We have all heard the expression "Work Smarter, not harder," but how do we put that into practice?
In Marketing, working smarter has often been associated with the idea of upcycling and repurposing content. Looking at ways to make that one, or multiple pieces of great content, work for as many channels as possible and for as long as possible, trying to maximize its shelf life.
But to upcycle, one needs to know exactly what content is available, when it was created, and how it can fit other mediums, verticals, or even audiences. Many marketers face the problem of finding all that is available in a timely manner to be able to use. As a result, many tend to simply create new content when they can’t find something.
Not being able to find what you are looking for has been a challenge for many professionals for a long time. The main problem isn’t just the time spent looking for something, but the hefty price tag of reproducing lost or misplaced content, as well.
Overall, it comes down to how organised one is, and the logic one uses to stay organised.
Imagine a folder structure in a server somewhere, we are all familiar with saving files on a server as an way to work. That same folder structure, thoughtfully put together by someone in the marketing team, might not relate to anyone in the product development team. We all have our own ways of organising files and data; whatever structure works for you, does not necessarily work for others in the company.
Some companies have tried to overcome this by creating folder structures relatable to products and projects or setting robust processes around naming conventions. However, despite our best efforts, human error can always creep in.
Given a choice wouldn’t you prefer your saved files to be easily found and accessed by everyone?
Digital Asset Management solutions have been helping companies around the world fixing this same problem, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now lending a hand.
The latest release of Portfolio includes unlimited Smart Keywords. This is a capability where all digital assets can be automatically tagged with descriptive keywords using AI. Smart Keywords systematically tags a file with the maximum number of variations possible, making it easier to find and search. A smart solution to a tough problem, and who does not want to work smarter?
With Smart Keywords, the return on investment is tangible. In one conversation with a Portfolio customer, he was able as Portfolio admin (and company photographer) to find the assets he needed when he needed them using Smart Keywords. But also his vendors, whom he provided access to his asset catalogs via NetPublish, were able to identify the assets they wanted to use because they could find what was already available with the Smart Keywords that were assigned. This eliminated their need to require separate and unnecessary photoshoots, helping Portfolio pay for itself.
In a video interview to Business Reporter on their Future of Marketing series, Richard Bamford, European Business Director for Extensis, explains the value of DAM and highlights how AI and Smart Keywords are changing the way business store and access their files. In this interview, Richard shows how human logic can be prone to error and how automating metadata of assets using Smart Keywords can bring tremendous benefits to companies.
