Digital asset management (DAM) can transform the way your business grows. With a centralised repository for the storage of all your files, data and assets, you can save time, boost productivity and massively increase your profit.
But getting started can be a daunting and confusing process. How do you go about setting up a DAM? What considerations need to be made? Fortunately, we're here to clear things up with seven key steps to getting started with DAM...
There are a wide range of DAM platforms on the market, all offering various benefits for the users. To make an informed choice on the ideal system for you, you'll need to understand the fundamental needs and requirements of your business. For instance, if you're a digital agency with an abundance of files and large assets, you'll need to choose a DAM with unlimited space and easy downloading features.
Some DAM systems will have specialist features that cater for specific needs. Of course, there are also systems like iBase, which are suitable for the vast majority of DAM requirements.
You'll more than likely have a budget in mind when looking for a new DAM system. But remember that the cheapest option isn't always the best deal. Pay careful attention to any tie-in or minimum agreement periods, as well as the level of support and how the provider assists with upgrades.
Before you can settle on a DAM platform and make its case to your finance team, you'll need to find one that matches your requirements. If your DAM is going to be public facing, for instance, you'll want to ensure that it can be customised to match your branding and existing website.
DAM providers come and go. But you need to make sure that yours is sticking around for the long run. Do your research and make sure that your provider has been around for a while, ideally with long standing customers to sing their praises.
Most good DAM providers will give you the option of setting up a free account, with limited features, to see if the system meets the needs of your business. However, be wary of ‘free trial’ periods, as these will only give you a limited amount of time to try things out. Ideally, you want to be able to keep using the free system for as long as you wish.
It's also useful to look for additional help and guidance to help you get to grips with your DAM. No DAM platform is static, and the features – along with your needs – are constantly changing and evolving. So, you need a provider who will keep you up to date and informed with all the changes so you can make the most of your system.
The final thing to consider is where you want your DAM to be hosted. Systems can either be hosted online or on-site, built into your local IT infrastructure. There are a number of pros and cons for both cloud-based systems on on-premises DAM platforms. For more information, take a look at our previous blog post about the benefits of cloud-based DAM.
Cloud-based DAM platforms are hosted on an external server. It's important to take a look at the server used by the DAM platform of your choice to make sure it's secure and protected.
At iBase, we host all our systems on Amazon's AWS Environment, ensuring that our customer's data and files are fully protected. Don't hesitate get in touch with our friendly team to discover how we can help get your business started with a feature-rich DAM platform.
