Videos, photographs, graphics, and – where’s that document gone?
We’ve all been there. You need that specific product shot from last quarter’s campaign. You know it exists. You remember using it.
But now?
It could be anywhere.
When files live in scattered drives and cloud folders, finding the right asset can quickly become a time-consuming challenge. Digital Asset Management (DAM) can help solve this problem by creating a structured, searchable library of all your files and assets.
With the global DAM market estimated to be worth $20.6bn globally by 2032, it’s clear that relying on traditional file storage is no longer standard practice for most businesses.
Understanding Digital Asset Management
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about digital asset management, to get you started:
What is Digital Asset Management?
Digital Asset Management (DAM) is a centralised location that stores, organises, and distributes your company’s digital assets. From images and videos to documents and brand guidelines, implementing a DAM system can replace scattered file storage with one source of truth, making it easier for teams to find, share, and use content whilst maintaining brand consistency and compliance.
What is a digital asset?
Digital assets are any files that hold value for your business. If your team has created it, used it, or shared it digitally – it’s an asset that’s worth managing! This might include:
- Images
- Videos
- Documents
- Brand guidelines
- Product catalogues
- Marketing collateral
- Design files
What’s the difference between a DAM system and standard file storage?
Cloud storage platforms may offer basic file organisation, but a DAM system provides your creative and marketing teams with a purpose-built tool for managing content.
Standard file storage organises files with a basic file search. DAM adds extra layers of infrastructure – searchable metadata, automated tagging, version control, usage rights, or workflow management.
You can filter your digital assets by visual simliarity, associated campaigns, or usage rights – all in seconds!
Why businesses need Digital Asset Management
As we’ve said before – your team could be spending the equivalent of one full day per person, per week, searching for files, or recreating assets they cannot find.
And, without a single source of approved assets, your team may use outdated logos of off-brand imagery. If an asset is used outside of its licensing terms, it could result in costly legal issues. Moreover, if you’re spending time duplicating content that already exists, you’re not only wasting time, but money, too.
If your team can find files in seconds, implementing a DAM can dramatically reduce your time-to-market for new product launches and campaigns. Everyone can access the same approved assets, and when your files are easily accessible, you can maximise the value of your content, too.
When does your business need a DAM system?
Your organisation may benefit from Digital Asset Management if the most common question in the office is: “where can I find this asset?”.
Similarly, if you’re spending too much time recreating existing digital asets, struggling to manage version control, or having difficulty maintaining brand consistency – it’s probably time to implement a Digital Asset Management.
Even though implementing DAM systems has historically been reserved for larger organisations, SMEs currently hold the highest projected CAGR (at 16.4%) by 2030 in the industry.
So, it doesn’t matter how big (or small) your business is – if your content library has outgrown a folder-based system, it’s probably time for an upgrade.
Essential capabilities for your DAM system
Implementing Digital Asset Management is a complete investment – from implementation to training, integrations, and any additional costs.
It’s a large task for any business, and something that you don’t want to repeat often. That’s why we recommend evaluating any potential system on the following key features:
- Search and discovery: How easily can users find digital assets using multiple search methods? Ease of access to your assets is the foundation of any useful DAM system
- Metadata management: Does the system allow detailed, structured information? Having access to robust meadata makes content discoverable and helps you keep track of details like usage rights
- Access control: Can you set granular permissions to control who can view, download, edit, or delete assets? Can you also track asset versions and maintain that history – even if a user is removed from the system?
- Integrations: Does the DAM system connect with your existing tools, like your content management system (CMS) or product information management system (PIM)?
The best system for your business will have an intuitive interfact (that makes adoption across your organisation easy) and will be designed to scale as you grow.
If you’re operating in the UK or EU, ensure the DAM system meets GDPR requirements, offers appropriate data residency options, and provides security certifications.
Get started with Digital Asset Management in five steps
- Audit your situation: Document your existing digital asset types, current locations, and current pain points, or problems.
- Define your objectives: Establish specific goals for your DAM system – whether that’s reducing search time, or improving brand consistency.
- Involve key stakeholders: Include marketing, creative, IT, and legal representatives before rolling out any DAM system.
- Start with a pilot: Begin with a selection of assets to perfect your processes and workflows before rolling out across all your digital assets.
- Establish governance: Create clear policies for metadata standards, naming conventions, and access permissions.
Is DAM right for your business?
Implementing a DAM system could take anything from a few weeks (for simple deployments) to months for more enterprise rollouts. You don’t necessarily need dedicated staff to oversee the system, but good governance and processes are key.
The good news, though, is that you should typically start seeing an initial return on your investment within 6-12 months through time savgings and reduced content duplication.
What matters more than features is fit. Before implementing a DAM system, make sure you’ve established clear objectives that consider the teams that will be using it every day.
And, if you’re considering Digital Asset Management, it’s clear that your traditional file storage won’t be able to keep up for much longer. It’s time to look at whether your current approach truly serves your business, or if you need a more structured solution.
