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DAM
Digital Asset Management
Brand Assets
Marketing Strategy
Brand Consistency
ARTICLE #90
Table of contents
Digital Asset Management: What is it and why do you need it?
DAM
Digital Asset Management
Brand Assets
Marketing Strategy
Brand Consistency
DAM
Digital Asset Management
Brand Assets
Marketing Strategy
Brand Consistency
Written by:
5 min read
Updated on: August 19, 2024
Toni Hukkanen
Head of Design
Creative Direction, Brand Direction
Toni Hukkanen
Head of Design
Creative Direction, Brand Direction
Toni Hukkanen
Head of Design
Creative Direction, Brand Direction
Plenty of companies shell out thousands every year simply to keep track of their digital files. Take Motorola as an example: employees were burning up to 20 minutes just finding, converting, and sharing each image they needed. Once they turned to a digital asset management (DAM) system, they saved around $600,000 in staffing costs. Quite the eye-opener, right?
You can also free up both time and money with a DAM solution. Essentially, a DAM platform is a combination of software and processes that allow you to store, organise, retrieve, and share all brand images, logos, and other media files in a single, user-friendly setup. Read on to see how it works—and how it might give your business a welcome boost.
Plenty of companies shell out thousands every year simply to keep track of their digital files. Take Motorola as an example: employees were burning up to 20 minutes just finding, converting, and sharing each image they needed. Once they turned to a digital asset management (DAM) system, they saved around $600,000 in staffing costs. Quite the eye-opener, right?
You can also free up both time and money with a DAM solution. Essentially, a DAM platform is a combination of software and processes that allow you to store, organise, retrieve, and share all brand images, logos, and other media files in a single, user-friendly setup. Read on to see how it works—and how it might give your business a welcome boost.
What is digital asset management (DAM)?
What is digital asset management (DAM)?
A DAM system is a business process that handles the organisation, storage, and retrieval of digital assets, along with managing rights and access. These assets might be photos, videos, animations, music, slide decks, or even your brand’s fonts and logos.
As modern businesses accumulate growing volumes of media and branded materials, implementing a DAM setup becomes more and more crucial. Among other things, it can resolve issues linked to scattered file storage, collaboration hiccups, and brand consistency. Of course, rolling it out properly involves some planning, staff training, and ongoing upkeep. But once it’s up and running, the centralised library of assets simplifies life for employees, agencies, and clients alike.
Among popular DAM platforms, Frontify stands out for user-friendliness. It centralises files, enables collaborative editing, and provides style guide creation, guaranteeing brand consistency across campaigns.
A DAM system is a business process that handles the organisation, storage, and retrieval of digital assets, along with managing rights and access. These assets might be photos, videos, animations, music, slide decks, or even your brand’s fonts and logos.
As modern businesses accumulate growing volumes of media and branded materials, implementing a DAM setup becomes more and more crucial. Among other things, it can resolve issues linked to scattered file storage, collaboration hiccups, and brand consistency. Of course, rolling it out properly involves some planning, staff training, and ongoing upkeep. But once it’s up and running, the centralised library of assets simplifies life for employees, agencies, and clients alike.
Among popular DAM platforms, Frontify stands out for user-friendliness. It centralises files, enables collaborative editing, and provides style guide creation, guaranteeing brand consistency across campaigns.
How digital asset management software works
A DAM solution might sound like a fancy folder system, but there’s more to it than just “drag and drop.” Generally, the process goes as follows:
1. Asset creation
Your designers or photographers produce a set of digital files—images, videos, or other materials. They might already follow certain templates or naming guidelines to ensure future retrieval is quick and painless.
2. Encoding and indexing
When the files enter your DAM platform, each one is tagged with relevant metadata—anything from asset type (e.g. “video advert”) to version (“summer campaign 2024”). These tags make it easy to search and retrieve content later. The system often uses an indexing feature to group items by shared labels.
3. Workflows and version control
Version control helps ensure users stick to the latest or brand-approved asset. Automated workflows might also be triggered: for instance, a newly updated logo replaces an older version across marketing collateral automatically.
4. Permissions and governance
DAM platforms offer user-specific access rights. This keeps your confidential or unapproved materials from landing in the wrong hands and prevents accidental deletion or modification.
5. Internal audits
Finally, some organisations run internal audits to see how the DAM system is performing, whether it meets regulatory standards, and where improvements might be needed.
A DAM solution might sound like a fancy folder system, but there’s more to it than just “drag and drop.” Generally, the process goes as follows:
1. Asset creation
Your designers or photographers produce a set of digital files—images, videos, or other materials. They might already follow certain templates or naming guidelines to ensure future retrieval is quick and painless.
2. Encoding and indexing
When the files enter your DAM platform, each one is tagged with relevant metadata—anything from asset type (e.g. “video advert”) to version (“summer campaign 2024”). These tags make it easy to search and retrieve content later. The system often uses an indexing feature to group items by shared labels.
3. Workflows and version control
Version control helps ensure users stick to the latest or brand-approved asset. Automated workflows might also be triggered: for instance, a newly updated logo replaces an older version across marketing collateral automatically.
4. Permissions and governance
DAM platforms offer user-specific access rights. This keeps your confidential or unapproved materials from landing in the wrong hands and prevents accidental deletion or modification.
5. Internal audits
Finally, some organisations run internal audits to see how the DAM system is performing, whether it meets regulatory standards, and where improvements might be needed.
What are the benefits of digital asset management software?
Research shows that 51% of marketers waste time and budget duplicating files they can’t find. Enter a DAM system, which can solve many headaches and streamline your brand’s daily operations.
Better organisation
A DAM tool provides intuitive categories or “buckets” for storing your files, eliminating duplicates and minimising data loss. Instead of rummaging through random folders, teams can retrieve the assets they need from a single repository.
Rich metadata
Metadata attaches descriptive info to each asset—like titles, topics, or relevant keywords. The more comprehensive these details, the quicker and easier it is to find the precise file you want. For example, “beach–sunset–promo–2019” is more descriptive than “image1.jpg.”
Improved brand consistency
When your team pulls all content—logos, photos, marketing images—from the same source, you avoid outdated or mismatched visuals. This uniformity can strengthen your brand image and help you maintain a professional look across multiple platforms.
A Research and Markets study found that companies focusing on brand consistency end up 20% more valuable than those that don’t.
Greater efficiency and security
Creative staff no longer spend hours searching for files or emailing the same design back and forth. Meanwhile, you can set file permissions to ensure no unauthorised user downloads or tampers with sensitive material.
Asset performance analytics
Some DAM systems even track how and where assets get used, plus performance data like clicks or downloads. You can then refine your marketing approach or redesign assets if they aren’t hitting the mark.
Scalability and collaboration
As your business grows and content multiplies, a robust DAM platform can handle that rise in volume without grinding to a halt. It also boosts collaboration—everyone from freelancers to agencies can see the necessary assets and share updates in a single environment.
Rights management
Worried about unauthorised uses of your brand’s images? DAMs can assign usage rights and track licence expiry dates, minimising potential copyright troubles. That’s an especially big deal if your brand partners with multiple agencies or reuses images across seasonal campaigns.
Research shows that 51% of marketers waste time and budget duplicating files they can’t find. Enter a DAM system, which can solve many headaches and streamline your brand’s daily operations.
Better organisation
A DAM tool provides intuitive categories or “buckets” for storing your files, eliminating duplicates and minimising data loss. Instead of rummaging through random folders, teams can retrieve the assets they need from a single repository.
Rich metadata
Metadata attaches descriptive info to each asset—like titles, topics, or relevant keywords. The more comprehensive these details, the quicker and easier it is to find the precise file you want. For example, “beach–sunset–promo–2019” is more descriptive than “image1.jpg.”
Improved brand consistency
When your team pulls all content—logos, photos, marketing images—from the same source, you avoid outdated or mismatched visuals. This uniformity can strengthen your brand image and help you maintain a professional look across multiple platforms.
A Research and Markets study found that companies focusing on brand consistency end up 20% more valuable than those that don’t.
Greater efficiency and security
Creative staff no longer spend hours searching for files or emailing the same design back and forth. Meanwhile, you can set file permissions to ensure no unauthorised user downloads or tampers with sensitive material.
Asset performance analytics
Some DAM systems even track how and where assets get used, plus performance data like clicks or downloads. You can then refine your marketing approach or redesign assets if they aren’t hitting the mark.
Scalability and collaboration
As your business grows and content multiplies, a robust DAM platform can handle that rise in volume without grinding to a halt. It also boosts collaboration—everyone from freelancers to agencies can see the necessary assets and share updates in a single environment.
Rights management
Worried about unauthorised uses of your brand’s images? DAMs can assign usage rights and track licence expiry dates, minimising potential copyright troubles. That’s an especially big deal if your brand partners with multiple agencies or reuses images across seasonal campaigns.
How to choose a DAM Platform?
Look for a solution that not only meets your current needs but also has room to adapt as you scale. Below are a few “must-haves.”
1. Asset lifecycle and role-based controls
Your DAM should track a file’s journey from the draft stage through final approval—plus handle who can access it at each step. This keeps outdated assets from sneaking back into your presentations.
2. Seamless integration
Whether you’re using Adobe Creative Cloud, WordPress, or some custom platform, a good DAM will plug in neatly so you can share or update files without juggling multiple logins.
3. Flexible searches
A truly agile system lets you search by any combination of brand name, metadata, or file type. That way, you might search “logo – winter – high-res” or “ski campaign 2025” and quickly land on exactly what you need.
4. Import and export tools
DAM shouldn’t feel like a walled garden. The ability to import external files or push content to various endpoints (e.g., your website) is crucial. You want a solution that creates synergy, not silos.
5. Storage and transfer reliability
If you store your files on-premises, you want strong redundancy and easy recovery options. If you’re in the cloud, look for robust performance and data backups, plus the ability to scale capacity up or down based on demand.
6. Efficient file transfer
Speed matters more than you might think—especially if you’re sharing large video files or an entire portfolio of images. A painfully slow upload or download can disrupt project timelines and frustrate teams.
Look for a solution that not only meets your current needs but also has room to adapt as you scale. Below are a few “must-haves.”
1. Asset lifecycle and role-based controls
Your DAM should track a file’s journey from the draft stage through final approval—plus handle who can access it at each step. This keeps outdated assets from sneaking back into your presentations.
2. Seamless integration
Whether you’re using Adobe Creative Cloud, WordPress, or some custom platform, a good DAM will plug in neatly so you can share or update files without juggling multiple logins.
3. Flexible searches
A truly agile system lets you search by any combination of brand name, metadata, or file type. That way, you might search “logo – winter – high-res” or “ski campaign 2025” and quickly land on exactly what you need.
4. Import and export tools
DAM shouldn’t feel like a walled garden. The ability to import external files or push content to various endpoints (e.g., your website) is crucial. You want a solution that creates synergy, not silos.
5. Storage and transfer reliability
If you store your files on-premises, you want strong redundancy and easy recovery options. If you’re in the cloud, look for robust performance and data backups, plus the ability to scale capacity up or down based on demand.
6. Efficient file transfer
Speed matters more than you might think—especially if you’re sharing large video files or an entire portfolio of images. A painfully slow upload or download can disrupt project timelines and frustrate teams.
How to implement a DAM system?
Rolling out a DAM involves a mix of planning, training, and ongoing tinkering. Consider these steps to make it smoother:
1. Plan migration
Define your goals, assemble a project team, and sketch out a timeline. Next, gather all existing assets, remove duplicates, and decide on naming conventions. Then import them into the DAM with well-structured metadata.
2. Configure metadata and taxonomy
Decide how you’ll label assets—using categories, tags, or brand-specific codes. This ensures quick retrieval. Also, confirm that these labels make sense to your staff; if they’re baffling or overly complex, they won’t help.
3. Train users
Show them what’s in it for them: less searching, fewer mix-ups, and consistent brand materials. Offer hands-on demos, helpful quick-start guides, and a support channel for ongoing questions.
4. Test and refine
Regularly evaluate performance. Is the platform easy for everyone to use? Are assets where they should be? Gather feedback from different departments and adjust as needed.
Rolling out a DAM involves a mix of planning, training, and ongoing tinkering. Consider these steps to make it smoother:
1. Plan migration
Define your goals, assemble a project team, and sketch out a timeline. Next, gather all existing assets, remove duplicates, and decide on naming conventions. Then import them into the DAM with well-structured metadata.
2. Configure metadata and taxonomy
Decide how you’ll label assets—using categories, tags, or brand-specific codes. This ensures quick retrieval. Also, confirm that these labels make sense to your staff; if they’re baffling or overly complex, they won’t help.
3. Train users
Show them what’s in it for them: less searching, fewer mix-ups, and consistent brand materials. Offer hands-on demos, helpful quick-start guides, and a support channel for ongoing questions.
4. Test and refine
Regularly evaluate performance. Is the platform easy for everyone to use? Are assets where they should be? Gather feedback from different departments and adjust as needed.
Who needs a digital asset management system?
Start-ups or global brands alike can benefit if they handle loads of digital files or rely on frequent collaboration. A DAM solution is especially helpful for:
Marketers and Sales Teams: They can quickly find up-to-date visuals for campaigns or customer presentations. Frontify’s digital asset management software helps measure the effectiveness of sales and marketing efforts by tracking how assets are used and who uses them.
Designers: A central library spares them from rummaging in random folders. Version control avoids “final2” or “final3” fiascos.
Developers: Handy for storing site assets like icons or code snippets, making updates smoother.
Agencies: Provide a dedicated client portal that’s professional and on-brand.
Start-ups or global brands alike can benefit if they handle loads of digital files or rely on frequent collaboration. A DAM solution is especially helpful for:
Marketers and Sales Teams: They can quickly find up-to-date visuals for campaigns or customer presentations. Frontify’s digital asset management software helps measure the effectiveness of sales and marketing efforts by tracking how assets are used and who uses them.
Designers: A central library spares them from rummaging in random folders. Version control avoids “final2” or “final3” fiascos.
Developers: Handy for storing site assets like icons or code snippets, making updates smoother.
Agencies: Provide a dedicated client portal that’s professional and on-brand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between CMS and DAM?
A CMS (Content Management System) mostly supports websites—publishing posts or landing pages, for instance. A DAM, on the other hand, organises and centralises your wider library of files, from adverts to brand guidelines.
Is Google Drive a DAM?
You could call Google Drive a very basic form of DAM. But as your asset library swells, you might need more advanced features—like versioning, metadata tagging, or advanced search.
What is the difference between DAM and CDN?
CDNs help deliver assets (like website images or streaming videos) faster around the globe by caching content near the end user. DAM focuses on storing, organising, and managing assets for creative or marketing use.
Final Thoughts
A rising flood of digital files can create real chaos—unless you have a solid system to manage them. With a DAM platform, you’ll centralise your assets, speed up collaboration, and safeguard consistent branding across every channel. Plus, you’ll reduce the headache of repeating lost work or sending outdated graphics. The key is thorough planning, user training, and ongoing fine-tuning. Once you’ve set everything up, you’ll see that the investment pays off in fewer file hunts, more cohesive content, and a well-structured brand presence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between CMS and DAM?
A CMS (Content Management System) mostly supports websites—publishing posts or landing pages, for instance. A DAM, on the other hand, organises and centralises your wider library of files, from adverts to brand guidelines.
Is Google Drive a DAM?
You could call Google Drive a very basic form of DAM. But as your asset library swells, you might need more advanced features—like versioning, metadata tagging, or advanced search.
What is the difference between DAM and CDN?
CDNs help deliver assets (like website images or streaming videos) faster around the globe by caching content near the end user. DAM focuses on storing, organising, and managing assets for creative or marketing use.
Final Thoughts
A rising flood of digital files can create real chaos—unless you have a solid system to manage them. With a DAM platform, you’ll centralise your assets, speed up collaboration, and safeguard consistent branding across every channel. Plus, you’ll reduce the headache of repeating lost work or sending outdated graphics. The key is thorough planning, user training, and ongoing fine-tuning. Once you’ve set everything up, you’ll see that the investment pays off in fewer file hunts, more cohesive content, and a well-structured brand presence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between CMS and DAM?
A CMS (Content Management System) mostly supports websites—publishing posts or landing pages, for instance. A DAM, on the other hand, organises and centralises your wider library of files, from adverts to brand guidelines.
Is Google Drive a DAM?
You could call Google Drive a very basic form of DAM. But as your asset library swells, you might need more advanced features—like versioning, metadata tagging, or advanced search.
What is the difference between DAM and CDN?
CDNs help deliver assets (like website images or streaming videos) faster around the globe by caching content near the end user. DAM focuses on storing, organising, and managing assets for creative or marketing use.
Final Thoughts
A rising flood of digital files can create real chaos—unless you have a solid system to manage them. With a DAM platform, you’ll centralise your assets, speed up collaboration, and safeguard consistent branding across every channel. Plus, you’ll reduce the headache of repeating lost work or sending outdated graphics. The key is thorough planning, user training, and ongoing fine-tuning. Once you’ve set everything up, you’ll see that the investment pays off in fewer file hunts, more cohesive content, and a well-structured brand presence.
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Work with us
Click to copy
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FOR® Industries
We’re remote-first — with strategic global hubs
Click to copy
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Click to copy
New York, NY
ny@for.co
Click to copy
Miami, FL
mia@for.co
Click to copy
Dubai, UAE
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Click to copy
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Copyright © 2024 FOR®