Any high-quality digital asset administration (DAM) system ought to accomplish sure duties:

• Facilitate clear asset group
• Simplify sharing model property amongst inside departments and exterior customers
• Help with model management and eradicate duplicate property to enhance model consistency
• Combine with different instruments to streamline present workflows

The largest benefit of getting a DAM, although, is the time it saves your group members in search of and retrieving property. Storing your digital recordsdata in a single easy-to-navigate software program prevents inventive groups from spending hours responding to (typically repetitive) asset requests, permitting them to make use of their time extra productively. And it ensures all people, from different departments to gross sales groups and distributors, has entry to probably the most up-to-date variations of your property.

Whereas all DAMs are clearly designed for clear asset administration, some fall brief by way of sharing options, detecting duplicates, and integrating with different functions. To not point out, generally used folder-structured cloud platforms that aren’t DAM within the first place.

On this publish, we run via how Brandfolder DAM works for enterprise, mid-size, and small companies to arrange digital property and save groups time, then talk about some various DAMs. You may as well ebook a demo to see precisely what you may do with Brandfolder at your disposal.

How Brandfolder’s DAM Works: A Stroll-By

Brandfolder is a cloud-based digital asset administration platform that enables customers to arrange, distribute, manipulate and measure property from a single supply of fact. This DAM software program is created by creatives for creatives, and lots of of our customers select Brandfolder over different DAM programs for its simplistic, user-friendly interface.

Let’s dive into how Brandfolder works. Learn alongside or skip forward as we discuss:

How Brandfolder Escapes the Folder System
Consumer Teams Inside Brandfolder
Importing & Managing Property in Brandfolder
Discovering Property Inside Brandfolder
Navigating the Asset Overview
Sharing Property with Completely different Customers
Retrieving Property from Exterior Customers
Brandfolder Integrations
Getting Began with Brandfolder

How Brandfolder Escapes the Folder System

Constructed with a three-layer hierarchy system as a substitute of a conventional folder hierarchy system makes navigating inside Brandfolder straightforward. These layers embrace:

• Group: The group or enterprise to which property belong; every thing inside this view is customizable from the favicon to the header picture to the content material on the web page. On this web page, you possibly can view all Brandfolders managed by the identical enterprise.
• Brandfolders: Brandfolders retailer all of a model’s full digital asset library. More often than not, a company solely wants one Brandfolder. Nevertheless, companies with a number of purchasers might want separate folders to maintain property fully separate.
• Collections: Collections are subsets of property designed for end-user teams such because the gross sales group, distributors or exterior companies.

Let’s discuss extra about collections. Brandfolder’s layered system of organizing property additionally permits admins to limit permissions for various consumer teams relatively than particular person customers, making certain the suitable folks have entry to the suitable property with out overburdening admins.

You possibly can set a set to be Personal or Public, and might even gate the gathering by requiring a password to view property inside.

We additionally enable customers to retailer over 250 completely different file varieties and there aren’t any measurement restrictions on recordsdata.

Discovering out-of-sync property dwelling in a number of areas? Updating property on the Brandfolder stage routinely updates them throughout the board, so digital recordsdata inside collections are all the time probably the most up-to-date variations.

Consumer Teams Inside Brandfolder

There are three various kinds of customers inside Brandfolder: admins, collaborators, and friends. On the sidebar, you possibly can choose the particular Brandfolder or assortment you need to add the consumer to and prohibit entry to different collections. And directors can edit consumer standing at any time throughout the “Handle Customers” tab.

• Admins: Admins can handle settings and consumer permissions; approve content material; view analytics; create and handle collections; and add, edit, view, or obtain property.
• Collaborators: Collaborators can create and handle collections. Like admins, they’ve full workflow capabilities, to allow them to additionally edit, add, view, and obtain property.
• Company: Company can view collections and search property, and so they can even obtain any shared property.

In contrast to different DAM software program, we enable for limitless visitor customers at no further cost. So you possibly can share hyperlinks or collections with anyone outdoors of your group and it gained’t value further.

Importing & Managing Property in Brandfolder

Importing property right into a DAM can appear overwhelming, however we attempt to make it as straightforward as potential for customers. All you must do is:

• Click on into the Brandfolder or assortment the place you want to add content material.
• Hook up with your Google Drive, Dropbox, Field, or OneDrive.
• After permissions are given, Brandfolder will see all the recordsdata you’ve entry to throughout the third-party utility so you possibly can add in bulk or decide and select particular person property so as to add.
• Customers can even drag and drop property or folders from their laptop into Brandfolder.

Brandfolder will routinely detect duplicates and provides customers the choice to merge duplicates in a single asset file. You possibly can take bulk actions so as to add meta tags or customized fields throughout any newly-imported property.

Even after property are imported and collections and Brandfolders are made, customers can nonetheless take bulk actions later, reminiscent of bulk modifying, rights administration, shifting or deleting content material, tagging, sharing, merging, and downloading.

In fact, our buyer expertise group is all the time able to reply your questions and help through the onboarding course of so getting arrange in Brandfolder is quick, streamlined, and easy.

Storing and Managing Video Information in Brandfolder

Of the various file codecs you possibly can retailer in Brandfolder, you can even manage video content material, as much as and together with 8K video. By and huge, it’s all the identical easy course of. To import movies, you possibly can merely drag and drop them into Brandfolder and manage them in collections. When viewing video property, you’ll have entry to all the similar data tabs and workflow performance as you’ll when viewing some other digital asset.

There are additionally some extra superior options, reminiscent of the power to transform the video file, alter the decision, clip the video size, or add a watermark.

For movies hosted on websites like YouTube or Vimeo, customers have the choice to embed these within the “Exterior Media” part. Upon opening the embedded video in Brandfolder, customers can view the identical data and tabs they’ll see with an ingested video or digital asset. The one distinction is that the embedded video doesn’t reside inside Brandfolder (so it doesn’t take up as a lot space for storing). When viewing embedded movies, Brandfolder will redirect you to the web site the place the file lives — Youtube or Vimeo, and so forth. — to view the asset in its entirety.

Some of the handy options of our video administration system is Video AI – this software transcribes your video and consists of the transcription within the metadata data, so movies might be searched by title or transcription textual content simply throughout the search bar.

Including Collaborative Docs into Brandfolder

One other neat characteristic of Brandfolder DAM is the power to embed collaborative docs. Should you work inside Google Docs, you possibly can embed your docs into Brandfolder to redirect customers to the reside doc web page.

Discovering Property Inside Brandfolder

Once you’re working inside any given Brandfolder, it’s easy to customise settings to the best way you and your groups seek for property.

Navigating Brandfolder is straightforward and intuitive requiring little to no coaching, making it potential for anyone to shortly search and obtain the asset(s) they want. The benefit of discovering property inside our DAM is among the largest advantages of selecting Brandfolder over different DAM software program.

There are three major methods to seek for property inside Brandfolder:

1. Read moreSL Highlight: Jennifer Ruyle | Schifino Lee

   Customers can discover property via the search bar. Looking out in Brandfolder is less complicated than looking inside a Google Drive or a DropBox as a result of you possibly can search nearly something a few given asset — shade HEX codes, file varieties, textual content on the asset, final time the asset was opened, and so forth — and discover the suitable file. Our software program even goes so far as transcribing video imports so you possibly can search strains or phrases utilized in video recordsdata and discover the proper asset. Sensible filters allow you to refine your search much more, so when you aren’t certain what an asset known as or the place it’s positioned, you should use filters to weed out property you don’t want.

2. Customers can type by sections, labels, tags or frequent searches which might be “pinned” for fast entry. “Sections” are broad sorts of content material, to allow them to be categorized as logos, colours, brochures, headshots, social media property, fonts, and so forth. Utilizing “Pins,” standard search phrases might be saved entrance and middle to assist customers dive even deeper throughout the part they’re looking. Lastly, “labels” add another stage of search personalization. Consider them as a playlist to your property that belong collectively primarily based on issues like use case or marketing campaign.

1. Customers can merely scroll via their Brandfolder and scan the completely different thumbnails till they’ve discovered what they want.

Finally, customers have choices to intuitively search the best way that serves them greatest. Whether or not you’re broadly looking a bigger assortment or narrowing down property into particular classes, Brandfolder’s search is all the time customizable for locating probably the most related asset, each time.

After you’ve discovered and opened the asset you want, you possibly can be taught extra about it throughout the asset overview.

Navigating the Asset Container

Upon opening your chosen asset, customers are delivered to the asset container the place they’ll view the asset title, preview, description, customized fields, and tags.

Asset Identify & Description

Asset names and descriptions might be modified with a easy click on when you’ve got the suitable permissions. We advise including “Do’s and Don’ts” or “Asset Tips” throughout the description part in order that end-user teams know precisely how and the place an asset can be utilized.

Customized Fields

Customized fields will let you add further key metrics about an asset, together with the marketing campaign, channel, vacation spot, language, licensing supply, expiration date, and extra.

Asset Overview

The asset overview lets customers view the completely different file sorts of every asset to allow them to select to obtain the JPEG, PNG, or PSD model of your asset. Customers may even retailer property of various sizes throughout the asset container, so different consumer teams can discover the suitable asset within the measurement that they want.

This asset container characteristic may also be used to stack related property multi function place; so for instance, when you’re trying to find a selected product picture, you’ve the choice of together with all different photos that can be utilized with that very same product throughout the asset container.

When downloading property, customers have the power to change the file kind and file measurement for his or her obtain to allow them to obtain a model of your asset that matches their wants with out modifying the precise asset inside Brandfolder.

Asset Meta Tagging

When importing a file, our software program will routinely add any tags which are already related to the digital media file you’re importing. Customers can even add their very own tags to the asset as soon as it’s been uploaded.

Our proprietary AI engine, Model Intelligence, takes tagging a step additional by analyzing the content material you import and including further related tags that could be useful for customers who’re looking.

It learns with customers because it goes, so it’ll keep in mind developments in tags used on different recordsdata or tags created by customers and apply these to future imports. It’s going to additionally start to acknowledge particular gadgets or merchandise featured in your photos, and routinely tag them accordingly.

In fact, you possibly can approve or tweak tags so property are all the time tagged appropriately based on your taxonomy.

This preview field additionally has tabs so customers can look extra on the metadata data, seek for related property and merge duplicates, view asset utilization tips, and generate asset hyperlinks to embed on different websites.

All metadata is saved below the ‘metadata tab. This consists of exif information and transcription or textual content recognition data which might be edited (in both the ‘metadata’ or ‘overview’ tab) after import.

Discovering Comparable Property

Our Model Intelligence machine-learning system pulls all photos which are duplicates or “related” so customers can select to delete or merge them with different recordsdata. In fact, “related” property can serve separate functions which makes this urged content material characteristic particularly helpful for customers who had success with a selected asset and need to discover associated ones.

Embedding Property Instantly from Brandfolder

The Sensible CDN (content material supply community) lets customers energy their web site or e-mail advertising campaigns with property embedded immediately from Brandfolder. Inside this tab, customers will discover an asset’s CDN hyperlink that may then reside on an internet site or inside an e-mail advertising marketing campaign. If the asset is ever modified inside Brandfolder (for instance, throughout a rebrand), the asset will replace all over the place the place its hyperlink is getting used.

Taking a Nearer Have a look at Analytics

Assessing the true worth of any asset means gaining a full image of the place and the way it’s getting used. That is the place the ‘Utilization’ and ‘Insights’ tabs within the Brandfolder asset container come into play.

This Utilization Tab compliments the Embed characteristic because it reveals all the completely different pages and e-mail campaigns the place a sure hyperlink is used.

With the Insights Tab, admins can peek at asset analytics to see what number of instances an asset was seen, downloaded, and shared. These analytics supply element on how an asset is performing, each on a Brandfolder stage or collections stage. Admins may even peek at an asset’s reside occasion feed to see how and when it has been modified (and by whom).

As well as, admins have entry to view “High Performers” and “High Customers” to allow them to see which property are performing the perfect and who’s interacting with property probably the most.

Collaborating Inside Brandfolder

The Workflow Tab makes it straightforward for groups to touch upon, edit, and replace property inside Brandfolder. Whereas it ought to be mentioned that Brandfolder doesn’t substitute venture administration software program, it does combine with Adobe’s whole suite of instruments so including and updating property can enable inventive workflows to proceed with out interruption.

Customers can depart feedback for others, reply to threads, make small tweaks to property, and even try property for main adjustments. As soon as an asset is checked out, no different customers could make adjustments till the up to date asset has been checked again in. With the suitable permissions, view all the model historical past throughout the “Model Historical past Tab” and revert the asset again to a previous model at any time.

Along with Adobe’s Artistic Cloud, Brandfolder integrates with quite a few different instruments to edit property, together with Microsoft’s suite of merchandise, Sketch, Figma, and Canva.

Sharing Property with Completely different Customers

Apart from including customers to your Brandfolder or collections, Brandfolder additionally permits customers to share property through a share hyperlink. Creating these share hyperlinks is fast and straightforward — choose the person asset or property you need to share and choose the “Share Hyperlink” choice from the underside of the web page.

As soon as the “Share” modal opens, you possibly can change the title of the share hyperlink, make the hyperlink non-public, require an e-mail handle to entry, disable the obtain performance, or set the share hyperlink to run out.

When your recipient end-user opens the shared hyperlink, they’ll see your whole branded content material that you simply selected in addition to the hyperlink’s expiration date (when you set one). Upon opening an asset, finish customers can view an asset’s title and outline, in addition to the asset container, to uphold model consistency.

Retrieving Property from Exterior Customers

Should you work with freelancers or different content material creators, you’ll recognize how straightforward it’s to obtain property from outdoors sources. As a substitute of constructing an out of doors content material creator a collaborator or admin, you possibly can ship them a Visitor Add hyperlink to allow them to import their content material proper into Brandfolder to be authorized.

Admins are ready to decide on the place they need content material uploaded to, and as soon as uploaded, it would present as “Pending” within the desired part or assortment.

Brandfolder Integrations

To date, we’ve talked about a couple of of the functions we combine with, together with Adobe’s Artistic Cloud (together with Photoshop, Illustrator, PremierPro, AfterEffects, and InDesign), Google’s GSuite, the Microsoft Workplace suite of instruments, Canva, and Sketch, however we additionally combine with quite a lot of different expertise companions, together with (however not restricted to):

You possibly can learn extra about all our integrations right here.

Different Options and Getting Began with Brandfolder

Past simply the options we talked about thus far, we even have quite a lot of modules and integrations so admins and collaborators can additional customise their Brandfolder. Our buyer expertise group is accessible 24/7 to assist with onboarding, coaching, and one-off questions once they come up.

To be taught extra about how our DAM software program would work for what you are promoting, you possibly can ebook a demo for a extra customized walk-through of our platform.

Extra High DAM Software program Choices

Whereas our Brandfolder answer is among the greatest DAM software program for companies small and huge, there are different digital asset administration instruments obtainable. Let’s discuss among the different hottest DAM software program options.

Bynder

Bynder was the primary DAM software program delivered as SaaS and, like Brandfolder, is designed and not using a folder hierarchy for higher ease of use. The platform goals to unfold their providing outdoors a concentrate on DAM and to incorporate Artistic Challenge Administration, Branding Automation, and Internet to Print.

Be taught extra about Bynder right here.

Widen Collective

Widen Collective is a relationship-based software program firm that prides themselves on their customer support and help. Their DAM+PIM software program does extra than simply manage digital content material, it assists with managing the content material lifecycle from creation to distribution.

Be taught extra about Widen right here.

IntelligenceBank

IntelligenceBank is a advertising operations software program for enterprise corporations. This software program has some DAM performance but in addition works to handle advertising property and campaigns. General, IntelligenceBank has 4 major choices: Digital Asset Administration (DAM) software program, Model Portal software program, Advertising Operations software program, and Advertising Useful resource Administration (MRM) software program.

Be taught extra about IntelligenceBank right here.

Canto

Canto is a DAM software program that operates on a folder/album hierarchy and gives extra primary DAM options than Brandfolder. It’s designed a bit like Apple’s iPhoto utility with extra filtering and sharing choices, and it really works greatest for smaller companies that don’t have a ton of property.

Be taught extra about Canto right here.

Cloudinary

Cloudinary is a real-time picture and video administration answer for builders, entrepreneurs, and all people and anyone who wants entry to your model’s property. Cloudinary’s “Media Expertise” software program helps groups handle, edit, optimize, course of, and distribute their property at scale. They primarily work with e-commerce and retail companies, journey and hospitality corporations, nonprofits, and media and leisure corporations.

Be taught extra about Cloudinary right here.

Finest Digital Asset Administration Software program FAQs

Listed below are the solutions to some generally requested questions on DAMs.

What’s AEM? Is AEM a DAM?

Adobe Expertise Supervisor (AEM) is each a content material administration system (CMS) and a digital asset supervisor (DAM), and it integrates with Adobe’s Artistic Cloud. It helps you to create property, retailer them in a single place, and publish wealthy media recordsdata throughout a number of channels. On their web site, Adobe refers to their AEM as, “a complete content material administration answer for constructing web sites, cellular apps and types that make it straightforward to handle your advertising content material and property.”

Adobe’s AEM is useful in loads of methods, however it doesn’t have as many sharing choices as different DAMs, and it’s one of many harder and technical DAMs to implement and use. More often than not, IT groups have to help with organising AEM, and customers want robust HTML abilities to make use of the software program to its full potential. As well as, it’s fairly pricey, so it’s not all the time a viable choice for smaller companies. (Plus, Adobe’s Expertise Supervisor requires a third-party integrator to make use of, including to the general value.)

How a lot does a digital asset administration system value?

Pricing for a digital asset administration software program often will depend on a number of elements, together with:

• The variety of customers
• Extra options
• Quantity of cloud space for storing you want

A enterprise with tens of millions of property and lots of of customers goes to spend extra on a DAM than a small enterprise with solely a pair thousand property and a handful of customers.

Visitor seats can even hike the worth of a DAM — some DAM options cost per visitor seat, whereas others enable friends to view and obtain property without cost. When evaluating choices, we recommend selecting software program like Brandfolder that enables free visitor seats to save cash within the brief and long run.

There’s no actual “common” value for a DAM as yearly prices can vary from a pair hundred {dollars} to lots of of hundreds of {dollars}.

Is an internet site a digital asset?

Sure, an internet site is technically a digital asset, however it’s not one that you’d manage and handle inside a DAM. Digital asset administration programs primarily manage media content material like photos and video recordsdata, PDPs and brochures, templates, spreadsheets and phrase paperwork, design recordsdata and displays, in addition to gross sales collateral for advertising groups.

What are examples of digital property? What isn’t thought-about a digital asset?

A digital asset is outlined as, “something that exists in a digital format and comes with the suitable to make use of;” this consists of logos, pictures, design recordsdata, PDFs, spreadsheets, advertising supplies, movies, and so forth. Meaning digital content material that doesn’t include the suitable to make use of isn’t thought-about an “asset.”

Discovering the Proper Digital Asset Administration (DAM) Answer for Your Enterprise

Selecting a DAM software program doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We’ve constructed our Brandfolder digital asset administration software program to work for every type of companies with options reminiscent of:

• Highly effective metadata tagging
• Free limitless visitor seats
• A easy however sensible search perform
• Simple consumer teams and permissioning
• Streamlined ingestion and group of property (and straightforward importing from outdoors customers)

To not point out, the power to change space for storing and choose add-on options makes our DAM an appropriate answer for smaller companies, giant enterprise corporations, and all people in between. And our group is accessible that can assist you select the suitable program to your wants and get arrange within the software program efficiently.

To ebook a demo and be taught extra about how Brandfolder can work to your groups, get involved with us right here.