Don’t Force a Square Peg
Choosing the Right DAM Tool for Your Needs
A recent LinkedIn post by Kara Van Malssen sparked a discussion on the limitations of using general tools for digital asset management (DAM). Here’s an in-depth look at why choosing the right DAM solution is crucial for businesses.
At DAMGeeks, we often encounter clients who use multiple tools, each with some level of asset storage capability as part of their established workflows. They have not purposely looked to implement multiple tools, this has just been the way that things have evolved. These tools often include some asset storage capability, but they often lack or have limited functionality when it comes to the core features that make a dedicated Digital Asset Management (DAM) solution invaluable for businesses:
Simple tagging of assets with metadata for better context, findability, and organizing assets into logical taxonomies, making it easier to locate and repurpose them across teams and projects
Multiple search mechanisms and faceted filters to refine results and maximize ROI on asset creation
Tools to distribute assets with embedded metadata in the required formats for downstream systems and automation
While using familiar tools like Canva or Airtable may seem cost-effective initially, especially for small teams or those just starting their DAM journey, they can quickly become inadequate as an organization’s needs evolve.
Every team within an organization tends to have slightly different DAM requirements. This is where true DAM platforms shine – they offer flexibility and scalability through robust APIs and seamless integration with the broader MarTech ecosystem. A dedicated DAM solution can adapt to the unique workflows of various teams, breaking down silos and fostering collaboration.
A client in the broadcast industry initially used multiple general tools for asset management (network file servers, Box, Google Drive, and Dropbox) but soon recognized the limitations of these solutions as they found it challenging to find where their content was stored.
They are now embarking on the path of selecting and implementing an enterprise DAM solution, which will allow them to streamline processes, improve findability, and enhance cross-team collaboration, which ultimately will save them time and resources.
Forcing teams to use tools that don’t align with their specific workflows and requirements can lead to inefficiencies, frustration, and hinder collaboration across the organization, undermining the very purpose of implementing a digital asset management solution.
If you want to discuss more don’t hesitate to reach out.
If you liked this post, you might like some of the others we’ve done about DAM, have a look!
