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:

1. 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.
2. Asset Protection – Watermarks are used to protect images and visual files from being stolen and used or altered without the owner’s permission.
3. 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.

1. Microsoft Word – Has the capabilities to add either a simple or custom watermark to a word document. Follow these simple steps to learn how.
2. Adobe Acrobat – To add, replace or update a watermark to a PDF, Adobe offers step-by-step instructions.
3. 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!

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!

There’s a growing pressure on organizations to deliver high-quality content quickly. But ensuring that the content published is accurate is critical for success. The solution? Implementing a robust content approval process and establishing a structured content workflow.

Many teams struggle with inefficiencies in collaboration and feedback management, which can often become bottlenecks in the content creation process.

Using digital asset management software integrated with the right technology is critical to build an effective content proofing workflow. MediaValet Proofing, powered by PageProof, offers a solution designed to streamline workflows, reduce delays, and ensure the timely delivery of exceptional content.

What is Content Proofing and Why is it Important?

Content proofing is the process of reviewing and refining content before it is finalized and distributed. It involves carefully examining assets—whether they are images, videos, documents, or any other type of content—to ensure they meet the desired quality standards and align with brand guidelines. The goal of content proofing is to catch errors, inconsistencies, and areas for improvement, allowing teams to produce polished, high-quality content that resonates with their audience.

The importance of a thorough content review process cannot be overstated. We discuss the costs of disorganized content approval processes here. In a competitive digital landscape, where first impressions matter, the quality of your content is often a direct reflection of your brand’s credibility. Content proofing helps eliminate mistakes, maintain brand consistency, and ensure that your messaging is clear and impactful. Without a thorough proofing process, content can be released with errors or inconsistencies that undermine its effectiveness and damage your brand’s reputation.

Moreover, content proofing plays a crucial role in collaboration. It brings together feedback from various stakeholders, ensuring that all voices are heard, and that the final product meets everyone’s expectations. By providing a structured and secure environment for feedback, tools like MediaValet Proofing streamline this process, making it easier to deliver high-quality content on time.

How to Accelerate Content Production Without Sacrificing Quality

Producing content quickly is essential—but so is maintaining quality. To accelerate content production without sacrificing standards, teams must be well-coordinated, efficient, and equipped with the right tools. Here are some tips to help you speed up your content creation process while ensuring the quality remains top-notch.

Establish Clear Roles and Responsibilities:

A well-coordinated team starts with clarity. Ensure that everyone involved in the content production process understands their role and responsibilities. This reduces confusion, minimizes overlap, and allows each team member to focus on what they do best, leading to faster and more efficient production.

Create a Consistent Workflow:

Consistency is key to efficiency. Develop a standardized workflow that guides your team through each stage of content production, from ideation to final review. A consistent process reduces delays, ensures that nothing falls through the cracks, and helps maintain a steady production pace.

Maintain a Strong Brand Voice:

Speed should never come at the cost of brand consistency. Establish clear brand guidelines and ensure that all content aligns with your brand’s voice and messaging. Regularly reference these guidelines during the proofing process to ensure that every piece of content is on-brand and contributes to a cohesive marketing strategy.

Prioritize Feedback and Approval:

To keep content production moving at a rapid pace, it’s essential to prioritize feedback and approval. Set clear deadlines for reviews, and use proofing tools that provide real-time status updates on each asset. This ensures that everyone stays informed, and potential delays are addressed promptly, allowing projects to stay on track.

Use Collaborative Tools:

Effective collaboration is crucial for accelerating content production. Tools like MediaValet Proofing enable real-time feedback and centralized communication, allowing teams to collaborate seamlessly, even across different locations. By consolidating feedback and approvals within a single platform, these tools help eliminate bottlenecks and keep projects moving forward.

By following these tips and utilizing effective tools like MediaValet Proofing, you can accelerate your content production process while maintaining the high-quality standards that your brand demands.

Introducing MediaValet Proofing

MediaValet Proofing is an integrated feature within the MediaValet DAM, powered by the advanced capabilities of PageProof. This integration allows teams to manage the entire content review and approval process within a secure, centralized environment.

Teams can initiate a content proof from the Proofing tab within MediaValet. They are automatically redirected to the PageProof platform to execute content reviews and approvals.

When an asset is under review with MediaValet Proofing, it remains locked within the DAM until approved, ensuring that content is not used until it has been reviewed and approved. Key features like real-time commenting, markup tools, version control, and a cohesive workflow simplify collaboration, accelerate feedback, and help teams produce high-quality content on time.

Key Features of MediaValet Proofing

Real-Time Commenting and Markup Tools: Collaborators can provide feedback directly on assets in real time, using intuitive markup tools that make it easy to highlight areas that need attention. This immediate exchange of ideas and suggestions helps teams address issues quickly and move projects forward without unnecessary delays.

Version Control: Managing multiple versions of assets can be challenging, but MediaValet Proofing simplifies this with robust version control. Users can easily upload content and compare different versions of a file, ensuring that all updates are tracked and that the final product aligns with the team’s vision.

Secure, Centralized Environment: Security is a top priority in content management, and MediaValet Proofing ensures that all feedback and approvals occur within a secure, centralized environment. This reduces the risk of miscommunication or data breaches, giving teams peace of mind that their assets are protected.

Compliance with Brand Guidelines: A more effective review process helps to ensure consistent brand voice and messaging across assets published to various marketing channels. MediaValet Proofing enables team members to better manage the editing process and in turn, better comply with brand guidelines.

Content proofing benefit #1: Initiate Proofing Directly from MediaValet

Initiating proofing directly from MediaValet simplifies the content approval process, making it easier to establish an effective workflow and improve efficiency. Now, there’s no need to search through emails, chat logs, or other communication channels to find feedback. Click the Proofing tab within MediaValet to directly open the Proofing platform where you’ll find all comments and suggestions on the asset in review, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and that feedback is aligned among stakeholders.

Content proofing benefit #2: Invite External Collaborators

MediaValet Proofing makes it easy to involve external collaborators, such as clients or partners, in the review process. For example, you can invite external collaborators to review a blog post, ensuring it meets all content goals before publication. They can provide feedback directly on assets within the platform, streamlining the review process across teams and organizations. This ensures that all relevant input is captured without the friction often associated with external collaboration.

Content proofing benefit #3: Real-Time Content Approval Process Status

Keeping track of the progress of each asset can be challenging, especially in large projects with multiple stakeholders. MediaValet Proofing provides real-time status updates on each proof. When a proof is initiated, that asset becomes ‘locked’ in the DAM and the status changes to “in review”. DAM users cannot use this asset while it is being proofed. When it’s approved, it changes the status to “approved” and the asset is again usable, ensuring that everyone is informed and that potential bottlenecks are identified and addressed before they become problematic.

Content proofing benefit #4: Version Comparison

Once proofing is done and assets are approved, it’s crucial to ensure that different versions of an asset are easily accessible. MediaValet’s version comparison feature allows users to easily identify differences between versions, providing a transparent record of updates. This simplifies decision-making and ensures that the final product meets all requirements.

Why MediaValet Proofing is Ideal for Growth-Oriented Teams

For teams looking to grow and scale their operations, maintaining secure and organized digital assets is essential. MediaValet Proofing is specifically tailored for such teams, offering a solution that saves time, enhances collaboration, and improves workflow efficiency. By centralizing feedback, simplifying external collaboration, and providing robust version control, MediaValet Proofing helps teams deliver high-quality content faster and more efficiently. Additionally, MediaValet Proofing enhances the content workflow for growth-oriented teams by streamlining the entire content production process. This makes it an ideal tool for growth-oriented teams that need to scale without sacrificing quality or security.

MediaValet Proofing offers a powerful set of tools designed to enhance collaboration, streamline workflows, and ensure the secure handling of feedback. By integrating these capabilities directly within the MediaValet DAM platform, teams can reduce delays, improve communication, and deliver high-quality content on time.

If you’re looking to enhance your team’s workflow and improve your content review process, now is the perfect time to explore MediaValet Proofing. Schedule a demo today or try it out for yourself to see how it can transform your content review and approval process, helping your team deliver better results faster.