If you lead content teams in a large organization, digital asset storage can be a major headache. Instead of padding Tylenol’s already massive pockets, simplify the search process with a digital asset management system.
As content marketing has eclipsed traditional advertising as the most effective way to showcase a brand, content teams have had to scramble to keep up with digital asset searchability and storage.
They might have started with a cobbled-together approach, as Brandfolder’s Gaby Arora points out. But now content producers are spending too much time looking for digital assets or spending money on assets they already have but can’t find. Or both.
Since visual, audio, and video content — digital assets — are growing in popularity and value among audiences, content marketers must create, store, and classify those assets so that they can easily be found and used again in the future.
Digital asset management (DAM) software can do all that and more, providing content operations and governance teams with classification metadata that improves searchability. Most DAM systems can store a broad range of digital assets, including videos, documents, images, design elements, graphs, and audio files.
Use Your DAM System to Speed Up Content Production
A digital asset management system — particularly if it integrates with your content platform — can rocket your content production to light speed. Unfortunately, as Canto’s Amelie Timm shares, a new study shows that nearly 33.4% of marketers spend nearly three weeks a year on the hunt for digital assets.
Image via Canto
With an efficient DAM system, you’ll have a single repository for all your content assets. Not only will you have an easily searchable system to find every asset you want, but you’ll also know at a glance if the asset is the latest version or an earlier iteration.
Streamline the Content Approval Process
Since your DAM covers the entire enterprise, you can provide editors, as well as compliance and legal teams, with instant access. Removing the back-and-forth of emails and texting files can cut hours — or even days — off the approval process, so be sure to give them that access to maximize the value of your DAM system.
Make the Most of Past Content by Updating It
With today’s DAMs’ fine-tuned search capabilities, you can easily find once-forgotten content by date, topic, place along the buyer’s journey, buyer persona, or other key characteristics. Then, you can task your teams to update it with new statistics showcased in an updated infographic, turn it into an informative video, or use the information in it to create an ebook.
Then, if you simply update it, your new version will show up as the latest iteration. However, your DAM will keep a record of previous versions should you want to reference your older content. Or, if you create a new asset from it, you’ll use the metadata to classify the asset according to its new form.
Make the Most of Collaboration with Outside Teams with Version Control
Content collaboration adds color and authority to your teams’ content. That works both ways when sales teams, customer support teams, and even employees who want to promote your brand use your content in their work.
With a leading-edge digital management system, they can easily find the latest version of your content. That way, they won’t cite outdated statistics, recommend dated advice, or refer customers to old users’ manuals. Having a single source of truth for all stakeholders will build more trust in your brand and promote interdepartmental collaboration.
Maintain Complete Security
While your company might have robust security from outside threats, what about the risks of having proprietary internal content falling into the wrong hands? Or losing a confidential communication thread with one of your top clients?
Digital asset management systems provide secure storage for your digital assets. With all your content, internal-facing or customer-facing, in one place, people who need access to these files can find them quickly.
And, those who shouldn’t have access won’t stumble onto proprietary content by accident. With today’s DAM systems, digital storage includes two-factor authentication so that only those with a password and another security token can have access.
Use Keyword Search to Beef Up New Content
Suppose you have a fantastic piece of content on a specific topic you wrote about years ago. It’s still performing well, and you’d like to use it as a reference in a new piece of content on the same or a related topic.
Not only will citing it as a reference add depth to your new content, but it will also boost your SEO. Internal links, which are links to your other content — especially to your top-performing content — are critical in ranking the new content higher in search engines.
Since a search engine’s purpose is to add value to a user’s search for information, blog posts and static content provide users with an information trail they can follow to learn more about the topic. Using keywords as one of your DAM’s metadata categories can help you find content that would be a good fit with your new piece.
With a digital asset management solution that works hand-in-hand with your content marketing platform, you’ll have everything you need for a smooth content production and storage process throughout the enterprise. When you shop for a DAM platform, compatibility with your content platform should be at the top of your list.
You’ll also have to determine how much storage you’ll likely need and find out how many files a prospective DAM can store. Also, make sure that its metadata structure aligns with your content metadata strategy.
If your DAM prospects provide you with a free trial or demonstration, assess how user-friendly they are. If a solution doesn’t make work easier for your teams, it’s not a solution at all.
Make sure that all its features align with your company’s needs, especially regarding file sharing and security. Finally, read independent reviews. If you can, contact current customers to ask them about their experience with the company.
Pair Your DAM with a Leading-Edge Content Operations Platform
With a content operations platform that enables robust metadata management, you’ll have the perfect partner for maximizing your DAM’s value for your content teams — and for your company’s bottom line.
With DivvyHQ, you’ll have world-class content strategy metadata management right out of the box. Its content planning and production capabilities extend across the enterprise, making it the ideal solution for content teams working with a digital asset management platform.
And, it integrates with Canto, one of the finest DAMs in the world. But if you choose to go with another DAM, DivvyHQ’s open API can help your development teams integrate it with your chosen DAM.
Put those advantages together with its white-glove content analytics feature, which we customize for your exact needs, and you have a recipe for content marketing success. Discover it for yourself. Start your free 14-day trial today!