Digital Asset Management (DAM) refers to the system that helps organizations effectively store, organize, manage, retrieve, and distribute digital files and assets like images, videos, audio, documents, and other types of media. For example, a marketing team uses a DAM platform, Brandfolder, to store all of its product images, marketing videos, brand guidelines, and advertisements. Designers, marketers, and sales teams can access the same DAM to obtain the latest brand materials for campaign use.

DAM systems are necessary for brands to thrive. With a centralized platform and search tools, workers don’t need to spend time searching for specific files as they can easily find and access assets. This boosts efficiency for a business, allowing more time spent on content creation and marketing campaigns. DAM is beneficial to streamline content distribution, by enabling companies to quickly distribute assets to various platforms (like websites and social media), making utilizing digital content across channels easier. But perhaps the most important advantage of DAM is its impact on customer experience. As visual appeal is crucial to customer engagement, high-quality images and engaging videos improve the overall user experience on different types of platforms. The brand looks more attractive to customers as it draws them in with its content, enhancing their experience, and driving better outcomes, such as conversions or brand loyalty.

As wonderful as DAM is, it still has its faults, such as security issues. Digital assets face significant risks from compliance violations and security breaches. A company can suffer reputational damage and potential legal consequences from unapproved access, loss, or theft. However, forcing strict security policies and procedures can prevent this. By utilizing tools that offer strong monitoring, auditing, and tracking features, digital assets can be protected.