4 mistakes with your DAM metadata to avoid

11th July 2022

You might not realise it, but you're interacting with metadata on a regular basis.

Ecommerce websites, photo libraries and even Netflix search results use metadata to provide accurate results based on what you're looking for.

When it comes to Digital Asset Management (DAM), metadata is crucial.

DAM is all about making it easier to manage, store and find digital assets, but without the detailed classification offered by metadata it's impossible.

Despite the importance of metadata, so many companies don't get it right. To make sure you do, you need to avoid these four common metadata mistakes.

1. Not having clear goals at the start of the project

What are your metadata requirements and what are the goals of your metadata project?

Metadata management isn't a set-and-forget activity. Regularly re-evaluating your metadata as you become more familiar with your DAM system will mean it's as effective as possible.

However, unless you have a clear picture of what you're trying to achieve, it's impossible to identify issues.

Clearly defined, measurable objectives are essential, and will inform the entire metadata management process.

2. Not taking the time to define what metadata you need

The potential for categorising your assets with metadata is endless - but that doesn't mean the metadata itself should be.

If the options for defining assets are too broad you won't be able to achieve consistency, and it will be hard to find the assets you need because the search criteria will be so granular.

Instead of allowing for unlimited metadata fields, create a list of between 10 and 20 to get you started. These fields should cover the most important information about your assets, and it can be useful to ask yourself two questions: does this information relate to the asset's usage rights, and will users find this useful when searching?

Don't make the mistake of allowing unrestricted metadata fields to be the reason your digital assets get into a mess.

3. Missing out on the benefits of image syndication

Image syndication is when digital media is re-published by a third-party website.

One of the benefits of putting images or artwork you own the copyright for online is that it can get syndicated, giving the artist or brand exposure, as well as potential search engine optimisation (SEO) opportunities.

However, one of the most common mistakes we see is not including that copyright, website link and author information within the image metadata. This impacts asset management, but also takes away your opportunity to enjoy those benefits. It's also worth noting that it's now possible to enter 320 characters of metadata that can show up in search results.

4. An overreliance on manual metadata inputs

Metadata should make digital asset managers' jobs easier, not harder, but having to enter metadata manually every time an asset is uploaded can be incredibly time consuming.

Some element of manual data entry will probably always be required-at least with current technology-but it's worth investing some time in bringing automation into the process.

One of ResourceSpace's advanced metadata features is AI automated tagging. This recognition tool allows objects, items, faces, places and logos in digital assets to be automatically detected, saving you a lot of time when it comes to asset uploading.

ResourceSpace is a dedicated DAM platform which makes it easy to manage your digital assets and organise your metadata.

To find out more about how ResourceSpace can benefit your organisation, launch your free system below or book a free demo.