WordPress Digital Asset Management: The Ultimate Guide

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to use your WordPress website for digital asset management.

We’ll also see talk about some of the best WordPress digital asset management plugins that can help you to take your WordPress media library to the next level. 

But first, let’s address one thing.

What is a digital asset?

A digital asset is any file or content you’ve created and stored on your website. It could be a document(pdf, excel, SVG, etc.), an image, an audio file, a video file, or any other file containing usage rights.

A digital asset management system (DAM) enables you to securely store, edit, publish, and manage access to these digital assets easily and from a single location.

We now know the basics, but let’s get a little more specific. Let’s start by understanding what WordPress’s digital asset management is. 

What is WordPress digital asset management?

WordPress has the media library as its DAM system. You can look at the WordPress media library almost like its own digital asset management software.

This media library is a central location that shows all the media files you upload to your website. You can access it directly from your dashboard and see the files displayed in a grid or a list.

The WordPress media library lets you sort content via file type and date, and you can search through the media library for specific content. 

It also stores file details which you can access by clicking on the files. This includes the name, who uploaded it, and at what time, dimensions, etc.

For images, WordPress gives you an option to edit the image. You can also add a file directly from your device to your WordPress website and include a title, description, alternative text, and caption. 

The media library makes it easy for users to access digital assets. All you have to do is go to Media Library from your WordPress dashboard and search for the specific file you want. It’s ideal for small businesses with fewer media files. 

If you’re looking for a digital asset management system or DAM solution, you might be wondering: why WordPress? Well, let’s see why you should use WordPress as your digital asset management solution.    

Why use WordPress for digital asset management?

Apart from enabling you to easily store and retrieve files from your media library, WordPress is a great option for digital asset management because of the following benefits. 

It’s open source digital asset management

WordPress is open-source software that lets you freely modify and extend it to fit your needs. This means that you’re not reliant on a third-party provider’s limits to what you can do with your website.

Due to this flexibility of WordPress as a platform, you can easily integrate it with plugins to boost your digital asset management system capabilities. This means you can use any third-party digital asset library of your choice because it is open source.

It’s cost-effective

You might be shocked by the prices if you choose to have your digital assets stored in personal cloud storage services like Dropbox or Google Cloud Storage.

This is because these services usually charge monthly and per storage unit. And these charges add up to be extremely high per year. 

With WordPress, you don’t have to worry about this. It’s cost-effective, and once you purchase your hosting plan, you’re set for the whole year. You can use up your storage without worrying about incurring additional charges. 

It keeps it all in one place

As business owners, we’re used to having multiple pieces of software, each doing something specific. But by having your website and digital asset management in one place, you’ll make things so much easier. 

WordPress digital asset management provides a single location for all your digital assets. This means all business colleagues, users, team members, and even customers can simply log in to that location and access your files or brand assets. Your digital assets will only be valuable if everyone in your business knows where to find them.

This makes it easy to manage your assets and integrate them easily into your daily operations while doing this internally.

As a content management system, WordPress is easy to use

Once you get over the initial learning curve, WordPress is extremely easy to use. You can access the media library directly from the dashboard as the site owner or admin. You can create and manage your media library without writing any code. And with just a few clicks, you can add new files to the media library and make them available to WordPress users in no time. 

Why you should use a WordPress plugin for your digital asset management

A successful digital asset management system should give you control in creating, storing, organizing, finding, retrieving, editing, and sharing your digital assets from one place in a secure way.

While the WordPress media library enables you to do most of the above, it severely fails when organizing your files in a comprehensive format. 

The WordPress media library lacks an accurate method for classifying the digital assets you upload to it. It only allows you to upload digital files and automatically classifies them as videos, audio, images, or documents. If you handle many files, you will certainly find the WordPress media library doesn’t cut it.

Fortunately, you can install various WordPress plugins that can turn the default WordPress digital asset management into an organized and secure system that can help you efficiently manage your files. And in the next section, we’ll talk about some of WordPress’s best digital asset management plugins. 

The best plugins for WordPress digital asset management

To add more capabilities to WordPress’s digital asset management and control how you organize and share your files, you can install these plugins on your WordPress website. 

The top WordPress digital asset management plugin, Filr

Filr is a world-class digital asset management plugin for WordPress. It combines robust digital asset management and impenetrable security features in a clean and uncluttered interface.

It gives you complete control over who you want to access your files and how you want your media library to be displayed on your WordPress website. And the best part is, it allows you to do all this easily. 

Filr is the best digital asset management plugin for WordPress because it enables you to do the following. 

Easily create and manage well-organized document libraries

Filr makes it easy to create a well-organized document library and add various files to it from your WordPress dashboard. You can classify extensive lists of digital files such as audio, videos, images, and documents and assign files in folders to easily track them.

It also allows other users to upload and manage files directly from the front end of your website. 

Secure your documents in multiple ways

Filr provides multiple options to keep your files secure. You can:

• Secure your files with a PHP (index.php) on the root of the uploads directory to protect downloads. Or rather, to check all permissions and restrictions before allowing any downloads.
• Control access permissions to your digital files library with .htaccess protection.
• Password-protect ZIP files or encrypt file names.
• Create encrypted URLs to securely deliver content online to users on any browser. This will also block browsers from accidentally indexing your files.
• Set file expiration by date and number of downloads, or restrict file access by email or user role.
• Restrict access of frontend uploaders by email or user role, manage their publishing status, and get notified once a new file is submitted.   

For the files that you want to be readily available, you can opt to place no protection on them.

Design your library’s appearance your way  

Filr allows you to modify your document library table’s color, border, font size, and background that matches your brand and web theme.

Likewise, you can decide how you want to display a library. Filr lets you:

• Modify the date format.
• Reorder rows. Or, choose which rows to activate or deactivate rows.
• Provide pagination to display multiple files within a library.
• Add alternative text for when a library is empty, rename the download button, and show expired file downloads.

Manage files in external storage

Filr allows you to make files external, store them, and manage them in external storage systems like Dropbox and AWS (if you require them).

Plus, you’ll be able to display those external files within your WordPress website.

Make your library’s files easily available

You can create a sortable list of files and a document library. This will allow your users to sort, filter, and search through your library’s folders and subfolders to find the list of files they need.

We recommend Filr if you’re looking for the best digital asset management plugin for WordPress. But here are a few other digital asset management plugins you can browse depending on your requirements.

Brandfolder – Digital Asset Management Simplified

Brandfolder is a digital asset management tool that helps businesses store, manage, and manipulate their assets from a single location. You can create and customize different projects, upload images and videos, sort your files by date or size, and even organize them into folders the way you like.

Brandfolder uses its AI, Brand intelligence, to automatically organize your digital assets within Brandfolder. Brand AI also helps you monitor how your files are performing, who’s using them, and their location. Likewise, Brandfolder is also cloud-based, meaning collaboration with team members is made easier right from a shared folder regardless of location. 

Key features:

• You can easily edit your Brandfolder directly from WordPress.
• You can simply upload/drag and drop multiple files in Brandfolder, and it will automatically organize them in folders.
• You can store, access, and share unlimited digital assets in all file formats.
• Offer bulk editing features and customization, all of which are made easier with their Brand Intelligence.
• You assign different user permissions to internal and external users for easy access and asset management.
• Brand Intelligence can track all your digital assets.
• Integrate with various applications like WordPress, Shopify, Google, Opera Mini, Hubspot, and more.

Download Manager

Download Manager is a WordPress digital asset management plugin that enables users to manage, track, and control file and document downloads from your WordPress website.

You can create custom download post types in your WordPress admin, where you can upload your digital documents and downloadable files and include all the information about your digital assets. It includes limited viewing, multiple domain support, password protection, and more.

Key features:

• You can drag and drop to easily attach new files, create downloads, and delete options in your WordPress admin.
• With custom post type and taxonomy, you can easily add downloads and create filterable data you want to use to group your data.
• You’ll be able to restrict access to your files based on user roles.
• Set up download limits for different user roles or specific periods, for example, in one day.
• Support for Google, Dropbox, Box.com, and OneDrive platforms.
• You can control who can access your download.
• Prevent malicious users or bots from accessing your files using CAPTCHA lock and IP blocking features.
• You can password-protect your files and documents.
• Video file Download Protection allows users to view your video but blocks download.

Advanced File Manager

Advanced File Manager is a WordPress plugin that enables you to create and manage your files and folders. You can easily grant admin permissions to users to handle multiple file operations such as upload, edit, copy, and delete files. 

It features upload/edit files, front-end access, multiple themes, upload notifications, folder sharing, document viewer, PDF viewer, cross-browser support, Image viewer, and many more. It eliminates the need for FTP, which means the WordPress root directory can be fully edited.

Key Features:

• Use an easy drag-and-drop file upload. You’ll have options to cut, copy and paste the file manager.
• Automatically generate folders for all users with auto folder creation.
• With their image editor, you can resize and crop image files by setting height, width, grid, and quality.
• You can create thumbnails for your image files and show icons for major files.
• Use shortcodes to show your file manager on the front end of the website.
• Customize created file manager to fit your needs. 
• You will get email notifications whenever files are uploaded.
• Assign user restrictions for specific users/user roles.

Shared Files – Easy Download Manager and File Sharing Plugin with Frontend File Upload

Shared Files is a straightforward option for those who want to manage and share your WordPress media library. This WordPress file management plugin lets you list and manage files on a WordPress site. 

It works by uploading files straight from your WordPress admin and using a shortcode to create a simple button anyone can click to download your file. 

Create a list of files with shortcodes or group files in categories to make it easier for your team and site visitors to access and download. All your shared files can be used by anyone you grant access to.

Key features:

• Add files directly from the WordPress admin and organize them to make it easier for users to locate and download.
• Use generated shortcodes to create download buttons within your WordPress website.
• You’ll be able to set expiration dates.
• You can limit the number of times a user downloads a file. It is easy to track the number of downloads to see which file performs best.
• Receive notifications when a file is downloaded.
• Preview digital files in any browser.
• Share files from cloud storage platforms like Google Drive and Dropbox.

Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager

Folders is another excellent WordPress DAM plugin. It offers you a quick way to organize all WordPress pages, posts, and media files in folders on your website. You can easily create new folders, label them, and then select digital assets to add to newly created folders.

Key features:

• You’ll be able to create unlimited folders and organize your digital assets.
• Select specific pages, posts, and media files and drag and drop them into a new folder.
• Supports custom post-types, including WooCommerce, Elementor, Shopify, and more.
• You can view important file information like file name, file size, and date while hovering on file thumbnails.
• Offer bulk editing features and customization (change color, font, settings, and more).
• Using dynamic folders, automatically filter your digital files based on author, date, and file types.
• It’s easy to replace files without changing dates, moving the new file to the latest uploads folder, replacing all old links, and more.

Real Media Library: Media Library Folder & File Manager

You can go for the Real Media Library if you need a solution to organize large amounts of media files into folders, collections, and galleries on your WordPress site.

It allows you to upload disallowed file types and update galleries without spending much time.

Key features:

• You can create(unlimited folders in the free version), rename, and delete folders.
• Use bulk selection to organize your files efficiently in folders. You can also group files based on date, size, and author.
• Create shortcuts for adding files in multiple folders.
• Create galleries within folders.
• Create dynamic galleries from a folder with shortcodes or Gutenberg block. This will be automatically updated if you move files in your media library.
• It has a filter for inserting media dialog.
• Compatible with the most popular page builders, all major themes, and additional plugins.
• Customizable folders, collections, and galleries.

Use WordPress for digital asset management today

WordPress is well-set up for digital asset management, but its built-in media library is very limited.

If you want to better organize the media assets in your media library and decide who can access them, you need to install a plugin.

Filr is the best digital asset management plugin for WordPress. With its powerful asset management and security features, it allows you to generate secure, easily accessible, and versatile document libraries on your WordPress website.