Metadata is the Foundation for Building a Content Workflow that Scales
At this IBM-led session, the IBM team gave an overview of their journey to consolidate 36 different DAM systems into one. With more than 500,000+ assets deployed across 40,000,000 web pages and in more than 200 emails each day, they had their work cut out for them.
To simplify and centralize their digital assets, they started by re-defining assets as specific components within a template (e.g., copy, image, video). They then developed an asset governance model that took into account the workflows, lifecycle, and digital rights of each asset. Finally, they centralized syndication by establishing assets within their core DAM as the central source of truth feeding into a new integrated architecture.
To power all of this, they developed asset metadata that included all of the following information:
- Structural (file format, size)
- Descriptive (title, keywords)
- Lifecycle and rights management (expiration date, usage rights)
- Business classifications (product taxonomy, markets)
They now capture an asset’s metadata during the asset’s creation and approval process. This way, marketers can more easily find assets and, once they do, get clarity on how, when, and where to use them. In short, they said, “Metadata is the center of everything.”
DAM and PIM: How this powerful combination will transform your organization!
censhare, another partner of ours, led this informative Tech Lab on marrying your DAM and PIM. Right up top, they hit on some of the challenges that can come from siloed systems, like a lack of digital strategy and governance and repetitive data entry. Alone, a PIM often lacks licensing control mechanisms and clear asset relationships. Similarly, on its own, a DAM usually doesn’t offer product information or syndication functionalities.
Fortunately, we can overcome those hurdles — and more — by integrating DAM and PIM systems to provide an accurate, accessible, and collaborative core system. This helps to build automation and reduce manual tasks. At the same time, it drives innovation by making it easier to launch new products powered by marketing intel.
To move toward DAM and PIM integration, the censhare team recommends taking a close look at how your organization manages its digital assets and data. Then, you can reach out to an expert knowing your starting ground and the pain points you want to resolve.
Where Are You — And Where Are You Going — on Your DAM Journey?
During this session, Jarrod Gingras from Real Story Group dove into DAMs. Specifically, he gave a framework for evaluating where individual organizations are on their DAM journey.
He identified four stages of that journey:
- DAM 1.0: A standalone library disconnected from the larger tech stack
- DAM 2.0: Martech service that supplies some systems but usually has a one-way flow of information
- DAM 3.0: An omnichannel content platform that manages media, narrative, and data and enables component-level deployment while measuring effectiveness
- DAM 4.0: Predictive content leveraging analytics and AI to suggest better-performing assets and supporting personalization at scale, all while allowing for real-time content testing and adaptation
Clearly, simply having a DAM isn’t enough — especially if organizations want to take advantage of this tool’s full potential. That said, moving along the DAM journey isn’t necessarily easy. For many companies, calling in outside help is the difference-maker.