Humans have relied on commerce to make a living for thousands of years. Although the fundamental exchange of goods for money hasn’t really changed in all that time, evolving technology has given even the smallest brands a global reach.
Millions of companies, from artisan creators to major corporations, use images and video to market their wares in catalogues and online. These digital assets rack up vast reams of data as they go.
For decades, creative teams relied on in-house servers to store all that information, before the first commercial cloud came along in 2006 and changed the digital asset management landscape forever.
In this blog, we’ll take a look at cloud-based data asset management (DAM) systems and examine their advantages. We’ll also explain how award-winning Renaissance can take care of all your DAM needs and a lot else, besides.
Digital asset management is the key to delivering a seamless, enjoyable customer experience, which should be the core of every brand’s marketing strategy.
At any given moment in a campaign, companies must be able to efficiently store, update, organise and retrieve images, video and other digital assets for marketing campaigns.
For decades, this was done using on-premise DAM solutions. However, the rise of global ecommerce, and an explosion in the number of digital files, prompted the need for more flexible, scalable and cost-effective data storage systems.
In 2006 at a search engine strategies conference, Google’s Eric Schmidt quipped that his firm’s services belonged “in a cloud somewhere”. That off-the-cuff comment stuck and the ‘cloud’ was born.
It provides crucial digital services such as storage, databases, networking, software and analytics, all from huge clusters of underlying physical servers housed in data centres located across the world.
Companies and user groups access these cloud-based services via internet-based systems, such as our Renaissance platform.
There are lots of benefits to be gained by switching from an on-premise DAM system to a cloud-based digital asset management software.
The bigger a brand becomes, the more products they have to sell and marketing assets they generate, and the greater the need for excellent organisation.
A cloud-based DAM platform centralises all digital assets, ensuring brands can securely and efficiently find, tag, update and store all their print and online content.
The centralised repository within the DAM environment thus becomes a single source of truth for these important branded assets.
It ensures that all team members, external contributors and stakeholders are viewing and working on the most up-to-date, on-brand files within the cloud DAM system.
Cloud digital asset management solutions are a great way to tighten up a brand’s operations, particularly via advanced search capabilities. They can include:
DAM systems that offer a variety of searches, such as image similarity, tags, custom fields and metadata, significantly cut the amount of time spent trawling the database for file types.
As well as offering improved asset organisation, it also means creatives can use their time to add value to the business, rather than hunting for misplaced assets.
Aside from organising and labelling assets to maximise search capabilities, cloud DAM systems can also improve asset visibility, helping maintain brand consistency when file sharing and the overall coherence of a campaign.
Our Renaissance platform enables smart product searches, as well as QR code-based product tracking, so everyone in the marketing loop, from designers and marketing teams, knows where every item is at every stage of a campaign.
Brands using in-house DAM solutions can find their growth is restricted by the inability to scale their digital asset management up or down, as required.
Obstacles such as licences, the physical storage space needed for an on premise DAM and equipment investment costs can be prohibitive, especially for start-ups.
In contrast, a cloud-based DAM is a more flexible solution. Renaissance is a great example: it offers three packages, created with budgets and scale in mind.
It is ideal for a brand preparing to make the digital transformation from on-premise DAM to cloud-based technology, or a company that is increasing its digital asset capacity and does not want to gobble up local server space.
For years, on-premise hosting was thought to be more secure than cloud counterparts. Advances in technology have helped debunk that myth with the development of robust external security protocols protecting cloud DAM systems.
From encryption and regular audits, to multi-factor authentication and compliance with international regulations on data privacy, cloud systems are often more secure than on-site DAM solutions.
Internal security is also a key concern. Brands don’t want anyone and everyone with an internet connection to have access to their marketing content.
The customisable governance tools offered by a cloud based DAM platform make sure only appropriate internal and external users have access to assets, which can be limited by expiration dates.
The best DAM software operates seamlessly and efficiently, but of course it takes a team of experts to make sure it runs perfectly and meets your every need.
A major benefit of cloud-based DAM tools is the service provider is responsible for network connectivity, as well as ongoing maintenance and upgrades.
For smaller brands, cloud DAM software frees up precious IT resources, allowing them to focus on company-specific projects, such as advanced analytics and machine learning, rather than operating the DAM.
A cloud-based digital asset management (DAM) solution is also better than on premise solutions, because companies have immediate access to the latest iteration of the technology.
These continual upgrades ensure the DAM will always be able to meet a brand’s evolving demands.
No more enduring an often problematic upgrade process while they are installed. The latest security updates are applied and the latest functionality made available with no direct, negative impact on your normal working day.
As well as ensuring asset traceability and brand consistency, cloud DAM systems can also streamline workflows.
Advanced technologies including artificial intelligence and machine learning are major drivers of efficiency, significantly reducing repetitive tasks.
Approved assets that adhere to brand guidelines from previous successful campaigns can be reused and repurposed via DAM systems, reducing costs for on-brand content and enhancing efficiency.
As well as freeing up talented staff for more creative projects, a cloud-based DAM system can also speed up asset retrieval and minimise the risk of data error.
Renaissance kicks into another gear when integrated into a workflow. It can help eliminate bottlenecks, identify potential data silos and streamline processes across a variety of departments.
The centralised repositories provided by cloud-based DAM systems don’t just streamline existing workflows, they enable distributed teams across departments to function more efficiently.
Unified systems like Renaissance allow team members and freelancers to access, edit and share large, complex media files and other assets in real-time, or even publish assets, no matter where they are in the world.
All stakeholders will need for a remote collaboration, including accessing, managing, and distributing digital assets is a direct internet connection.
One of the most important advantages of cloud DAM software is the value for money it offers.
Not only does it eliminate the need to invest in expensive, specialised hardware which can be obsolete from the moment it is switched on, subscription models such as that offered by Renaissance, brands only pay for what they use.
As a brand or agency grows over time and the number of digital assets they deal with expands, there are almost no space and storage limitations with cloud-based platforms.
It’s not just the IT department that will see the advantages of deploying a cloud-based DAM solution.
Marketing teams using cloud digital asset management to streamline their workflows will see time and cost efficiencies, enabling campaigns to launch on schedule.
The centralised repository of branded assets also enables smoother collaboration and brand consistency, while real-time updates to data improves the customer experience.
Designers and creatives using cloud-based digital asset management can face less stress than with a limited, on-premise DAM.
The speed and size of cloud technology facilitates access, while the enhanced searchability makes it quick and easy to find assets, reducing the risk of duplication ensuring content is always fresh and original.
The Covid outbreak led to another digital transformation, as cloud technology, hosted on a network of remote servers, proved that productivity and working from home really could be an excellent match, even after the world returned to ‘normal’.
As a result of the improved asset organisation and robust security offered by cloud DAM solutions, agencies looking to work with the best for their marketing campaigns, can enjoy seamless collaboration with talented, top-quality creatives from around the world.
Cloud systems have also enabled a variety of brands to work with a broader range of external partners and stakeholders, enriching both existing and future campaigns.
After looking at the advantages of a cloud DAM solution and who benefits from the technology, now we’re going to look at how our Renaissance platform can help when it comes to asset organisation, and a lot else.
That’s because Renaissance does so much more than provide cloud-based digital asset management (DAM) services.
Its key features also include media production management (MPM) product information management (PIM), as well as online proofing of digital assets and publication tools.
Clients retain complete control as they store, organise, manage and distribute digital assets, while also gaining enhanced oversight of their marketing strategies.
Renaissance also helps boost collaboration among teams across multiple projects and marketing activities.
It does this by streamlining design and production workflows, allowing campaign timescales to be cut without compromising on creativity or quality. Its many features include:
Renaissance goes beyond digital asset management, it is a comprehensive solution for creatives.
Its production management module enables users and stakeholders to check the status of the entire production process, from design and photography to final proof approval.
Renaissance comes in three packages, all including DAM: secure file storage, centralised libraries, searchable metadata and asset sharing, as well as sample and image tracking.
Find out more here.
If you have any questions about Renaissance, or want to book a demo to see its benefits for yourself, we’d love to hear from you.
Email us at info@ec2i.biz or call us on 01702 541311 between 9am and 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. Alternatively, fill in our contact form to book your personalised demo and we’ll get back to you straight away.