With the increasing use of assets in QBank and encouraging collaborative working, it is important that folders and assets are named in a consistent and logical manner so they can be located, identified and retrieved as quickly and easily as possible.
Correct and logical naming is very important when publishing assets from QBank to external channels, making sure that the viewers understand/recognize the context of a photo, product name or a person and at the same time making the assets Search Engine Optimized (SEO). Examples such as a web site, E-Commerce, Social Media etc.
Naming conventions can be quite simple or complex, depending on the collection or collections of images you are naming. The most important aspect of naming files is consistency. In order to follow one naming pattern through an entire collection, it's important to think about your collection and plan ahead. Download our white paper on the topic.
Long file names mean long file paths and long URLs which increase the likelihood of error. They are also more difficult to remember and recognize. Some words add length to a file name but do not contribute towards the meaning, for example words like “the”, “a”, and “and”. Where the remaining file name is still meaningful these elements can be removed.
At QBank we recommend setting naming conventions based on photo type. Here are some examples
Product photos
Following elements/information that should be included in a product photo.
- Product name (brand or company name incuded)
- Product number (if needed)
- Type of photo. Packshot, screenshot, lifestyle, detail, group etc.
- Angle (in case you have packshots from different angles)
- Version (if applicable or needed. v1, v2 v3 etc)
Example
Coca-Cola_Zero_Packshot_Front.jpg
Events and places
Following elements/information that should be included in a product photo.
- Year/date (for events)
- Name of the event or place
- Type of photo. Audience, event, seminar, office, presentation, party etc.
- Number (sequential numbering in case you have lots of photos from same event)
- Version (if applicable or needed. v1, v2 v3 etc)
Having the year/date in the beginning of the names will help you find and sort the photos from same event much easier.
Example
2018_Christmas_Party_Clifton_Mill.jpg
People
Following elements/information that should be included in a photo that contains a person.
- Name of the person on the photo
- Role (if needed)
- Type of photo. Headshot, Group, portrait, full body etc.
- Angle (in case you have photos from different angles)
- Number (sequential numbering if needed)
- Version (if applicable or needed. v1, v2 v3 etc)
Example:
Albert_Einstein_Scientist_Portrait.jpg
Don’ts and what to Avoid when naming
There are some guidelines when naming your assets eg unwanted signs and common rules to follow and pitfalls to avoid.
- Even if your operating system allows you, don't save files containing these characters * : \ / < > | " ? [ ] ; = + & £ $ . You may encounter difficulties searching for or opening them so they are best avoided.
- Don't use initials, abbreviations and codes that are not commonly understood.
- Avoid using common words such as ‘draft’ or ‘letter’ at the start of names, unless doing so will make it easier to retrieve the record.
- Avoid unnecessary repetition and redundancy in names and URL:s.
- When using a sequential numbering system, using leading zeros for clarity and to make sure files sort in sequential order. For example, use "001, 002, ...010, 011 ... 100, 101, etc." instead of "1, 2, ...10, 11 ... 100, 101, etc."