Definition: Asset library
What is an asset library?
An asset library is an online repository that helps brands store, source, manage, and share critical digital files. Asset libraries are a great way to store any type of media. People use asset libraries to centralize photos, logos and color palettes, music files, video, text, documents, templates, audio files, animations, and more. Brands use asset libraries to organize their most important digital IP (intellectual property).
Marketers, agencies, photographers, journalists, and other creatives use digital asset libraries to help streamline workflows, mitigate errors, and improve internal and external collaboration. All assets in the digital asset library are easily accessible to the appropriate parties so brands can complete projects more quickly and to a higher standard. A well-managed, centralized asset library is an essential part of a brand’s digital strategy. Digital asset libraries are an integral part of marketing and branding because they allow marketers to access their campaigns from anywhere in the world, with up-to-date information (metadata).
How do asset libraries help brands?
Save time
Who hasn’t racked their brain searching for the location a file was shared? Was it Slack? Email? Google Drive? With a digital asset library, brands can tag and archive digital assets using various criteria, including date, creator, keywords, project name, and more. This means the correct digital files can be sourced in seconds. Less time searching for images means more time to spend on creating great work!
Improve collaboration
When you have several people working on a project, easy collaboration is vital. Using a well-managed image library means every stakeholder internally or externally can be sure they’re working on the most up-to-date file at all times. The digital asset library serves many purposes: It’s an essential platform for sharing updates, offering feedback, tracking progress, controlling and providing access, and publishing files.
Increased security
Cloud-based digital asset libraries are highly secure storage systems, meaning you will always know your important files are safe. You have complete control over access permission, copyright, and usage rights and can easily track and monitor who has been using the files and when. You can even set expiry dates and times, so you don’t have to keep amending permissions over time.
