As we've seen in Part 1 of the Consumer's Guide to Choosing a DAM Platform, a DAM Platform is only one component of a healthy DAM Program. With this in mind, what can a DAM Platform do for you? What kinds of problems can the right DAM Platform solve, and what kinds of things can it automate? To help set expectations, what kinds of features are common among most DAM Platforms, what what may be hidden behind a pay wall? We will answer all these questions in Part 2 of the Consumer's Guide to Choosing a DAM Platform.
Understanding the Basics of DAM Platforms
When choosing a DAM platform, it's important to understand your requirements and align them with the system that best suits your needs. Platforms range from simple to complex with a large middle ground in between.
Some of the more complex DAM platforms require hiring developers to fully leverage their potential, while simpler DAMs can easily integrate with commonly used storage solutions like Google Drive.
Common Features of DAM Platforms
The marketplace is full of DAM Platforms, each with their own unique value proposition and sales strategy. Every day, new or existing companies create their own DAM solution to capitalize on a growing market of organizations in need of DAM support. With so much salesmanship going on, it's helpful to know what features are common so that you can see through the sales tactics and make the right choice.
Some of the most common DAM Platform features include:
- Metadata Tagging
- Keyword Search
- Permissions Management
- Data Analytics and Reporting
- File Previews and Editing
- Workflow Automation
Other features that may be custom to certain platforms, hidden behind a pay wall, or provide additional value include:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning
- Asset Version Control
- Branding and Formatting Templates
- Approval Suites
- External Sharing Portals
- Integrations with other Core Systems
Common Problems that DAM Platforms Solve
With these features, DAM Platforms allow your team to solve problems that are common across organizations of every industry when it comes to managing their digital content. These common problems include:
- Decentralized assets spread across teams and departments
- Lack of visibility and access to priority assets across teams and departments
- Slow or unsuccessful search processes
