Assets like images, documents, and other media are often reused across various content items. When an asset needs replacing, it can have cascading effects on the content that it’s used in.This cheat sheet explores different options for managing and replacing assets in Kontent.ai to help you choose the approach that best fits your needs and workflow.
Why is this important?
Content creators often need efficient methods to update images, documents, or other files without having to manually edit each content item where the asset is used. For example, when marketing materials like logos or banners change, these assets must be updated across all relevant content. This changes the asset URLs, which can break any hard-coded links pointed to the old materials. That’s why it’s necessary to update all content items referencing these materials to ensure consistency and avoid broken links.Having a clear strategy for asset replacement is vital because it helps:
Save time and effort: Avoid the tedious process of updating each content item manually, freeing editors to focus on higher-value tasks.
Maintain brand consistency: Ensure all published content reflects your latest branding and avoid showing outdated materials to your audience.
Preserve link integrity: Prevent broken links by properly managing asset URLs and references.
Available solutions with Kontent.ai
Choosing the right approach depends on the volume of asset replacements, your need for version control, and the importance of maintaining direct URL links. Each method described below has unique strengths, so weigh these options against your team’s workflow to find the most efficient solution.
Approach A: Native asset management
Use Kontent.ai’s native asset library to upload new assets. Then manually update each content item that references the original asset and re-publish them to reflect the new asset URLs.
Pros
Cons
Simple and straightforward process
No additional setup is required
Assets can’t be edited, they must be re-created
Manual updates can be time-consuming, especially in bulk
Higher risk of errors
No asset versioning
Approach B: Fast asset replacement
Fast asset replacement, available through Innovation Lab, allows you to replace assets directly in the Kontent.ai asset library. This automatically updates asset references across all content items, without the need to manually republish them.
Pros
Cons
Automatically updates assets and asset links across all content items
Eliminates manual republishing of affected content
Saves significant time on bulk asset updates
Replacement is immediate and cannot be undone
The replaced asset becomes unavailable in the UI but remains available via its original asset URL