What characterises a modern DAM system?

1. Introduction: DAM systems and their evolution

The importance of digital assets in business has risen rapidly in recent years. E-commerce and the associated diversification of digital communication channels have contributed to a sharp increase in the number of product images and videos. However, digital assets include more than just image and video material; they also encompass audio files, 3D drawings, graphics, and documents such as instructions for use, product data sheets, and certificates. The requirements for data storage have evolved correspondingly. It is no longer enough for a company to have a central storage location for all this data. Instead, modern digital asset management must be able to link digital assets with relevant product information in order to effectively serve communication processes and ensure brand consistency on every channel. The use of AI in digital asset management for a wide range of administration and maintenance processes is also standard today, and it increases the productivity of marketing teams. At the same time, sophisticated role and rights management and intelligent collaboration functions are required in order to work with external service providers such as agencies and photographers, along with efficient monitoring of image licences to minimise legal risks. In this blog article, we will look at the features of modern DAM systems that meet the current business requirements.

2. Key Insights

• Performance: Both manufacturers and retailers have to manage ever larger volumes of digital content. With each new output channel, there are new rules and requirements that need to be taken into account when maintaining data in the digital asset management solution. Modern DAM systems support this by automatically creating relevant derivatives during creation or import – these can be different file formats, types, or image sections for the respective output channels, for example. All data processes must run quickly and reliably throughout, as this is the only way to guarantee an effective go-to-market, regardless of how large the data volumes are. For DAM systems, this means that very high demands are placed on their performance.
• Scalability: Companies’ communication processes are often volatile – this is particularly true for brands and retailers that offer seasonal products or run regular campaigns. Accordingly, a DAM system must be able to reliably absorb performance peaks and adapt system performance to fluctuating demand. A scalable DAM solution not only ensures that these fluctuating performance requirements are covered in a particularly cost-efficient manner, but also supports the growth of product ranges and a constantly increasing number of digital assets.
• Flexibility: Outdated image databases usually utilise rigid folder structures for the creation of digital assets. This severely restricts both the networking of data and the expansion options of the data model. Modern DAM systems, on the other hand, have flexible data models that allow free networking and therefore improve the usability and findability of digital assets. In addition, flexible data models enable adjustments and extensions at any time – for example, for new product ranges or M&A activities.
• Integration capability: Digital assets are central elements in numerous business processes. Whether in sales, marketing, product development, or customer service, media content is used everywhere, all the time, and therefore must always be available centrally. Smooth integration of the DAM systems with the surrounding applications, processes, and data recipients is important for operational efficiency. This enables not only reliable availability of digital content but also process and workflow automation, which has a positive impact on operational efficiency.
• AI integration: Creative processes relating to the creation, maintenance, and distribution of product content are typically complex and often involve many repetitive work steps. Consequently, AI functions have become indispensable in areas such as image processing, image search, and metadata maintenance. This not only speeds up the go-to-market process but also ensures better data quality and gives marketing staff and creative teams the freedom they need for more demanding tasks such as designing new campaigns.

Tip: DAM systems are a dime a dozen – the important thing is to choose the right one for your goals. Go for a scalable and flexible solution that grows with your requirements and maximises your ROI in the long term.

3. Tech stack of modern DAM systems

But how do you recognise modern DAM systems? The technical basis, system architecture, and data model are decisive factors in determining whether a DAM solution can meet current and future digital asset management requirements. This is all the more true today, as many DAM systems are very similar at a basic functional level. The differentiator, therefore, is the tech stack, which should be powerful and flexible, along with continuous innovation at the feature level. Modern DAM technology is based on the following software principles:

Cloud-native technology

Many software solutions are advertised as cloud-based systems, but there is a difference between systems that have been cloud-enabled and those that have been developed in the cloud from the ground up. Cloud-native systems consist of individual microservices that work independently of each other and can be scaled as required, which means more efficient use of resources.

Microservices

Microservices are the granular functional building blocks on which a service-orientated system architecture is based. Individual functions and data processes are outsourced to singular services that can be scaled individually as required, offering organisations a great deal of flexibility. This is exciting for companies that expect high performance loads at times – such as fashion companies that need to manage seasonal campaigns. At the same time, the flexible use of resources increases efficiency, which can lead to significant cost savings for companies with highly fluctuating data loads.

API-first architecture

An API-first approach in software development describes the focus on the open and reusable design of APIs. The design enables companies to build new applications and microservices very flexibly and quickly and thus develop new digital business models in a highly agile manner and test them in practice. This can significantly shorten the time-to-market and drastically reduce the costs of developing new applications. At the same time, API-first developments enable a perfect user experience on all interfaces.

4. DAM in the context of digital supply chains

Digital asset management is located in the end-to-end product content life cycle at the data procurement level along with other systems such as product information management (PIM). Digital asset management solutions therefore form the systemic foundation of the digital supply chain together with PIM, ERP, and CRM, for example. From this central location, granular digital assets are networked into finished product content, globalised, and brought into templates before being transferred to the various output channels as the next step. One of the most important advantages of digital asset management is that content is brought to market faster and in a standardised way, which strengthens brand management and brand identity.

In the individual communication channels, digital shelf analytics or the company’s own shop system analysis tools measure the performance of the product content and report corresponding feedback to the DAM and PIM systems, where the findings ideally lead to optimisation measures.

This process requires deep integration of DAM systems into a company’s digital ecosystem – not only to creative applications such as Adobe Creative Cloud or Microsoft Office programs, but also to the surrounding software disciplines of the digital supply chain.

5. Best practices: How to find the right DAM system

Every company has its own unique product content management requirements. This makes it all the more important to find the right DAM system for your needs. The criteria for software selection touch on a number of relevant areas and must be carefully collated and weighted. In addition to the requirements definition, successful DAM selection also includes other important project steps:

1. Building the project team: First of all, it is crucial to get all relevant stakeholders on board. Ideally, software projects within the information supply chain should be driven by the business and supported by IT – not the other way round. After all, the technology must ultimately function optimally in daily business processes. To achieve this, the requirements of the most important users must be prioritised during implementation.
2. Documentation of the data processes: It is important to get an accurate picture of the data processes before selecting software. This is the only way to ensure that everyone involved is truly involved and that all requirements are collated in the next step. Such process documentation also helps to identify integration requirements for neighbouring systems at an early stage.
3. Requirements definition: The aim here is to collect all the important selection criteria for the new DAM system. In addition to the purely functional criteria, there are technical areas, such as the cloud strategy, which must match the infrastructure and the company’s digitalisation goals. The partner network is also an important criterion for many companies. This applies both to technical partnerships, such as with PIM or shop systems, and to implementation partners.
4. Short list: The next step is to analyse the entire DAM market and identify relevant DAM providers. Parameters such as an up-to-date tech stack and the network of implementation partners are particularly helpful in the initial exploration. Overview sites such as OMR Reviews and G2 as well as neutral consultants or market analysts can help with research and orientation.
5. Vendor presentations: Next, the DAM providers that show the greatest potential to cover the company’s requirements are invited to present their product, allowing them to show their DAM systems from their best side and demonstrate the required use cases live in front of the project team and answer questions. This gives the participants a good feel for the solution and how it would prove itself in everyday use. During the presentation, all participants make notes in the requirements list to document exactly how the criteria are covered.
6. Comparison and price negotiations: Before the final decision is made, all providers are compared with each other to determine which ones to negotiate with on price. It is important to consider the costs not just of the software but also the implementation.

Tip: When selecting software, it is vital to take a holistic view of the solutions. If you only decide on the basis of costs or features, you run the risk of making critical compromises in key areas such as integration, technology, or future viability.

6. Contemporary digital asset management: the must-haves

Even though companies’ DAM requirements are highly individual, there are a few must-haves that project teams need to look out for when selecting a new DAM system to ensure they choose a future-proof solution with plenty of potential for their creative processes:

Artificial intelligence and automation

Digital asset management is one of the most promising areas in an organisation for the use of AI and workflow automation. Many repetitive workflows can be automated using appropriate functions, which increases both efficiency and data quality.

Collaboration support

Several internal and external team members are usually involved in the creation and editing of creative assets and the conceptualisation of campaigns. DAM software is the linchpin for these workflows and therefore often offers collaboration functions, such as Sharedien’s Workspaces. Teams can work together efficiently and transparently in their own areas, carry out review and approval processes professionally, and manage and document projects centrally.

Licence monitoring

External image and video databases are valuable sources for campaigns of all kinds. It is therefore advantageous if these databases are connected directly to the DAM system. At the same time, monitoring and complying with licence rights can quickly become confusing. In order to avoid costly licence infringements and simplify monitoring, a modern digital asset management system should offer digital rights management with automated monitoring functions that ensure companies are always on the safe side.

7. DAM systems in practice: two case studies

Use case 1: DAM as a creative platform

DAM systems centralise the management and maintenance of digital assets, regardless of whether they are produced internally or procured externally via image and video databases. This makes them the foundation for all communication processes and enables effective marketing campaigns and personalised product experiences at all touchpoints. To exploit this potential, modern DAM systems can be easily integrated into creative applications such as Adobe Creative Cloud and Microsoft Office programs for more efficient workflows. They also offer dedicated functions as well as sophisticated role and rights management for smooth and secure collaboration with internal and external teams.

Use case 2: DAM as a content hub

Thanks to its connection to neighbouring systems and the networking of digital assets, product information, users, and various output channels, modern DAM systems can be used as central content hubs and thus support all associated data processes. The result is not only increased operational efficiency but also greater transparency with regard to the digital assets themselves. Companies always know which assets are available where and how they are used and in what form. With these insights, the utilisation of digital content can be optimised in the long term.

8. Measuring success: How well is your current DAM system performing?

In order to measure the performance of a DAM system, the expectations and goals associated with the implementation of the DAM solution must be taken into account. These include, for example:

• Increased efficiency: DAM systems make a significant contribution to optimising internal processes through workflow automation, AI, and the centralisation of digital assets. The degree of automation and the time saved in centralised processes are good indicators for measuring success.
• Cost reduction: By saving resources and time through the automation of creation and maintenance processes, marketing and asset creation costs can be reduced. At the same time, the centralisation of digital assets ensures that content can be effectively reused once it has been created, which increases the ROI of the assets themselves.
• Availability: Intelligent data models and AI-based search support marketing employees in finding relevant content quickly, which in turn helps to increase the efficiency of creative processes and campaign creation.
• Productivity: Closely linked to efficiency, productivity can be sustainably increased through the use of DAM systems. Collaboration tools support the joint creation of assets as well as the conception, planning, and creation of campaigns, and automated image processing leads to a faster go-to-market. With an optimised DAM, more tasks can be completed in less time, and this measurably increases the output, speed, and effectiveness of marketing activities.
• Transparency: DAM systems can be used to determine which digital assets are being used where, by whom, and in what form at any time. Analysis tools allow valuable conclusions to be drawn that can help optimise the use and reuse of assets. Developments in these usage analyses can also be used to measure success.

Would you like to find out how you can achieve your goals with the help of a DAM system? Talk to our experts without obligation!

9. Common mistakes when implementing DAM systems

The prerequisite for generating all this added value with a DAM system is – in addition to selecting the right solution – implementation and integration. Many companies make the mistake of procuring a DAM system without knowing exactly which use cases they want to (and can) cover with it. Those who fail to involve all stakeholders and analyse the existing data processes in advance often end up with a simple image database with a miserable ROI.

10. Conclusion and recommendations for action

DAM systems are the foundation of all communication processes in companies. Correctly implemented, modern solutions can help to boost internal efficiency, massively increase data quality, and optimise the effectiveness of marketing and sales campaigns. It is therefore crucial to find the solution that suits you perfectly among the many DAM systems on the market.

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