27.06.2024 | BJÖRN BAYARD
Digital Asset Management (DAM) has the task of managing and maintaining unstructured data such as images, videos, presentations, graphics, labels, logos, and other media and making it available to all relevant data recipients. This can be an online shop, trading partners such as retailers or online marketplaces, or even the Global Data Synchronisation Network (GDSN).
In order to structure the digital content, DAM solutions offer the option of using metadata and keywords to create a meaningful organisation system that makes it easier to link the media with the associated product data in product information management (PIM).
What media content is maintained in the DAM?
In principle, the task of DAM is to manage all types of media content. In practice, and in particular in the context of industry and retail, this includes:
- Photos. Whether product images or company shots, photos are among the most valuable elements of brand communication. They attract attention and convey the most important values of a company very effectively via the visual channel. For example, a product image of a brand quickly reveals the characteristics with which that brand wishes to be identified. Whether it’s quality or elegance, coolness or trustworthiness, the power of visual language is irrefutable, especially thanks to visually focused sales channels such as Instagram or shop environments.
- Videos. In addition to product photos, video material is also becoming increasingly important. In online shops, many manufacturers are already showing short product videos like a catwalk to convey more information about the appearance and material of a product. In addition, numerous manufacturers and retailers are using platforms such as YouTube to build their brand, inform customers, and communicate company news.
- CI/CD elements. Where possible, each sales channel must be adapted to standardised brand communication in order to promote brand recognition. Even third-party platforms such as Amazon and MediaMarkt offer the option to design product detail pages according to their own CI rules as part of enhanced content. To ensure that important elements like logos, graphics, and diagrams are centrally available, these are also stored in the DAM system.
- Labels. For certain products, such as food, it is important to integrate the labels into the centralised management of relevant media. Strict rules apply to the availability and quality of labels and food labelling, particularly in data exchange between industry and retail in the context of the GS1 GDSN. For manufacturers, this means that only products that also provide this information are sold. Accordingly, a DAM system supports the centralised maintenance of this essential information and content.
There is also content such as presentations or instructions for use that can be stored in a DAM system.
What media content is maintained in the DAM?
In principle, the task of DAM is to manage all types of media content. In practice, and in particular in the context of industry and retail, this includes:
- Photos. Whether product images or company shots, photos are among the most valuable elements of brand communication. They attract attention and convey the most important values of a company very effectively via the visual channel. For example, a product image of a brand quickly reveals the characteristics with which that brand wishes to be identified. Whether it’s quality or elegance, coolness or trustworthiness, the power of visual language is irrefutable, especially thanks to visually focused sales channels such as Instagram or shop environments.
- Videos. In addition to product photos, video material is also becoming increasingly important. In online shops, many manufacturers are already showing short product videos like a catwalk to convey more information about the appearance and material of a product. In addition, numerous manufacturers and retailers are using platforms such as YouTube to build their brand, inform customers, and communicate company news.
- CI/CD elements. Where possible, each sales channel must be adapted to standardised brand communication in order to promote brand recognition. Even third-party platforms such as Amazon and MediaMarkt offer the option to design product detail pages according to their own CI rules as part of enhanced content. To ensure that important elements like logos, graphics, and diagrams are centrally available, these are also stored in the DAM system.
- Labels. For certain products, such as food, it is important to integrate the labels into the centralised management of relevant media. Strict rules apply to the availability and quality of labels and food labelling, particularly in data exchange between industry and retail in the context of the GS1 GDSN. For manufacturers, this means that only products that also provide this information are sold. Accordingly, a DAM system supports the centralised maintenance of this essential information and content.There is also content such as presentations or instructions for use that can be stored in a DAM system.
Product content is the foundation of all product communication
This makes it clear that DAM is an essential component of every product message. Product content always consists of the elements of data and media and thus serves every level of the information needs of potential customers. Effective marketing processes require the disciplines of PIM and DAM to be closely interlinked. This can be achieved by carefully integrating dedicated PIM and DAM solutions or by providing all management and maintenance functions in one and the same product content management system.
Such a basis creates the best conditions for an effective customer approach in every sales channel. Figures show that the use of enhanced content significantly increases sales in online retail. For example, sales are said to increase by 12 to 36 per cent when the product detail pages on retail partners’ platforms are optimised with relevant visual elements and comprehensive product information. Brand manufacturers can therefore use content such as videos, images, product manuals, comparison tables, and many other elements to set themselves apart from their competitors and increase the appeal of their products.
Retail media offers great potential for brands
Enhanced content is a component of retail media – the communication options for brands via retailers. In addition to designing your own product detail page, there are many other ways to present your products in the retail sector in the best possible way. These include, in particular, paid advertising space, for example in the product search. More and more retail companies are establishing new business models with advertising, and the plan is working: In 2023, Amazon is expected to have turned over a total of USD 3.6 billion with retail media alone, which corresponds to an increase of around five per cent compared to the previous year.
As lucrative as retail media is for retailers, the potential for manufacturers is just as great. While retail platforms have always been important multipliers for their own sales activities, competition on these platforms is also extremely high. As in physical retail, your own product is in close proximity to a large number of competing products. The task of standing out in this direct comparison, differentiating oneself from the competition, and capturing important market shares is correspondingly challenging. This is precisely where retail media comes in and offers effective competitive advantages – as long as they are utilised accordingly with perfect product content. The quality of the product content therefore has a direct influence on the effectiveness of the measures and therefore also on the ROA (return on ad spend).
Retail media offers great potential for brands
Enhanced content is a component of retail media – the communication options for brands via retailers. In addition to designing your own product detail page, there are many other ways to present your products in the retail sector in the best possible way. These include, in particular, paid advertising space, for example in the product search. More and more retail companies are establishing new business models with advertising, and the plan is working: In 2023, Amazon is expected to have turned over a total of USD 3.6 billion with retail media alone, which corresponds to an increase of around five per cent compared to the previous year.
As lucrative as retail media is for retailers, the potential for manufacturers is just as great. While retail platforms have always been important multipliers for their own sales activities, competition on these platforms is also extremely high. As in physical retail, your own product is in close proximity to a large number of competing products. The task of standing out in this direct comparison, differentiating oneself from the competition, and capturing important market shares is correspondingly challenging. This is precisely where retail media comes in and offers effective competitive advantages – as long as they are utilised accordingly with perfect product content. The quality of the product content therefore has a direct influence on the effectiveness of the measures and therefore also on the ROA (return on ad spend).
Important features of product content management solutions for industry and retail
The importance of enhanced content in retail brand communication cannot be emphasised enough. Consequently, modern product content management solutions offer connections to the relevant retail platforms on the one hand and user-friendly interfaces for designing and managing enhanced content on the other. With the help of templates, entire product detail pages can be set up and finalised in the central product content management system.
This gives manufacturers complete control over their brand communication in retail and enables them to react particularly quickly in the event of adjustments, changes, or problems.
In order to maximise this potential, comprehensive solutions also have analysis functions that, for example, continuously monitor the conversion rates and therefore the success of product communication on the detail pages in retail. With the help of A/B testing, marketing managers can pursue different approaches and continuously optimise their product content.
Furthermore, integrated validation processes and inspection mechanisms that check the product content against defined criteria are essential for product communication between industry and retail. Any quality problems such as errors, inaccuracies, or inconsistencies inevitably lead to inefficiencies in data exchange. Manufacturers have to correct product information or content and submit it again for approval.
Important features of product content management solutions for industry and retail
The importance of enhanced content in retail brand communication cannot be emphasised enough. Consequently, modern product content management solutions offer connections to the relevant retail platforms on the one hand and user-friendly interfaces for designing and managing enhanced content on the other. With the help of templates, entire product detail pages can be set up and finalised in the central product content management system.
This gives manufacturers complete control over their brand communication in retail and enables them to react particularly quickly in the event of adjustments, changes, or problems.
In order to maximise this potential, comprehensive solutions also have analysis functions that, for example, continuously monitor the conversion rates and therefore the success of product communication on the detail pages in retail. With the help of A/B testing, marketing managers can pursue different approaches and continuously optimise their product content.
Furthermore, integrated validation processes and inspection mechanisms that check the product content against defined criteria are essential for product communication between industry and retail. Any quality problems such as errors, inaccuracies, or inconsistencies inevitably lead to inefficiencies in data exchange. Manufacturers have to correct product information or content and submit it again for approval.
Modern product content management solutions automate this control instance and thus ensure that only perfect product content is communicated to retailers. This increases not only the efficiency of communication processes but also the satisfaction of retail partners.
This increases not only the efficiency of communication processes but also the satisfaction of retail partners.
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Best regards – Björn Bayard