In the realm of digital storage, most people have heard of the omnipresent entity called “The Cloud.” It cannot be physically touched, but it is everywhere. From your computer or mobile device to The Cloud’s “hands”, users can digitally store everything from pictures, videos, and other files in a designated area. But how does “The Cloud” work? That is where a system called D.A.M. comes into play.
What is Digital Asset Management Software?
D.A.M. or digital asset management utilizes software systems to handles, export, and streamline digital items into one location. Before digital asset management software, in order to have your pictures, audio, and video files organized in one place and easily distributed to other devices, you might have had to purchase or thumb drive (USB flash drive) or a floppy disk (what a throwback!).
( Also Read: What is Digital Asset Management? )
List of Digital Asset Management Software
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Extensis Portfolio
Characteristics: Find digital files through the use of keywords, utilize strong search functions, have mechanized workflows, click and move digital files with ease, carries adaptable formats, on and off-site access, build websites that can sync to your files, and high uploading speeds
Advantages: Quality customer service and offers services to individuals, small, and large businesses
Cost: Although there is a free trial of this software available, users can own Extensis Portfolio at a minimum cost of $2,705. Prices may vary based on need.
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Wrike
Characteristics: Sign documents digitally, Share and work between other workers, manage employee work tasks, get support from home, and available in different time zones
Advantages: Can be used when working from home
Cost: Has a free trial of this software that is available. But, the cost of continued use begins at $9.80 per person/per month for the Professional package, $24.60 per person/per month for the Business package, and to find out the cost of the Enterprise package the vendor must be contacted.
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MyAdBox
Characteristics: Can organize files by labeling them, file library available, files can be shared, design the environment within the software-based around your business brand, also handles metadata, locate files in a search/ filter function, monitor workflow, and utilize analytical/study tools
Advantages: Greatly utilized by large firms and marketing departments looking for more than a place to manage digital files
Cost: Free trial of this software is available but for insight into the costs after the trial, contact the vendor for details
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Uploadcare
Characteristics: Uploaded digital files are safe and is easy to access, simplifies online user involvement, and has high adaptation levels for files needed in different formats
Advantages: Great customer service and easy-to-use interface
Cost: Free trial of this software is available, but the vendor must be contacted for the costs of further use of the service
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Bynder
Characteristics: Has an app version of the service. Provides labeling, storing, and sharing capabilities of digital files, can tailor the interface around your business brand, handles metadata, study/analytic functions, search engine tools, monitor workflow, file adaption capabilities, and management of various versions of the software
Advantages: Able to work with other employees in managing digital files in real-time on a single platform
Cost: Free trial of this software is available but to known about the cost of use after the trial, the vendor must be contacted
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TACTIC
Characteristics: Label, store, and share digital files. Has the ability to change the format of digital files, handles metadata, can be tailored around the brand of your business, monitor workflow, searchability functions, and management of various version of the software
Advantages: Tailored to manage difficult file and workflow organization
Cost: Free trial of this software is offered, but the vendor must be contacted for the cost of further use
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Third Light
Characteristics: Store, label, and share digital files. Has tools to change the format of digital files, handles metadata, the interface can be created around the brand of your business, monitor workflow has searchability tools, and the user can manage various versions of the software
Advantages: Easy to install and great customer service
Cost: Does offer a free trial but has a beginning cost of $6,840 annually. Additional costs for storage, modules, and space needs will apply. Contact the vendor for more details
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Canto Digital Asset Management
Characteristics: App version of the software is available, share, store, and label digital files. Has the ability to change the format of digital files, the interface can be created around the brand of your business, handles metadata, users can manage various versions of the software, has searchability tools, and monitors workflow
Advantages: Tailored to all communication sectors like large company’s marketing team, handlers of the company’s brand, various agencies that have a focus on creating content in order to handle the digital assets and simplify the workflow
Cost: Free trial of the software is available, but users must contact the vendor for prices of further use of the service
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OneDrive
Characteristics: Has the ability to store/share digital content and offers search engine tools to assist in locating digital files
Advantages: Extremely affordable and web-based
Cost: Free trial of this service is offered but has a beginning cost of $6.00 monthly/for every user for further use of the service
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Joomla!
Characteristics: Users can share/store digital content and has a search engine tool to help in locating digital assets
Advantages: Has tools to help users create websites and apps from scratch
Cost: There is no free trial for the use of this service, but the beginning cost is an annual fee of $199
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Sirv
Characteristics: Share, label, and store digital files, handle metadata, supports file changes to fit different formats, has analytic/study functions, and search engine tools
Advantages: Catered to online businesses and domains that need lots of storage for pictures
Cost: With a free trial available, the beginning price for further use of this service is a monthly fee of $19
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Droplr
Characteristics: Handles digital assets through the cloud and sharing tools. Also has a click, move, and drop function for the easy movement of files from place to place
Advantages: Able to send and receive digital files through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter or personally through emails and Instant Message
Cost: A free trial of this software is available, but for further use of service the cost will begin at a monthly fee of $6.00.
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RelayThat
Characteristics: Art design functions for editing, storing, and sharing of photos/images. Also provides templates as a starting base
Advantages: the only mechanized design portal for brand-focused digital advertising, marketing, social, and pay-per-click strategies
Cost: Contact vendor for details
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CoSchedule
Characteristics: Provides labeling, storing, and sharing functions of digital files, allows for businesses to base the interface around their brands, has searching tools for seeking file location, handles workflow, and users can manage various versions of the software
Advantages: Allows for the monitoring of marketing strategies on a single platform
Cost: A free trial is offered with this software, but for further use, the beginning cost is at $40 every month
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Adobe Experience Manager
Characteristics: Has capabilities for labeling and storing digital assets, service is mobile friendly thanks to its app, monitors metadata, has search tools for file locations, provides analytics/study functions, and handles workflow
Advantages: Provides iCloud monitoring functions and is cloud/web-based
Cost: There is no free trial provided. To learn more about pricing, users will have to get in touch with Adobe for details
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WalkMe
Characteristics: Provides storing and labeling functions, has study/analytical tools and monitors workflow
Advantages: Tailored for large organizations like corporations, federal sectors, and big charities
Cost: Contact vendor for cost details
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Cincopa
Characteristics: Provides tools for sharing, labeling, and storing digital assets, the interface is adjustable according to a business’ brand, has search, study, and analytical functions. Plus, it handles metadata
Advantages: Cloud, web, and SaaS (software-as-a-service) based
Cost: The beginning cost for use of this service is $9.99 per month. A free trial of this software is available
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Panopto
Characteristics: Has storage, sharing, and labeling capabilities, changeable interface, has an app platform, handles metadata, provides search, study, and analytic features. Plus, this software monitors workflow
Advantages: Tailored for sharing videos within the educational, sales, and communication industries
Cost: A free trial is provided but the vendor must be contacted for cost information
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Mindmatrix
Characteristics: Has changeable interface functions for business branding, provides labeling, sharing, and storage tools of digital files, can handle metadata, has tools for searching, analytics/studying, and monitoring workflows. This service also allows users to manage various versions of the software
Advantages: Tailored for a variety of industries (Retail, technology, finance, housing, insurance, etc.)
Cost: Must contact vendor for cost information
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Imatch
Characteristics: Has changeable format function for digital files, handles metadata, stores and labels digital files, monitors workflow, has search, analytical, and studying function. Includes management of different version of the service
Advantages: Tailored services for experienced and beginner photographers, independent stock image companies, image storage platforms, researchers, builders, federal and corporate sectors, etc.
Cost: The beginning cost of utilizing this software is a one-time fee of $109.99. A free trial of this service is available
How to Choose the Right DAM Software
- Figure out who your investors will be and what their expectations are
- Know what you want (and what you do not want)
- Remind yourself of the resources that you already have
- Establish reasonable goals and deadlines
- Add IT functions in the beginning stages
- Read the criticisms (both good and bad) to help you decide which service will best fulfill your needs
- Contact the provider for a quote and/or a demo of the service
- Select a service that will work with you, not just one that is an established brand
