Optimizing for Google’s Image License Metadata Feature

What's new?

On February 19th, 2020 Google launched schema markup requirements for Image License Metadata. Adding the right metadata will ensure that your images are eligible for the feature during beta and once it is available to everyone. Schema App’s Editor allows you to mark up your images quickly and easily so that they’ll be eligible for Rich Results once Image License Metadata becomes an officially recognized Google Feature.

What do you need to do?

First, to prepare your images make sure they are publicly available and that Googlebot can access and index the pages containing your images. Follow the Google Webmaster Guidelines and the Google Images best practices. Google also recommends that you submit a sitemap which can be automated with the Search Console Sitemap API.

Once you’ve ensured you’re following the proper guidelines, you’ll either need to create an ImageObject data item, or transform your existing images into image objects. Image objects usually exist on other kinds of web pages. Let’s say, for example, you’re marking up a service page and want to add an image to your Service data item. To do so, simply right-click the image, select “Copy image address”, paste the URL into the image property field, and click “Done”.

Transforming this URL into an ImageObject can be done easily with Schema App’s Image Repair tool. To do this, select Image Repair from the dropdown Tools menu. Here, you’ll see a list of the images you’ve inserted as URLs. Simply click on “Set up image” and your image will be transformed into an ImageObject with Height and Width information.

Next you’ll want to add metadata. The only required property is license which expects either a CreativeWork or a URL. A URL could link to a page on your site containing terms and conditions, or to an external license like those provided by the Creative Commons.

The recommended property, aquireLicensePage (which Google has assured can still be used even while it’s still in development under schema.org) expect a URL pointing to a page where users can find more information about resolutions and usage rights. It could also point to your contact information should they want to get about acquiring a license.

With these properties fulfilled, your images will be optimized and ready for Rich Results!

Please reach out to us at [email protected] if you need any assistance or have any questions about optimizing image objects.