Types of metadata
- Descriptive: title, synopsis, cast and crew, genre, year, keywords, mood
- Structural: series, season and episode numbers, running time, chapter and credit markers
- Editorial: artwork in each required shape, trailers, badges such as new or leaving soon
- Rights: territories, availability dates, permitted business models, download rights
- Technical: resolution, audio and subtitle languages, ad-break positions
- Regulatory: age rating and content advisories per country
Why metadata matters
Viewers cannot watch what they cannot find. Search, browse rows, recommendations and voice assistants all work from metadata. A title with a vague synopsis, the wrong genre or missing artwork is effectively hidden.
Metadata also runs the business rules. Availability dates take titles down when a license ends, territories drive geo-blocking and ad-break markers place mid-rolls.
Keeping it in order
- Agree a fixed list of genres and tags instead of free text
- Write synopses at two lengths, for a row and for a title page
- Translate titles and descriptions for each language you serve
- Prepare artwork in every shape the apps use: poster, landscape, hero
- Import in bulk from a spreadsheet or feed when the catalog is large
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