Marketing What is Image Management? A Quick Guide Image management software is critical for managing & sharing images in an organized manner. Learn the benefits & how it works in this overview. February 25, 2025 Nuala Cronin Content Manager 7 min read In this blog post, we’ll explain why proper image management is important for every company, and identify what to look for when searching for an image management tool. What is Image Management? Image management is the storage, organization, centralization, and distribution of digital images, assets, and graphics. Despite the name, image management can also cover a lot more than just digital photos, and using an image management tool can streamline the process. Photo organizing software and other digital asset libraries are becoming increasingly effective at managing other digital assets, including videos, presentations, PDFs, design files, and more. The Importance of Image Management Proper image management helps to solve a number of common pain points, such as image loss, effort duplication and productivity loss. Additionally, it ensures that businesses can efficiently deliver images across various platforms and devices.More on these below: Image Loss: When important images go missing because of improper storage and/or distribution processes, there’s an ROI loss on those assets. Effort Duplication: If access to assets is limited or confusing, team members may end up recreating the same images again and again, wasting time that could be spent being productive on other projects or tasks. Productivity Loss: When team members have to resend the same photos or assets to others, there’s a loss of productivity due to wasted time. Industries that Benefit from Image Management Image management is a crucial aspect of various industries, including e-commerce, marketing, advertising, media, and entertainment. In e-commerce, businesses rely heavily on high-quality product images to showcase their products and drive sales. Effective image management ensures that these images are organized, easily accessible, and consistently high-quality, which is essential for maintaining user engagement and boosting conversion rates. Marketing and advertising agencies use image management to organize and distribute visual assets for campaigns and promotions. With a robust image management system, these agencies can streamline their workflows, ensuring that the right images are available to the right people at the right time. This not only improves efficiency but also helps maintain brand consistency across different campaigns. Media and entertainment companies often deal with large collections of images, videos, and other digital assets. An effective system helps these companies manage their extensive libraries, making it easier to retrieve and share assets as needed. This is particularly important for projects with tight deadlines, where quick access to the right assets can make a significant difference. Other industries that benefit from tools to manage their image libraries include real estate, architecture, and interior design, where high-quality images are essential for showcasing properties and designs. Educational institutions, museums, and galleries also rely on image management to organize and share digital assets for research, teaching, and exhibitions. Additionally, individuals such as photographers and graphic designers use image management tools to keep their digital assets organized and easily accessible. What is Image Management and Which Systems Can you Use? An image management system is an end-to-end solution for the storage, organization, centralization and distribution of digital images, videos and graphics. These systems are designed to handle an expanding image collection as a business grows. They also help companies increase ROI and productivity. As a baseline, an effective image management solution should enable these four key features: Organizing: The solution should centralize and organize digital assets in a single, easy-to-access library where they can be easily found by everyone that needs the images. Searching: The solutions should ensure digital assets are easily discoverable through advanced search capabilities, such as keywords, attributes, categories and other metadata. The time saved retrieving assets from using an image management system really adds up! Downloading: An image management system should make it easy and simple to download digital assets, in the file format and resolution you need (for example, it should be able to transform a JPG into a PNG). Sharing: When teams collaborate on large projects, sending files over email becomes a problem. An image management system should streamline this, allowing users to share large files by sending a link to an online gallery or a downloadable zip file. Benefits of an Image Management System The benefits of an effective image management solution are vast for pretty much any industry. In our recent DAM Trends Report, organizations using a DAM solution reported experiencing: Better organization and discoverability (72%), Improved brand consistency (35%), and Faster time to market (33%). In addition to these benefits, using an image management system helps to improve image retrieval time and sharing—both aspects that require time and effort. When retrieval and sharing times are reduced significantly, projects can be completed in a more timely manner. Enterprise Image Management While the features of any image management solution can be beneficial, managing images for a large department – or an entire organization – requires advanced systems, workflows and processes. There are a number of other features that an advanced image management system, such as a digital asset management software, can offer to help manage your images at a corporate level. Corporate image management adds additional layers of customization and security that enable you to open your images up to a wider pool of people. Some key features include: Additional Permission Groups: User roles are incredibly important when dealing with corporate image management. In addition to a set of default user roles, a corporate image management system will allow you to fully customize what each user group can access and which actions they can perform (such as download, share, etc.) This ensures users will only access images that are relevant to their department or job function. Watermarks: Typically, watermarks are used to protect content and to claim ownership of an asset. Without watermarks, valuable digital assets can be susceptible to content theft or unauthorized use. A corporate image management solution will enable you to add watermarks for specific users and categories – or a combination of both! Advanced Search Capabilities: Sophisticated search capabilities like auto-tagging, filtering, transcription and custom attributes can help a larger group of users find the assets they need faster. Custom Sharing Options: A corporate image management system will provide additional ways to share assets. Here are two examples of advanced sharing options: Web Galleries can be used to share and access curated assets. Users have the ability to manage access to these galleries, using passwords and expiry dates. These galleries can be shared via email or an automatically generated URL, making them easily accessible to fellow team members. Branded Portals can be used to share collections of assets while staying on brand. Users have the ability to fully customize portals with their preferred highlight colour, header photo and logo. In addition, these portals can be shared via a customizable URL, providing another way to maintain their brand identity, while sharing assets with external users or the public. Types of Image Management Software As the number of digital assets being produced by companies continues to grow exponentially, it’s not a matter of if you need an image management solution – it’s which one to implement. It’s important that whatever system you choose can scale as your organization grows, and can help alleviate the major pain points like image loss, effort duplication, and productivity loss. The right solution will help achieve brand consistency across the organization, will help everyone do their jobs better, and overall, just make everyone’s lives a little easier. Depending on specific user and organizational needs, there are a few types of image management software tools available: Digital asset management (DAM) software File management software Professional photography software Online image galleries Below, we cover each in more depth. Image Management Software Option #1: Digital Asset Management (DAM) Software A digital asset management solution is one of the more advanced image management software options on the market. In addition to managing photos, DAMs can also manage and preview videos, design files, 3D files, documents, and more. This type of platform allows for both manually-added and AI-generated keywords and offers advanced search filters that enable users to find the images they need faster. DAM offers multiple sharing options, and advanced user permissions for actions and category-level projects. DAM is a comprehensive solution for medium and large teams, especially those with large media assets to manage, and those working remotely. 79% of DAM users shared that they were satisfied with their current solution. Best for: Medium and large organizations looking to manage an entire suite of photos and/or other high-value media assets. Pros: Sophisticated permission settings Advanced search capabilities Enhanced sharing options Cons: Requires additional administrations Can be more costly depending on the vendor Example: MediaValet Take a self-guided tour of the MediaValet platform here. Image Management Software Option #2: File Management Software Document or file management software is exactly what it sounds like—a platform that focuses on managing more than just photos, but also documents. Document management software can have limited image management capabilities, as its main purpose is document collaboration, rather than media assets. In addition to the file name, it also allows users to search for images using limited, embedded metadata. File management software has some additional permission capabilities that make it a great solution for smaller teams. Not sure if you need Dropbox or a DAM? Find out here. Best for: Small-to-medium businesses that have a limited number of photos, and require document management and collaboration. Pros: Strong document management features Layered permission options Team sharing capabilities Cons: Limited asset previews Limited metadata for media files Example: DropBox Image Management Software Option #3: Professional Photography Software As a relatively specialized option, professional photography software has capabilities tailored specifically for photographers and videographers, such as editing, categorizing and exporting multiple photos at a faster rate. While the metadata functionality is more limited than a DAM, it allows users to edit labels, keywords and ratings to ensure better organization and search functionality. It also typically connects seamlessly with common image editing tools like Adobe Creative Cloud. Best For: Small businesses or individuals looking to manage and edit professional photography. Pros: Bulk photo exporting and workflows In-app photo editing Customizable user interface Cons: Limited metadata Photographer-specific feature sets Example: Adobe Bridge Image Management Software Option #4: Online Image Galleries An online image gallery is the most basic digital tool for managing images, with capabilities for storing photo and video files. Typically, a photo gallery belongs to an individual but can be shared easily with others via a link. Most libraries have AI-generated metadata tags and facial recognition for easy search capability, along with basic photo editing capabilities. Best For: Very small businesses or individuals looking to keep photos in one centralized location. Pros: Simple to use Cloud accessibility at a low price point Often syncs directly with phone library Cons: Very limited permission options Limited metadata Limited sharing options Example: Google Photos Is DAM the right fit? If you’re running a medium or large team and struggling to manage your images (or other brand assets) it’s time to consider using a DAM solution. Not only does DAM immediately improve team workflows and asset ROI, but it also scales with your organization and encourages growth. For a quick and easy way to evaluate if a DAM is the right choice for you, check out our DAM ROI calculator here. MediaValet is a leader in cloud-based digital asset management that helps organizations manage, organize and share their digital assets, improving productivity and increasing ROI. Related Articles Marketing The Ultimate Guide to Content Proofing (Tools & Process) Read more Marketing Project Management and DAM: 4 Reasons Why They’re Better Together Read more Marketing Leveraging DAM for Marketing Asset Management Read more Marketing Top Challenges in Marketing Operations & How to Overcome Them Read more Ready to see what the DAM hype’s about? Meet with one of our product experts Book a demo
Glossary Digital Brand Management Explained What is digital brand management? We explain how can organizations follow best practices, keep pace with trends, and avoid common challenges. February 21, 2025 Nuala Cronin Content Manager 4 min read Mastering digital brand management is paramount for businesses seeking to thrive in the competitive online landscape but first, it needs to be understood. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just stepping into the realm of digital branding, understanding the intricacies of maintaining a consistent, compelling brand across various digital platforms can be a game-changer. Digital brand management is so much more than a logo; it’s about crafting a cohesive narrative that resonates with your audience, and it requires leveraging the power of digital tools like DAM to create and distribute content that truly reflects your brand’s values and vision. From social media channels to your company’s website, every touchpoint is an opportunity to tell your brand story in a way that engages and inspires. With this in mind, our comprehensive post delves into: What digital brand management is, Why digital brand management is important, Digital brand management best practices and strategies, The challenges of digital brand management, and Future trends shaping digital brand management. Digital Brand Management Definition Digital brand management encompasses the strategic management of a brand’s online presence across various digital channels and platforms. It involves crafting and maintaining a cohesive brand identity, which requires adherence to brand guidelines, engaging with audiences effectively, and shaping perceptions in the digital realm. Why Digital Brand Management is Important A strong online presence is indispensable for businesses these days. In fact, according to Forbes, 28% of all business is conducted online. Maintaining a cohesive brand story online is critical for businesses and digital brand management plays a pivotal role in: Enhancing Brand Visibility: With millions of users active on digital platforms, effective brand management ensures that businesses remain visible and accessible to their target audience. Building Brand Reputation: Positive interactions and consistent messaging across digital channels help build trust and credibility among consumers, bolstering the brand’s reputation. Driving Customer Engagement: Engaging content, interactive experiences, and personalized interactions foster meaningful connections with customers, driving engagement and loyalty. Maximizing Competitive Advantage: In a saturated market, effective digital brand management sets businesses apart from competitors, positioning them as industry leaders and innovators. Learn how ACAMS improved their digital brand management strategies with MediaValet! Digital Brand Management Best Practices Remember, effective digital brand management is about creating a cohesive and engaging brand experience across all digital touchpoints. From maintaining visual and verbal consistency to leveraging cutting-edge digital tools, its important to know how to navigate the complexities of digital branding. Achieving success in digital brand management requires adherence to several best practices. By integrating the following practices into your digital strategy, you can create a brand that resonates deeply with your audience and stands the test of time. Develop a Comprehensive Content Strategy: Craft high-quality, relevant content that resonates with your target audience and aligns with your brand values and objectives. Harness the Power of Social Media: Leverage social media platforms to connect with audiences, build brand awareness, and foster community engagement through compelling content and interactive experiences. Cultivate a Positive Online Reputation: Monitor and manage online reviews and customer feedback, addressing concerns promptly and proactively to maintain a positive brand image. Embrace Data-Driven Insights: Utilize analytics tools to gather actionable insights into audience behavior, content performance, and market trends, informing strategic decision-making and optimization efforts. Prioritize Consistency and Coherence: Maintain a cohesive brand identity across all digital touchpoints, ensuring consistent messaging, visuals, and brand experiences to reinforce brand recognition and trust. Develop brand guidelines to maintain this. Leverage Digital Tools: Utilize digital asset management software (DAM) to organize, store, and distribute your brand assets efficiently. Tools like MediaValet ensure your team always has access to the latest, approved versions of your brand materials. You can check out how a MediaValet DAM works with this free, guided tour! Take a tour of MediaValet The Challenges of Digital Brand Management As online business practices continue to evolve at breakneck speed, brands must adapt to new platforms, changing consumer behaviors, and emerging technologies. These challenges, if not addressed effectively, can dilute your brand’s impact and confuse your audience. It’s crucial to proactively address the following challenges of digital brand management, and to mitigate their impact! Managing Online Reputation: Negative reviews, social media backlash, and online crises can damage brand reputation if not addressed effectively, requiring proactive reputation management strategies. Keeping Pace with Technology: The rapid evolution of digital technologies and platforms necessitates continuous learning and adaptation to stay abreast of emerging trends and innovations. Maintaining Consistency Across Channels: Ensuring consistency in brand messaging and experiences across diverse digital channels can be challenging, requiring robust systems and processes. Measuring ROI and Effectiveness: Quantifying the impact of digital brand management efforts and attributing ROI to specific activities can be complex, requiring sophisticated measurement and tracking mechanisms. Future Trends to Be Aware Of Digital brand management promises to be as dynamic and transformative as the ever-changing digital landscape itself. Staying ahead of the curve requires brands to anticipate and embrace emerging trends that will shape how they connect with their audiences. By understanding these future trends, you can position your brand to thrive in an increasingly competitive and fast-paced environment. Looking ahead, several trends are poised to shape the future of digital brand management: AI and Automation: The integration of artificial intelligence and automation technologies will streamline brand management processes, enhance personalization, and optimize customer experiences. Sustainability and Social Responsibility: Consumers are increasingly prioritizing brands that demonstrate environmental and social responsibility. Brands that embrace sustainability and social causes will resonate with socially conscious consumers and drive brand loyalty. Voice Search and Conversational AI: The rise of voice search and conversational AI will transform search engine optimization (SEO) strategies and redefine how brands interact with consumers, requiring adaptation to new search paradigms and voice-enabled experiences. Mastering digital brand management is essential for businesses striving to thrive and succeed. By understanding its definition, recognizing its importance, adhering to best practices, navigating challenges, and embracing future trends, businesses can cultivate a strong online presence, forge meaningful connections with audiences, and propel their brands to new heights in the digital realm. Interested in learning how a DAM system can enhance digital brand management? Check out this blog post. Related Articles Glossary What is Media Asset Management? Read more What a DAM good read! Fuel your DAM knowledge by browsing our Resource library Build My DAM Knowledge
DAM Knowledge Choosing a DAM for Higher Education: 5 Key Tips Organizing digital files is difficult but crucial for higher education institutes. Try these 5 tips when choosing a DAM for higher education. February 20, 2025 Carlie Mason Director of Growth Marketing 5 min read When it comes down to it, choosing a DAM for higher education institutes can be a daunting task. Finding and implementing a solution that truly fits your needs is imperative to your success. We break down 5 key steps for schools to follow when searching for a DAM solution. Higher education institutes have the difficult task of marketing to an audience about arguably the most important and emotional decision of their lives. Whether they’re attending school for the first time, or heading back to improve their skill set, selecting a school is often knitted tightly with an individual’s educational values and personal goals. In this competitive market, colleges and universities across the world compete for all levels of funding and to gain the attention of prospective new students. But, to stay ahead in this industry, organizations need to optimize their marketing strategies and messaging to create long-lasting connections with potential students. In this blog post, we’ll cover: Why higher education institutions need DAM How to choose a DAM Why MediaValet is the right DAM for higher ed Why Higher Education Institutes Need a DAM Building emotional connections through marketing today requires the use of powerful visuals to grab the attention of prospective students, and this leads to an accumulation of digital files. Without managing these digital files, your organization can experience several challenges that will ultimately hinder your marketing efforts, and reduce the effectiveness of campaigns. Many schools store their marketing and promotional content across departments, which can cause bottlenecks due to IT departments or digital teams being solely responsible for filling requests for the entire institution. Other, often smaller-sized schools, hold each department individually responsible for storing, managing, finding, and sharing assets. With this storage strategy, staff often spend excessive amounts of time searching for content that is stored on individual hard drives, and, in some cases, is never found. Even when your assets are systematically managed on hard drives, local files, or even an outdated digital asset management (DAM) system, there’s often uncertainty about which versions are the most up-to-date and who has permission to use which assets for what purpose. This becomes a bigger problem when schools have tens of thousands of faculty members, staff, students, and partners with various needs, rights, and access levels. Without a permissions & controls structure, all groups potentially have access to assets that they shouldn’t be using. For many institutions with multiple users, providing access to the most current assets becomes a very sticky problem. Choosing a DAM for Higher Education – 5 Tips for Success As colleges start creating overwhelming amounts of content, they often start looking for a digital asset management solution but quickly find themselves overwhelmed by the process of choosing a DAM vendor. After working with other organizations that have suffered similar pains, we wanted to share these 5 tips that will make choosing a DAM for your higher education institute much easier: 1. Learn the needs of your future users When you’re dealing with an organization that’s made up of dozens of departments, offices, and groups and hundreds of individual users, it makes sense to systematically map out all potential uses and understand which permission levels are needed. Typically, marketing teams handle the “management” of the DAM and require admin access and training to make the most of the DAM system. Other individual academic departments and university offices will require more controlled permissions that ensure they use the most up-to-date assets. Some schools also benefit from allowing public access to the DAM system, encouraging individuals to upload images from campus events and fundraisers, or downloading the school’s logo and other brand material. When choosing a DAM you need to ensure all of these functions are accounted for from the start. The University of Windsor achieved major success with a MediaValet DAM that’s used daily by almost 40 people. Read more about it here. 2. Hold meetings dedicated to planning a DAM initiative Holding a series of planning meetings that define and strategize on the DAM initiative is the best way to ensure that all users are accounted for. Although it can be near impossible to meet with every possible DAM user, in the past our customers have nominated representatives from each department and/or location to represent them on a DAM committee to ensure their needs are heard and tended to. This process provides an informed understanding of the needs of everyone across the entire school and allows you to set up your DAM in a way that will accommodate everyone. The University of Wollongong laid out a list of requirements that led them to choose a MediaValet DAM, since implementation, their initiatives have gone from strength to strength. Read more about it here. 3. Build a list of requirements When planning a DAM initiative, it’s best to write out and prioritize a list of technology, security, and user interface requirements. Universities and colleges vary widely in structure, so not every school will be using the DAM solution in the same way. For large institutions, it may be necessary to choose a DAM that’s cloud-based and can provide access to public users in addition to department representatives, with relevant permissions for each group. Some other schools won’t need public access but will require all departments and offices to have the same high-level access. Each scenario is completely dependent on each school’s strategy and workflow. When you start with a clear list of requirements, you’ll more likely select a DAM that will work over the long haul. It also doesn’t hurt to structure your list in a hierarchy, so you know which items should hold more weight in the decision-making process. 4. Consider the cloud The cloud is taking over, but some organizations are nervous to pick up this growing trend. There are often many fears that come with adopting a cloud-based solution – number one being security and number two being ownership. Won’t assets stored in the cloud be more susceptible to piracy? And does a school set itself up for asset loss by turning control over to an outside vendor? There are a number of concerns regarding the cloud, but lots of organizations in higher education are making the switch and suggesting others do the same. Emory University uses a MediaValet DAM to keep up with the demands of its 40 schools, academic units, and healthcare partners, without compromising on security. Read more about it here. 5. Schedule a DAM demo Finally, every one of our customers in higher education (and other industries) has felt that they benefited from demoing several DAM solutions. This is not just because a demo will allow you to “try before you buy,” which is certainly one component, but because DAM vendors function incredibly differently. Sitting through a demo will not only give you a sense of the product but will also give you a sense of the company that will be on the other end of your new tech solution. This is the group that will be there when you need additional services when a new group of users needs training, and when you need help with your metadata structure. Not only will a demo allow you to get a sense of the product itself, but it will also help determine whether the company and its style of customer service is a fit for your organization. For a full breakdown on how to best choose and buy the right digital asset management system for your organization, read this complimentary guide: The 2024 DAM Buying Guide. Why MediaValet is the Right DAM for Higher Education Institutions According to the 2024 DAM Trends Report, MediaValet’s higher ed users: Achieve ROI in less than 18 months (92%) Save money on asset creation (80%), and Cut time searching for assets in half (54%) If you’re currently in the market for a new DAM or hoping to elevate your digital asset management system to a cloud-based DAM we would love to help you on your journey. In higher education, where securing future students depends on making deep and lasting connections, each and every marketing, advertising, and outreach campaign has to get it right. By taking the time to implement a well-thought-out DAM solution, your organization can keep your brand consistent across campus campaigns and ensure your audience only comes into contact with approved and up-to-date visual products. Want to know more about whether MediaValet is the right DAM for you? Get a demo here to find out! Related Articles DAM Knowledge DAM vs CMS: How Are They Different? Read more DAM Knowledge The Essential Guide to Digital Asset Management Workflows Read more DAM Knowledge The Beginners Guide to Building a DAM Taxonomy Read more DAM Knowledge Understanding DAM User Roles Read more What a DAM good read! Fuel your DAM knowledge by browsing our Resource library Build My DAM Knowledge
Marketing How DAM Helps Marketers Improve Content Marketing Strategy Discover how DAM helps marketers improve content marketing strategy, boost brand consistency, and improve workflow efficiency. February 14, 2025 Nuala Cronin Content Manager 3 min read A comprehensive content marketing strategy has become essential for brands looking to engage their audience, build brand awareness, and drive conversions. However, managing the growing volume of digital assets—images, videos, infographics, and documents—can be overwhelming. Without an organized system in place, marketing teams waste valuable time searching for assets, struggle with brand consistency, and experience inefficiencies in collaboration. This is where Digital Asset Management (DAM) comes into play. A DAM system streamlines content organization, enhances team collaboration, and ensures brand consistency across all marketing channels. In this blog post, we’ll explore how DAM helps marketers improve their content marketing strategy and maximize the impact of their digital assets. What is Digital Asset Management (DAM)? A DAM system is a centralized platform designed to store, organize, manage, and distribute digital assets efficiently. It serves as a single source of truth for marketing teams, ensuring that every asset is easy to locate, version-controlled, and ready for use. Key Features of DAM: Centralized Storage: Keep all digital assets in one secure, easily accessible repository. Advanced Search and Metadata Tagging: Find assets quickly using AI-powered search, metadata tags, and filters. Version Control: Maintain a history of changes and prevent outdated assets from being used. Collaboration Tools: Streamline approval workflows and feedback loops. Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly connect DAM with content management systems (CMS), customer relationship management (CRM), and marketing automation tools. How DAM Enhances Content Marketing Strategy 1. Streamlines Content Creation and Distribution Creating and distributing content efficiently is a challenge for many marketing teams. A DAM system reduces the time spent searching for assets by making them easily accessible to all stakeholders. Enables quick retrieval of images, videos, and documents. Provides direct integrations with marketing tools for seamless content publishing. Ensures assets are formatted correctly for different distribution channels. 2. Ensures Brand Consistency Across All Channels Brand consistency is crucial for building trust and recognition. However, inconsistent branding often occurs when teams use outdated or unapproved assets. DAM enforces brand guidelines by storing approved templates, logos, and images. Controls access to assets to prevent unauthorized modifications. Enables automated updates to assets across all marketing channels. 3. Improves Collaboration and Workflow Efficiency Marketing campaigns often involve multiple team members, agencies, and stakeholders. DAM streamlines collaboration by offering workflow automation and version control. Facilitates easy sharing and approvals within teams. Reduces the need for long email threads and file transfers. Provides automated notifications for content updates and approvals. 4. Enhances Content Repurposing and Reuse Repurposing existing content can maximize return on investment (ROI) while reducing production costs. DAM allows marketers to quickly find and repurpose high-performing content. Offers tools for resizing and adapting assets for different formats (e.g., social media, presentations, blog posts). Tracks asset usage and performance to identify successful content. 5. Boosts Content Performance Through Analytics Understanding how content performs is key to optimizing future marketing strategies. DAM systems provide analytics and insights into asset usage and engagement. Tracks which assets are used most frequently and in which campaigns. Identifies gaps in content and areas for improvement. Provides data to justify content marketing investments. Future Trends: The Evolving Role of DAM in Content Marketing The future of DAM is evolving with advancements in AI and automation. Some key trends include: AI-Powered Search & Tagging: Automating metadata tagging to improve asset discoverability. Personalized Content Distribution: Using DAM to dynamically deliver personalized content based on audience preferences. Increased Integration with Marketing Tech Stacks: Seamless connectivity with CRM, CMS, and other martech tools. As content marketing continues to grow, DAM will become even more essential for marketers looking to optimize their strategies. Why Marketers Need a DAM System For marketing teams looking to scale their content marketing efforts, a DAM is a game-changer. It enhances efficiency, ensures brand consistency, improves collaboration, and provides valuable insights into content performance. By leveraging a DAM platform, marketers can focus on creating high-quality, impactful content without the headaches of disorganization and inefficiencies. Ready to take your content marketing to the next level? Explore how a DAM system can transform your content marketing strategy. See the MediaValet DAM in action here! Take a tour of MediaValet Related Articles Marketing The Ultimate Guide to Content Proofing (Tools & Process) Read more Marketing Project Management and DAM: 4 Reasons Why They’re Better Together Read more Marketing Leveraging DAM for Marketing Asset Management Read more Marketing Top Challenges in Marketing Operations & How to Overcome Them Read more Let's have a DAM good time Meet with one of our product experts. Book a demo
Shopping For a DAM On Premise vs. SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) In this post, we address the difference between on premise vs. SaaS platforms, and how to decide which is right for you. February 7, 2025 Nuala Cronin Content Manager 4 min read Choosing between on premise vs. SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions is a critical decision for organizations. It’s important to understand the differences between each solution and how each option could optimize operations, security, and budget. This article delves into the key differences between these two deployment models, providing insights to help you make an informed choice. In this blog post, we’ll address the need for on premise vs. SaaS platforms. Be sure to also read Part 2, where we discuss the difference between on premise vs cloud DAM. Understanding On Premise vs. SaaS Solutions What’s the difference and why is it important? These represent the two primary deployment options for buyers and each has its own criteria for suitability. On Premise Solutions: These involve installing and running software on the organization’s own infrastructure and servers. The organization is responsible for managing the entire process across setup, implementation, and maintenance, including purchasing IT infrastructure and employing IT staff to upkeep systems and troubleshoot errors. SaaS Solutions: SaaS is a cloud-based software delivery model where applications are hosted by a third-party provider and accessed by users over the Internet. Unlike on-premise solutions, there’s no need to install or maintain the software on in-house servers—everything is managed by the cloud provider, including updates, security, and scalability. Key Differences Between On Premise vs. SaaS Systems 1. Implementation and Accessibility On Premise: Implementation requires purchasing and setting up hardware and software on-site, leading to longer deployment times. Accessibility is typically limited to within the organization’s network, potentially necessitating VPNs for remote access. SaaS: Implementation is generally simpler, with applications accessible via web browsers, eliminating the need for extensive hardware setup. This model supports remote access, enabling users to work from anywhere with an internet connection. 2. Cost Structure On Premise: Involves significant upfront costs for hardware, software licenses, and ongoing maintenance. Organizations are also responsible for infrastructure upgrades and IT personnel expenses. SaaS: Operates on a subscription-based model, reducing initial expenses. The provider manages maintenance and upgrades, often resulting in a lower total cost of ownership. 3. Scalability On Premise: Scaling requires additional investment in hardware and infrastructure, which can be time-consuming and costly. SaaS: Offers flexible scalability, allowing organizations to adjust their usage plans as needed without significant investments. 4. Maintenance and Support On Premise: The organization’s IT team is responsible for all maintenance, updates, and troubleshooting, necessitating a dedicated support structure. SaaS: The provider handles maintenance, updates, and support, freeing internal IT resources for other tasks. 5. Security and Compliance On Premise: Offers greater control over data security, which can be beneficial for organizations with stringent compliance requirements. SaaS: Providers implement robust security measures and comply with industry standards, but organizations must trust third parties with their data. Making the Right Choice On Premise vs. SaaS Platforms The decision between on premise vs. SaaS solutions depends on various factors, including budget, scalability needs, IT resources, and security considerations. Organizations seeking control and customization may prefer on premise solutions, while those prioritizing flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and ease of access might opt for SaaS. By carefully evaluating these aspects, businesses can select a deployment model that aligns with their strategic objectives and operational requirements. Let’s break it down for you with the example of a DAM system. An on premise DAM solution is installed on your organization’s hardware and is managed, maintained, and updated by your IT department. Your internal IT team will also be responsible for all support, along with the research and implementation of any new features. On Premise DAM Platform An on-premise solution is most suitable for organizations that: require specific integration needs, have IT bandwidth and expertise to manage the system and associated activities, have resources to set up customizations, are equipped with sufficient hardware to meet scaling needs, and can support regular backups. An on premise DAM tends to be costlier, as it requires hardware and regular dedicated support from the internal IT department to manage the system. In addition, organizations that implement an on premise DAM will be responsible for backups. Because of this, there will almost always be capacity underutilization that results in a higher total cost of ownership than a flexible cloud-based model offers. It’s also important to consider the needs of the departments who will use the system. Communication between Marketing and IT, for example, may prove to be challenging as each group has its own processes and working styles. Marketing may have issues highlighting the challenges they experience or logging requests that are in the proper format and terminology for the IT team to understand and produce. SaaS DAM Platform A SaaS DAM solution is hosted in the cloud by a service provider and typically includes a set-up fee and a monthly or yearly subscription fee that corresponds to the storage and user requirements of each organization. SaaS DAM features are usually configurable, but not customizable. The provider is responsible for storage, updates, and back-ups, meaning there are no internal hardware or software requirements for the buyer. It’s important to highlight though, that the DAM is not completely hands-off for the organization, and requires on-going management that includes branding; setting up keywords, metadata, taxonomy; and being diligent with organization and routine cleanup. A cloud-based solution is most suitable for organizations that: employ geographically-dispersed creative teams that communicate and work on shared assets, require the ability to scale asset storage and users on-demand, do not want to strain IT resources, and/or desire specialist support. Which One is Right for You? A shorthand way of determining whether an on premise vs. SaaS solution is more suitable for your company is to gauge where your priorities lay on the three ‘Cs’: Cost Customization, and Complexity. Generally speaking, an on premise solution is higher in all three. Reviewing your current set up and understanding your priorities in these terms will help you with this foundational DAM decision. To learn more about DAM and considerations for enterprise companies, download our eBook “The DAM Buying Guide“. Related Articles Shopping For a DAM Why DAM is Crucial During Mergers and Acquisitions Read more Shopping For a DAM PIM vs DAM: Are They Better Together? Read more Shopping For a DAM Building a Business Case for DAM: The 6 Step Guide Read more Shopping For a DAM The Best Digital Asset Management Platform for your Organization Read more What a DAM good read! Fuel your DAM knowledge by browsing our Resource library Build My DAM Knowledge
Shopping For a DAM On Premise vs. Cloud DAM: Which is Right for Your Organization? Discover the pros & cons of on premise vs. cloud-based DAM. Compare security, cost, & AI features to choose the right DAM for your business. February 6, 2025 Nuala Cronin Content Manager 5 min read Digital Asset Management (DAM) is an essential tool for organizations looking to store, organize, and distribute digital content efficiently. However, one of the most critical decisions businesses face when implementing a DAM system is choosing between an on premise vs cloud DAM solution. Each option has distinct advantages and drawbacks, and the right choice depends on an organization’s infrastructure, security needs, budget, and scalability requirements. Previously, we’ve discussed the difference between on premise and SaaS solutions. But this article explores the differences between on premise and cloud-based DAM systems in much more detail. We cover their benefits and limitations, and how to determine the best DAM fit for your business. What is Digital Asset Management (DAM)? A Digital Asset Management system helps organizations manage their media files, including images, videos, documents, and design files, in a centralized location. By implementing a DAM, businesses can improve workflow efficiency, enhance collaboration, and ensure brand consistency across marketing and creative teams. On Premise DAM Explained What is an On Premise DAM? An on premise DAM solution is hosted on a company’s internal servers and managed by its IT team. This approach requires a dedicated infrastructure and ongoing maintenance but offers maximum control over data and security. Advantages of On Premise DAM: Complete Control and Customization ✅ Full Data Control: Organizations maintain complete ownership of their digital assets, ensuring sensitive data remains within company infrastructure. ✅ High Customization: On-premise solutions can be tailored to specific business needs, including integrations with proprietary systems. ✅ Compliance & Security: Companies in regulated industries (e.g., finance, healthcare) may prefer on-premise DAM to comply with strict data protection laws. ✅ Predictable Costs: One-time licensing fees eliminate recurring subscription costs, making long-term budgeting easier. Disadvantages of On-Premise DAM: Costly and Limited ❌ High Upfront Costs: Requires a significant initial investment in hardware, software, and IT personnel. ❌ Complex Maintenance: Internal IT teams must handle software updates, security patches, and system troubleshooting. ❌ Limited Accessibility: Employees may need VPN access to retrieve assets remotely, reducing efficiency for distributed teams. Cloud DAM Explained What is a Cloud DAM? A cloud-based DAM is hosted by a third-party provider and accessed via the internet. This option offers greater flexibility, scalability, and ease of use compared to on-premise solutions. Advantages of Cloud DAM: Flexibility and Scalability ✅ Remote Accessibility: Users can access assets from anywhere, making it ideal for remote teams and global organizations. ✅ Automatic Updates: The DAM provider handles software updates, ensuring users always have the latest features. ✅ Lower Upfront Costs: Cloud solutions operate on a subscription-based model, reducing initial infrastructure expenses. ✅ Scalability: Businesses can adjust storage and user access as needed, accommodating growth without significant IT investments. Disadvantages of Cloud DAM: Internet Dependence ❌ Ongoing Subscription Costs: Monthly or annual fees may add up over time. ❌ Dependence on Internet Connectivity: A stable internet connection is required to access and manage digital assets effectively. Want to see a cloud DAM in action? Check out our free MediaValet guided tour here: Take a tour of MediaValet On Premise vs. Cloud DAM: A Feature Comparison Feature On Premise DAM Cloud DAM Initial Cost High Low Customization Extensive Limited Security High (internal control) Secure, but third-party managed Accessibility Limited to internal network Accessible from anywhere Scalability Requires additional investment Easily scalable Maintenance IT team responsible Provider handles updates As AI-driven tools continue to evolve, cloud DAM solutions increasingly leverage machine learning and automation for asset tagging, metadata enrichment, and advanced search capabilities. These innovations improve efficiency and usability, making cloud DAMs an attractive option for organizations looking to enhance productivity with minimal manual effort. AI Features in Cloud DAM AI FeatureDescriptionFace RecognitionIdentifies individuals in images and videos, making it easier to search for specific people across assets.Smart Image SearchUses AI to analyze image content, allowing users to find images based on visual elements rather than file names.Auto Tagging & MetadataAutomatically assigns keywords, categories, and metadata to assets, reducing manual effort and improving searchability.AVI (Video Intelligence)Extracts metadata from video files, generating transcriptions, detecting objects, and enabling advanced video search. Why Move from On-Premise to Cloud DAM? As organizations continue to scale and adapt to an increasingly digital-first world, many are shifting from on-premise DAM systems to cloud-based solutions. Here’s why businesses are making the switch: 1. Cost Efficiency On premise DAM requires significant upfront investments in hardware, IT infrastructure, and ongoing maintenance. Cloud DAM operates on a subscription-based model, reducing capital expenditures while providing predictable operating costs. Learn more about digital asset management pricing here. 2. Enhanced Accessibility & Collaboration Cloud DAM enables remote teams to access assets from anywhere, supporting a globally distributed workforce. Real-time collaboration tools allow multiple users to work on and review assets simultaneously, streamlining workflows. 3. Automatic Updates & Maintenance On premise systems require dedicated IT teams to manage software updates and security patches. Cloud DAM providers handle all updates and maintenance, ensuring users always have access to the latest features without additional IT overhead. 4. Scalability & Storage Flexibility Expanding an on premise DAM requires additional hardware, leading to costly infrastructure upgrades. Cloud DAMs offer scalable storage options, allowing businesses to increase capacity as their digital asset library grows without hardware limitations. 5. AI-Powered Features & Automation Many cloud DAM solutions integrate AI-driven tools like auto-tagging, facial recognition, and video intelligence (AVI) to enhance searchability and organization. These automated features reduce manual asset management efforts, increasing efficiency and productivity. 6. Security & Compliance Cloud providers invest heavily in security measures, offering data encryption, redundancy, and compliance with standards like SOC 2, GDPR, and ISO 27001. On premise solutions rely on internal security teams, which may lack the resources to implement the same level of protection. 7. Faster Implementation & Integration Deploying an on premise DAM can take months due to hardware setup and software customization. Cloud DAMs offer faster implementation and seamless integration with existing MarTech stacks, project management tools, and content distribution platforms. Organizations That Have Chosen Cloud DAM Many organizations have successfully transitioned to cloud-based DAM solutions, leveraging its scalability, AI-powered features, and accessibility. Here are a few examples: US Naval Institute (USNI): USNI implemented a cloud DAM with on-site archiving to preserve historical assets while ensuring easy remote access. Their solution allows for seamless content retrieval while maintaining long-term storage security. Read more. The Chosen: The Chosen leverages AI-powered features like Face Recognition and AVI (Video Intelligence) to streamline content management and enhance video searchability. Their cloud DAM supports efficient media organization and automation, improving overall asset utilization. Read more. How to Choose the Right DAM for Your Business To determine the best DAM solution, consider the following factors: Security & Compliance: Do you operate in an industry with strict data regulations? On premise DAMs offer tighter control over data, whereas cloud DAM providers invest heavily in security compliance, including GDPR and SOC 2 certifications. MediaValet scores as the most secure DAM on the market with a 99/100 rating from SecurityScorecard. Budget: Are you prepared for a significant upfront investment, or do you prefer a subscription-based model? Cloud DAMs provide a pay-as-you-go model, while on-premise DAMs require substantial initial capital but may reduce long-term costs. Scalability Needs: Do you expect your digital asset library to grow significantly over time? Cloud-based solutions offer on-demand scalability, allowing for increased storage and users without major infrastructure upgrades. IT Resources: Can your IT team manage updates and security patches, or do you prefer a managed service? Cloud DAM providers handle maintenance and updates, reducing internal IT workload, while on-premise DAMs require dedicated IT support. Collaboration & Accessibility: Do remote teams or external partners need access to your digital assets? Cloud DAMs enable seamless remote access with role-based permissions, whereas on-premise solutions may require VPN access and additional configurations. AI & Automation: Do you require advanced AI-driven tools for asset management? Cloud DAMs increasingly offer AI-powered features such as auto-tagging, smart search, and facial recognition, streamlining asset organization and retrieval. Final Steps Choosing between an on premise vs cloud DAM solution depends on your organization’s priorities, security needs, and budget. While on premise DAM provides full control and customization, it requires significant investment and maintenance. Cloud-based DAM, on the other hand, offers flexibility, remote access, and lower initial costs but may come with ongoing subscription fees. Ultimately, the right solution will align with your business goals, operational requirements, and future growth plans. Ready to explore the best DAM solution for your organization? Book a demo with MediaValet today to see how our DAM platform can help streamline your digital asset management processes. Related Articles Shopping For a DAM Why DAM is Crucial During Mergers and Acquisitions Read more Shopping For a DAM PIM vs DAM: Are They Better Together? Read more Shopping For a DAM Building a Business Case for DAM: The 6 Step Guide Read more Shopping For a DAM The Best Digital Asset Management Platform for your Organization Read more Let's have a DAM good time Meet with one of our product experts. Book a demo
Design The Best Creative Conferences to Attend in 2025 Looking for a conference to attend this year or next? We’ve put together a list of some of the top creative conferences to attend in 2025. January 30, 2025 Jeffrey Bates Creative Director 6 min read The digital universe is evolving with astonishing speed. More and more creative teams are becoming accountable for managing the brand, resources and supporting a multitude of digital channels with visual content. One of the best ways of keeping up with the latest trends, best practices, and solutions is selecting a few conferences to attend, and dedicating a few days to intense learning and networking with peers. Here, we’ve put together a list of some of the top creative conferences to attend. Let’s get to the list! North American Creative Conferences Content Marketing World September 15 – 17, 2025 // San Diego, CA Content Marketing World runs both workshops and sessions over the course of three full days. Presented by Content Marketing Institute, its the go to conference for marketers, strategists, creators, agencies, and teams from around the world. Join in the fun and hear from speakers across myriad industries and organizations like The Onion, JP Morgan, and Zillow, to name a few. MediaValet is attending this year – come by our booth (505!) to see how we can serve your content marketing needs, or even just to say hello! Register for Content Marketing World here. Advance tickets are available until September 14 and onsite ticket sales are available from September 15 – 17. Adobe Max October 26–30, 2025 // Los Angeles, CA Being one of the largest creative conferences in North America, Adobe Max hosts 12,000 attendees and offers over 300 sessions, labs, workshops, and more. Whether you attend to perfect your skills, meet your favorite designers, or explore trends in future design, Adobe Max has something for everyone! Join your fellow graphic designers, illustrators, videographers, web and UX designers, photographers, and creative directors by registering to attend the conference! You can subscribe to the Adobe Max newsletter here to be updated on registration and you can check out their previous Adobe Max sessions on-demand here! Note: You can save US$600 when you sign up by April 30, 2025 to be notified when registration opens in May. South by Southwest (SXSW) March 7–15, 2025 // Austin, TX The Austin-based South by Southwest is not just a conference – it’s an extravaganza! Incorporating media, design, technology, and music, this event draws attendees from all over North America and is known for being one of the most influential events of the year. SXSW allows you to learn, explore, and connect in new ways with design. Between the dynamic talk sessions, screenings, showcases and design exhibitions, be prepared to leave inspired. Creative Pro Week June 2 – 6, 2025 // Phoenix AZ, and Online Taking place in Washington DC, CreativePro Week is known as one of the world’s most effective “How-to” conferences, providing sessions about layout, editing, illustration, design, production, and more! No matter if you’re just starting out or are an expert in your craft, this conference will provide the opportunity to improve or learn about design programs, see what trends are coming down the pipe, and build industry connections. Bonus! Creative Pro Week offers virtual conference passes, where you can receive access to all sessions, handouts of speaker presentations, attendee-only chat forums, and more. Note: There is early bird pricing until April 7, 2025, and if you’re a CreativePro member you get even more of a discount. Sign up for membership here. International Design Conference (IDC) September 10–12, 2025 // Austin, TX Organized by the Industrial Designers Society of America, IDC – International Design Conference is a “landmark” event that has been three years in the making. Though dates haven’t yet been announced, it will be taking place in Austin, Texas. At IDC, no matter your design background, you will have the ability to connect with fellow designers and spark discussions around common design challenges and themes. Is your creative team spreading itself thin across the entire organization? In 2025, it doesn’t have to be like that. Mindcamp 2025 dates TBA // Port Elgin, Canada Mindcamp is a top choice for creatives who want to learn! This conference is like a university boot camp as it offers 5 days of courses focused on personal, professional, and organizational creativity. In addition to learning, Mindcamp offers music, dialogue sessions, and fun evening events. Seattle Interactive Conference (SIC) 2025 dates TBA // Seattle, Washington The Seattle Interactive Conference is great for creatives that can’t help but be fascinated by data and technology. SIC explores and celebrates the intersection of technology, creativity, and industry. It puts a spotlight on how data and technology can help creative teams make better, more intentional choices while celebrating the beauty of creative thinking. Each year, about 5000 creatives and 30 keynote speakers join this Seattle-based conference. Circles Conference September 22 – 26, 2025 // Grapevine, TX This three-day Circles Conference is tailored for designers, techies, and creators as it focuses on design, illustration, creative direction, and UX design. With numerous guest speakers and workshops on art/creative direction, web and digital design, user experience, illustration, and more you’ll leave with a fresh spark of passion for your craft. Covering a variety of topics such as finding your creative identity, logo creation, and choosing change-making clients, there are endless learning opportunities. Not only that, this event is based in Grapevine, (just right outside Dallas), and is a breeze to get to! Brand New Conference October 23-24, 2025 // Pittsburgh, PA A deviation from the famous UnderConsideration blog, Brand New Conference focuses on corporate and brand identity. This conference made our list, as you can expect it to be like its blog, which focuses on redesigns and new designs of some of the most influential brands in the world. With guest speakers attending from across the globe, this event will include a variety of sessions offering different perspectives, and experiences from different design environments. Tickets are on sale here. Note: Presale tickets are available until May, 2025. Creative Works May 1 – 3, 2025 // Seattle, Washington Creative Works is perfect for creatives who have the desire to make things better. This conference aims to help you break through barriers, and help you become the designer you have always wanted to be. With a handful of guest speakers who are offering their knowledge, stories of success and failure, and practical tips, you’ll leave inspired and ready to improve your craft. UK and Australia Creative Conferences Future of Branding Week SOLD OUT // London, England Future of Branding Week is the perfect choice for creatives, strategists, or anyone who is passionate about branding. Attend and learn about how leading brands in London are disrupting the industry by using new channels and evolving technologies. With mini-workshops, round-table discussions, studio visits, and more, you’ll be sure to get a taste of some of the most influential agencies in the world. Melbourne Design Week May 15 – 25, 2025 // Melbourne, Australia Melbourne Design Week is Australia’s largest annual international design event and entails innovative and engaging projects are presented over an 11-day program. It covers a range of design mediums including graphic design and offers various workshops, tours, talks, exhibitions, and screenings. Make Your Events This Year Count Planning your own event or conference? Learn how a DAM can enhance your operations. Are you doubling down on events this year? A digital asset management system (DAM) can be extremely valuable for keeping your content organized while planning and executing events. Learn how bb Blanc use their MediaValet DAM to transform their live events and improve their client’s experience. Or, check out this post to see how using a DAM can significantly improve your event planning and boost the overall performance of your events from start to finish. Related Articles Design What is a Rendition? Read more Design 3 Requests That Are Slowing Down Your Creative Team (and Easy Fixes) Read more Design The Benefits of Digital Asset Management for Video Read more Design Building a House: UX and UI Explained Read more What a DAM good read! Fuel your DAM knowledge by browsing our Resource library Build My DAM Knowledge
Security The Most Common Online Security Threats to Businesses in 2025 Discover the most common online security threats businesses face in 2025 and learn how to protect your digital assets with the right DAM. January 29, 2025 Nuala Cronin Content Manager 5 min read In 2025, online security threats continue to evolve, posing significant risks to businesses of all sizes. Cybercriminals are developing more sophisticated attacks, exploiting vulnerabilities in digital infrastructure, and targeting sensitive data. With global cybercrime damages expected to exceed $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, businesses must stay ahead of these threats to protect their digital assets, maintain customer trust, and ensure regulatory compliance. This guide explores the most common online security threats in 2025 and provides actionable steps to help businesses strengthen their cybersecurity defenses. The Most Common Online Security Threats 1. Malware Attacks What It Is: Malware (malicious software) is a broad term covering viruses, ransomware, spyware, and worms that infiltrate systems to steal or corrupt data. Real-World Example: The LockBit 3.0 ransomware attack in 2024 compromised thousands of organizations, demanding multi-million-dollar ransoms to restore access to critical data. How to Prevent It: Use advanced endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions. Keep software and operating systems up to date. Train employees to recognize suspicious downloads and email attachments. 2. Phishing Attacks What It Is: Cybercriminals impersonate trusted entities (such as banks or vendors) to trick employees into divulging sensitive information via email, SMS, or voice calls. Real-World Example: In 2024, a major U.S. healthcare provider lost $22 million due to a phishing scheme where attackers gained access to patient records. How to Prevent It: Implement AI-driven email filtering systems to detect phishing attempts. Conduct regular employee training on identifying phishing scams. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to protect login credentials. 3. Ransomware Attacks What It Is: Attackers encrypt a business’s data and demand ransom payments in exchange for restoring access. Real-World Example: The ALPHV ransomware group targeted a financial firm, disrupting services for thousands of clients and costing the company millions in recovery efforts. How to Prevent It: Maintain offline backups of critical data. Employ zero-trust security frameworks. Regularly test incident response plans to ensure rapid recovery. 4. Denial-of-Service (DoS) & Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attacks What It Is: Attackers flood a company’s servers with traffic, causing downtime and service disruptions. Real-World Example: A 2024 DDoS attack on an e-commerce giant led to hours of website downtime, resulting in millions in lost revenue. How to Prevent It: Utilize cloud-based DDoS protection services. Deploy rate-limiting and traffic filtering solutions. Implement content delivery networks (CDNs) to absorb malicious traffic. 5. Zero-Day Exploits What It Is: Hackers exploit undiscovered vulnerabilities in software before developers can patch them. Real-World Example: The CVE-2024-9999 vulnerability in a widely used enterprise CRM tool was exploited, exposing customer data before a patch was released. How to Prevent It: Keep all software and applications updated regularly. Engage in bug bounty programs to uncover vulnerabilities early. Deploy intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS). 6. Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks What It Is: Attackers intercept communications between two parties to steal sensitive information. Real-World Example: In 2024, a financial services company suffered a MitM attack, exposing customer transaction data to attackers. How to Prevent It: Use end-to-end encryption for all data transmissions. Implement secure Wi-Fi protocols and VPNs. Enforce strict authentication measures for online transactions. 7. Insider Threats What It Is: Employees, contractors, or business partners with access to sensitive systems intentionally or unintentionally cause data breaches. Real-World Example: A disgruntled ex-employee leaked customer databases, leading to severe reputational damage. How to Prevent It: Implement role-based access control (RBAC). Monitor user activity with behavioral analytics. Establish strict data access policies. 8. Cloud Security Threats What It Is: Data stored in the cloud is vulnerable to misconfigurations, account hijacking, and data breaches. Real-World Example: A major cloud storage provider suffered an API misconfiguration, exposing millions of customer records. How to Prevent It: Conduct regular security audits of cloud configurations. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for cloud access. Use data encryption for cloud-stored files. The Importance of Protecting Your Digital Assets As digital assets become the foundation of business operations, their security is paramount. A breach can lead to financial losses, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties. Businesses must implement robust DAM solutions to ensure data security, efficient organization, and seamless collaboration. Why Digital Asset Management (DAM) is the Best Solution A DAM system provides a centralized, secure repository for all digital assets, ensuring: Access control: By defining who can view, edit, or share assets, businesses can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access and potential data leaks. Role-based permissions ensure only authorized users can interact with sensitive files, enhancing compliance with data security regulations. Version control: Unauthorized modifications or accidental deletions can disrupt workflows and impact brand consistency. With version control, businesses can track asset changes, revert to previous versions, and ensure that teams always work with the most up-to-date content, preventing costly errors and inefficiencies. Advanced security protocols: DAM systems utilize enterprise-grade encryption, secure authentication processes, and audit trails to monitor asset usage. These security layers protect businesses from cyber threats such as ransomware, phishing attacks, and insider breaches, ensuring the integrity of digital assets. Digital Watermarking: Digital assets are frequently at risk of unauthorized use or distribution, particularly in industries like media, marketing, and research. Digital watermarking embeds invisible, trackable watermarks within assets, allowing businesses to trace unauthorized distribution, identify leaks, and enforce copyright protections. This advanced security measure acts as both a deterrent and a method for holding violators accountable. Disaster recovery and backup: Cyber threats such as ransomware attacks can render critical files inaccessible. DAM solutions offer automatic backups and disaster recovery plans, ensuring that businesses can quickly restore assets without suffering operational downtime or data loss. Secure cloud-based access: With remote work and global collaboration becoming the norm, businesses need a way to securely store and share digital assets across teams and locations. DAM systems, particularly those built on robust cloud platforms, provide scalable, secure access to assets from any device while maintaining strict security controls. Why MediaValet is the Most Secure DAM MediaValet is designed with enterprise-grade security, making it the safest choice for digital asset management. In fact, SecurityScorecard rates MediaValet as the most secure DAM on the market. Here’s why: SOC 2 Type II & ISO 27001 certified: MediaValet has a robust suite of compliance certifications that underscore our commitment to excellence. Our high compliance standards, including our SOC 2 Type II certification, ISO 27001 certification, GDPR compliance, and adherence to over 90 global regulatory standards means businesses can confidently handle sensitive data, knowing that we meticulously adhere to regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA, and PIPEDA. Cloud-based with Microsoft Azure security: Built exclusively on Microsoft Azure, MediaValet leverages the strongest encryption and AI-powered threat detection. Built on Microsoft Azure, MediaValet is the premier choice for security-minded organizations. Microsoft Azure leads the industry with 60+ data regions, offering the most extensive global infrastructure security among cloud providers. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) & SSO: MediaValet streamlines access to the DAM by seamlessly integrating existing credentials through a unified login, bolstered by advanced single Sign-On (SSO) and Multi-SSO Options ensuring only authorized users can access sensitive files. Automatic backups & disaster recovery: MediaValet guarantees an impressive 99.9% service uptime keeping your assets safe even in the worst-case scenario. Forensic Watermarking Technology: MediaValet’s Forensic Watermarking is powered by Steg.AI. The technology will embed a unique, invisible, and unremovable identifier onto your image, GIF, PDF, or video. This not only protects intellectual property by reduces the risk of asset leaks and manipulations, and empowers teams to track any potential leak. Investing in a MediaValet DAM means your assets are protected with cutting-edge security measures, giving your business the confidence to operate without risk. Related Articles Security Prioritizing DAM Security from the Start: Addressing this Common Oversight in Vendor Selection Read more Security Digital Rights Management Explained Read more Let's have a DAM good time Meet with one of our product experts. Book a demo
DAM Knowledge The Guide to DAM Software Use Cases and Emerging Trends Discover the latest and future trends in DAM software through real-world use cases from leading organizations. January 22, 2025 Nuala Cronin Content Manager 5 min read These days, digital content is beyond important. Its become the backbone of communication, marketing, and operations for businesses across every type of industry. Every day, organizations produce and manage a growing number of digital assets—ranging from product images and videos to design files and documents. These assets are critical for building brand identity, supporting campaigns, and driving engagement across multiple platforms. But implementing DAM software is the key to managing these assets effectively. By centralizing and streamlining asset management, DAM systems empower organizations to efficiently manage their content libraries while ensuring consistency, collaboration, and security. Whether you’re part of a marketing team or an IT department, understanding DAM software is key to unlocking your organization’s full potential. What Is Digital Asset Management Software? Defining DAM Software: At its core, a digital asset management system is a centralized platform that stores, organizes, retrieves, and distributes digital assets. It serves as a comprehensive solution for managing all forms of digital content, providing users with a structured way to control and access files while ensuring they are stored securely and are easy to locate. Types of Assets Managed by DAM A DAM system can handle a wide variety of digital assets, making it a versatile tool for diverse industries. Common asset types include: Images: High-resolution product images, logos, marketing graphics, and photography. Videos: Promotional videos, training materials, tutorials, and advertisements. Documents: PDFs, presentations, whitepapers, and reports. Design Files: Adobe Creative Cloud files, CAD designs, and other specialized formats. These assets often exist in different formats and versions, and a DAM system ensures they are well-organized, easy to access, and up-to-date. Integrating DAM Software with the Broader Content Ecosystem To maximize efficiency, organizations integrate DAM with existing software solutions, including marketing automation platforms, cloud storage solutions, and product information management (PIM) systems. This integration ensures that assets remain up to date, properly categorized, and accessible without disrupting existing workflows. Seamless integration also enhances productivity by reducing manual asset transfers and ensuring real-time collaboration between departments. DAM software doesn’t operate in isolation. Instead, it integrates seamlessly into an organization’s broader content ecosystem. DAM systems enable smoother workflows, better content distribution, and improved collaboration across teams. See how MediaValet integrates with different software here: Wrike Adobe Creative Cloud Contentful Google Drive and More! What are the Key Use Cases for DAM Software? Marketing and Advertising Campaigns Marketing teams rely on DAM software to manage assets for campaigns across social media, email, print, and web. By providing a centralized repository, DAM ensures that teams can quickly access the assets they need and maintain consistency across all channels. The Chosen – Enhancing Global Marketing with AI-Powered Face Recognition and AVI For the globally renowned television series The Chosen, managing and distributing high volumes of digital content across multiple markets was a challenge. By leveraging MediaValet’s DAM platform with Face Recognition and AI Video Indexing (AVI), The Chosen was able to quickly categorize and tag assets featuring specific cast members, ensuring that marketing teams could locate and repurpose footage efficiently. This AI-powered approach significantly streamlined content retrieval, allowing for faster campaign execution and seamless global distribution. Read The Chosen’s full DAM story here. Content Localization For global organizations, content localization is a major challenge. DAM systems simplify the process by storing localized versions of assets and enabling teams to easily manage translations and region-specific content. ACAMS – Improving Remote Team Collaboration with Custom User Groups ACAMS, a leader in financial crime prevention education, required a streamlined way to manage multilingual training materials across dispersed teams. By implementing custom user groups in MediaValet’s DAM, ACAMS enabled regional teams to access only the assets relevant to their markets while maintaining global brand consistency. This improved collaboration, reduced content duplication, and ensured that localized assets were efficiently managed and distributed. Read ACAMs full DAM story here. Regulatory Compliance Industries like healthcare and finance face strict regulations around content storage and usage. DAM systems ensure compliance by providing secure storage, detailed audit trails, and controlled access. UCSF – Strengthening Compliance with Associated Assets As a leading medical institution, UCSF required a DAM solution to manage digital assets while ensuring compliance with strict healthcare regulations. By utilizing MediaValet’s associated assets feature, UCSF was able to link related documents, consent forms, and media files, ensuring that teams always had access to the necessary regulatory documentation alongside the corresponding content. This streamlined compliance processes and improved audit readiness. Read UCSF’s full DAM story here. Educational and Promotional Materials Higher education institutions use DAM systems to organize and distribute learning materials, from lecture recordings to campus promotional videos. University of Tulsa – Empowering Creative Independence The University of Tulsa faced challenges in managing the high volume of creative asset requests for academic and promotional purposes. With MediaValet’s Templating powered by Marq, creative teams gained direct access to a well-organized library of approved digital resources, reducing dependency on the Marcom Team and enabling faster content creation. This newfound creative independence allowed the university to produce high-quality content more efficiently. Read The University of Tulsa’s full DAM story here. Product Management Manufacturing companies use DAM software to manage product catalogs, technical specifications, and instructional guides, ensuring that these materials are easily accessible to sales teams and distributors. HYTORC – Ensuring Accessibility and Consistency with Access Permissions HYTORC, a global leader in industrial bolting systems, needed a DAM solution to manage a vast library of product images, technical manuals, and training videos. By implementing access permissions in MediaValet’s DAM, HYTORC ensured that sales teams, distributors, and marketing professionals could easily locate and use the most up-to-date assets. This eliminated inconsistencies, improved internal efficiencies, and enhanced the overall customer experience. Read HYTORC’s full DAM story here. What does the Future of DAM Look Like? As technology evolves, DAM systems are becoming even more powerful. Already an essential tool for organizations seeking to optimize content workflows and improve brand consistency, DAM software is evolving to empower teams to expand on the types of assets managed, ensure compliance across industries and utilize evolving AI capabilities. AI and DAM Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing asset management with features like auto-tagging, Face Recognition, and AI-powered search capabilities that streamline content retrieval. AI-driven workflows are also enhancing efficiency by automating approvals, optimizing metadata tagging, and detecting duplicate assets, saving teams valuable time and effort. Video Management and DAM Another major shift is the increasing use of DAM for video management and distribution. With video content dominating digital platforms, organizations require robust solutions to store, organize, and share high-quality video assets seamlessly. Advanced DAM platforms now offer features such as AI-powered video indexing (AVI), automated transcription, and adaptive streaming to improve content accessibility and engagement. These capabilities help brands maintain a competitive edge by ensuring that video content is easily searchable, well-organized, and efficiently distributed across channels. Security, Compliance, and DAM Additionally, accessibility and compliance are taking center stage, ensuring that DAM platforms cater to diverse teams and meet global standards. Industries such as healthcare, government and finance, which handle sensitive information, rely on DAM solutions to meet strict regulatory requirements like HIPAA and SEC compliance. This ensures that digital assets are properly stored, accessed securely, and tracked for audit purposes. Organizations in regulated industries rely on secure DAM software to enforce governance policies, maintain audit trails, and manage rights and permissions effectively. As AI, video management, and secure accessibility continue to grow in importance, DAM software will only become a more and more critical component of asset management, offering a more intelligent, automated solution that keep pace with the demands of modern business operations. Want to see one in action? Check out the free, self-guided tour of a MediaValet DAM here! Take a tour of MediaValet Related Articles DAM Knowledge DAM vs CMS: How Are They Different? Read more DAM Knowledge The Essential Guide to Digital Asset Management Workflows Read more DAM Knowledge The Beginners Guide to Building a DAM Taxonomy Read more DAM Knowledge Understanding DAM User Roles Read more
Product What is a Digital Watermark and Why is Digital Watermarking Software Important? Learn what a watermark is, the importance of and best practices for watermarking assets and how MediaValet's forensic watermarking safeguards your digital assets. January 22, 2025 Clare McVeigh Product Marketing Specialist 7 min read In the realm of digital asset management, it’s crucial to understand what a watermark is, and how to use digital watermarking software to protect your digital assets. We aim to define watermarking, and explain how MediaValet’s Forensic Watermarking is a key aspect to securing your assets and your brand. The creation of high-quality visual content, for any organization, is a significant investment in both time and money. The entire process—from brainstorming to photoshoots to graphic design—drains valuable resources. Even when working with an agency, it can take up to one month to complete an infographic from start to finish (and cost a couple of grand). When organizations leave their digital assets unprotected, they can face serious implications, including asset misuse, brand depreciation, and legal fines. Additionally, with the number of resources being spent to create original content, plus the repercussions of misuse, it’s shocking that some companies aren’t protecting their assets with the watermark security feature. Once you’ve got a handle on watermarks, how they work, and why they’re so integral to your digital asset management solution, you’ll be able to safeguard those valuable assets and increase ROI. What is a Digital Watermark? First things first – what is a watermark? A watermark is an image, overlay, or text that’s placed over a digital asset. Usually, the image will be monochromatic and transparent, to enable others to still view the asset. Why are Digital Watermarks Important? It’s important to secure your assets with watermarks in order to protect content and claim ownership. Without watermarks, your valuable digital assets can be susceptible to content theft or unauthorized use. The top three benefits of watermarking include: Brand Consistency – Watermarking protects your assets and helps to keep your brand safe, eliminating the risk of them being misused. Watermarks can provide clarity when assets are meant to be viewed, but not shared. Asset Protection – Watermarks are used to protect images and visual files from being stolen and used or altered without the owner’s permission. Increased ROI – Watermarking increases the ROI on these valuable investments by keeping them protected and ready for use, secure distribution, updating, or repurposing. It only makes sense that increasing ROI is a top priority for any organization spending an ever-increasing amount of time and money on visual content. Watermarking helps to achieve two goals in increasing the value of your assets: it ensures that they are only being used in approved on-brand campaigns, and it protects them from being stolen or altered, which increases the longevity of their use. Watermarking should be an important part of your overall digital asset security strategy. How to Properly Watermark Photos Before explaining how to properly watermark your photos, you need to know when to watermark your photos. Any photos that the company owns or visual assets that have been created should be watermarked. The best time to watermark your photos is before they are shared on a network or the internet. Depending on your tech stack and what you’re using to watermark photos, there are different processes. Here are three examples of solutions that allow you to make watermarks on certain kinds of assets. Microsoft Word – Has the capabilities to add either a simple or custom watermark to a word document. Follow these simple steps to learn how. Adobe Acrobat – To add, replace or update a watermark to a PDF, Adobe offers step-by-step instructions. MediaValet – Instead of applying a watermark overlay, MediaValet protects your assets from misuse by generating watermarked renditions of all your image assets, ensuring asset originals are protected from unauthorized access via screenshots, right-clicking and saving, and web scraping. When dealing with your valuable brand assets, it’s best to choose a digital watermarking software solution that is effective and user-friendly. You want the best, most secure solution for watermarking. Digital Watermark Examples Some simple watermark ideas include using the company logo, a copyright statement, or a website link. Without proper protection, organizations that invest time and resources in producing original content risk their assets being used by others, potentially impacting business opportunities and revenue. While usually unintentional, the unauthorized use of assets can deteriorate your brand, spread misinformation, or even have legal implications. Digital Watermarking Software Best Practices While it’s easy to add a watermark using various online tools, not all are created equal. When you’re looking to properly watermark photos, not every online service offers the same level of watermark security. Here are two important considerations when choosing a third-party vendor to apply a watermark: 1. Digital Watermarks Prevent Web Scraping Although it’s easy to overlay a watermark on an asset, either manually or through an online service, it often isn’t the best option to keep the asset truly secure. While the watermark is visible and may deter a portion of people from trying to claim the photo, it’s still very easy to snag an image via web scraping. With web scraping, users “scrape” data from websites including contact information, text, images, and video. It’s typically used for a variety of business functions, including price monitoring, market research, and website migrations, but individuals can (and do) use web scraping for personal gain. Example You upload a batch of new images to your photography website, using CSS and HTML coding to overlay a watermark on top of the images. Using web scraping, a visitor grabs your photos (without the watermark) and posts them as their own work on a photography marketplace. How to Address It The best way to protect your assets from web scraping is by creating another rendition of the asset, with the watermark embedded within. When the watermark is embedded rather than overlayed on top of the asset, web scraping is unable to separate the two, keeping your assets safe. 2. Digital Watermarks Restrict Cropping and Editing If your embedded watermark isn’t intrusive enough the image could be usable with simple modifications. If your watermark is very transparent, or only present in a small portion of your image, it can easily be removed via cropping or basic editing. Example You share a collection of assets with franchisees of a fast-food chain, so they can build their own customized regional marketing materials. Each asset contains a watermark in the bottom right-hand corner. The franchisees then need to get their designs approved by your team before you provide the un-watermarked assets. Using a cropping tool, one of the franchisees removes the watermark and releases unapproved marketing material. How to Address It While you want your asset to still be easily viewable, it’s equally as important to keep them secure. The ideal watermark is 30-70% transparent and covers a significant portion of the asset. Forensic Watermarking Explained Forensic watermarking technology deters the improper or unauthorized use and distribution of digital assets like images or videos. At MediaValet, protecting our clients’ assets has always been a core component of our product. We’ve always prioritized security, but Forensic Watermarking can further secure and protect the digital assets that your organization creates. MediaValet’s Forensic Watermarking is powered by Steg.AI. The technology will embed a unique, invisible, and unremovable identifier onto your image, GIF, PDF, or video. In fact, our watermarking technology has the ability to stamp every single frame of a video and even works on screenshots taken from the DAM. As one of the only DAM solutions with forensic watermarking capabilities, we’re truly excited to bring this new feature to market! But, why should you care? Let’s delve into how forensic watermarking can protect your assets, and your business. The Key Benefits of Forensic Watermarking 1. Watermarks Ensure Intellectual Property Protection and Legal Support It’s in your best interest to protect your digital assets. In the instance of a breach of your assets, having watermarks embedded within digital files can assist in identifying the source of the leak or infringement. In the case that your assets are shared without consent, having watermarks embedded in your assets can provide valuable evidence in cases against copyright infringement. 2. Watermarking Enables Ownership Verification Watermarking provides a reliable method for establishing ownership of digital assets. It enables content creators or rights holders to assert their rights and establish legal proof of ownership in case of disputes or copyright infringement. Whether your assets are being created in-house or by a contractor or partner, you can implement forensic watermarking to protect the interests of your employees and your business. 3. Watermarking Assets Facilitates Deterrence and Detection Watermarking your assets is the easiest way to discourage unauthorized use or distribution or potential copyright infringers. Your copyrights are better protected, and theft or misuse is better deterred when those with access to your assets are aware that their actions can be traced. How will MediaValet Forensic Watermarking Enhance your DAM? Reduce Asset Leaks and Manipulations MediaValet’s Forensic Watermarking integration enables users to securely distribute assets. Users can ensure that their assets are protected and limit unauthorized usage when sharing with external clients and vendors. Vendor Specific Identifiers The new integration enables users to create unique watermarks for every vendor or client. This will empower them to easily track any leaked asset back to the source and inevitably prevent future leaks. Ease-of-Use and Time Saving Our Forensic Watermarking is easy to use and only takes minutes to execute. The automated watermarking process will reduce user errors, allows users to safely distribute protected assets, and save your team valuable time. MediaValet leads the charge when it comes to building a valuable product for our users. We take your security seriously, and the evolution of our product is always with users’ front of mind. Interested in seeing a MediaValet DAM in action? Check out the self-guided tour here! Take a tour of MediaValet We know that understanding what a watermark is and implementing digital watermarking techniques are key to safeguarding your digital assets, and we make it easy for you. To find out more about Forensic Watermarking or to find out if a MediaValet DAM is the right choice for your digital asset management needs, reach out to a rep now! Related Articles Product 3 Use Cases for Custom Category Permissions Read more Product How Our New UI Makes Asset Management a Breeze: Introducing the New MediaValet Experience Read more Product Cloud Digital Asset Management: Definition, Benefits, and More Read more Product Video Content Management Systems (CMS) Explained Read more Ready to see what the DAM hype’s about? Meet with one of our product experts Book a demo
