city street.', and of a spam title 'Summer Season. Summer Wallpaper. Summer Time.'
Can I add more keywords after the photo is accepted?
Shutterstock says repeated words are not allowed after publishing either, so edits should follow the same rules.
