Overview of Brand Management Software + Best Tools

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What is brand management software?

Brand management software is a marketing tool, or a suite of marketing tools, designed to help companies maintain branding standards and consistency across all communications and materials. It is a single place to store the ever-expanding collection of brand materials so that it is easily accessible for all employees, stakeholders, and if needed, clients,  third-party partners, and media outlets. 

Brand management software provides users with quick access to essential information like brand guidelines, brand identity documents, templates, logos, digital images, and more. These solutions often provide collaboration tools such as commenting, version control, and approval workflows to streamline communication and feedback loops, allowing team members to work together efficiently on brand-related projects.

Most Purchased Brand Management Software

According to Vendr's internal transaction data, HubSpot has established itself as the most purchased software in the Brand Management Software category, with an average contract value of $55.74K. HubSpot's leading position is a clear reflection of its comprehensive suite of tools that assist businesses in executing effective inbound marketing strategies and brand management.

Lucid Software claims the second rank with an average contract value of $29.93K, recognized for its visual collaboration software that contributes to maintaining cohesive brand identity across teams.

Sprout Social is the third most acquired brand management tool, with an average contract value of $48.72K. This platform’s robust social media management features make it integral to brands looking to engage with their audiences and strengthen their presence online.

Qualtrics, occupying the fourth position, is known for its sophisticated experience management platform, which plays a vital role in helping businesses measure and optimize brand health. Although specific contract values are not provided, their placement highlights the value placed on data-driven insights that drive brand strategy.

Frontify rounds out the top five, without a disclosed average contract value, but their services in brand consistency and guidelines management are integral for businesses looking to maintain a cohesive brand image across all touchpoints. Their fifth-place standing reflects a trusted position in the market for their specialized brand governance tools.

Most Renewed Brand Management Software

HubSpot, as indicated by Vendr's internal transaction data, stands as the most renewed software in the Brand Management Software category, with an average renewal value of $57.19K. This statistic emphasizes not only HubSpot's ability to deliver consistent value but also its ongoing relationship with customers who rely on its extensive marketing tools for brand management.

Lucid Software follows at second with an average renewal value of $31.60K, suggesting that its users continue to benefit from the platform's visual collaboration features which are essential in maintaining a unified brand identity.

Sprout Social, holding third place, sees an average renewal value of $77.59K, reflecting a strong commitment from users who utilize its social media solutions for effective brand engagement and management.

In the fourth spot, Qualtrics has shown a growing preference among its user base, with renewals serving as a testament to great user satisfaction in its experience management services, crucial for businesses focused on nurturing their brand health.

Frontify, at fifth, continues to earn users' trust with its brand governance solutions, demonstrating the platform’s capacity to ensure brand consistency. While specific figures are not disclosed, their position signals a satisfied and returning customer base, underscoring the value they bring to the management of brand assets.

Most Recently Purchased Brand Management Software

HubSpot maintains its top-tier status as the most recently purchased software in the Brand Management Software category, as detailed by Vendr's internal transaction data, with an average new purchase value of $47.51K. This figure attests to HubSpot's continued ability to attract new customers through its powerful inbound marketing and brand management tools.

Sprout Social takes the second position, with an average new purchase value of $23.70K, underscoring its success in drawing businesses looking for effective social media engagement to enhance their brand presence.

Lucid Software comes in third, showcasing an average new purchase value of $3.63K, which reflects its increasing adoption for collaborative brand and visual design solutions.

Qualtrics, appearing fourth on the most recently purchased list, demonstrates strong customer demand for its experience management services, which are pivotal in aligning brand strategy with customer insights and expectations.

Frontify, securing the fifth spot emphasizes the market's requirement for their services, indicating that businesses are increasingly prioritizing consistent brand identity across all platforms and customer touchpoints.

What types of companies use brand management software?

Brand management software is used by a variety of companies to ensure a consistent public image, brand voice, and personality. The types of businesses that can benefit from brand management software include: 

• Large corporations and enterprises with complex branding needs.
• Small- to medium-sized businesses with limited marketing resources.
• Non-profit organizations with an incongruous brand identity.
• Companies with a high volume of brand and media assets. 
• Marketing agencies and freelancers that work with multiple clients.

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Types of brand management tools

There are many different brand management tools available on the market. While not all of them can be labeled, most are classified under one of the following categories:

• Brand management platforms are designed to provide an organization with an all-in-one solution for managing all aspects of its brand identity, assets, and messaging across channels. Some may even have AI features, such as helping users create assets that automatically adhere to brand guidelines. 
• Digital asset management (DAM) software is designed for storing and organizing digital assets such as images, videos, documents, and audio files. They may integrate with other business systems (e.g., a CMS or CRM) for quick file sharing. 
• Brand asset management (BAM) software focuses on streamlining storage and access to marketing materials within a centralized location. These tools often go beyond DAM software by making it easy for employees to share and collaborate on approved digital assets with just a few clicks. 
• IP management software assists in managing trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property assets for legal and compliance purposes. 

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8 important features for brand management software 

Consider prioritizing the following features to ensure your organization gets maximum value from its brand management software: 

1. Centralized storage and access: Simplifies the storage of brand assets and documentation within a single, centralized platform for ease of use and streamlined sharing of assets to collaborators.  
2. Project & workflow management: Helps teams collaborate efficiently when managing tasks, deadlines, and approval processes related to brand management. 
3. Permissions: Access levels and permission levels can be set for different team members or groups to ensure only authorized users have access to and can modify brand assets within the software. 
4. Brand consistency: Automatically ensures that all marketing materials and public-facing communications adhere to brand guidelines to maintain a consistent look and feel across channels. 
5. Automation & AI features: Automation of tasks such as auto-resizing images, creating on-brand social media posts, and optimizing website content for better performance and engagement. 
6. Integrations: Seamless integration with other software tools and platforms such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, and social media management tools. 
7. Real-time updates: Enables authorized teams and users to access the latest updates and brand assets in real-time, ensuring all team members are working with the most current information and brand assets. 
8. Pricing: Offers various pricing tiers and subscription options that fit your business’s needs and budget. 

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10 questions to guide your brand management software purchase 

Here are some questions you should ask your team when researching brand management software so you can effectively develop a short list of tools to explore with sales conversations, demos, and/or trials: 

1. What is our available budget for brand management software?
2. What are our specific brand management needs and goals?
3. What types of brand assets do we need to store and manage?
4. How many team members or departments will need access to the software?
5. Which software will easily integrate with our existing tech stack?
6. Does the software offer all of the features our business requires?
7. What is the onboarding process like for new users? 
8. Does the software have sufficient tutorials, training, and/or customer support? 
9. What are the pricing and licensing options?
10. Can the software be customized to solve problems specific to our organization?

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Brand management software FAQs

Here are some questions that often come up when evaluating brand management software. 

What are the benefits of using brand management software?

The top benefits of brand management software include: 

• Improved consistency in brand identity across all channels.
• Better tracking and management of brand assets
• Streamlined workflows and collaboration among teams.
• Greater marketing efficiency and productivity. 
• Enhanced customer experience and loyalty. 

What are the key considerations when selecting brand management software?

When choosing brand management software for purchase, key considerations include the specific needs and objectives of your organization, the features offered by the software, ease of use and implementation, scalability requirements, options for integration, and customer support.

Can SaaS companies use brand management software?

Of course. Many SaaS companies use brand management software to help them maintain a consistent brand identity and tone throughout channels such as their website, marketing materials, advertisements, and social media accounts.