Energize your DAM with a semantic network
Tap the energy of a semantic DAM platform PHOTO: Riccardo Annandale Stellenbosch

Every company that markets anything can benefit from digital asset management (DAM). That's a broad statement, but a true one.

From a simple storage solution to a complex global platform, marketers at companies of all sizes can enhance their marketing strategy with some form of asset control.

Selecting the Right DAM

As in every industry, there is a wide gap between what a small business marketer would need and what a large business would find useful. That's why it makes sense to have a variety of DAM options on the market.

One option is a DAM solution with a semantic network. It's as cutting edge as any technology you’ll find in the space. But who is it built for?

What's a Semantic Network?

A semantic network is most easily explained of by imagining a graph.

A graph allows you to interconnect relationships of nodes and arcs by patterning them correctly as opposed to an SQL code.

For example, an SQL code could not intuitively understand that a dog is not only a canine but also has four legs and barks. Dog = Canine, Dog = four legs, Dog = barks would all be written into code, surely.

But what if the dog also likes to chase squirrels and the squirrel runs from the dog? Then the coding would become more complex.

A semantic network understands these relationships and can quickly adjust a relationship based on any scenario.

Semantic Networks = Human Thinking

This graphical coding or semantic network is based on relationships, which is how the human mind is wired as well.

Incidentally, this coding was originally written for artificial intelligence (AI). As a result, a digital asset management tool with a semantic network is built to make marketing projects efficient and intuitive.

As cool as coding is, what does it matter to you if someone spends hours and hours coding every possible scenario and relationship or if the network is able to recognize these relationships on its own?

Let’s take a look at a few of the benefits that you’ll gain by using a semantic digital asset management platform.

4 Benefits of Semantic Networks

Here are four things a semantic network will do for your marketing department.


What’s the single most important thing that a marketer never has enough of? Time.

Marketing is a never-ending process. Whether it’s implementing, planning, creating, strategizing, whatever it may be, time is always lacking.

The last thing a marketer needs is to get hung up on details over where a photo is stored, whether or not it’s legal to use it and whether it’s approved for the campaign.

With a semantic network, assets that relate to any campaign will be available in the repository and easily viewed by the right person, because the relational data will recognize the connections, eliminating a huge hurdle that many marketing departments deal with often.

Project Management

A semantic digital asset management network not only functions as a DAM but also as a PIM, or project information management system.

Since you can assign a person as an asset, a customer or team member, it’s not only easier to track the progress of a project but to track the people who are involved in the project as well.

At the end of the day, it’s the people you’re managing to get the project done, not the other way around.

Resource Allocation

Budgets seem to weigh over every project no matter how small or important. Staying within budget is a fundamental part of a project manager’s job.

With the relationship values a semantic network can assign and the platforms ability to track expenses staying on budget is simplified with the right DAM platform.

Not only does the digital asset management system allow you to more easily track budgets but with the ease of finding the right asset for the right campaign the costs incurred per project based on time allocation will lessen significantly.

A Better Campaign

The fact that every available asset is in one place, easily found, easily trackable and intuitive makes for better campaigns. Marketing departments across the globe can streamline their efforts and connect broad campaigns with local efforts.

Headquarters can efficiently and easily review for approval. Project managers can assign tasks and track the progress in real time.

Mistakes can be fixed with a click of the button. There is no part of the campaign that the relationship coding won’t address behind the scenes and show marketers in real time, which means consistent branding, easier campaign management, and better overall campaigns whether they are local or global.

Evaluating Your DAM Options

Any competitive edge that a marketer can get is intrinsically valuable in today’s business climate.

No matter what kind of marketing department you have the ability to manage content is necessary.

Exact functionality of your DAM will be determined by a lot of variables, but if relational data is important to your needs, then a semantic network will be the right fit for your team.