With so many digital asset management solutions in the market today, choosing one that is well suited for your organization can be an overwhelming task. There is so much that you have to consider including; ease of use, collaboration, integration, and the future growth of your business.
To ensure you make no mistake when choosing the best enterprise DAM software for your business, you need to know what consideration to make and what to look for in a vendor. We have created a guide with six customer insights that will help you do just that.
Let’s get into it right away.
1. Do your research
Before you start conducting any research or viewing DAM demos, it’s important that you take time to understand your unique internal needs. Knowing what you need will help you have a clear plan and keep your selection focused.
Start by identifying your most pressing problems. Most enterprise DAM software systems can solve a variety of problems, but it is better to focus on finding a solution for your biggest challenges.
For instance, if your organization’s biggest problem is publishing on the web and sharing content, you should find a DAM that simplifies the process of leveraging content. If, on the other hand, you find the coordination of campaigns to be your biggest problem, then your DAM software should include notifications and collaboration features. Similarly, if you have a tough time finding files, you need a DAM software that makes it easy to find files.
Focusing on key problems ensures that the DAM software you choose will address your biggest issues. There is no point in purchasing a DAM that offers too many features but fails to solve any of the big problems.
You also need to determine the features that a DAM system must have to meet the needs of your company. Ask yourself what capabilities your organization must have and then start viewing demos to see which vendor offers them.
2. Find a DAM that’s easy to use
User adoption is an essential factor to consider whenever you are implementing new technology. This is especially important when multiple departments are involved.
When new software is too difficult to use, your employees will avoid using it. Ease of use makes it easy for your users to understand the digital asset management software and adopt it to their day to day activities.
You might also want to find a vendor who offers training at no cost or for a small fee. This way, you can pass the information to any other user who needs it without incurring additional costs.
Digital asset management with intuitive menus also goes a long way when it comes to ease of use. Even when your employees are mostly tech-savvy, they might find it difficult to adopt to new software with a steep learning curve and unfamiliar menus.
A good DAM should also come with a detailed user guide to answer any questions you might have.
3. Conduct an audit on your digital assets
Conducting a thorough audit of your digital assets should be the first step towards choosing a DAM system. Auditing your digital assets will help give you a better understanding of the types of content your organization has and how you can re-purpose valuable assets and get rid of irrelevant pieces.
A standard spreadsheet tool is enough to help you audit your assets, but there is no harm in downloading a template online.
The following list will help you decide on which assets to keep:
- Is the content topical, does it work well with current trends in the industry?
- Is the content generating any meaningful action such as downloads, views, or click through?
- Is the content optimized for search engines?
- Does the content look professional? Does it match your brand? Does it agree with the tone and voice of your company?
- Is the content supporting your business objectives?
Updating your content catalogue will help you spot the gaps in your digital asset inventory so you can create an actionable plan. It will also put you in a better position to implement your content strategy once your DAM system is set up.
You should also give additional consideration to the sources of your digital assets and any rights and restrictions associated with them. Such files include purchased content, user generated content or content created within your organization. Since most organizations have digital asset collections that include all three of these, it is essential to ensure proper digital rights management.
4. Find a DAM that integrates with your current software
The digital asset management system that you choose should integrate seamlessly with the existing infrastructure of the organization. It should make creative workflow and approval easy and allow you to leverage deep integration with marketing technology, campaign management, and marketing automation.
That being said, avoid a digital asset management software that has too many add-ons. While additional integration is great, it might sometimes be a waste if it doesn’t work, or if it leads to unnecessary complications. Your most important goal should be to get a DAM that aligns with your company’s goals. It is much better to start with the basics and then implement more add-ons after you have narrowed down your vendors.
5. Choose a vendor that communicates
It is vital that you buy from a vendor who communicates well across all their departments and also with you. A vendor that communicates in such a way is more likely to find a solution to unique problems. Such a vendor will also work at a faster rate than one that has poor channels of communication.
A vendor with open channels of communication will usually get representatives from different departments such as customer success or marketing in a sales call to answer any questions you might have that pertains to a specific area of expertise.
6. Find a vendor with a customer-centric road map
Don’t go for a vendor who is only interested in closing the sale. Instead, choose a vendor who has your business future in mind. Examine how the vendor decides on future upgrades or integrations.
Find out whether or not they involve their customers when making such decisions. Go for a vendor who regularly takes customer feedback and applies it to their development road map to ensure that you are set for the long run.
Final word
Deciding on a digital asset management software can be a lengthy process. You need to research different vendors, shortlist them, seek stakeholder’s approval, among other processes.
We hope the tips above will help you choose a DAM system that is well suited for your organization and also prepare you for the implementation process.