What is image management?
The definition of image management is the practice of organizing, storing, and distributing digital images – as well as photographs, graphics, and videos – using digital technologies and tools. It involves managing the entire lifecycle of digital images, from creation to archival and retrieval, ensuring better accessibility, security, and quality. Image asset management software is basically another name for the more commonly-used term: digital asset management (DAM). An image management system typically allows you to:
- Store and organize your digital images with a customizable taxonomy for better access and distribution
- Set customizable privacy and copyright usage rights for image files
- Enable tailored access for different departments, partners, distributors, media, and external clients to ensure everyone’s in sync with the newest images
- Protect your images with a branded watermark
- Require users to agree to your company’s terms and conditions prior to download
- Centralize all company images in a branded web portal behind a secure login page
Today’s organizations have huge—and growing—volumes of images and creative files. Without quality image asset management software, it’s difficult to keep track of them all and ensure they’re being used to their full potential.
The best digital image management software solutions are cloud-based, enabling fast findability and sharing of your images, while making sure they’re safely secured. To find out if Bynder is the right solution for your organization, book a demo today.
What are the benefits of online image management?
When managing thousands, or even millions, of graphics and photos, you need to make sure it’s done as efficiently as possible. Find and access images in seconds, not minutes or hours. Advanced search paired with extensive metadata and taxonomy support delivers the exact image files you need.
Likewise, you can share images without the restrictions of email attachments, FTP servers, or expensive overnight deliveries. Just send a download or a direct link to the image and get a download confirmation. Online image management provides the flexibility marketing and creative teams need for efficient collaboration.
There are many other benefits of an image management system, including workflow automation, archiving and backups, usage tracking, e-commerce integrations, and more. All-in-one image library software centralizes your images and eliminates content chaos, allowing your teams to spend more time working on critical projects. Discover the benefits of an online image management system with Bynder, recognized for having a powerful yet intuitive platform trusted by 3700+ global brands.
Online image management software feature overview
Central image library
Store all your images, pictures and visual files in one centralized place. Enjoy 24/7 access from anywhere in the world, helping global teams work faster and easier. The Bynder mobile app also empowers convenient collaboration and communication when you’re on the go.
Find images in an instant
Always find what you need, when you need it. Bynder’s advanced search capabilities allow you to specify exactly what you’re looking for. Image filters can refine results by resolution, orientation, width, height, and more.
Share images simply and securely
Your images are always in safe hands when distributing to your team and external partners. Say goodbye to emailing image attachments and FTP. Experience hassle-free image sharing. Bynder streamlines sharing so you and your team can focus on more important matters.
Digital rights management
Avoid costly and time-consuming lawsuits by practicing proper digital rights management. Set expiration dates for rights-managed images with usage limitations. Add click-on agreements for downloading assets. Watermark images for added protection.
Branded image library
Give your partners, contractors or media agencies access to images in a branded library. Customize the look and feel to match your brand—no programming required. Bynder offers a seamlessly branded web portal to provide the professional experience key stakeholders expect.
Batch file conversions
Save time and automatically convert multiple image files to other formats. Leverage predefined format presets or customize your own such as size, dpi, file type and more. Use Bynder to speed up and automate workflows—no training required.
Track downloads and uploads
Get data-driven insights into who is using your corporate images with Bynder Analytics. Generate reports to track user downloads and uploads from Bynder.
Frequently asked questions about online image management
Who uses online image management?
In today’s world, mobile devices that can capture high-quality pictures are increasingly affordable. With different social networks fueling visual engagement via photos and videos, the majority of people adopt some form of image management to organize their personal pictures. Individuals use online image asset management tools to easily store their pictures and see when pictures were taken, where it’s from, and save the best version.
Corporations also need online image management software, but at a much larger scale with advanced workflows that need to be considered. Naturally, creative and marketing teams frequently work with images, videos, audio and any type of rich media files.
Creating branded marketing materials requires a lot of images and graphics from various sources like stock photography sites, internal creative departments, outsourced creative agencies, internal and external photographers, and even employees. Having a central library to store all of these images is essential. Here are some examples of how different personas can use Bynder for online image management:
- Distributors can easily pull up-to-date product shots and product information to ensure consistency across various distribution channels
- Sales will always have access to current versions of key resources needed for presentations, RFPs and client communication
- IT departments have access to online software that is secure, easy to deploy and doesn’t require training or much support from IT
- Media outlets can utilize your image management software and pull approved images like logos, product shots, or even company pictures to use in articles and press releases
What’s the key to successful image management?
There are a few things to consider to make sure you’re managing your images the right way; here are the top three things to think about:
- Determine the types of images and files you’re managing and who the contributors are. Identify if the images are mostly product shots, company pictures, marketing materials or stock photography. Knowing your inventory inside and out will help define important workflows for your company. Know the people who will be uploading, editing and accessing these images and set up the proper access permissions.
- Once all your images are accounted for and organized, make sure they are being put to good use. Publish your images directly from Bynder to social channels, web content management systems, third-party databases, and other platforms. Just manage one image library for improved consistency across all of your different channels. Ensure only the latest versions are used by updating the image in Bynder and automatically seeing the changes wherever that image is displayed.
How do I select the best image management software for my business?
Choose the best image management software by thinking about your business needs, what you will need to use it for, compare different providers, and of course give them a try!
- Make sure key users will be involved when you evaluate different image management platforms. Know who the users are and exactly what goals they’re trying to accomplish with this platform.
- Look at security, functionality, features, the deployment process, support and customer experience as a whole
- If you’re looking to invest in an image asset management solution, talk to an expert and book a free demo without any obligation.
Make a strategic decision based on your company’s specific needs and make sure you select image management software that is easy-to-use but still offers powerful features. Focus on your company’s goals and the right choice will follow.