Working with a Digital Asset Management Consultant

Wondering what digital asset management consultants can do for you?

Digital Asset Management (DAM) can be defined as the creation, regulation, and maintenance of all the tools, standards, and processes involved in the effective utilization of digital and creative assets. It is a complicated task that requires significant experience and expertise to do well.

Want to learn more about the basics of Digital Asset Management? Check out our Introduction to DAM.

It can be difficult to know where to start your journey into DAM. Additionally, knowing how to change as your organization grows can also prove to be difficult.

In either case, digital asset management consultants may be a good place to turn for help. Digital Asset Management consultants can provide expertise and experience in DAM to your team. They can assist in the identification and development of the tools, solutions, and processes your organization needs.

WHY DAM MATTERS AND WHAT IT COSTS

To justify the costs associated with engaging a DAM consultant, you must first identify the value of effective digital asset management to your organization and the cost of ignoring it.

The Cost of Decentralization

One of the most common problems that digital asset management solves is the decentralization of assets.

When important files are spread across an organization, finding specific digital and creative assets when needed can be tedious and difficult. Whenever teammates have to ask one another for help locating assets, hours and even days can be wasted.

Gathering and migrating all digital and creative assets into a single, shared location eliminates the problem. Of course, this is a time-intensive process with many moving parts.

The Value of Effective Search

Even if an organization already has a digital asset library, the files held within it may not be easy to locate if it is not well organized or does not reflect the complexity of the organization. Without access to metadata or a thoughtfully built folder structure, searching the library may yield little or no results.

When files utilize metadata in their names and are organized in an intuitive folder structure, employees spend less valuable time looking for assets and can easily find the best asset for a specific need. You can read more about creating an effective search process in this article.

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The Benefits and Liabilities of Collaboration

External searches, collaborative editing, file sharing, and asset approval are all hugely beneficial features of a well-organized digital asset library. These processes allow teams across an organization to easily locate specific assets and create content for both internal and external audiences.

However, these same processes, without clearly defined infrastructure and standards, can expose an organization to massive liability. Sharing files with the wrong people, exposing IP addresses, and losing track of who has access to assets are all dangerous and costly errors.

WHAT DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS ARE FOR

The value of effective digital asset management and the costs of inaction is quite clear. Taking the time to identify problems and develop solutions that fit the current and future needs of your organization is necessary.

It is a complex process, and hiring experienced DAM consultants to provide technical expertise is a worthwhile investment. Below, we have outlined some practical solutions consultants can offer, as well as some resources to help you get started.

Developing Custom Solutions

When it comes to metadata, folder structures, DAM platforms, and workflows, every brand has different needs. Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

It is important to take the time to determine which solution would best fit your organization, structure, and culture. DAM consultants can help by analyzing your current workflows, and working with your team to develop custom solutions that will ensure you achieve your goals now and in the future.

Understanding the Market

While every business-case is different, there are standard DAM solutions across industries and markets that have proven to be effective. DAM consultants have the benefit of working with many clients across a wide range of organizations, so they can offer knowledge of what other organizations in your field are doing, how it is working, and how it could work for you.

Staying Up to Date

A consultant’s job depends on being up to date with the newest developments in the digital asset management space. Partnering with a consultant means you will always have knowledge of the newest technologies, solutions, and trends in the industry, as well as how they could be implemented into your workflow.

DAM RESOURCES

Digital Asset Management is a rapidly-growing and ever-evolving industry that can be difficult to navigate. Partnering with a consultant can help your team design and implement solutions built specifically for your organization. Here are a few helpful resources to help you get started: