If you've ever worked in a Marketing department, you've probably been part of plenty of projects that never saw the light of day. Un(der)used design projects, photo shoots and ad campaigns are all part of the territory, and most of us are familiar with endless ideation and brainstorming sessions that never lead to anything. Not to mention that 67-page brand bible that took three months to write but was never read by a single colleague. Except perhaps a reluctant proofreader.
While all creatives expect much of their work in progress to end up on the cutting room floor, that doesn't mean the completed work that's been signed, sealed and delivered should meet a similar fate. Discarding a few quick mockups or a draft presentation is one thing, but seeing the finished product end up on a C Drive or Dropbox folder nobody uses is both heartbreaking and bad for business. In fact, misplacement, misuse, and underuse of digital assets cost companies lots of dollars and loss of productivity.
In this post, we look at five ways to increase the usage of your digital assets and boost your brand central.
1. Try an inspiring visual overview for better browsing
One of the biggest problems with storing images and logos in folders on hard drives is the poor browsing experience and lack of overview, something people have come to expect thanks to the likes of Pinterest, iPhoto and Instagram. You don't see people hashtagging their JPEGS with #inspo for a reason. Folders and file names aren't very inspiring.
That's where a system like Pickit can really help showcase what's in the library in a more intuitive, visually compelling way that inspires people to click in and out of collections and groups, and stay inspired while searching for the right image.
2. Use search data to source better content
By tracking how many times an asset is inserted or downloaded, what people across the company are searching for, and even whether or not your library is providing enough search results, you can make sure your image bank is optimized with all the right content.
Unlike many storage systems, you'll be able to make sure you're only uploading relevant content people are actually looking for, and making sure you're always adding more images to popular categories and search terms so you're always keeping it fresh.
3. Store multiple file-formats side by side
Ever received an email asking for an image in a different format? That's exactly what we mean by wasted time and poor productivity that's bad for business. By adding multiple file formats to your Pickit library, people can always find just the right one.
4. Put the brand guide where people want it
We already mentioned the unread brand guide, but before you get the wrong idea, we're big fans of staying on brand. In fact, a concise, solid set of guidelines is a great way to create a coherent brand voice and keep your company aligned.
The problem usually isn't the motive or even the content. The issue is often how, and where, it's presented and how employees are expected to engage with it. Rather than issuing a lengthy PDF and expecting people to read and memorize it, recalling exactly how to apply the strict dos and don'ts of font usage, company colors and corporate templates, Pickit Brand Guide puts this valuable information at people's fingertips in bite-sized chunks, in the context where they actually need it.
By ensuring all your PowerPoint templates are Pickit-enabled and uploaded to the platform, people will always be able to access the right versions, and stay within the limits of how to use it when adding photos, logos or other visuals. And by giving people some contextual tips on where to use what kinds of images by curating them in themed collections, you can bring your brand guide to life and see people engage with and follow it, sometimes without even realizing it.
5. Use simple sharing options for faster distribution
Pickit makes it easy to create collections and curate content, distribute it to colleagues, contractors and other collaborators. By being able to share templates, documents, images and other files both internally and externally at the click of a button, it'll be easier to manage your content and keep people coming back to your brand central for more, making it the single source of truth for you and your organization.