It is widely accepted that a Digital Asset Management (DAM) system is fundamental publishing architecture. No longer is it simply a tool that keeps articles, videos, images, documents, files, and other assets organised. Instead, DAM has become the dynamic hub of the publishing world.
Despite this, some publishers will utter the acronym with a roll of their eyes. So, if you’re not quite sold on a publisher DAM yet, this article is for you.
Why publishers use Digital Asset Management (DAM)
A Digital Asset Management (DAM) system is a single platform that allows a vast and disparate array of assets to be neatly organised. Publishers typically use many. Their DAM solutions are tailored to specific business verticals (e.g. picture desks, advertising and editorial), allowing them to reap efficiency rewards in different areas. In more practical terms, when you want to find something, a DAM system lets you actually find it – and the right version, too. When assets are easily visible and retrievable, time-wasting errors like duplications, lost files, and missed deadlines stay in the archives. In fact, our DAM engine tracks and reports on progress, making it easy to spot pending tasks, edit requests and potential deadline challenges early and then act accordingly.
Differing DAMs
The shape and size of publisher DAM systems fluctuate considerably. Some come straight out of the box ready to work, while others, and arguably the better DAM systems, take some tailoring. A rigid DAM means you have to work around it. You have to tailor your workflow to get its benefits. A configurable DAM, on the other hand, will work and evolve around you. You can work how you and your teams want – and still reap the rewards.
Publishers should be able to pick and choose which elements will give their organisation the efficiency boost it needs. Naturally, this varies from organisation to organisation. For example, this might be increasing the ease of collaboration, streamlining workflows, automating repetitive tasks, or identifying issues in the supply chain. The flexibility of the software means that whatever snags create barriers to productivity, your DAM should be able to help.
Our recent DAM engine (V4.0), used on both PlanDesk and AdDesk, is our most flexible yet. We had the simple goal of putting you in the driver's seat and in control of how you want to work. Now, making changes is easier than ever before.
"But what about the cost?..."
One of the arguments against investing in DAM software is usually the cost. This is understandable. A system that neatly handles and organises that much data is not a simple piece of technology. For a digital asset management system to fully streamline and integrate into a publisher's workflow, you can guarantee that a lot of design, testing, production, and maintenance has gone into it. As such, it is an investment.
But it's an investment that quickly works into the green. Let’s use photography assets as an example. You buy them. You use them. And then, typically, you lose them. Most publishers buy images, intending to reuse them. However, with the amount of media and content a modern publisher has to process, they quickly fall into the archival abyss. Because they're difficult to find, it is more cost-effective to buy new assets again. The cycle repeats.
A quality DAM system makes assets easily accessible and also clarifies that what you’re using, you’re allowed to (within IP rights). In essence, a quality publisher DAM system eliminates the need to re-buy such assets and saves the mistakes of losing them in the first place. We’ll revisit this shortly.
Doing the maths
To determine whether the investment is a sensible one, there are two things to consider. The first is the return on investment (ROI). This calculation is reasonably simple. Balance your assets against the administrative burden of organising them, plus the annual percentage increase. If you find that your digital assets soon begin to be an unmanageable weight, you would benefit from a DAM system. The second is the quality. High-quality digital asset management solutions systems will bring rapid ROI and the full catalogue of financial benefits that accompany increased efficiency and productivity.
No more costly mistakes
Mistakes happen. We’re human. But it’s only when these mistakes are published that they cost you. For example, you might publish the wrong ad. That means no payment, but printing costs remain (and collateral printing impact). Mistakes like this quickly add up, and the savings of a publisher DAM solution, like Papermule’s, soon outweigh them.
A modern publisher must
A DAM is a modern publisher must, regardless of how it looks, works and the vertical it’s used in. You can enjoy smoother, more streamlined workflows, less stress and, most importantly, positive ROIs. If you’d like to explore some of our digital asset management solutions, which we provide for the majority of the UK publishing industry, click here to book a free consultation.
