5 Ways to Organize Your PhotoShelter Library

Digital asset libraries quickly become cluttered, making it harder for your team to find and use important content efficiently.

Disorganized assets waste time, delay projects, and reduce the overall effectiveness of your marketing and creative efforts. 

Now is the perfect time to give your PhotoShelter library a thorough clean-up to ensure content stays accessible and valuable in the long run.

1. Optimize your gallery structure 

A clear gallery system lets everyone find the assets they need immediately, keeping projects moving smoothly.

• Create intuitive galleries and collections organized by events, campaigns, or content type.
• Set consistent naming conventions to eliminate confusion and duplication.
• Implement Smart Galleries today to dynamically group files based on keywords, metadata, or upload dates.
• Delete outdated galleries or archive content by updating visibility to private to clear clutter.

The Baltimore Ravens organize their massive library of more than 1.4 million assets by season, with nested collections for games, team assets, corporate content, and more.

UA Little Rock’s library is structured around schools, programs, and key university moments, helping more than 500 individual users find and download the content they need each month.

2. Leverage AI search & tagging 

Manual tagging slows down your workflow. AI automation speeds it up, allowing instant asset discovery.

• Turn on AI Visual Search to find assets through natural language searches—no metadata needed.
• Activate PeopleID, PlayerID, or LogoID to automate the tagging of individuals, athletes, or brand logos.
• Create a standardized keyword list to ensure consistent and accurate search results.

3. Standardize your file names 

Consistent naming makes every asset easy to locate, saving time and frustration during projects.

• Implement a clear structure, such as: EventName_YYYY_MM_DD_Photographer.jpg.
• Audit and correct file names to match your standard naming conventions.
• Use PhotoShelter’s renaming tool to replace device-generated filenames with clear, descriptive names.

4. Harness PhotoShelter Analytics 

Understanding asset usage directly impacts your strategy, allowing informed decisions about future content.

• Review PhotoShelter Analytics to see which assets perform best.
• Identify and repurpose underperforming content.
• Check storage trends and upgrade if nearing capacity to avoid disruption.
• Share analytics findings with stakeholders to demonstrate the value of your DAM.

See data like search activity, top search terms, top downloaded assets, and more. 

5. Review and update user access controls 

Proper user permissions maintain security and streamline asset management, protecting your valuable content.

• Remove inactive user accounts immediately to enhance security.
• Assign precise, role-based access, ensuring team members see only the necessary content.
• Start using expiring links for external collaboration instead of granting full access.
• Set up approval workflows for sensitive content to maintain compliance and oversight.

Final thoughts

Spring is the perfect time to refresh your PhotoShelter library! A well-maintained DAM keeps your content accessible, your team efficient, and your brand consistent. Set aside time each season to clean up your assets, review analytics, and optimize workflows—you’ll thank yourself later.