Because Experience Matters Above All Else

STEPS TO DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT

METADATA SUCCESS
A GUIDE TO GETTING IT RIGHT
By Cathy McKnight

Sponsored by
A DCG TOOL

DigitalClarityGroup.com | @Just_Clarity
DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT METADATA SUCCESS

This Guide is for all team members

involved in the process of digital
asset management (DAM). Whether 01 02 03
you are a DAM system administrator
responsible for setting up the platform WHAT DEFINE YOUR SOURCING POPULATING
or a marketing director tasked with IS METADATA STRATEGY FOR THE DATA THE DAM WITH
overseeing digital assets and their SUCCESS METADATA
management within the organization,
this guide will provide you with the
information, tips, and checklists for
creating and maintaining an effective
digital asset metadata strategy
and schema.
04 05 06
SETTING UP DEFINING MAKING THE BEST
THE DATA A METADATA MOST OF PRACTICES
SCHEMA METADATA

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 WHY BOTHER? THE BENEFITS OF METADATA METADATA
You may be thinking: we have gotten this far paying almost no attention to Noun; med dād , 'med dad /
WHAT metadata; is it really THAT important? In a word, absolutely! Not having a
' '
A set of data that describes and
IS DAM proper metadata schema and strategy that have been specifically constructed
for your organization and its digital assets can be costly in terms of time and gives information about other

METADATA misused/unused assets. data. In the case of digital asset

management (DAM), metadata

AND Here are just some benefits of even a simple metadata schema: provides context and information
about your digital assets like
WHY SHOULD Increased findability: Tagging digital assets with even just a few basic
metadata fields such as title, keywords, and licensing information can
images, videos, sales collateral,
etc.
I CARE? mean the difference between looking for a needle in a haystack and
finding the asset and picking it up off a library shelf. A defined metadata schema may
include standards and models,
Brand consistency: Metadata helps enforce brand standards by making as well as tactical elements such
the most relevant and recent brand assets easily accessible. as controlled vocabularies and
taxonomies.
Reduced risk: Maintaining administrative metadata enables the tracking
and enforcement of assets’ rights management and lets people know how
and where the file can be used.

Combined, these benefits can add up to large financial savings through gained
efficiencies and fewer licensing infractions (read: litigation and financial
penalties).

© 2017  | [email protected] 2
 TYPES OF METADATA
There are many types of metadata that can be tracked. Examples of metadata fields by metadata type
Here are some examples:

Descriptive metadata includes fields that support the findability of

assets such as keywords, title, file type, etc. Descriptive Administrative

Administrative metadata typically tracks assets’ usage and rights Subject ... Date created Publication status
restrictions of the intellectual property such as licensing details,
expiration dates, geographic parameters, etc. Title ... File type ...

Technical metadata tracks the internal contents Description ... Review date ...

of the digital file.

Process metadata aligns with the workflow and/or status of the project/
job associated with the development of the asset.
Technical Process
Which of these types to use and how much metadata is managed depends
Database ... Approver Project number
on many factors including available time, resources, and DAM system
capabilities. Starting with a small, focused set of fields and then evolving Glossary referenced ... Status ...
to a more complex schema is a great way to instill best practices and good
metadata habits. Table name ... Project name ...

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01
STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS
Like most things, setting a path forward with measured steps and checkpoints
can help you reach a destination successfully. Configuring your DAM system’s
metadata is no different.

1 2 3 4 5
Determine your Understand Identify DAM Understand the What metadata do
DAM business goals your DAM users’ stakeholders. metadata process. you need?
DAM and then consider information needs,
what metadata you and how they access
METADATA: will need to reach assets.
Who will be involved in
creating and maintaining the
Document the “who, when,
and how” of metadata
Define the necessary fields
and how they should be

HOW TO SET those goals.

What information is
necessary or important
metadata, and who will be
relying on it? Consider both
creation and maintenance.
Consider how people
used. There should be a
core set of required fields

UP YOUR How you set up your

organization’s metadata
based on the identified
use cases? How do users
internal (marketing, sales,
etc.) and external (agencies,
manage assets and
metadata today and, where
and a set of optional fields
for all assets.

STRATEGY FOR strategy will be different partners, channel) resources possible, build on existing
typically find or search for
if your focus is simplifying who contribute to and/or positive behaviors and
the assets they need: File
use the assets. processes.

SUCCESS
access to digital assets name? File type? Creator?
compared with facilitating
collaboration between
teams producing creative
and marketing materials.
Identifying use cases can
help define and articulate
the business goals.

© 2017  | [email protected] 4
 METADATA SET-UP CHECKLIST
NAMING CONVENTIONS
Consistency is one of the keys to a successful metadata strategy. Along with DAM business goals align with/
documenting common language, setting a standard for how files are labeled support at least one organizational
and described can exponentially improve the findability and usability of goal.
your digital assets by making them easier to identify and evaluate in search
results. Typically, both File Name and Description metadata field names Consider current and potential
DAM users to be included in the
are free text entry fields, making it even more important that there be
discovery process.
standards for users to follow.

The following is an example of what the naming convention Consider current and potential
for a campaign asset might look like: DAM users to be included in the
discovery process.
Description
DAM metadata processes are as
Naming convention Campaign Name, Creative, Asset Type, Asset Size, Language simple as they can be.

Metadata entered Reach for the Stars and Win, Starburst, Digital Banner, 468x80, US English Metadata requirements are
identified as must-have, good-to-
have, or nice-to-have.
File Name
Naming conventions are defined
Naming convention CampaignNameAbbreviation_Creative_AssetType_Size_Language for file name and description fields.

Metadata entered ReachToWin_Starburst_DigBan_468x80_US-EN

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02
Much of the metadata you will want and need may already exist.

SOURCING
THE DATA
Embedded standards such Integrate with other Examine the folder Also, consider the types of
as XMP or IPTC can be solutions like content structure in other assets to be managed by
extracted via specialized management systems repositories or network the DAM system, and how
readers or photo editing (CMS), product information drives for insights into how they are used. Different
software systems. management (PIM) digital assets are currently teams may have the
systems, or other DAMs, organized. information, so ask around
to leverage the metadata and gather what you can to
already in use. save time and effort.

© 2017  | [email protected] 6
 MORE ON STANDARDS GATHERING DATA CHECKLIST

Establish which, if any, embedded

standards exist with current digital
assets.

Pinpoint all official and non-official

digital asset repositories.

Identify common attributes

IPTC Dublin Core XMP
(metadata, folder structure,
file types, etc.) from existing
The International Press and Also known as the Dublin Core XMP is a common metadata repositories.
Telecommunications Council Metadata Initiative or DCMI, was framework that standardizes
(IPTC) created the most widely created in 1995, and is made up the creation, processing, and Consider digital assets managed by
used photo metadata standard of 15 metadata elements that give interchange of digital asset non-marketing teams.
available. Universally accepted structure to digital based resources/ metadata across publishing
among photographers, distributors, assets to make them more findable. workflows. Originally created by Determine if metadata templates
news organizations, archivists, and Adobe in 2001, it is XML compatible already exist.
developers, this schema defines and aligns with the W3 standards.
metadata structure, properties, and
fields, so that images are optimally
described and easily accessed later.

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03
Once you know what metadata you want and where it will come from,
you then need to get it organized and into the DAM system. There are
several tools (many free) that can help with the part of the endeavor.
Metadata creation falls into several categories:

POPULATING
THE DAM WITH
METADATA Templates Mark-up tools Extraction tools
are structured forms that allow users structure the metadata attributes automatically create metadata from
to enter the metadata values into and values into the specified schema an analysis of the digital asset. These
pre-set fields that match the element language. Most of these tools tools are generally limited to textual
set being used within the DAM generate XML or SGML Document resources.
system. The template then generates Type Definitions (DTD).
a formatted set of the element
attributes and their corresponding
values.

© 2017  | [email protected] 8
 It is important to keep in mind that the quality of the metadata extracted from ENTERING METADATA
other systems can vary significantly based on the tools used, as well as the CHECKLIST
content and structure of the source text. Any metadata automatically entered
via a tool should reviewed and edited for accuracy and compliance defined Determine which fields can/will
metadata standards. be automatically populated vs.
manually entered.

Research, identify, and map which

tools (if any) will be used to extract
or convert existing metatdata from
other systems.

Create templates that align with

the metadata schema and asset
types for ease of manual entry.

Conversion tools Manual entry of metadata Smart tags

translate one metadata format to is almost always required to some use machine-learning algorithms
another. The similarity of elements degree. Limiting these fields to automatically add metadata to
in the source and target formats will to controlled vocabulary (drop digital asset files. Image-recognition
affect how much additional editing down list, check boxes, etc.) algorithms can automatically tag
and/or manual input of metadata will significantly improve images with keywords based on
may be required. the consistency and accuracy photo type, certain emotions,
of the metadata entered. animals, popular locations, primary
colors, and more.

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04
After reviewing what metadata is already available, Once common fields have been identified (i.e., file name,
documenting your use cases and stakeholders, and keywords, description), then consider the unique aspects
understanding the available fields and functionality within of the various file types that the DAM will support. Table 1
your DAM solution you can then define your metadata shows some of the more frequently used metadata fields
schema. by asset type. Each supports the findability, consistency,
and clarity of an organization’s digital assets.

Table 1: Commonly used metadata fields by asset type

SETTING UP Metadata Field Asset Type: Images Videos Brand Collateral

Title
THE DATA Description / Abstract

Source: creator, producer, photographer,

designer, outlet, etc.

Keywords

Rights: licensing, etc.

Recommended use

Run time

Copyright

Format

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 Look to existing standards such as Dublin Core and other A WORD OR TWO ON LANGUAGE SETTING UP DATA CHECKLIST
industry or topic related standards for guidance and
Common language: Not everyone using the DAM system Review existing metadata.
suggestions on which fields to choose for your metadata
will speak the same language, literally or figuratively.
schema.
Where a Publisher might refer to an asset shot with a Identify fields by file type.
Your metadata schema will outline whether fields camera an “image” a marketer might call it a “photo”.
are mandatory, recommended, or optional. Have To overcome these potential conflicts, a corporate Identify common fields across
the information populated automatically – file type, lexicon should be developed that identifies the formal file types (rename where it
creation date, etc. – when the file is added to the DAM term, as well as lists commonly used slang, acronyms, makes sense to align values).
system. Then, define fields with controlled vocabulary departmental terms, and abbreviations. These should
via checkboxes or dropdown menu pick lists whenever then be captured in a glossary that is shared and Develop a corporate lexicon.
possible. This will facilitate the process for users as well as accessible to all users.
ensure consistency in the data being entered.

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05
A schema defines the layout and
relationship of, in this case, the
metadata; properties such as
title, description, keywords, etc.
A schema helps to organize and Mandatory Recommended Optional
interpret the information it is
representing. It is the structure, This is the must-have These good-to-have This is nice-to-have
or list of fields, that your DAM information about your details would be information that is not
catalogue will contain. The assets. These fields beneficial to associate crucial, but it wouldn’t
metadata schema pulls out must be completed with the file, but are not hurt to include it.
and identifies what is the most before assets can be essential to finding or

DEFINING important information needed for

the asset to be easily found and
catalogued into the
DAM. What is required
using the file.

A METADATA used properly. may vary by asset type.

SCHEMA There will be potentially hundreds

of criteria available, so grouping
Identifier Subject Language

the potential fields into three core Creator Contributor Alternate ID

buckets can help prioritize what to
Title Date Version
include in the schema.
Publisher Resource Type Rights

Publication Year Related Identifier

Description

GeoLocation

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 Not all metadata fields will be applicable to all digital asset types. Ensure that DEFINING DATA CHECKLIST
the required and optional fields are relevant for the asset type they represent.
Controlled vocabulary within required fields will significantly improve asset Categorized metadata
findability. fields as either Required,
Recommended, or Optional.
Once the schema is defined, the values for the fields can be defined using a
taxonomy (pre-determined terms) or hybrid vocabulary (blend of pre-determined Define values for
terms and open text). Fields can also be open to user entry, but this should Required fields.
be restricted to optional elements where consistency has less impact on the
integrity of the metadata. Create a metadata schema.

Figure 1: Example of a simple metadata schema.

See Appendix B for more detail.

Field Name Description Entry Type Priority Single/Multiple Vocabulary Values

File Name File name Automatic Required Single Open

Keywords Key search terms Text Required Multiple Open

Description SW of file Text block Required Single Open

Expiration Date Valid to us until <date> Date/Time Required Single Open

Owner File owner Text Recommended Multiple LDAP link

Allowed for use with
Brand Use Text Required Multiple Restricted Brand A, Brand B, Brand C, Brand D
identified brands
Rating from 1 to 5 (worst
Rating Number Optional Single Restricted 1,2,3,4,5
to best)

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06
SHARING METADATA BEYOND THE DAM

Describing a digital asset with Having interoperable metadata Having a defined organizational
metadata allows it to be understood based on accepted standards, such lexicon, such as a dictionary,
MAKING by all users – human and machine. As as the XMP framework, allows glossary, and/or thesauri help in

THE MOST OF mentioned earlier, metadata needs for

stakeholders across the organizational
multiple systems to work with the
same set of data and metadata.
the development of interoperable
metadata.

METADATA landscape should be considered,

as should the metadata needs
Efficient and consistent, this
exchange of information is done
and capabilities of other systems. behind the scenes. A shared baseline
Understanding where else in the of metadata helps ensure records
organization metadata is used, and associated with one resource can
how to optimize an organizational- be accessed, accurately interpreted
wide metadata strategy via and subsequently used by a system
interoperability between relevant or integrated with metadata records
systems increases the overall benefits associated with other resources.
of the effort. Interoperable metadata allows
Business systems such as DAMs,
CMSs, PIMs, etc. to easily and
accurately import shared data.
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 ARCHIVING ASSETS OPTIMIZING METADATA
CHECKLIST
Most metadata efforts center around the making recently created resources
more accessible. But metadata is also the key to ensuring that resources will Identify systems (other
survive through systems and format evolution, and continue to be accessible than the DAM) that maintain
into the future. Archiving and preservation require special elements to track relevant metadata.
the history of a digital asset (where it came from and how it has changed
over time), as well as detail its physical characteristics, and to document its Map common metadata fields
behavior to emulate it on future technologies. So be sure to consider these between systems.
elements when developing your metadata schema.  
Rename common metadata fields
to the name field name across
systems where possible.

Capture approved company lexicon

in a corporate glossary/dictionary.

Consider the historical information

of assets in the metadata schema.

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 It takes time and consideration to develop a well-organized and KEY TASK LIST
logical DAM metadata schema and strategy. Here are a few tips to

BEST keep all that hard work paying off. Consult with current and potential
DAM system stakeholders,

PRACTICES Add metadata to the asset when

the file is being uploaded.
Educate contributors and
administrators responsible for
including external resources.

adding metadata about your Define a corporate lexicon,

Use predefined drop-down taxonomy, folksonomy that is
organization’s metadata strategy.
menus for commonly used data brand aligned and reflected in
to prevent inconsistencies. Communicate your metadata the controlled vocabulary of the
requirements to any external metadata fields.
Apply standard naming
vendors; i.e., “Photos must be
conventions for file names and Share the metadata strategy with
submitted with the usage terms,
asset descriptions. others that manage related and/
credit, and location metadata
already added.” or affected systems (i.e.: content
Do not overburden users by
management system).
requiring them to complete too Conduct regular audits to
many metadata fields. Automate ensure metadata is being added Simplify and automate the
field completion when you can properly. execution of the metadata strategy
and where it makes sense. where possible and makes sense.
Hire metadata experts to help
Include asset ownership
get the strategy and schema Enact a governance structure to
and/or credit information
correct the first time. enforce and improve upon the
for identification outside of
metadata strategy’s execution.
your DAM. Remember that consistency is
the key to metadata success.
Maintain copyright and usage
terms for rights-managed assets
to prevent any misuse.
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 APPENDIX A: Many standards available
DUBLIN CORE METADATA ELEMENTS
APPENDIX There are many other standards
(industry and topic based) that can
1. Title: The name given to the resource.
help expand beyond the Dublin
2. Creator: The person or organization responsible for the content. Core. The following are examples of
general standards:
3. Subject: The topic covered.

4. Description: A textual outline of the content. Metadata Encoding and

Transmission Standards (METS)
5. Publisher: Those responsible for making the resource available.
NISO MIX for technical metadata
6. Contributor: Those who added to the content.
on still images
7. Date: When the resource was made available.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) for
8. Type: A category for the content.
networked resources
9. Format: How the resource is presented.
Resource Descriptive Framework
10. Identifier: Numerical identifier for the content such as a URL. (RDF) used for conceptual
11. Source: Where the content originally derived from. descriptions or modeling of web
resources
12. Language: In what language the content is written.

13. Relation: How the content relates to other resources; for instance, Global Information Locator
if it is a chapter in a book. Services (GILS)

14. Coverage: Where the resource is physically located.

15. Rights: Copyright information.

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APPENDIX B:
SAMPLE METADATA SCHEMA WORKSHEET

Field Name Description Entry Type Priority Single/Multiple Vocabulary Values Field Name: The name of the area/field within
the DAM system where the information will be
Example: Widget1 Sales Sheet NA-English
Text Required Single Open entered.
File Name (Product Name – Asset Type – Language)
Description: Leverages the same information
Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled in the file name but presents it in plain English
in accordance with the predetermined naming
Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled
convention.
Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled
Entry Type: Describes how the data will be
Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled
entered (text, numbers, text block, imported,
Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled etc.)

Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled Priority: Identifies whether the field will be
Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled required for the asset to be catalogued into the
DAM system, or if it is recommended or options
Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled (not required for the asset to be saved).
Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled
Single/Multiple: Indicates whether only one
Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled value or multiple values can be entered. This can
also include details of any character limitations.
Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled

Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled Vocabulary: Dictates if the fields will be open
entry or if users will select from a controlled
Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled vocabulary via pre-defined options presented via
Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled a drop-down menu, pick lists, etc.

Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled Values: This field details the options that will be
presented when a controlled vocabulary is being
Optional
Recommended
Required Multiple
Single Open
Controlled
used.

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ABOUT DIGITAL CLARITY GROUP

Digital Clarity Group is a research-based advisory firm focused on the Contact Us

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