DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT

SECTIONS

What is a Digital Asset?

What is Digital Asset Management (DAM)?

Closely related solutions: DAM vs BAM vs MAM

Benefits of Digital Asset Management

DAM Use Cases

Considerations for purchasing a DAM in Australia & New Zealand

DAM Key Business Benefits

About Canto

What Is a Digital Asset?

The term “digital asset” is often interpreted by the individual context of the writer, as mentioned by Digital Asset Management News. In context of brand and marketing content management, I'll use a simple explanation: a digital asset is content stored digitally, such as images, videos, audio files, documents, presentations, and so on. 

A digital file is considered an asset if:

• It is searchable and discoverable, due to metadata.
• It is owned by an individual or a company.
• It adds value to the individual or a company.

It's important to note that other formats of digital assets exist, and the definition of  a "digital asset" is continuously changing due to emergence of new business areas.

Today, digital assets are important and ever-growing part of an organisation's content. And businesses everywhere rely on digital assets for all sorts of things, from branding to communication to marketing.

The many forms of digital assets provide their own unique value to the owner. Images tell stories with pictures, videos capture motion and storytelling, and documents store information and knowledge.

Digital assets are used across all industries, from marketing and design to education and entertainment. 

The above are reasons why managing such brand content with a DAM software is of high importance because what you can't find, you can't use. 

What is digital asset management?

DAM is a system that helps businesses manage their digital assets in a smart way. It's a one-stop shop for everything from organising and creating your content to collaborating on it, searching for it, sharing it, publishing it, controlling it, and even analyzing it.

• Organise: DAM helps you keep your digital assets organized by letting you create folders, subfolders, and tags. This makes it easy to find what you're looking for, even if you have a ton of files.

• Create: DAM makes it easy to create digital content that's on-brand and consistent. You can also use DAM to manage digital asset projects, so you can keep track of all the different pieces of content that go into a campaign or initiative.

• Collaborate: DAM makes it easy to work with others on your digital content. You can share files and folders securely, and you can even create and manage review and approval workflows. This way, everyone is on the same page before content is published.

• Search: DAM's search features are powerful and easy to use. You can search by file name, keyword, metadata, and even the contents of the file itself. This means you can find the file you need quickly and easily, even if you don't remember the exact name of the file or where it's stored.

• Sharing: DAM makes it easy to share your files with others, both inside and outside your company. You can control who has access to your files and what they can do with them. You can also generate shareable links to specific files or folders, so you can easily share them with others without having to send them an email or attach them to a message.

• Publishing: DAM can automatically publish your files to a variety of platforms, including your website, social media, and e-commerce store. This saves you time and makes it easy to keep your content up-to-date across all of your channels.

• Control: DAM gives you complete control over your digital assets. You can manage permissions to ensure that only the right people have access to your files. You can also track file activity and version control to keep track of changes to your files.

• Analytics: DAM provides valuable insights into how your digital assets are being used. You can see which files are being downloaded, viewed, and shared the most. This information can help you make better decisions about what kind of content to create and how to promote it.

DAM Use Cases

Educational Institutions:

Schools and universities use DAM software to collect digital content from both inside and outside the school. It makes sure that staff, students, and the public have safe access to approved digital content, and it makes it easy to share images and videos both inside and outside the school.

For example, a private college can ensure brand consistency by storing and sharing logos, brochures, and promotional videos. This ensures that all marketing materials align with the institution's image.

Public sector:

Local governments often use images to promote tourism and attract visitors. Managing these assets efficiently is crucial to showcasing the region's attractions effectively.

Retail:

Retailers often have extensive catalogs of products that require high-quality images for online sales. Efficiently managing these product images is crucial for a seamless e-commerce experience.

For example, a retailer use a DAM system to organise product images, including multiple views, colour variations, and lifestyle shots. This ensures that the website displays accurate and appealing visuals for each product, ultimately improving the customer shopping experience and increasing conversion rates.

Manufacturing:

Manufacturing companies often produce a wide range of products, each requiring detailed documentation and images for marketing, assembly, and maintenance purposes. Managing these product image assets efficiently is crucial.

For example, an automotive manufacturer. They use a DAM system to organise high-resolution images of each car model, including exterior and interior shots. When creating marketing materials, assembling vehicles, or performing maintenance, employees can easily access the relevant images and documentation. This ensures that accurate and up-to-date information is available to support various departments, from marketing to production and customer service.

Construction:

Construction companies often showcase their completed projects to potential clients. Managing images and multimedia assets related to completed projects is crucial for building a strong portfolio.

For example, a construction firm specialising in commercial building projects. They use a DAM system to organise images, videos, and blueprints of completed projects, including office complexes, shopping centres, and industrial facilities. When preparing proposals or presentations for potential clients, the marketing team can quickly access these assets. This ensures that they can create visually impressive and persuasive materials that highlight the company's expertise and past successes, increasing their chances of winning new contracts.

Not-for-profit organisations:

Non-profit organisations often run fundraising campaigns and events to support their causes. Managing image assets for these campaigns is essential to create compelling and consistent messaging.

For example, an environmental non-profit organisation focused on preserving wildlife habitats. They use a DAM system to store images and videos of endangered species, conservation projects, and success stories. When launching a fundraising campaign to protect a specific habitat, the marketing team can easily access these assets. This ensures that they can create emotionally impactful marketing materials, including social media posts, email newsletters, and website banners, to engage donors and raise funds effectively.

Considerations for purchasing a DAM in Australia and New Zealand