All About Digital Asset Management Software: Part 2

By TechDogs Editorial Team

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Overview

We've written about what Digital Asset Management Software (DAMS) is and what it does in the first part of the DAMS series. (Yes, you will be DAMNED if you haven't read it yet!) To be honest, what will follow is a tad boring. (Yeah, at TechDogs, we warn our readers!) Relax, we were just kidding. 'Bore' does not exist in the 'TechDogs' dictionary. DAMS apart, we have put together another interesting piece as a follow up to our earlier article. Excited to learn more about this wonderful software? DAM sure you are! (This is the last one, we promise!)

TechDogs-DAM Where's My File-"Digital Asset Management Software": Part 2

Who would have thought the seemingly one-dimensional Digital Asset Management Software (DAMS) will require two articles to be introduced but here we are and so are you, YAY! A quick recap, in Part 1 of our Digital Asset Management Software Series , we focused on DAMS taking center stage as the Holy Grail for creative teams across the world. Finding the right digital asset in under 30 seconds is no mean feat and DAMS is the weapon that will help you upload, locate and share the correct existing assets. In Part 2, we further explore the possibilities with DAMS, plunging into its importance, features, the best ones out there and the future, so grab your coffee and read ahead.

Let's discuss the elephant in the room first,

If DAM Is Just For Storing, Why Is It Hailed As An Important Tool?

This is where most marketers get it wrong - DAMS is just not another storage application. It is a
secure, organized and exhaustive single repository for all the digital media file assets of the brand. A digital file library solution that can, in a matter of minutes, scratch that, in seconds, can pull out the required digital asset creation for any user in any department (with the right permissions, of course).

One example is when a new logo is unveiled. Everyone is pumped up; everyone goes gaga over the new design and promises are made to start using the new logo in all correspondence. However, wait, the accounts department needs the logo in black and white, sales need the PNG, HR needs high resolution and the PR team needs all formats. Who do they turn to? Marketing folks! Every single time! Do you know what smart marketers do? Upload all of these formats in the DAMS and provide relevant access. Saves time - check. Decreases frustration - check.

Most importantly, DAMS provides security. Digital Assets are like diamonds cut from the rough that need to be safeguarded. DAMS provides the highest level of protection for digital assets.

What Are The Features Of A Digital Asset Management Software?

TechDogs-"Features Of A Digital Asset Management" Software-Image Describing Features Of Digital Asset Management-Centralized Repository With A Robust Infrastructure-Seamlessly Organize And Categorize-User Roles And Process Workflows-Advanced Filtering-Internal And External Sharing-Integration With Other Systems

While businesses may use DAMS as per their requirements, most will look for a software that is secure, scalable and provides a seamless user interface. We've listed down a few features for you:

Centralized repository with a robust infrastructure

We've stressed this enough in the article and before but the whole ecosystem of DAMS lies in its ability to provide a centralized and scalable repository. Digital Assets in various sizes and formats can be stored for organization-wide and department use.

Seamlessly organize and categorize

DAMS will provide you with the flexibility of assigning Metadata and tags to assets for efficient categorization. It will also suggest the keywords and provide options to save the assets as per the brand guidelines.

User roles and process workflows

This simply means that the software will allow different access levels to different users. Essentially, marketers are the sort of admins in charge of uploading the content in various formats. However, not all teams would need access to all digital assets. These protocols can be set from within the software.

Advanced filtering

DAMS will provide a robust filtering mechanism that ensures that all searches bring about accurate results without breaking into too much sweat.

Internal and external sharing

DAMS will allow users to share content internally and externally within a secure framework. It is also empowered with tracking ability and set expiration dates.

Integration with other systems

Effective DAMS will effectively integrate with the most major applications such as Slack and Adobe Illustrator and pull assets directly from them. It is an adequate way of getting your entire organization connected to a single repository and the APIs will ensure that the integration is safe, secure and seamless.

Phew! That's an exhausting list. Let's see how these features will help your business.

So, Will Investing In A DAMS Help?

Productivity

Imagine you have around 10k files scattered through different systems within your team? How many hours will your team consume in just finding the right asset? How about getting any asset under 30 seconds? Gotcha! You are already dreaming of it, right? DAMS will make it possible.
Track & Measure

Some of us simply have the habit of storing everything on our desktop and then we can hardly see the Brad Pitt or Jennifer Lawrence wallpaper that we used to ogle for hours. An efficient organization is humanly possible but not feasible. Not with the number of assets we have nowadays. After all, how many files and folders do you think is humanly possible to create and store on your system. Not even Amy can do it but rest assured, DAMS can and DAM it will (see what we did there?). DAMS will let you know which asset is uploaded by whom and also which team member has used it.
Process Efficiency

Front-end teams often complain about not getting the right assets at the right time, while creative team complain of having to share the same rich media assets time and again. While DAMS will not stop the complaints, it can set the processes at least. Automated workflows are a goldmine and organizations would love to empower their workforce with them.
Security & Compliance

Data security and compliance are the "it" words today and any negligence can cost you millions. DAMS is not only the guardians of digital assets but if you opt for it, the software can also make legal and compliance documents available to the teams within seconds.

Which Are The Best Digital Asset Management Software Out There?

Although there are lots of players in the market, we've listed a few that provide a holistic solution for your DAM needs.

Adobe Experience Assets Manager

is the hub of creating beautiful content in various forms. It provides marketers a single platform to manage content and also streamlines the process. Furthermore, it offers actionable insights to identify content creation that is garnering the highest ROI.
Brandfolder

is one of the popular software out there. It seamlessly uploads, stores, organizes and shares all your digital assets. It also boasts of AI (Artificial Intelligence) image recognition, auto-tagging, controlled custom fields and more.
Bynder

has an intuitive workflow that can be customized to align with the organization's needs. It offers easy-to-use brand asset templates to create marketing content and share and integrates with Google Analytics to give you insights into your published digital content.

Ok, it's a good investment now but will it be as useful in the future?

Does DAMS Have A Future?

Oh yes, it does and a bright one at that! Content is here to stay for long and as digital assets overflow, you definitely need DAM Software. However, the future is AI and DAMS is shifting towards it. Leading DAMS providers are investing heavily in AI to bring high-level intelligence in their cloud solutions. As MarTech develops, DAMS will act as the heart of the entire marketing technology stack. Right from Content Management System and marketing automation platforms to social media asset and channels - everything will require DAMS to operate smoothly. It's only smart to adapt to this transformation now rather than later.

Frequently Asked Questions

If DAM is just for storing, why is it hailed as an important tool?

Digital Asset Management Software (DAMS) goes beyond mere storage; it serves as a secure, organized, and comprehensive repository for all digital media assets of a brand. It allows users to swiftly access the required digital asset in various formats within seconds, catering to different departmental needs. Whether it's providing different versions of a logo to various teams or ensuring high-resolution images for HR, DAMS streamlines asset distribution, saves time, and enhances security by safeguarding valuable digital assets.

What are the features of a digital asset management software?

Digital Asset Management Software (DAMS) typically offers a range of features crucial for efficient asset management. These include a centralized repository with a robust infrastructure for scalable storage, seamless organization, and categorization through metadata and tags. DAMS also provides user roles and process workflows to control access levels, advanced filtering mechanisms for accurate searches, internal and external sharing functionalities with tracking capabilities, and integration with other systems such as Adobe Illustrator or Slack for seamless workflow integration and asset accessibility.

Will investing in a DAMS help my business?

Investing in a Digital Asset Management Software (DAMS) can significantly benefit your business in several ways. It enhances productivity by enabling quick access to digital assets, saving time previously spent searching through disparate systems. DAMS also facilitates tracking and measurement of asset usage, streamlining processes, and ensuring efficiency across teams. Moreover, it enhances security and compliance by safeguarding digital assets and providing instant access to legal and compliance documents. Overall, DAMS empowers businesses to manage their digital assets effectively, improving workflows and productivity while ensuring security and compliance standards are met.

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