What Is the Difference Between PIM and CMS?

Marketing your business online takes a lot of hard work and consistency. However, you can't market anything without content. That said, as you create content for your various products and services, you need a way to manage everything easily and efficiently. That's where product information management and content management come into play.

But what's the difference between the two, and which is the best option for your business? Let's break these options down and show you how you can manage your marketing content more effectively.

What Is the Difference Between PIM and CMS?

Product information refers to the details about a specific product. These details can include its price, SKU number, dimensions, color options, and more. While some of these elements may change over time (i.e., pricing), most of the details will remain the same for each product.

So, a product information management (PIM) system helps you organize and manage this data from a central server. When you have hundreds of products in your inventory, you need a quick and easy way to access these details. For example, you may use them in a catalog, for a new product listing page, or to create a user manual.

A Content Management System (CMS) is a bit different from a PIM, although the basic functions are very similar. However, you need to use a CMS to manage all kinds of online content, including images, videos, or text files that may be unrelated to specific products. For example, you may have customer-oriented content or website materials to promote your brand.

So, a PIM is used only for product information, while a CMS has a much broader perspective. This also means that a CMS may have more users than a PIM, since marketing teams may not need specific product details to promote the brand.

What Is the Difference Between a DAM and a PIM System?

A digital asset is anything you may use to promote a product or your company itself. Examples of digital assets can include photos, webinars, videos, infographics, and much more.

A digital asset management (DAM) system allows your brand to store, access, and share these assets across the company or with third-party individuals (i.e., a marketing agency). Because there is such a wide variety of digital assets, it's imperative to have a comprehensive DAM system that allows users to search for what they need quickly and easily. For example, each asset may be tagged with keywords, so everything with the same keyword can come up in a single search.

PIM software, however, is only related to product assets. Typically, these programs have built-in DAM functionality, so users can access different materials for a specific product or line. In this case, a digital asset may be marked as part of a packet of product information, so a search for that product will bring up all the various assets associated with it.

What Is PIM Software Used For?

Product information management software is critical for companies to store and update all the information about their products. A PIM system is designed as the single point of truth for all data related to products. A single user can update a product's information (i.e., its price or color), and the entire system will update accordingly.

These systems allow authorized users from different departments to access product details and assets from a centralized source. This way, there is total consistency across the company and no one is using outdated or incorrect information.

The best PIM software will have DAM functionality included. This way, users can access specific assets (e.g., manuals, how-to videos, photos, and more) as needed without having to bring up the entire product catalog.

What Is the Best PIM Software?

Knowing the value of a PIM system is only the beginning. Now, you have to find the best PIM software companies to help you manage your product information.

Fortunately, there are many solutions available. Some of the top PIM software examples include:

• Plytix

• Salsify

• Catsy

• Inriver

• Pimcore

• Lumavate

What makes each of these providers ideal for product information management is that they all have built-in features that allow you to access data easily and update each product with new details and content. However, most of these examples only focus on product management.

If you want an all-in-one tool, Lumavate is the best PIM software 2023. The reason it's so good is that it offers a wider array of features that allow you to maximize your content marketing strategy.

In addition to product management, Lumavate also offers comprehensive Digital Asset Management and digital experiences. This way, you can focus more on crafting unique and engaging content for your audience and less time on organizing your files. Plus, as a Digital Experience Platform, you can create interactive user experiences that will help both prospects and existing customers connect with your brand.

If you're ready to see how Lumavate can elevate your marketing strategy, contact us today.