Image License Metadata — Make rights clear for Google Images
Generate ImageObject JSON-LD with license, acquire page, credit, and creator so your images earn the licensable badge and proper attribution.
Why image license data gets ignored
Pain points we solve
- License URLs point to 404s or generic home pages.
- CDN links block crawlers with signed or expiring URLs.
- Credit text differs from on-page captions, lowering trust.
- Acquire/license pages aren’t linked, so users can’t request rights.
How SwiftSchema helps
Solution
The generator gathers the required ImageObject fields Google expects for licensable images: contentUrl, landing page, license, acquireLicensePage, and creator.
It keeps credit and caption fields aligned with on-page copy to avoid mismatches.
You get copy-ready JSON-LD you can drop on asset or article pages without hunting for field names.
How it works
How it works
- Add the image file URL (contentUrl) and the landing page URL (url).
- Provide the license URL and the acquireLicensePage (can be the same if terms and request are combined).
- Add creditText, creator, and publish date to match visible attribution.
- Generate JSON-LD and embed it once on the page; keep it updated if URLs or rights change.
- Validate in Rich Results Test; ensure the image file is crawlable (no 403/expired URLs).
Add license, credit, and creator in minutes.
Image License Metadata: Make usage rights unambiguous
Google uses ImageObject metadata to show the licensable badge and clarify how images can be used. This markup pairs your asset URLs with the license, acquisition page, and credit so creators get proper attribution and users know how to obtain rights.
Required to avoid warnings
- contentUrl — Direct file URL (WebP/JPG/PNG). Crawlable, no blocked headers.
- url — Page where the image appears (landing page).
- license — URL to the license terms (CC, custom license page, or marketplace license).
- creator.name — Person or Organization that created the image.
High-impact properties
- acquireLicensePage — The page to request or purchase rights (often a licensing or contact form).
- creditText — Visible attribution string users see near the image.
- caption — On-page caption describing the image; keep it consistent.
- datePublished — When the image was first published.
Implementation checklist
- Confirm your file URLs are crawlable (no 403/robots blocking).
- Link the image to the correct landing page via url.
- Add licenseandacquireLicensePage(can be the same if terms and request form are on one page).
- Provide creator and credit strings that match on-page attribution.
- Generate JSON-LD with the form below and embed it once per image or per page.
- Validate in Rich Results Test and spot-check in live HTML to avoid duplicate or conflicting ImageObject blocks.
Common pitfalls
- Pointing licenseto a 404 or generic home page.
- Using CDN links that block crawlers (signed URLs that expire).
- Missing or mismatched creditText vs. visible caption.
- Marking up stock images where you do not own licensing rights.
Required properties
contentUrlurllicensecreator.name
Recommended properties
acquireLicensePagecreditTextdatePublishedcaption
Licensed product image
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "ImageObject",
"contentUrl": "https://example.com/images/product-1234.webp",
"url": "https://example.com/products/1234",
"license": "https://example.com/licensing/standard-commercial",
"acquireLicensePage": "https://example.com/licensing/request?asset=product-1234",
"creditText": "Photo: Jane Doe / Example Studio",
"caption": "Front view of the Daypack 24L in Charcoal",
"creator": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Example Studio",
"url": "https://examplestudio.com"
},
"datePublished": "2024-10-01"
}FAQs
Do I need both license and acquireLicensePage?Show
Yes. License points to terms; acquireLicensePage points to the page where a user can request or purchase rights. If they’re the same page, reuse the same URL.
What counts as creditText?Show
Use the visible attribution string you expect users to see (e.g., “Photo: Jane Doe / Example Studio”). Keep it consistent with on-page captions.
Does caption need to match on-page text?Show
Yes. Keep captions consistent with what’s rendered near the image. Mismatches can reduce trust or lead to ignored markup.