Metadata Management Strategies for Marketing Based Digital Asset Management Ralph Windsor, Daydream 21 st January 2010
Overview Problems faced Why this occurs Tactics and practical steps A strategy for managing marketing metadata
The problems marketers face with DAM systems and metadata Garbage In = Garbage Out System implemented without full consideration No allocation of skilled resources for cataloguing Inconsistent, poor and irregular metadata applied Searches unexpected, weird or incorrect Rebellion!
Why do these problems occur? Generic metadata models No awareness of digital asset supply chain No user profiling One size fits all approach to cataloguing Cataloguing interface too complex Embedded metadata under utilised No strategic review
Tactics and practical steps marketers can take Look to continuously Simplify Educate Involve Adopt practices that work with your marcomms operation
Simplify
Tactics and practical steps marketers can take: Simplify Cataloguing Consider the 'Generic' Folder Model Film & Video Health & Safety Children's Entertainment Protective Clothing Cartoons Hard Hats
Tactics and practical steps marketers can take: Simplify Cataloguing Consider the 'Generic' Folder Model Requires understanding of multi-level taxonomies Requires regular user training of structure Requires regular policing if user-administered Risk of duplicating 'shared drive' dumping ground 'One size fits all' may not be best for your business
Tactics and practical steps marketers can take: Simplify Cataloguing Consider the 'Questionnaire' Model
Tactics and practical steps marketers can take: Simplify Cataloguing Consider the 'Questionnaire' Model More readily marcomms-related and meaningful Faster asset cataloguing Requires less user training and policing Easier to maintain metadata consistency Easier to use for searching and cataloguing
Tactics and practical steps marketers can take: Simplify Cataloguing Other considerations for marketing assets Core assets always in use (logos, key staff portraits, etc.) Time critical assets (for product launches, marketing campaigns, etc.) Legacy assets in occasional use (logos from merged businesses etc.) Production assets used by select groups (brand guidelines, etc.) Not all assets are the same
Tactics and practical steps marketers can take: Simplify Searching Do Provide users with several quick and easy search features
Tactics and practical steps marketers can take: Simplify Searching Simple or keyword search Stored user searches Asset collections or 'showcases'
Tactics and practical steps marketers can take: Simplify Searching Don't Force users to use complex or time-consuming search features
Tactics and practical steps marketers can take: Simplify Searching Advanced search closed Advanced search opened
Tactics and practical steps marketers can take: Simplify Searching Dos and Don't s Avoid only providing advanced search features Avoid cool search features without proven need Provide smart and simple keyword search features Provide easy access to popular or key marcomms assets Provide features for users to save their own searches Remember simplicity is the ultimate sophistication (Leonardo Da Vinci)
Educate
Tactics and practical steps marketers can take: Educate Weak Metadata Strong Metadata Project from last year. ABC building development project in Blackfriars, South Bank on river Thames, London. Completed May 2009 for XYZ Corporation.
Tactics and practical steps marketers can take: Educate Educate marketing and creative staff Explain why cataloguing is important Encourage literal as well as brand, project or technical descriptions Think how will my colleagues find this asset?
Involve
Tactics and practical steps marketers can take: Involve Continuously collect user feedback: Focus groups Asset ranking Usage statistics Regularly incorporate feedback to improve metadata and search If the DAM is for marketing ensure marketing are involved!
Conclusion
A strategy for managing marketing metadata: Conclusion Simplify Analyse marketing metadata requirements based on your business Anticipate how the system will be used by marketing staff Educate Educate users for better marketing metadata Continuously train marketing staff to get the most from the system Involve Ensure marketing are fully involved in the DAM system delivery Regularly include user feedback in your strategic process
Continuously Simplify Educate Involve to get the most from DAM for your marcomms operation