--- title: "What Is Content Metadata? Definition and Examples" description: "Content metadata is the information that describes each title: synopsis, cast, genre, rights and artwork. See the types and why discovery depends on it." url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/content-metadata" markdown_url: "https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/content-metadata.md" category: "Platform" updated: "2026-10-05" --- # What is content metadata? Content metadata is the information that describes a video title and governs how it is presented and used: its title, synopsis, cast, genre, rating, artwork, languages, rights and technical details. It is what makes a file into a catalog entry. ## 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 ## Content metadata on RentAnOTT The RentAnOTT CMS manages catalog and metadata, artwork and trailers, seasons and episodes, and availability windows on every plan. Metadata is migrated with your catalog at launch. [See the CMS](https://www.rentanott.com/features#control). ## Related terms - [Video CMS](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/video-cms) — A video CMS (content management system) is the back-office application where a streaming team uploads video, adds metadata and artwork, organizes titles into a catalog, sets who can watch and at what price, and publishes to the website and apps. - [Recommendation engine](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/recommendation-engine) — A recommendation engine is the system that chooses which titles to suggest to each viewer, based on what they and similar viewers have watched and on the properties of the titles themselves. It fills rows such as recommended for you and because you watched. - [Semantic search](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/semantic-search) — Semantic search is search that matches the meaning of a query instead of its exact words. On a streaming service it lets a viewer type something like a feel-good film about food and get relevant titles, even when none of those words appear in a title or its tags. - [Content migration](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/content-migration) — Content migration is moving a streaming service from one platform to another: the video files, metadata and artwork, the plans and prices, and the subscriber accounts with their active subscriptions. - [Territorial rights](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/territorial-rights) — Territorial rights are the rights to distribute a title in a particular country or region. A license names the territories it covers, and the streaming service may show the title only to viewers located there. - [EPG](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary/epg) — An EPG (electronic program guide) is the on-screen schedule for linear channels. It shows what is playing now and what is coming up on each channel, usually as a grid of channels against time, and lets the viewer tune to a program from it. ## Further reading - [OTT solution guide](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/ott-solution) - [How to start a streaming service](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs/how-to-start-a-streaming-service) - [Pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing) ## Frequently asked questions ### How much metadata does a title need? At minimum a title, a synopsis, a genre, a rating, running time and artwork. Cast, keywords and translated descriptions improve search and recommendations. ### Can metadata be changed after publishing? Yes. Changes made in the CMS appear in the apps without re-encoding the video or updating the app. ### Where does metadata come from for licensed content? The licensor normally supplies it with the files, as a spreadsheet or a structured feed. Check it on arrival, since quality varies. All 163 terms: [Streaming and OTT glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary). ## Book a demo Tell RentAnOTT what you are launching. The team walks through the platform and maps the path to go-live around your catalog, markets and revenue model. Book a demo: https://www.rentanott.com/contact ## More from RentAnOTT - [Home](https://www.rentanott.com/index.md) — What RentAnOTT is, what every plan includes, and how launch works - [Features](https://www.rentanott.com/features.md) — Every core feature and optional add-on - [Pricing](https://www.rentanott.com/pricing.md) — Platform tiers, apps, add-ons, usage rates and example bills in INR and USD - [Free tools](https://www.rentanott.com/tools.md) — OTT app builder and calculators for streaming revenue, bandwidth, bitrate and pricing - [Insights](https://www.rentanott.com/blogs.md) — All streaming business articles - [Glossary](https://www.rentanott.com/glossary.md) — Definitions of streaming and OTT terms - [Book a demo](https://www.rentanott.com/contact.md) — Talk to RentAnOTT about your launch Full site in one file: https://www.rentanott.com/llms-full.txt