Digital Asset Management

Digital Asset Management or DAM (so many acronyms...) is useful for agencies and photographers alike. DAM is a way of storing, accessing and distributing all of your content assets. It allows the user to manage their digital and media material collection/s.

Ad agencies are hiring digital asset managers to organize and act as a digital librarian for all the agency assets as well as the client assets which include images, videos, contracts, and presentations. It is equally important that photographers, illustrators and artist reps have their own system of asset management with the image information but also including the usage license, talent, location, agency and client information in metadata.

The digital media life cycle goes from raw images and capture to post production and retouching to printing and mass market production to archiving and reuse. How can you keep up with all these versions of your imagery and assets yet maintain some sense of order.... enter digital asset management. It's all about syncing your workflow.

There are external software service hosts that can be hired to manage and maintain your assets. BUT I'm sure most of you are aware this can cost a bundle and for those of you familiar with Lightroom, Photoshop and Bridge (my personal favorite!) these software programs have management functionalities that includes metadata and keyword writing as well as organizing.

I have also read that the following software resources are available for photographers/illustrators:
iView MediaPro
MetaSync
Extensis Portfolio 8
MediaDex
idImager
iMatch
DAMuseful

Manage and protect your creative.

Social Media Optimization - SMO

Social Media Optimization or SMO is quickly becoming a marketing and advertising tool that more clients want and are taking notice of. SMO means generating publicity (whether for a product, a name, etc) through social media and online communities by helping your content travel and increasing your linkage.

We're seeing a rise in social networking sites like Flickr, YouTube, Digg, Twitter, Del.icio.us, Ning and more as well as syndication and RSS driven tools. Blogs are another big source of content sharing. Many photographers and some illustrators are creating their own blogs as a spin off of their traditional portfolio site. It's also a beneficial tool for people like myself to get a better feel about a photographer, their interests, their personal work etc. It's a wise choice to start a blog as another marketing tool for yourself and your work.

Understanding social media and the role it plays in the client's overall campaign can help you win the project. You'll know how your images can be used in this newer media as well as in traditional print media. The great thing about social media sites is people are visual beings... they want to see more images and less words.

It's about leveraging some of the simplest social media tools to connect with one another, engage users and reach audiences in a whole new way. The way we think and share information is changing so that means we have to adjust a little as well.

Global Electronic

On purchase orders many art buyers will have the usage rights for print written out and will also use the term "global electronic". This is usually stated instead of "web" because today the reach of digital includes so many different aspects. Global electronic or electronic media can include but is not limited to traditional websites, banner ads, email, mobile media, digital kiosk and billboards, blogs, postcardware, and games. The term can also sometimes include broadcast, for example using the still images in a viral video. It's best to work with the art buyer or client to spell out and clarify the uses of the intended electronic media.

Interactive and electronic costs are all over the board and vary wildly. It's a good idea, just like for print uses, to have possible electronic uses mapped out. If you're unsure, check out PLUS for usage definitions and license suggestions. Good resource communities are ASMP or ASPP.