As the number of digital assets increases, more and more organisations are adopting a Digital Asset Management (DAM) approach. There are many reasons for this increase: the importance of content marketing over the years, changes in consumer behaviour (increasingly sensitive to the content produced and distributed by brands), the multiplication of distribution channels, etc. To meet this challenge, companies are investing in suitable tools, such as DAM solutions. But what exactly is the purpose and benefits of a Digital Asset Management platform ? Which organisations really need it? What can you do with it and how do you choose your DAM software ? Let’s take a look at the subject.
What a Digital Asset Management platform allows you to do ?
In concrete terms, what can you do with a DAM tool ? This type of solution combines a number of fundamental functionalities, as follows
- Centralization of digital assets in a single interface
- Storage of data in a safe place (Cloud)
- Classification and indexing of media (by adding metadata)
- Searching and browsing documents
- Processing and editing of assets
- Sharing and distributing assets (inside and outside the company)
- Tracking the history of user actions
- Access and rights management
A Digital Asset Management solution can also include more advanced functionalities, such as the ability to edit images, automatic archiving of media whose rights have expired, contract management, monetisation of digital assets, integration with existing corporate tools, etc.
Organisations concerned by the implementation of a DAM tool
Are you wondering whether your company is concerned by the implementation of a Digital Asset Management platform ? In theory, any organisation can implement a DAM tool and benefit from it. However, some organisations are more concerned than others, in particular communication and advertising agencies, but also all companies that have a marketing department.
More generally, a solution of this type is primarily aimed at professionals who handle a large number of digital assets, large companies (more than 1,000 employees) and organisations that store and share sensitive resources (vital operators (VIOs) and essential service operators (ESOs)). If you start producing or using a large amount of media, you will soon feel the need to adopt an asset management tool.
DAM users within the organisation
Who is affected by the use of a Digital Asset Management platform within the company ? There are two answers :
All users directly or indirectly linked to the creation, use and/or distribution of content (digital, marketing, communication, sales, intellectual property, R&D, etc.).
All users, regardless of their level of digital education. The intuitive handling and the ergonomic interface allow all the actors of the project to use the DAM platform to modify, share or publish content on the web, including computer beginners.
Assets managed by a Digital Asset Management solution
A Digital Asset Management platform can manage a large quantity of digital assets and formats :
- Images (product or corporate photos, infographics, illustrations, etc.)
- Videos (advertising clips, promotional videos, filmed interviews, webinars, event footage, etc.)
- Audio files (sounds, music, podcasts, audio interviews, sound signatures, radio ads, etc.)
- Textual content (articles, white papers, case studies, press kits and releases, in-house magazines, slide shows, PDF documents, etc.)
- Brand identity content (logos, graphic charters, signatures, document templates, etc.)
- Strengthening collaborative work
The use of a digital asset management solution has the advantage of strengthening collaborative work within an organisation by providing more flexibility and agility.
The processes of creating and exploiting digital assets usually involve many participants from different backgrounds : writers, graphic designers, designers, documentalists, marketers, etc. They need to work together on a common project. They have to work together on a common project or at least ensure that their actions do not overlap with those of others. In addition, the level of digital literacy within the same team tends to vary greatly between individuals, which can be a major barrier to efficient collaboration.
A Digital Asset Management platform provides solutions to these problems: the centralisation of assets, the pooling of data, and the intuitiveness of the user interface are all assets that encourage collaborative work.
Controlling the company’s digital assets
With a large number of digital assets and users likely to use them, share them or distribute them on web media, it becomes difficult to supervise their use (by employees, partners or customers) and to ensure that it respects the related rights and constraints.
A Digital Asset Management platform provides a threefold solution to this problem :
- A tool for monitoring actions taken. By consulting a history, the DAM tool administrator can know at any time who has accessed the platform, when, and to do what.
- A system for securing access by password. Passwords can be configured in accordance with the company’s privacy policy.
- A mechanism for managing user rights. Not all users have the same level of authorisation: a DAM platform allows these rights to be administered according to the status or role played by the user. So a project manager can consult all the files, while a client will have to be satisfied with restricted access (without the possibility of making changes).
Reducing storage and usage costs
By streamlining the steps involved in managing digital assets, a Digital Asset Management platform also helps to optimise business costs on several levels:
- Saving time in searching for assets
- Reuse of created or purchased media (for better profitability)
- Optimisation of asset storage (no duplication, no obsolete versions, etc.)
- Optimal use and exploitation of resources
- Use of a single solution that centralises all assets (rather than a set of tools)
- These reduced costs, in turn, improve the return on investment.
When you handle a large amount of digital assets, a digital asset management platform is all you need. It brings together all the features and uses you need to make your content a true vehicle for your brand identity.
