Your PDF shows up in search results as "Microsoft Word - Untitled.docx". The author field says "User". Anyone scanning a document library sees nonsense.
Metadata is the small print of a PDF — title, author, subject, keywords. It's invisible while reading but everything for cataloguing, search, and SEO.
Find what's there now
Open any PDF and check its properties — File → Properties in Adobe, Tools → Show Inspector in Preview. You'll see five or six fields, often blank or full of placeholder text from the source application.
Document management systems read this data first. Get it right and your file is findable. Leave it as "Untitled.docx" and it's noise.
Set the title, author, and subject
Open the PDF in Flint's editor, find the metadata panel, and fill in real values:
Title: the document's actual name, not the source filename. Author: the person or organisation that wrote it. Subject: a one-line description of what it's about. Keywords: five to ten relevant terms.
Save and verify
Save and reopen the file. Check the properties pane — your values should be there. Most readers and search systems pick the metadata up immediately.
If you're producing public-facing PDFs that need SEO, well-set metadata helps. Search engines use the title and keywords as ranking signals.
FAQ
Where does PDF metadata show up?
In the file's properties pane (any reader), in document management systems, in search engine results, and in tools like Spotlight or Windows Search.
Should I include the date in metadata?
The creation date is set automatically. Don't put it in the title. Put a clear human-readable date inside the document itself.
Can I remove metadata before sharing?
Yes. Strip metadata when you don't want the recipient to see who created the file or what application was used.
Does metadata affect SEO?
For PDFs hosted on the web, yes. Title and keywords influence how the file appears in search results.
Metadata is the difference between a findable document and a forgotten one. Edit yours in Flint's editor and give your PDFs a name worth remembering.