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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStanding out in the midst of all this traffic is complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The average attention threshold is no more than 8 seconds2<\/sup>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And to position themselves in consumers\u2019 minds, brands in every sector play a constant game of capture the flag<\/em> fuelled by the production of new assets that have to be created, published and organised in the right way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this blog, we have already talked a lot about the amazing growth in the number of contents in circulation on digital channels <\/strong>in recent times. And about the consequences of this for the DAM Platform market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1<\/sup> Internetlivestats.com Nowadays, many agencies and companies are using centralised digital asset storage solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, the importance of the activities involved in the creation and approval of these contents<\/strong> is often underestimated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People tend to overlook falls in productivity caused by an unstructured exchange of feedbacks (via chat or email, for example). No consideration is given to the resources needed to manage different versions of the same file. Nor the time spent approving a content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, minimising the costs of the editorial management of contents is crucial, because guaranteeing the agility of digital assets\u2019 lifecycle increases contents\u2019 ROI<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Basically, if an asset costs me less to manage<\/strong> its overall performances will be better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this to be the case, the following are required:<\/p>\n\n\n\n After defining what a workflow is and providing an overview of possible marketing process management scenarios, we will examine two case studies to illustrate why flexible workflows integrated in digital asset management are crucial for the future of marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But what is a workflow? A workflow is literally a process, a digital flow of work<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In content marketing, workflows are the flows of activities<\/strong> that lead, through collaboration between different teams, to the creation and approval of digital assets<\/strong> such as images, videos, audios or documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether or not they are aware of it, almost all marketers take part in approval processes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But with some differences<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this chart we schematically classify the different modes of collaboration<\/strong> within marketing teams, on the basis of two fundamental concepts: control and flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The win-win<\/em> solution for marketing collaboration also embraces DAM Platforms, which include workflow functions that fit into this last scenario, guaranteeing flexibility and control through assets\u2019 entire lifecycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And this is where the future of marketing<\/strong> lies. In both agencies and production companies<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s take a close look at flexible workflows through two practical case studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Envisage a creative agency that produces images, videos, audios and documents for dozens and dozens of clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On receipt of a brief, its creators get to work to produce digital assets, which must be approved by various roles within the client brand organisations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An approach without workflows complicates the collection of feedbacks<\/strong>, which happens in an unstructured way, making accurate analysis of the progress of activities<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With a rigid workflow, on the other hand, although the activities to be performed are structured and tracked, it is difficult to customise the digital workflow<\/strong> for every single client.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, to add a different approval step or change a rule for establishing whether or not an asset can be considered approved, the marketers have to call in colleagues from the IT area or external consultants who know how to code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For a creative agency, a flexible workflow<\/strong> is important for at least three reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now let\u2019s envisage a multi-brand production company that communicates via various digital channels: web and e-commerce sites, digital catalogue, social media, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this organisation, digital assets are being produced all the time and effective management of workflows is advisable, first and foremost to group together activities that share a common objective<\/strong>. For example, the group\u2019s marketing activities may be organised by brand, with dedicated workflows (such as for new product launches) for each of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This scenario requires structured but flexible digital workflows that enable both in-house teams<\/strong> and external players<\/strong> like photographers or agencies, who need to have access and viewing rights on differentiated workflows, to collaborate and to design new workflows in a completely independent way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here again, flexible management of workflows must be enabled by the DAM Platform<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, if the solution where assets are stored is the same as the one where they are approved and distributed on the final channels, the company will benefit from automatic updating not only of its hub but also of its touchpoints<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In practical terms, for a workflow that has the creation of a visual for a new product photograph as its objective, it can be established that after approval by one or more designated people, not only will the asset be published in the DAM, but it will also \u2013 automatically \u2013 replace the old image already published on channels such as the web and e-commerce sites and digital catalogues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This means that DAM platforms that offer flexible workflow functions are the future of marketing<\/strong>, because they increase productivity and reduce time to market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So it is essential to move beyond a basic DAM system and choose a DAM software<\/a> that also incorporate MRM features, for all-embracing management of marketing resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2<\/sup> Distratti cronici, la nostra soglia di attenzione dura 8 secondi<\/em>, 11 novembre 2020, La Repubblica.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCollaboration as the keystone of digital asset management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The digital DAM workflows<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Marketing process management<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Two case studies for flexible DAM workflows application: agency and company<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Use case #1: why a creative agency needs flexible workflows<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Use case #2: why a multi-brand company needs flexible workflows<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nDAM workflows: a successful and essential combination for digital assets <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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