The data of DAM: A Stockpress study of 450 content libraries

What 450 content libraries reveal about the growth of digital content, the challenges of managing it, and why making content usable matters more than ever.

TL;DR

Digital content libraries are growing, but the challenge isn’t simply finding somewhere to store more files. It’s keeping that content organized, accessible and reliable as more people need to find, share and use it.

Stockpress analyzed anonymized data from 450 content libraries, finding that:

• 96% contained exact duplicate files, highlighting how widespread redundant content has become.
• The average library held nearly 19,000 files.
• An average of 44 users had access to each library, showing how content management extends beyond individual content owners.
• Separate year-over-year platform data revealed that, on average, files stored increased 56%, storage volume grew approximately 71%, cumulative content shares rose 98%, and cumulative share views increased 107% between September 2025 and September 2026.

Together, the findings point to a challenge facing marketing, brand and creative teams across retailers, manufacturers, educational institutions, nonprofits and other organizations: it’s not just about managing more content, it’s about making that content work for more people, without creating more complexity.

This article explores what the data tells us, why it matters and what organizations can do to manage their content more effectively.

What does the data tell us about Digital Asset Management, and how teams manage content?

The research highlights several connected challenges: growing content volumes, widespread duplication, more people needing access and increasingly significant content sharing activity.

The Data of DAM: Key findings

The 450-library findings describe the anonymized sample analyzed in September 2026. Growth figures compare totals between September 2025 and September 2026. While each of the 450 content libraries had its own use cases and asset volumes, the data provides useful evidence of the scale and complexity of modern content management.

1. Why are digital content libraries growing so quickly?

Content is no longer created for a single campaign, audience or channel. For instance, a retailer might need product photography for ecommerce, marketplaces, advertising, email and social media. A manufacturer needs product images, specification sheets, sales presentations and distributor materials. A school or university manages photography, video, brand assets, departmental communications and promotional content.

And the work doesn’t stop once something is published. Existing assets are revised, adapted, localized, reused and shared with new audiences. New campaigns generate additional content, while older material often needs to remain accessible.

The data reflects this growing content footprint. Across the content libraries, the number of files stored increased 56% year over year, while total storage grew approximately 71%. The fact that storage grew faster than file count is interesting. It indicates that the average storage footprint per file increased across the platform, although the available data does not establish whether this was driven by higher-resolution imagery, video, larger documents or changes in the types of organizations using the platform.

What this means for content managers

A content management strategy cannot depend on storage capacity alone. As libraries grow, organizations also need to consider how files are named, categorized, found, maintained and eventually archived.

A library of 1,000 files may be manageable with a straightforward folder structure. At 20,000 files, relying entirely on folder names, individual knowledge and manual searching can become much less practical.

What can you do?

• Establish a consistent approach to filenames, metadata and asset categories.
• Use searchable tags and descriptions that reflect how people actually look for content. AI and custom tagging can apply consistent tags automatically as files are uploaded.
• Separate approved, draft, archived and expired materials.
• Regularly review files that are no longer required.
• Plan for storage growth without assuming more storage automatically means better content management.

The goal isn’t to stop content libraries from growing. It’s to make sure they remain usable as they do.

Source: Stockpress, The Data of DAM. September 2025–September 2026. Growth in cumulative content library-wide totals, not average individual-library growth.

2. Why do 96% of content libraries contain duplicate files?

One of the most striking findings was the prevalence of exact duplication. 96% of the 450 content libraries analyzed contained exact duplicate files. These were identical file copies, not images that merely looked similar or alternate formats of the same original.

Duplication can happen for perfectly understandable reasons. A marketing team downloads approved photography into a campaign folder. A sales colleague saves the same image for a presentation. Another team uploads an identical file into a regional content library. An agency returns assets that already exist in the organization’s storage. Each person believes they’re putting content somewhere useful. Over time, however, those individual decisions can create unnecessary copies of the same material.

Source: Stockpress, The Data of DAM. Anonymized sample of 450 content libraries, September 2026.

Why do folders contribute to duplication?

Traditional file management systems such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Box and SharePoint often rely heavily on folders as an organizational model. These tools can support links, shortcuts and other ways to reference files without copying them. However, workflows built around downloading, re-uploading, exporting and moving content between separate locations can still encourage duplication.

The problem becomes particularly noticeable when an asset needs to belong to several different categories at once. A product photograph might be relevant to a product range, seasonal campaign, sales presentation and distributor resource library. If each destination requires a separate stored copy, duplication becomes part of the workflow. And copies don’t always remain identical. One team may replace an image, update a document or change a product detail while another continues using an older version.

What’s the actual cost of duplicate files?

Duplicate content can create several problems:

• Storage: Unnecessary copies consume capacity that could be used for other assets.
• Findability: Search results become crowded with identical or nearly identical files.
• Consistency: Teams may struggle to identify which asset is approved or current.
• Maintenance: Updating or replacing content across multiple locations takes additional effort.
• Governance: Old copies can remain available after permissions, usage rights or brand requirements change.

The research establishes how widespread exact duplication is, but it does not quantify the percentage of storage occupied by duplicates or prove how often version confusion occurs.

How can organizations reduce duplicate files?

Start by identifying exact duplicates through file hashes or reliable duplicate-detection software. Before removing anything, establish which copy should be retained, whether other copies have important metadata or permissions, and whether any downstream workflows depend on their locations. Then change the system that allowed unnecessary copies to accumulate.

A more sustainable approach is to maintain a single underlying asset that can be referenced from multiple Collections, categories, shortcuts or destinations. That way, one approved product photograph can serve several teams without requiring several independently managed copies.

The most important lesson: Duplicate detection helps clean up a library. Better organization helps prevent the problem from returning.

3. How many people need access to an organization’s content?

The original study found an average of 44 provisioned users per content library. This suggests that managing content isn’t exclusively the responsibility of the marketing or creative team that produces it. A separate October 2026 analysis of the same 450 content libraries provides more detail, with more than 71% having at least five provisioned users, nearly 48% having ten or more, and 58 libraries having 50 or more users.

Source: October 2026 anonymized content library analysis (450 content libraries). Thresholds are cumulative and refer to provisioned users.

Who needs access to a content library?

The answer depends on the organization.

The issue isn’t necessarily the number of people creating content. It’s the number of people who need to use it. And most of those people don’t want to become content management experts simply to find a photograph, download a logo or access an approved presentation.

How should content access change as an organization grows?

A good content library should distinguish between people who manage assets and people who simply need to find and use them. That might mean giving administrators control over organization, metadata and permissions, while allowing other teams to access approved content through a simpler interface.

Role-based permissions, team access, external sharing and dedicated resource portals can all help. The goal is to give people appropriate access without losing control over the content itself.

4. Why is content sharing growing faster than content storage?

One of the most interesting trends comes from the year-over-year activity across the 450 content libraries. Between September 2025 and September 2026, files stored increased 56%, cumulative shares increased 98% and cumulative share views increased 107%.

These are content library-wide cumulative totals, not evidence that sharing nearly doubled within each individual organization. Growth in the number of organizations using the platform also contributes to these totals. Even with that qualification, the comparison illustrates the increasing scale of content distribution and consumption. A content library is rarely an endpoint. Assets need to move into campaigns, websites, presentations, publications, product listings, events and partner communications.

What’s the difference between sharing and access?

Sharing is the act of serving up a specific set of assets to someone. Access means that someone can find, understand and use the right content when they need it, based on what the content owner wants them to access.

An email containing 100 image attachments might technically deliver those assets, but it may not help someone access them when needed. It certainly won’t help them find a specific asset among them using search, identify which photograph is approved, which version is current or what usage rights apply.

A well-organized, searchable content library with unlimited access can provide more useful context. For example, a distributor resource portal might give partners access to approved product images, descriptions and marketing materials without requiring them to request new files every time something changes.

How can organizations improve content distribution?

Consider whether sharing content alone is enough, or whether access is really what your team needs. This often depends on how frequently they need it and whether they should have access to the entire library or a curated selection.

When considering how you want people to access your content, it’s important to consider your options:

• Share links with appropriate access controls.
• Controlled access for people who don’t need to edit or manage assets.
• Content Portals or resource hubs for recurring content requests.
• Clear approval and version information.
• Expiration dates and usage restrictions where necessary.
• Shared links or references that stay connected to approved source assets.

Making content available to more people shouldn’t mean creating more copies or losing control over how it is used. Choosing a platform like Stockpress that offers both sharing and access is a must, especially when users are unlimited, regardless of role.

5. When does a file management system stop being enough?

Not every organization needs dedicated Digital Asset Management (DAM) software. For smaller libraries with limited collaboration requirements, a well-maintained shared drive may work perfectly well. The need for something more structured often becomes clear when the way content is managed starts creating additional work.

Common warning signs include:

• People regularly asking where files are stored.
• Multiple copies of the same assets appearing in different locations.
• Teams being unsure which version is approved.
• Marketing or creative staff becoming responsible for every content request.
• External partners struggling to access the right materials.
• Searching and organizing files becoming increasingly time-consuming.
• Important metadata, permissions or usage rights becoming difficult to maintain.

These challenges aren’t unique to large enterprises. A small nonprofit coordinating volunteers, a retailer managing product launches or a school working across several departments can experience them just as easily as a global business. The decision to adopt a DAM should be driven by content complexity, not simply organization size.

File storage versus Digital Asset Management

The distinction isn’t that one category is universally better. General file storage and document collaboration tools can be excellent for their intended purposes. DAM becomes especially useful when the challenge involves managing rich media, maintaining consistent assets, finding content quickly and distributing approved materials to different audiences. The two can also work together. If you’re weighing the move, see how Stockpress compares with file management tools.

6. How do you improve an existing content library without starting again?

The findings provide a useful starting point for organizations looking to improve the systems they already use. You don’t necessarily need to replace every tool or reorganize every file immediately. The first step is understanding what you have.

Step 1: Audit your existing content

Measure the number of assets, total storage, common file types and locations where content currently lives. Identify obvious duplication, outdated content and areas where ownership is unclear. An audit should answer three basic questions: what do we have, where is it, and who needs it?

Step 2: Establish one approved source for important assets

Identify the assets people regularly need, including logos, brand photography, product images, templates and campaign materials. Give those files clear ownership, approval status and version information. Where possible, use references to the approved original rather than maintaining independent copies across multiple locations.

Step 3: Organize content around how people search

Don’t assume everybody knows the same folder structure. A marketer might search by campaign, a salesperson by product, and a designer by asset type. Tags, metadata, visual search and flexible Collections allow the same content to be found through different pathways. Start with a small set of useful categories, then develop them as real search behavior becomes clearer.

Step 4: Make approved content easy to access

Identify the most frequent requests and create simpler ways for people to fulfil them independently. That might mean dedicated Collections for departments, read-only access for sales teams, or Content Portals for partners and distributors. The best content management system is one that people can use without repeatedly asking someone else for help.

Step 5: Build regular maintenance into the workflow

Good organization isn’t a one-time project.

• Assign responsibility for metadata quality, duplicate reviews, outdated files, permissions and content expiration.
• Even a lightweight quarterly review can help prevent a well-organized library from becoming difficult to use again.

7. What should you consider when migrating to a new DAM or content management platform?

If the existing platform no longer meets your needs, moving to a new system can be an opportunity to improve content management rather than simply relocate the same problems. But migration shouldn’t be treated as copying everything from one place to another. A successful transition should preserve what matters, simplify what doesn’t and make the new content library more useful than the old one.

Before migrating, consider these questions

1. Can you preserve the information attached to your files?

Check whether filenames, folder structures, metadata, captions, tags, permissions and version history can be transferred. Some information may require additional mapping or manual work.

2. Can you identify duplicate content before importing?

Consider performing an inventory and duplicate review before migration. Avoid deleting files automatically, particularly where different copies carry different permissions or metadata.

3. Can people find content in more than one way?

Evaluate search, custom metadata, tagging, filters and flexible organization using actual files and realistic tasks.

4. How will access work for internal and external users?

Understand roles, permissions, sharing, portals and any user-based costs before making a decision.

5. Does the platform fit your existing workflows?

Check integrations, creative tools, upload processes and options for moving content into and out of the system.

6. What happens if you need to leave?

Understand data ownership, export options, metadata portability and any fees or limitations that could make future migration difficult.

For a broader checklist, read our guide on how to choose the right DAM system.

A practical migration approach

Rather than moving the entire library at once, begin with a representative group of files. Include different file types, metadata, versions, folder structures and permissions. Import them into the new platform and test how people find, manage, share and download the content.

Once those workflows are validated, migrate in planned batches, keeping a source inventory and clear rollback process. Finally, provide a short period where teams can verify the new library before retiring the old location. The goal isn’t simply to move your files. It’s to avoid moving your content management problems with them.

8. What should organizations measure in their own content libraries?

The Data of DAM study provides a useful benchmark for the scale of content management, but the most valuable insights come from measuring what happens inside your own organization. A practical content management dashboard should include:

These measures should be interpreted together. A growing library isn’t necessarily a problem. Neither is an infrequently accessed archive. The real question is whether people can reliably find and use the content they need, while administrators maintain appropriate control.

9. What does the future of Digital Asset Management look like?

The research illustrates a challenge that will become increasingly important as organizations create more content and involve more people in using it. The future of content management isn’t simply about accommodating additional files.

It’s about making those files easier to discover, trust, share and reuse. AI tagging, visual search, automated metadata and natural-language discovery may reduce the work involved in finding content. Integrations can connect asset libraries with the creative, marketing and operational platforms people already use.

But technology alone won’t solve poor organization. Useful metadata, clear ownership, appropriate permissions and a reliable source of approved content will remain important.

The organizations that benefit most from better content management won’t necessarily be those with the largest libraries. They’ll be the ones that make the content they already have easier for people to use.

Conclusion: More content is inevitable. More complexity doesn’t have to be.

The Data of DAM reveals a familiar challenge on a much larger scale. Organizations are storing more content, more people need access to it, and digital assets are being shared and consumed across an expanding range of workflows.

At the same time, the prevalence of exact duplicates shows how easily content management can become inefficient as libraries grow. The answer isn’t necessarily more storage, more folders or more copies. It’s a better approach to organizing content, maintaining a trusted source, making files easy to find and giving people the access they need.

The value of a content library isn’t determined by how much it holds. It’s determined by how useful that content is to the people who need it.

Research methodology and limitations

The primary study analyzed anonymized, aggregated data from 450 content libraries observed in September 2026. Exact duplication refers to matching file content, excluding resized, reformatted and merely visually similar assets. Library averages and the 96% duplication finding come from this population.

The year-over-year file, storage, share and share-view growth figures come from separate cumulative platform-wide observations for September 2025 and September 2026. These totals can change as the number and composition of content libraries change and should not be interpreted as individual-library growth rates.

Additional user-access findings draw on a separate October 2026 analysis of the same 450 content libraries. Provisioned users should not be confused with monthly active users and active sessions.

Source: Stockpress, The Data of DAM, 2026 research. Figures are rounded for readability.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Data of DAM study?

The Data of DAM is original research from Stockpress examining anonymized data from 450 content libraries. It explores file duplication, content volumes, storage requirements, user access and wider trends in content sharing and consumption.

How common are duplicate files in content libraries?

In the study of 450 paid content libraries, 96% contained exact duplicate files. This represents the prevalence of duplication within the studied population, not the percentage of files that were duplicates.

How many files does the average content library contain?

The 450-library study found an average of nearly 19,000 files per library, occupying approximately 236 GB of storage. These are sample averages, not industry-wide benchmarks.

How quickly are digital content libraries growing?

Across the wider platform, files stored increased 56% and storage volume increased approximately 71% between September 2025 and September 2026. These figures measure growth in cumulative platform totals, not the average annual growth rate of an individual content library.

Why do organizations end up with duplicate files?

Duplicates can be created through downloads, re-uploads, copying content between folders, migration between platforms and repeated distribution to different teams. Folder-based workflows can contribute when separate stored copies are used to organize the same asset in multiple locations.

How can a DAM reduce duplicate files?

A DAM can help identify exact duplicates, centralize approved assets, manage versions and allow the same underlying file to be referenced in multiple Collections or categories without storing additional copies.

How many people typically use a content library?

The original study found an average of 44 provisioned users per library. This does not mean all 44 users were active within any particular reporting period.

What’s the difference between a DAM and a shared drive?

A shared drive primarily provides file storage, synchronization and collaboration. A DAM focuses on the organization, discovery, control, distribution and reuse of digital assets, often adding specialist metadata, visual search, asset versioning and content governance.

When should an organization consider moving to a DAM?

A DAM becomes worth evaluating when duplicate files, inconsistent versions, difficult searches, repeated content requests or complex sharing requirements begin to interfere with everyday work. The need depends more on content complexity than organization size.

What should I check before migrating to a new DAM?

Prioritize metadata preservation, duplicate handling, search quality, permissions, integrations, data export and migration support. Test representative content and real user workflows before committing to a full migration.

Can a DAM work alongside Google Drive, Dropbox, Box or SharePoint?

Yes. Many organizations use general file storage or document collaboration tools alongside a DAM. The systems can serve different purposes, with a DAM acting as the organized source for approved digital assets and other tools supporting document workflows or broader file storage.

Does a larger content library mean more valuable content?

Not necessarily. A larger library may contain valuable historical material, but file counts alone don’t establish how useful that content is. Measures such as successful retrieval, appropriate reuse, sharing and content quality provide a more complete picture.