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Definition: Media asset management software

What is Media Asset Management Software?

Media asset management software (MAM) refers to the programs and tools that help brands to manage, store, organize and distribute media files and assets. The best media asset management software can handle a variety of asset formats and sizes but it’s more commonly used to manage high-volume video and multimedia files.

What’s the difference between media asset management (MAM) software and digital asset management (DAM) software?

Media asset management (MAM) software is sometimes confused with digital asset management software. Both systems help busy marketers to control content ownership and permissions. Both DAM and MAM make digital assets easy to find, collaborate on, share and publish.

In practical terms, MAM tends to be the tool of choice for companies and teams that work almost exclusively with video files—and need specific video editing features. While most users consider DAM a more versatile tool as it tends to offer the same video management features without being limited to those.

[Pro tip] Check out our blog if you're looking for a solution to scale your marketing video output and, at the same time, manage your video files effectively.

The best features for media asset management (MAM) software

Great file organization and management
Whether you're considering a MAM or DAM for your organization, it's important to rely on a system that allows you to organize and manage your digital files throughout their lifecycle. Advanced search functionalities, the ability to convert into a variety of file formats, and great monitoring and reporting functionalities should all be available.

Designed for the Cloud
Choosing media asset management software that operates in the cloud means your team can access files from anywhere in the world, on any internet-enabled device—including PC, Mac, or mobile. Updates are handled automatically, storage is more cost-effective, it's highly secure, and it scales with your business as it grows.

Integrates with your marketing tools
Try to find a media asset management system that integrates seamlessly within your existing digital ecosystem. This is usually achieved via robust APIs that allow the system within your martech stack to communicate with one another as well as with existing third-party tools and software.

Robust security
It’s important to ensure your digital assets are secure and that you protect yourself against cyberattacks. Therefore, try to choose a MAM that has good levels of encryption, granular permissions and access management, and excellent data storage and protection.