Finding the right digital asset management (DAM) system for your business takes time, support and research across all departments. It involves identifying how a DAM system will solve asset lifecycle issues and serve as a centralised ecosystem for your digital asset collection.
To help you navigate the sometimes daunting process of choosing a DAM system, we’ve created this article. We’ll outline the key steps and features to consider when choosing a DAM system, as well as mistakes to avoid, in order to get the most ROI out of your DAM in the long-run.
Let’s dive in.
Firstly, Preparation Is Key
Implementing a DAM system is a long-term investment, so it’s important to be prepared when it comes to deciding what software and vendor will best benefit your business.
The first step in the preparation stage is, of course, research.
Research Key Pain Points
In order to decipher what DAM features will best benefit your business, you’ll need to gather information on current workflows, digital asset storage procedures and ongoing pain points.
This will include observing workflows, understanding how each department uses digital assets and investigating shared drives. From here, you’ll be able to identify specific challenges and areas of opportunity. This will then guide what features and requirements your new DAM system should include to overcome these pain points.
Key pain points can include:
- Out-of-date, off-brand or lost files
- Complications when handling or organising digital assets
- An excessive amount of time spent searching for assets
- Poor user experience
Identify Files And Software That Will Need To Be Supported
Before approaching DAM vendors, be sure to gather information from employees around their commonly used files types and software applications. This can include:
- CMS Systems
- MarTech stacks
- Large video files
- PNG and MOV files
Once you have this information, you’ll be able to ask potential vendors if their software supports these formats and applications.
Next, Understand What Key Features Will Solve Current Roadblocks
Based on your research, you’ll want to start deciphering what DAM features your business will require to solve these pain points. This can include:
Restrictive Storage? Look For Scalable Storage
Scalable storage is essential for empowering teams to manage an ever expanding digital asset collection the way it should be. This means compatibility with commonly used file types as well as the ability to handle larger raw files like videos and images.
Compared to on premises systems, cloud based storage offers scalability, lower hosting costs and greater security for a growing digital asset collection. Some DAM providers even offer an additional offline storage archive for large, raw and complex file types.
So, when it comes to considering prospective DAM vendors, ask if they offer a scalable multi-tiered storage solution for your digital assets that caters towards all file formats.
Quick tip: Collaboro’s offline archive offers a highly secure, stable media focused library capable of hosting assets of all sizes and formats.
Poor User Experience? Look For Customisations
Every business is different, so you’ll need a vendor who can customise their software to suit your unique needs. A DAM interface customised to your business will help optimise productivity, efficiency and minimise the learning curve for employees, creating an overall positive user experience.
So, be sure to ask your potential vendor if they work with you to customise their DAM software and it’s interface to suit your needs. This means everything from integrating internal language functions, providing intuitive metadata tagging and functionality tailored specifically to your business.
Quick tip: Collaboro works with your business to create a customised, intuitive DAM platform from the ground up.
Software That Doesn’t Work Cohesively? Look For Integration Capabilities
A DAM solution with integration capabilities allows your teams to view, edit and distribute assets easily within existing platforms and workflows.
So, your search for a DAM solution should include a vendor who offers integration capabilities for existing MarTech stacks, CMS’s and review and approval processes. With these integrations in place, DAM will not only improve efficiency, but ensure brand compliance across existing software and processes without too much change to existing workflows.
Quick tip: Collaboro adopts a best-in-breed approach to integration, seamlessly incorporating our software with existing programs and services to ensure brand agility.
Difficultly Maintaining An Organised Asset Library? Look For Additional Services & Support
A DAM system is more than just software, it requires ongoing maintenance to prevent it becoming an unorganised mess. And DAM admin work like metadata tagging, uploading, transcoding and ingesting assets is no simple task.
So, to save your DAM system from becoming a dumping ground for assets, find a DAM vendor that offers additional services, not just the software and an instruction manual. You never realise how much you’ll need services like onboarding, employee training, uploading and tagging services and ongoing support until you don’t have access to them.
Businesses won’t need to worry about hiring a digital asset manager or training employees to become one. You’ll also have a dedicated contact that speaks the language of your business to reach out to when things go wrong – an invaluable asset for any business.
Quick tip: Collaboro provides you with your own dedicated account manager, meaning you’ll experience continuous support for DAM maintenance and troubleshooting.
Book a demo with a Collaboro Solutions Expert.
3 Mistakes To Avoid When Choosing A DAM System
A DAM system is an investment, so you want to make sure you get it right.
To avoid choosing a vendor or software that doesn’t meet your organisations long-term needs, be sure to avoid these 3 common mistakes.
1. Making A Decision On Price Alone
Let’s face it, most organisations are often dealing with restrictive budgets, so it can be tempting to settle for the sake of the price tag rather than the solution.
However, skimping on price usually means you’re missing out on the goodies that will add the most value to your organisation in the long run. The true value of DAM is hidden in the ROI it brings in terms of automating workflows, enhancing user experience and taking back company time and resources.
2. Underestimating The Value Of Integration
A valuable DAM system needs to fit in with existing workflows and software in order to be effective. That’s why integration with other software like MarTech stacks, CRMs and more is a must.
Without these integrations, employees will continue to switch between programs that don’t work cohesively or incur upgrading costs to ensure programs work cohesively. In short, integration makes the most difference with the least amount of hassle.
3. Choosing A Vendor That Lacks The Support You Require
Implementing and maintaining a DAM system is no easy feat, it’s a substantial project that requires a lot of time and effort in order to keep it running smoothly.
And choosing an offshore DAM provider usually means dealing with slow response times and limited post-implementation support. This leaves the brunt of DAM maintenance, training and troubleshooting to fall on the shoulders of the customer – aka you.
Why choose Collaboro for your DAM system?
Collaboro is an Australian Cloud-based DAM solution that empowers your teams to do more. Our DAM platform will centralise all your digital assets, making it easier for your teams to organise, find and share all your digital media files, in one place, from anywhere.
But a successful DAM solution requires more. This is where Collaboro brings local Australian expertise and support services to provide a customised end-to-end solution.
Book a demo with a Collaboro Solutions Expert.
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