Learn how to submit videos to Adobe Stock, technical standards, metadata best practices, licensing, and popular themes that can lead to licenses' higher royalties.
Video is one of the fastest-growing content types on Adobe Stock. Contributors can use videos to expand their portfolio and increase earnings beyond still photography. From cinematic 4K landscapes to vertical social media clips, Adobe Stock accommodates diverse motion content for global creative professionals, agencies, and marketers.
Video submission essentials
Video submissions to Adobe Stock follow the same Contributor workflow as other content types, with additional motion-specific requirements. Upload videos through the Contributor Portal, add descriptive metadata to improve discoverability, include any required releases, and submit for moderation. Adobe Stock evaluates video against technical specifications, visual quality standards, and legal compliance requirements before making the content available to customers.
The submission process supports a range of shooting methods and production scales. Mobile-captured vertical video performs on par with professional cinema camera videos when both meet technical and creative standards.
Popular content themes
Video customers look for authentic, versatile footage that meets specific creative needs. Some content themes consistently demonstrate strong licensing performance, driven by market demand patterns. High-demand categories include:
- Lifestyle and people in action: Authentic moments showing daily activities, work environments, family interactions, and social situations.
- Nature and landscapes: Wildlife behavior, seasonal changes, aerial scenery, weather phenomena, and environmental footage.
- Business and technology: Office environments, collaborative work, digital interfaces, manufacturing processes, and urban infrastructure.
- Health and wellness: Fitness activities, medical settings, mindfulness practices, and healthy lifestyle choices.
- Travel and culture: Destination landmarks, local traditions, transportation, architecture, and cultural events.
- Vertical video for social platforms: Mobile-optimized 9:16 content designed for Instagram Stories, TikTok, and similar formats.
- Abstract and conceptual motion: Textures, patterns, motion graphics, particle effects, and non-representational movement.
Video content succeeds when it offers flexible building blocks for larger projects. Clean, subtle camera movements often outperform shaky handheld footage. Simple compositions with clear subjects typically license more frequently than complex, busy scenes.
