20 reasons why you need a DAM solution in 2020 (Part 1)
In honor of Digizuite turning 20 this year, we’re diving deep to explore all the layers of Digital Asset Management (DAM). This post is the first in a blog series of three, which will come together as 20 reasons why every modern enterprise should integrate a DAM solution into their business strategy.
During a typical work day, what are the things that prevent you from getting through all the items on your to-do list?
Oftentimes, roadblocks to full productivity are the unexpected things – “small” requests from others that end up taking far too much of your valuable time. For example, it can be incredibly time-consuming and complicated to get the correct imagery, with specific dimensions and formatting, to the right people for an amazing last minute sponsorship opportunity.
There’s also the damage control you have to perform when you accidentally (and understandably so) grant someone access to an outdated – or even the outright wrong – file.
Then, there’s everything that goes into taking your brand in a new direction, and making sure the changes are reflected everywhere.
Bottom line: recreating the wheel is frustrating in today’s hyperdigital world, where it feels like you should be able to complete so much with the simple click of a virtual button. And, the good news is, with a Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution, there are quick and simple ways to manage all the assets that go into making your brand what it is.
What is DAM and what does a DAM solution do?
Digital Asset Management (DAM) is the process of controlling all the digital assets that represent your business and brand – files like images, videos, documents, logos, audio files, and more. In other words, it is how an enterprise stores these digital assets and then works with them through annotating, cataloging, retrieving and ultimately distributing them to audiences across multiple channels.
As a concept, DAM may seem simple, but practically, it is anything but. With digital marketing, the process of managing assets has become increasingly time-consuming and complicated. What helps is having an intelligent engine to automate DAM processes. There’s no better way to ensure that everyone consuming your content is consistently experiencing the highest quality in images, videos, and all other assets that represent your brand. It’s why enterprises will often implement a DAM software solution – a centralized platform from which users can manage the complete project lifecycle of all their digital assets. Directly from such a solution, you can create, manage, distribute, archive, and even reuse digital assets.
For a deeper look at DAM technology, here 20 reasons why you need a DAM solution by the end of the year in order to thrive in 2021.
1) Your time is invaluable
...So why wouldn’t you invest in a tool that allows you to accomplish more in less of it?
Without a DAM solution, the simple act of searching for a file – combing through emails and your desktop – can take what feels like eons. Workers can spend up to hours every day searching for information. And, with the increasing complexity in the types of assets that marketing teams are creating and working with, the time spent on searching for and identifying them will only increase.
Imagine how much more you could do if you didn’t have to spend hours every week searching for the files you need to execute your job – what you do best. A DAM system makes this a reality. It takes manual processes and automates them through workflows, removing the complexity and redundancy from previously time-consuming tasks like searching, altering, and distributing content.
Using Artificial Intelligence (AI), the DAM solution classifies and automatically adds metadata to the assets it ingests so that all searches of the system are comprehensive and quick. It goes beyond storing and searching, too. You can also work with assets in the platform, and then send the resulting versions to contacts both inside and outside of your organization.
2) Brand compliance
Your brand is your organization’s fingerprint; it’s what distinguishes you from every other player in your field. As a result, there should never be any confusion around your messaging and other digital assets; after all, between producers of two identical products, the one with better branding is automatically more valuable.
It all boils down to brand compliance, which is made simple with a DAM system. When you manage all your assets in this kind of platform, it’s clear for users to understand which digital assets belong where, and which versions belong on certain channels. This strengthens branding while also preventing the costly consequences that come out of sharing the wrong content.
3) Brand compliance even amid branding changes
We all know that things can change in an instant (hello, 2020!). Still, no matter how many moving parts there are, brand compliance is always a must. When you need to take your brand in a new direction, make sure all your content everywhere reflects these changes right away.
Without a DAM solution, the process of updating your branding involves logging in and working within multiple different platforms – your website, social media channels, and the software you use for email marketing. Through a solution like Digizuite’s DAM system, though, it just takes “one click of a button” to share or update content on multiple channels. It’s easy and simple to make sure that everyone in your organization is always posting and otherwise distributing the most up-to-date content...no matter how recent the assets have been altered or adjusted.
4) Work with your distributors on one platform
There’s more to brand compliance than getting and keeping everyone in your organization on the same page. Maintaining brand consistency involves managing the efforts and communication of every party part of your business process – resellers, managed service providers (MSPs), distributors, and so on. It takes not just an army, but a military to run a successful business, so you need to activate and provide solutions for all of its branches.
An enterprise’s DAM software helps organizations do just that, allowing access to both internal employees as well as people from MSPs, distributors, etc. – guaranteeing a certain level of quality control and consistency across all parties marketing, selling, and distributing your products and services (and with the necessary levels of access control and permissions).
MCR Safety is just one Digizuite client that needed a DAM solution to support their distributor network. Now that MCR is armed with this software, all of their distributors and resellers can easily leverage all the same documentation, content, and assets as their in-house counterparts. Embracing DAM, MCR has empowered its entire network to take initiative to grow business and enhance customer experience.
5) Support your remote workforce
2020 has given “remote workforce” a whole new meaning. With more and more people working from home, it’s not only global organizations that have to deal with their employees being in different locations, working different hours and with varying network strengths.
A DAM solution will bridge all these gaps, functioning as a content hub that contains every file ever produced, available in one version only – a centralized location that serves as a “single source of truth.” With everyone operating out of the same platform, it’s guaranteed that everyone is working with the most up-to-date versions of digital assets.
6) Teamwork makes the dream work
Sometimes – especially when it’s crunch time – collaboration requires more time and effort than just executing something on your own. For so many of us, it’s too often tempting to fly solo, even though we all know that two (or more) heads are better than one for producing higher quality output.
Well, DAM solutions were built for collaboration, breaking down information silos with every user who logs into the solution. Using a cloud-based platform like Digizuite’s, you eliminate the risks that come with limited ownership of material – for example, the fallout that inevitably occurs when only one person has access to a certain document or creative template on their own local server.
A DAM solution allows people to work smarter, not harder, and with each other instead of alongside one another, eliminating duplicate efforts and the time wasted when people work with outdated information.
Click here to read Part 2 (reasons 7-13), and then click here for Part 3 (reasons 14-20).
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