Killer Lightroom’s Tips for New Users #4: Stop Using Keywords in Lightroom?

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Over two weeks ago I shared a new article from new user tips series by Scott Kelby that can be found on the Lightroom Killer Tips website. So far the readers and new visitors like the series. For the most part this great mini series is almost complete and you can visit the site anytime to see the new user tips. But I will continue to share a new one with my thoughts on the topic each week.

What are Keyword in Lightroom

Keywords in Lightroom are text metadata that describes what that image is. Using certain keywords as city, state, subject matter, is used to find the images in your Lightroom catalog. Like all image metadata, keywords are store in the photo file or in the XMP files. After you add your keywords, they can be read by Adobe applications and other applications that can read the XMP metadata files.

Its always recommend that you use metadata files for your images. You should at least use copyright info, creator, and image title/description tags. They can be used by you or potential customers track down where the image came from, who created it, and who on the internet is using it.

Also, I have heard that search engines and some social sharing sites can read keyword metadata and might bring up your images in the search results. Then again, I have heard several SEO guys say the keywords aren’t searched. But it never hurts to use keywords or just a few targetable keywords for your images just in case search engines do use them or will in the future…

Stop Using  Keywords in Lightroom?

Scott Kelby writes in the fourth installment of the 10 Things I would Tell New Lightroom Users series, why you would to use keywords and why you do not have to use keywords. It’s a great article and a short read. – 10 Things I Would Tell New Lightroom Users: #4

As with many long time Lightroom users and keyword users, I would not be able to stop using them. I use them for a variety of reasons. But for new users, I can see why they do not want you to use Keywords in Lightroom.