Managing digital assets shouldn’t be a headache, but it often is—especially when you’ve got files scattered all over, nobody knows what’s current, and search is a mess. If you’re using Bigtincan to handle your digital asset library, you probably want to make sure all those files (PDFs, videos, presentations—you name it) are actually findable and useful, not just “stored somewhere.” This guide is for the folks who have to keep things tidy so everyone else can do their jobs: admins, marketers, sales ops, and honestly, anyone tired of digital clutter.
Let’s cut through the noise. Here’s how to actually manage your Bigtincan digital asset library without losing your mind.
1. Start With a Plan—Don’t Just Upload Everything
It’s tempting to drag and drop your shared drive into Bigtincan and call it a day. Don’t. You’ll end up with the same mess, just in a new tool.
What works: - Inventory first: List out what you have. Ditch duplicates, outdated decks, and that “final_v3_REALfinal.pdf.” - Know your audience: Who’s using these assets? Sales? Marketing? Customer support? Different folks need different stuff. - Sketch a rough structure: Folders? Tags? Both? Don’t overthink it—just enough to make sense for your team.
What doesn’t: - Uploading “just in case.” If nobody’s used that brochure since 2018, archive it. - Overcomplicating your folder tree. If it feels like Russian nesting dolls, it’s too deep.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure what’s valuable, ask the people who use the assets most. They’ll tell you what matters (and what can go).
2. Set Up a Simple, Logical Folder Structure
People shouldn’t need a treasure map to find a case study. Keep your structure simple and intuitive.
How to do it: - Top-level folders by function or audience: Examples: “Sales Decks,” “Product Info,” “Internal Training,” “Customer Resources.” - No more than 2–3 levels deep: If you need more, your structure’s too complicated. - Naming matters: Use clear, consistent names. “Q2_2024_Sales_Pitch.pdf” beats “deckNEWnew.pdf.”
What to ignore: - Custom folder for every single user or product—things get unwieldy fast. - Super clever naming schemes nobody else understands.
Pro tip: If you’re ever stuck, imagine explaining the structure to a new hire. If you’d get lost halfway through, simplify.
3. Tag Assets—But Don’t Go Tag Wild
Tags make search work, but too many and you’re back to clutter. Focus on what helps people actually find things.
Tagging best practices: - Use a controlled list: Agree on a few key tags (like “case-study,” “training,” “2024”) and stick to them. - Be consistent: “FAQ” and “faqs” are not the same to a computer. - Tag the essentials: Product, audience (sales, customer), format (video, PDF), and maybe region or language.
What to skip: - Tags nobody uses. If “inspirational” isn’t how your team searches, don’t bother. - Letting everyone make up their own. Chaos.
Pro tip: Review tags every quarter. Nuke the useless ones before they get out of hand.
4. Make Search Work for You
The whole point of Bigtincan is that people can find what they need fast. If search stinks, nobody’s happy.
How to improve search: - Write clear titles and descriptions: The search engine can’t read your mind, but it can read your file names. - Use tags (see above). - Keep assets up to date: Old files clutter search results and frustrate users. - Highlight “must-use” content: Pin it, favorite it, or use Bigtincan’s featured asset options.
What gets ignored: - Relying solely on folders. People search; they rarely browse. - Fancy metadata fields nobody fills out.
Pro tip: Test search yourself. Can you find the top five assets people need in under 30 seconds? If not, tweak your titles and tags.
5. Control Permissions—But Don’t Be a Gatekeeper
You want people to have what they need, not jump through hoops. Still, not everything should be public.
How to handle permissions: - Default to open: Only restrict when you really need to (e.g., confidential docs). - Group users: Sales, marketing, partners, etc. Set access by group, not individual—way less hassle. - Review regularly: People change roles, leave teams, or get hired. Sweep permissions every few months.
What to avoid: - One-off permissions for every file. It’s a nightmare to track. - Locking everything down “just in case.” Paranoia kills productivity.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure what to restrict, ask the doc owner or your legal/compliance team, not your gut.
6. Keep Content Fresh—And Archive the Rest
Stale files are worse than no files. If people can’t trust the library, they stop using it.
How to stay current: - Set review dates: Bigtincan lets you add reminders. Use them. - Assign owners: Every asset should have someone responsible for updates (not just “admin”). - Archive, don’t delete (unless you must): You might need that old contract template someday, but don’t let it clog up search.
What to ignore: - “We’ll update this later.” You won’t. Set a date or archive it. - Keeping every single draft. Five versions back is plenty.
Pro tip: Once a quarter, do a 30-minute “spring cleaning.” You’ll be shocked how much you can tidy up.
7. Train (and Remind) Your Users
Even the best system fails if nobody knows how to use it—or if they fall back into old habits.
What works: - Short, practical training: Five-minute videos, or a one-pager with screenshots. Skip the 50-slide deck. - Show them real examples: “Here’s where to find the latest sales deck” beats a generic how-to. - Remind regularly: New hires, product launches, or after any big update.
What doesn’t: - Assuming “they’ll figure it out.” They won’t. - Endless training sessions nobody attends.
Pro tip: Make asset management part of onboarding for new hires—one less bad habit to break later.
8. Use Analytics—But Don’t Get Lost in the Data
Bigtincan has analytics, but you don’t need a dashboard for everything. Use the data to spot problems or gaps.
How to do it: - Check what’s actually used: Popular files are popular for a reason. Highlight those. - See what’s ignored: If an asset’s never viewed, ask why. Maybe it needs a better name—or maybe it’s useless. - Spot search fails: If people search “onboarding” but find nothing, maybe you’re missing the right content or tags.
What to ignore: - Vanity metrics. Who cares if 1,000 files are uploaded if nobody finds them useful? - Overcomplicating reports. Focus on what helps you improve the library.
Pro tip: Share quick wins with your team—“Hey, the new product sheet was downloaded 50 times last week!” It helps build good habits.
9. Don’t Over-Engineer—Stay Flexible
It’s easy to get sucked into endless tweaking. Instead, get something that works, then improve as you go.
What works: - Start simple: You can always add more structure later. - Ask for feedback: The people using the library will tell you what’s working (or not). - Iterate: Fix what’s broken, skip what isn’t.
What to ignore: - Chasing every new feature. Use what solves your actual problems. - Trying to future-proof everything. You can’t predict it all.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple and Iterate
Managing digital assets in Bigtincan isn’t about being perfect—it’s about making sure people can find and use what they need, when they need it. Start simple, clean up regularly, and get feedback from your actual users. Most importantly, don’t let the “perfect” get in the way of “done.” Your future self (and your team) will thank you.
If you keep things flexible and check in from time to time, you’ll avoid most of the headaches that plague digital asset libraries. Good luck—and remember, nobody ever wished their content library was more complicated.