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Digital Asset Management: Strategies For Managing Digital Assets

A significant thing that will influence your returns when you get your digital asset management system in place is how well your team is well-versed and use the software. This only means you should set up your DAM system correctly and efficiently. For all this to happen, you need proper planning for the transition. However, I would advise you to get a DAM vendor like Tesames to help you in the adoption process; we will also guide you and act as an extra set of eyes to prevent issues with your assets. Before moving your business to a DAM, here are strategies to help you manage your digital assets. 

Define your goals for the DAM system

What issues do you hope to solve with the DAM system? This is simple, address the problems you are facing now, how you wish the software will help you solve the issues, and what business processes the software will help improve. A clear understanding of what you want to solve with your DAm will help you find the right solution for your business. Also, remember that not all DAM tools are built the same, there may be a lot of DAM providers, but they all offer different solutions to different people because every person is trying to solve another issue with their DAM software. 

Check the state of your current storage drive and asset organization

After defining the goals you want to achieve with the DAM system, it's time to check what's going on with your digital assets. You should know the number of assets your team has accumulated, the types, and if you have assets stored in one storage drive or are working out several asset libraries. Also, check how the assets are organized in the folders. Are they clear, or is everything scattered? And do you have several outdated assets and duplicate files?

The condition of your assets should guide you into setting realistic expectations; otherwise, you might get discouraged when things don't move as fast as you expected. For instance, it would make no sense to expect a one-day migration when you have a thousand files in multiple locations; at least you should give it a few weeks to months. 

Map your assets and catalog assets across libraries

Clean up your help; this will ensure that your DAM system stays clean and organized, making it easy for the users to have a friendly experience. Here is how you can make the cleanup process easier; 

• List down all the places the digital assets are stored; this will help ensure all the assets are moved to the DAM.
• Decide how you want to organize your assets; some people may decide to work off their current counter, while others may need a fresh start.
• Implement the file naming conventions; the names should be clear, consistent, and descriptive.
• Consider your end users and how they will be able to identify the files. What assets do they primarily use, and is it vital to have them in your DAM? what else can you add there?
• Decide which content you want to keep and the one you want to archive.
• Review your asset taxonomy and folder names and update them if necessary. Also, check the content to ensure it's correct and whether you should delete something. 

Map out the team that will use the DAM system

Once you control all the digital assets, think about everyone using them. Also, what can you do to ensure they get to access the files they need on time and with ease? You can decide to assign user permissions, as most digital asset management systems offer external sharing options. This makes it easy for you to share your assets with others without issues. You should also note that some DAMs charge extra for sharing links, and others don't let you track assets once you have transferred them. However, others offer free external sharing plus more advanced sharing options. You should go for those.

Determine the tools your DAM needs to integrate with

Your DAM system should integrate with other tools you have in place, not the other way around. Write them down so you can find a compatible solution. You can find a DAM that allows out-of-the-box integrations, while others feature open IPIs to make more specific modifications. Generally, they can integrate with CRM systems, CMS, content creation software, Project management software, and much more. A sound DAM system can support all your teams' workflow.

What Are the Methods Used in Digital Asset Management?

Asset management can be achieved in various ways. Even without knowing it, you and your team have an asset management system; the way you manage your assets that's asset management; it doesn't matter how you do it as long as you manage them. However, there are three most common methods used to manage assets, as highlighted below; 

Manually managing assets

Many businesses choose the more accessible and cheapest way out, which is to manage their assets manually. This method is done by using excel or google sheets to add information about projects, locations, and files. The technique has several advantages: it is flexible, easy to deploy, and has no investment budget. It also has disadvantages, the major one being it does not scale well and is purely done manually. Hence making it very hard to have your digital assets well organized.

Digital asset management software

A purpose-built in DAM  software is excellent for managing digital assets. There are several of them, like CatDV, Axle.ai, iconik, etc. This method features robust tools such as AI tagging, auto-indexing, and deep integrations with multiple devices like Adobe, Frame.io, and Premiere. However, it's complex and doesn't come cheaply. As much as it performs all tasks in digital asset management, it leads to an oversaturation of options which may lead to low usage of the above tools. 

Asset management software built into a storage

This trend has existed for ages, where asset management tools are built into storage for creative teams. It's still familiar with several vendors offering it via devices like Editshare, ProMAX systems, Facilis, etc. And they come with storage at no cost, sometimes meager expenses. Compared to the first two methods, the method offers a balance of powerful features that are easy to use. The only drawback it has is that you have to stick to one vendor for a long time, which is not a bad thing at all. 

Conclusion

Now you know the strategies you need to put in place to manage your digital assets effectively. It would be a waste of time and investments to ignore them as they are the ladder to digital asset management success. You can also use several methods, as highlighted in this article; choose the one that best suits your needs and your business. Reach out for digital asset services.