5 reasons Why Copywriters Need a DAM (trust me, I’m a copywriter)

Hi copywriters. We’re a unique bunch, aren’t we? Mostly introverted. Lovers of puns. Seekers of quiet spaces in our open work environments. Some might call us temperamental. I’d call us hopelessly devoted to seeing the right words communicate the benefits and features we’ve been tasked with representing for our brands.

We keep hearing that people don’t read anymore. But I call bullshit. Even as video creeps (or charges) into the forefront of marketing efforts, good copy is as important as ever. From scripts to taglines, and oh the social copy — there’s little that sets us apart from our competition more than carefully crafted language. You know, the kind that people forget about, like your company’s FAQ section, the website copy that directs your users down the marketing funnel, and those magic emails that get people to open, click through, and maybe even buy.

So why are you here? Because you’re wondering whether or not you need a Digital Asset Management (DAM) platform. Or maybe you’re just wondering what the heck a DAM is. If the latter, here’s a good read for you. If the former, I’ll make my case for why copywriters need DAM below.

1. Why Copywriters Need a DAM: Let People Check Your Status (Without a Barrage of Email)

Let me be honest and say that before I came to work at a DAM company, I had never heard of DAM. And my first thought upon researching Brandfolder was, “Can’t I just use Google drive for that?” But then I got distracted by three emails from marketing colleagues asking where we were on X campaign, what the status was on the launch copy for Y campaign, and if I could grant them access to Z document.

“If only there were a way for them to answer these questions themselves!” I yelled to the heavens. Well, there is and it’s called DAM. Why do copywriters need DAM? Because it allows your colleagues and clients to see exactly where you are with your work. Whether you’re collaborating with designers on a full creative campaign or simply working through about a thousand lines of social copy, you can upload it all to your DAM.

Because your DAM is available to everyone in your company (without them having to wait for access to be granted) they can easily find the project they want an update on, and see where you are in the workflow. DAMs are also super searchable, no matter the naming convention. So if your SEO expert named a document in Morse Code (c’mon, we’ve all seen document titles like this), you’ll still be able to find it in your DAM. And if someone still has a question about your work, they can leave a comment right in your DAM, leaving your inbox blissfully empty.

2. Why Copywriters Need a DAM: See Who’s Using Your Copy and How

Is Deb from sales still using your boilerplate company pitch from the dark ages? DAM allows you to see which of your assets are being used, who’s using them, and how they’re being used. You can also archive old assets, so that Deb can’t see them anymore, but they still exist in case you ever want to refer back to them.

Plus, you can see performance data on the copy assets you store on your DAM. Is your copy converting? Is your latest tagline getting tons of shares? Is the media really loving your latest company announcement (easily accessible to them in your DAM press kit)? Your DAM will show you all of that, which makes it easier for you to iterate on what’s working and faster for you to pivot away from what’s not.

3. Why Copywriters Need a DAM: Stay in Your Flow

Ah, the mythical “flow.” You’ve probably read books about it. You can’t escape articles about it. And you’re probably tired of chasing it. But every once in awhile, you find it … and then you lose it because Deb has stopped by your desk to ask you for the millionth time if you know where those latest product photos live. And if it’s not Deb ruining your flow, it’s the inbox or Slack channel that keeps dinging with status requests.

All of these communications remove us from anything resembling a flow. But a DAM removes many of these obstacles and distractions almost entirely. Direct people to review, comment, and request updates about your work in your DAM. That will free you up from the constant pings, dings, and stop bys that take you away from your writing. You can even upload your content calendar or workload to your DAM so that your colleagues can see exactly what’s on your plate before requesting your help on a new project.

4. Why Copywriters Need a DAM: Say Hello to Less-Frustrating, More Transparent Collaboration

You may love collaborative projects, but the check-ins, creative reviews, and post-mortems can quickly eat up valuable hours on your calendar. It can also be tough to manage expectations throughout the creative process and keep the right people in the loop at the right time.

A DAM gives you and your collaborators a central hub from which to work and communicate from. Create a collection (DAM lingo for files) for your project, and store all in-progress and final assets there. You’ll be able to track who’s reviewed important documents, and your collaborators can leave comments about crucial edits. DAMs can handle videos, images, logos, font libraries, and pretty much any other brand asset you can throw at them. So it’s easy for everyone to upload the creative assets they’re working on for everyone to see. Think of it as a standup meeting, without that pesky standing … or the face-to-face communication (hooray!).  

5. Why Copywriters Need a DAM: Cut Down on Late-Stage Rewrites and Edits

This is perhaps the biggest win for copywriters everywhere. Late-stage edits are THE. WORST. They can push back launch dates, force you and your colleagues to re-do work, and they’re just plain annoying.

With DAM, you can loop execs in early and often. Since they’ll already be working within your company’s DAM, it’s easy for them to open your collection and check your work. Tag them, share a link to your project, or set up a calendar reminder for them to review. And because you can see if they’ve actually downloaded or viewed the document housing your copy, you know if and when you need to follow up. Your bosses can also approve assets right in your DAM. So you know the minute they’re ready to launch. That means you get work out the door faster and without extensive edits at the 11th hour.

Get a DAM

Seriously, do I need to write more copy here? Check out our ROI calculator here to see how much money a DAM could save your company.