
Metadata is the information that describes other data[1]. If you are working on your website and with web pages, you may know that the title tag and meta description are metadata.
Metadata is defined as a collection of information about a file that can be used to help find and organise files.
If you’ve ever searched for an image on Google, you have seen how metadata can help search engines find information about those photos.
For those running a business, a website with high levels of metadata can be a big player in online success. Sure, it may seem like something you read about in books on the internet, but metadata, when used correctly, can help your business to grow.
Why is metadata necessary for a business’s online presence?
Metadata can be used to organise, define and enhance the efficiency of your company’s information assets.
Metadata helps search engines index and categorise your website. It allows search engines to understand what kind of content they are dealing with, which makes them more efficient at finding relevant results for user queries.
Metadata can help improve search results and internal processes by enabling people in your organisation to find what they need faster and easier.
Metadata also serves a vital role in helping you understand how external audiences will perceive your business or organisation—including potential customers.
Metadata can also help rank a website higher in organic rankings – think of it as an algorithmic boost for pages with relevant and correct metadata!
The use of metadata is not just limited to search engines, though, as it can significantly enhance user experiences by helping users navigate through websites easily by providing them with helpful information about the site.
Another example of metadata used in a business is a summary of what’s inside each blog post. Blog posts will have metadata like the following:
- Category
- Tags
- Update or Published date and time
- Title of the blog post
- Author of the blog post
An advantage we’ve seen from adding proper metadata to our blog posts is that it helps us create non-duplicate content.
Online platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn all use metadata to help ensure their users see posts from companies they might be interested in following or interacting with on those platforms.
Types of metadata
Here are some of them:
Descriptive metadata describes a resource’s title, author, and keywords. Examples are the metadata in blogs and web pages, and ISBNs.
Structural metadata is used to organise parts of a text, for example, chapters, table of contents, indexes and paragraphs.
Administrative data includes technical information about the resource. See example:
- Date and time of creation and update
- How the data was created
- File type
- Access rights
An example of this is the Creative Commons License.
Your company needs to start using metadata.
Use metadata effectively so that search engines know what keywords should appear when someone searches for something related (for example, “London branding photographer”).
A company could also use metadata in its internal systems so employees know where essential documents might be found within their organisation (such as client contracts).
Metadata can determine if you are working with the most recent file version and helps prevent unauthorised users from accessing protected digital assets.
Conclusion

Metadata makes your digital assets searchable.
As mentioned previously, many different types of metadata are available, so it’s essential not only to keep track of what each one does but also to choose wisely when deciding which ones are best suited for each other based on their purpose.
Metadata should be used on a business’s online presence. It helps perform online searches and understand what kinds of pages you post. Metadata is necessary for the digital environment that we live in today.
With metadata, you can track your website’s progress, optimise it and improve its performance overall. When you implement these changes, it will drive metrics up, bringing you more traffic and thus ensuring that your business grows.