What NOT to Do When Choosing a DAM System

“I have an interesting topic for an article,” Vlad, our Head of Sales, said to me one day.

Now, let me tell you, it’s not every day that someone outside the marketing team comes to me with a fully-formed idea for a blog post. Usually, when they do, it means there’s something on their mind—something that’s bugging them. And this time was no exception.

“Let’s write about how NOT to buy a DAM system,” Vlad suggested.

Immediately, I was hooked. “So, you’re talking about the mistakes people make when choosing a DAM?” I asked, already sensing that Vlad had a story to tell. He nodded. “Exactly. You wouldn’t believe some of the things I’ve seen.”

And with that, we were off. Here are the lessons we’ve learned about what not to do when choosing a DAM system, told with a little help from Vlad’s real-world experiences.

Don’t Entrust the Choice to Temporary Employees

“It happens all the time,” Vlad told me with a knowing look. “We hop on a call with a team that’s exploring DAM systems, and guess who’s leading the charge? An intern or a temp.”

I could see why this might happen. Big project, tight deadlines—someone extra is available, so you hand the task over to them. Makes sense, right?

Well… not really.

Here’s the problem: a DAM system isn’t just another tool you add to the stack. It’s a long-term investment, something your team will use every day to organize, manage, and find their digital assets. The people making the decision should be the ones who actually need the system and understand how it’ll fit into their workflow.

“No matter how hard an intern works,” Vlad said, “they’re just not close enough to the team’s daily grind to know what’s really needed. Sure, they can research, compare features, even make a shortlist, but they don’t have the firsthand experience of dealing with the team’s assets.”

And that’s not all.

“Let’s say they find a great system,” Vlad continued. “What happens when their internship ends? They leave, taking all their research and insights with them. The team is left with no one to champion the DAM during implementation, and we’re stuck trying to help a group that doesn’t have a clear leader for the project. It’s back to square one.”

Lesson learned: Make sure the person leading the DAM search is someone who understands your team’s pain points and workflows. Even better, it should be someone who’s sticking around long enough to see the system through from selection to implementation and beyond.

Don’t Blindly Rely on Checklists

Here’s a scenario Vlad often encounters: A technical specialist joins a call armed with a checklist. Their sole task is to determine whether the DAM system ticks every box on the list.

Sounds thorough, right?

Not so fast.

“The problem with this approach,” Vlad explained, “is that the checklist doesn’t always reflect the reality of how the team will use the DAM.”

For instance, a checklist might specify that all data must remain on internal servers for security reasons. This could immediately disqualify systems with AI features that require cloud processing. But here’s the catch: these AI features might be exactly what the team needs to streamline their workflows.

“Most DAM providers, including us, are open to customizing solutions or addressing specific concerns,” Vlad said. “But if someone’s only goal is to tick every box, they’ll never get to the stage where they can see how the system actually works for their team.”

This checklist-driven approach can also stall the entire selection process. Teams get stuck in endless loops of “this doesn’t fit perfectly” without ever testing whether the system could be adapted to their needs.

The takeaway: Checklists are a good starting point, but they shouldn’t be the only tool you use. Focus on identifying your must-haves versus nice-to-haves, and don’t hesitate to ask vendors about custom solutions.

Don’t Skip the Hands-On Experience

This one’s on me—I’m adding it because it’s just that important.

A DAM system is only as good as how it feels to use. Yet, so many teams choose systems based on feature lists, demos, or secondhand opinions. They skip the most critical step: testing it themselves.

You need to try the system. Upload your assets, play with the search functionality, and see if the interface clicks with your workflow. Sometimes, you won’t know if a DAM system is right for you until you’ve spent some time with it.

“I know testing takes time,” you might say. And you’re right—it does. But here’s the thing: the right DAM system will save your team hours (maybe even days) of work in the long run. A little time spent testing is an investment that pays off big time.

As the saying goes, it’s better to try once than to hear a hundred times how great something is.

Don’t Prioritize Features Over Usability

It’s so easy to get swept away by all the shiny features a DAM system promises. AI tagging? Customizable dashboards? Advanced analytics? Yes, please! But here’s the thing: all those bells and whistles mean nothing if the system is clunky or a headache to use.

“We’ve seen this happen so many times,” Vlad said, shaking his head. “A team picks a DAM because the feature list looks amazing. But once they start using it, they realize half the features collect dust because the interface is just too complicated.”

At the end of the day, a DAM system’s job is simple: to make your team’s life easier. If it doesn’t do that—no matter how “advanced” or “cutting-edge” it is—then it’s not the right system for you. A clean, intuitive system that checks your key boxes will always beat a feature-heavy one that no one wants to touch.

Don’t Forget About Support and Scalability

When you’re picking a DAM, it’s not just about what works for you right now. It’s about what’s going to work a year from now—or even five years down the line.

A lot of teams overlook this. They get caught up in the here and now and forget to ask about things like customer support or whether the system can grow with them. Then, when something goes wrong or their needs expand, they’re stuck with a DAM that can’t keep up.

Don’t let that happen to you. Make sure you ask the important questions upfront. Will the vendor be there to help if you run into issues? Can the system handle more assets or users as your business grows?

Trust me—these questions are just as important as the shiny features. A DAM that works today but leaves you stranded tomorrow isn’t worth it.

In Conclusion

Choosing a DAM system isn’t just a technical decision—it’s a strategic one. To avoid costly mistakes:

• Involve the right people. The decision-makers should be those who’ll actually use the system.
• Don’t rely solely on checklists. Use them as a guide, not gospel.
• Test the system yourself. There’s no substitute for hands-on experience.
• Prioritize usability. A user-friendly system will always win over a feature-stuffed one.
• Plan for the future. Make sure your DAM can scale and that support is readily available.

As Vlad so wisely said, “A good DAM system isn’t just about features—it’s about solving real problems for real people.”

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