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Faceted search

Faceted search narrows a set of results using several attributes, such as file type, orientation, campaign or location. In digital asset management (DAM), it helps people find suitable assets by combining metadata-based filters, rather than relying on a filename or one keyword alone.

Page at a glance

Combine criteria: narrow assets by several useful attributes.
Start broad: add filters one at a time and remove those you no longer need.
Metadata matters: missing or inconsistent values can hide suitable files.
Different from sorting: filters change the set; sorting changes its order.
Check before reuse: a matching result does not establish approval, consent or licence rights.

HOW IT WORKS

How faceted search helps a content team

How it works

A keyword such as “campus” can return photographs, brochures and videos from several campaigns. Facets let the user describe additional requirements separately: image, landscape orientation and a particular location. Each selected criterion helps define the result set.

Filters, keywords and sorting

A keyword query looks for matching terms. Faceted search combines structured attributes to refine the selection. Sorting then orders the results, for example by date; it does not remove unsuitable files. These methods can work together.

Across different facets, a search commonly requires all selected criteria to match. Within one facet, selecting two values may mean either value or both, depending on the system and configuration. Check the behaviour instead of assuming that every checkbox works the same way.

When the result set looks wrong

Review the active filters and remove an old campaign, date or location restriction.
Broaden one criterion at a time to identify what excludes the expected asset.
Check that the asset has the relevant metadata and uses the agreed vocabulary.
Confirm that your account has access; a search cannot reveal content you are not allowed to see.
Open the selected record and check approval, rights and intended use before downloading.

A zero-result search means no visible asset matched those criteria. It does not prove the library contains no suitable content.

IN PRACTICE

Faceted search in Asset Bank

In Asset Bank

Asset Bank is a DAM platform for marketing, brand and creative teams. Its product guidance describes search filters for orientation, file type and bespoke metadata.

The Filter Bar adds criteria while searching or browsing. Administrators choose the attributes shown through Admin > Attributes > Display Attributes, under Browsing or Searching. If no attributes are configured, only the default Keywords filter appears.

Asset Bank also documents a separate Filters feature, which applies predefined sets of attribute values. This is not the same control as the Filter Bar. Confirm your library’s configuration before writing user instructions.

Choose facets people can maintain

Use fields that answer real selection questions, such as campaign or location, with agreed values and an owner for corrections. Test representative assets, including records with missing values. Exposing more fields will not repair inconsistent metadata.

Filtering helps discovery. It does not replace permissions, approval workflows or a check of the licence and consent information for the intended use.

ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE

Finding a landscape campus photograph

Illustrative example

A university communications team needs a landscape photograph of its science campus for a recruitment webpage. A broad campus search returns images from several locations and years, alongside documents and video.

In a library configured with the relevant fields, the editor selects Image, Landscape and Science campus. They then add the recruitment campaign value. The shorter list makes the candidates easier to compare.

One expected photograph disappears when the campaign filter is applied. The editor removes that filter, finds the photograph and discovers its campaign field is empty. They ask the record owner to confirm and correct the metadata rather than assuming the image is unsuitable.

Before reuse, the editor checks the selected photograph’s licence, consent, approval and resolution. The filters identify a candidate; they do not authorise publication.

Result: the team finds a suitable candidate and identifies a metadata gap. This is an illustrative workflow, not a customer case study or measured outcome.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between faceted search and keyword search?

Keyword search looks for matching terms. Faceted search refines a result set using attributes such as file type, orientation or campaign. You can combine them: start with a keyword, then add filters to narrow the candidates. Sorting changes the order of those results, not which assets match.

Why does a filter hide an asset I know is in the library?

The asset may have missing or inconsistent metadata, an active filter may exclude it, or your account may not have access. Remove filters one at a time, check the relevant field values and ask the record owner or administrator to investigate. No results does not necessarily mean no suitable asset exists.

Does a matching search result mean I can use the asset?

No. A match means the asset meets the search criteria available to your account. Check the asset record for approval, licence restrictions, consent and suitability for your intended channel before reuse. Filtering does not grant legal permission.

KEEP EXPLORING

Sources and further reading

Asset Bank: The A–Z of DAM, for the term’s meaning.
Asset Bank product features, for orientation, file type and bespoke metadata filtering.
Asset Bank: Filter Bar, for attribute configuration and the default Keywords field.
Asset Bank: Filters, for the separate predefined filtering feature.

Sources checked: 2 November 2026. The example is illustrative; configuration varies between libraries.