Digital Asset Management, what is it anyway?
For us at Comrads and for our clients, what Digital Asset Management is is a given. But that this is not the case for everyone became clear when, during my vacation in France, somewhere at a picnic table in the Pyrenees, I was asked what I do for a living. The term Digital Asset Management caused some glassy looks that suggested my French had become a bit dusty. The term marketing automation didn't really change that. But when I came up with examples of fashion brands or a beer brand like Grolsch, my tablemates came back to life. Recognizable? With this explanation you can explain what you do in a concise manner.
DAM in the - very - short
Digital Asset Management is about creating, nurturing and properly valuing the digital assets of your brand or organization.
But then again, what exactly is a digital asset?
A digital asset is a self-contained and uniquely identifiable digital object. They can be, for example, photographs, diagrams, videos or brochures. They are called "assets" - business assets - because they can be reused. Common types are marketing- or content-oriented, but digital assets can also be used for other purposes, such as business operations, cultural heritage, sports and even law enforcement.
What is the value of a digital asset?
Digital assets have intrinsic and extrinsic value. The intrinsic value are the core data, such as the pixels in an image. The extrinsic value is the metadata or contextual data. Intrinsic value is about what an asset actually is; extrinsic value is about why you would want to use it. When managing digital assets, both values are important. The intrinsic value is that beautiful photo or atmospheric video. But without the extrinsic value - the metadata - it is virtually impossible to find the right asset for the right job.
What is involved in managing digital assets?
An asset can come from anywhere: a photographer, a videographer, a copywriter, a design firm or even from users. However, the metadata is entered or generated within a digital asset management system. The DAM system brings everything together to create the overall digital asset. The process of adding descriptive data to digital assets is called metadata or tagging. Once a digital asset is metadata, users can search for it, filter on it, add it to collections and download or request it for use in their on and offline marketing channels, websites, mobile apps or email campaigns. For digital assets to be properly managed, they also need control. For example, approval procedures must be in place for copyrighted material. This is also called governance or compliancy, and a good DAM system has a workflow set up for this. Finally, all this activity in itself generates data. You can use this to gain valuable insights about your digital assets, such as what people are searching for, who is using them and why.
What does managing your digital assets mean for your staffing?
Digital asset management encompasses many different activities. Keeping it all under control requires at least one manager, a human digital asset manager who oversees everything. He or she needs a good knowledge of DAM technologies, but most importantly, a deep understanding of his or her own organization and its brands.
Nurture your brand
Your brand is like a child; your brand content forms the building blocks. In order for that child to grow and flourish, you must nurture it and care for it like it's precious. A DAM system helps you do just that.
Curious?
Want to talk further about what a Digital Asset Management system can do for your organization and how to make its use a success? Feel free to contact us for a free on-site demo. We are happy to think along with you.