If you’re new to Digital Asset Management (DAM) you might not be familiar with all it can do. DAM programs can help you manage your assets in more ways than just making it easy to find your content. They can also provide information on how your assets and your DAM system are being used. This data can help you get the most out of your assets thereby increasing your return on investment (ROI) from implementing a DAM. In this post, we’ll review three types of reports and the insights which can be gained from them that can ensure your organization gets the most out of its assets and DAM system.
Though reporting is becoming a standard feature in many DAM systems, not all of them offer the same types of reports. Reporting capabilities are different in each DAM platform. Some DAM platforms only offer basic reporting features focused on storage space and upload frequency. Other platforms provide advanced reporting features on various elements of the DAM platform. It’s important to note that not every organization needs advanced reporting features. If you’re currently shopping for a DAM system, knowing what types of reports your organization needs will help narrow down your options. If you’re already on a DAM platform, this post can help you utilize your current reporting capabilities to the fullest.
Asset-Related Reporting
The main purposes of a DAM system are to help an organization increase access to its assets and better govern them. One way to better manage assets is by using asset-related reports. These reports provide details on how users are engaging with assets. Common asset-related reports include:
Top Downloads:
- Reports which assets are being downloaded the most/least.
Views:
- Most Viewed: Reports which assets are being viewed the most/least.
- Total Views of Each Asset: Reports how many times each asset has been viewed.
Top Shared Assets
- Reports which assets are being shared the most.
Asset Usage
- Reports where an asset has been previously used (social media, print, web, etc.).
The Top Downloads, Views, and Top Shared reports tell you which assets are being used the most. This can translate to what types of assets are the most successful. On the flip side, these reports can also help you identify why an asset isn’t performing well. This knowledge can help drive how future assets are created to ensure an asset’s success. Additionally, Asset Usage reports can help you avoid overusing an asset on one particular platform.
Some DAM systems also provide performance-related metrics to help you identify which assets are performing better on various platforms. Some reports are so detailed they’ll even provide you with performance metrics on different segments of video assets (i.e. informing you which segments of a video get the most engagement). It’s important to note that these more complex reporting capabilities are often add-ons. Depending on your organization, investing in these might help you develop better-performing assets in the future.
In any case, asset-related reports can help ensure your team is investing its resources into creating assets that will perform well in the long run. This will increase your ROI in no time!
Metadata-Related Reporting
Another way to better manage assets is by utilizing Metadata reports. These reports provide details on how users interact with their organization’s metadata.
If metadata utilizes the terms users search, it ensures they’re retrieving accurate results. However, if it doesn’t, it can actually prevent them from easily finding the assets they need. This can lead to longer search times and possibly even require them to re-create assets that are hidden. These challenges can end up costing an organization both time and money.
It’s important to note that some metadata supports search, while other types of metadata boost other functions, such as providing contextual information. This means that even if some metadata isn't performing well for search, it may still be essential.
Metadata-related reports can tell you what terms your users search. This information can be used to update your metadata and controlled vocabulary standards to ensure your users can easily find what they need. Common metadata related reports include:
Top Keywords:
- Reports on top-performing keywords (AKA “tags”).
Top Searches:
- Reports on what’s searched for the most/least.
Understanding what keywords are or aren't being used will let you know the types of information your users utilize for search. Likewise, reports that present the terms your users search will tell you what metadata should be applied to your assets for search purposes.
Updating your metadata is an important task when it comes to digital asset management. These types of reports make this process more efficient and effective.
User and System Reporting
User and system reporting can aid with the administrative side of managing your DAM system. In many systems, storage space and the number of users affect the cost. This requires you to be aware of how much space and user seats you really need. Being able to quickly review a report can simplify this task. Common reports include:
Users:
- Number of Users: Reports # of your active/inactive users.
- User Logins: Reports login history.
Storage:
- Reports how much storage space you’re using.
Knowing how many users you might have versus how many users actually use the DAM can help you filter out users who don’t need a seat. Similarly, understanding how many users you have versus how many seats you’re paying for can help you avoid paying for a larger contract than you need. Specifics on storage space can also help you monitor your storage requirements and enable you to be proactive if you need more.
Conclusion
Reporting can give you the knowledge you need to properly manage your assets and DAM system. These insights can help you create better-performing assets and ensure your users can easily and quickly find what they need. Another benefit is that these efforts will lead to an increased ROI. If you’re shopping for a DAM system, consider DAMs that provide reporting features that will support the development of your DAM program. If you're already in a DAM platform, be sure to explore the reporting capabilities it offers. These features will help your DAM system in the long run.
If you need help selecting, implementing, or managing a DAM system, contact Stacks! Our team of experts is happy to help.
