How to Implement Naming and Folder Architectures at Your Brokerage

By Andrew E.

If you handle marketing or create content for your brokerage, have we got a treat for you. Incorporating a folder architecture and file naming convention for your brokerage’s data management system can do wonders for boosting brokerage efficiency and agent productivity.

Setting up a standardized way of naming and finding all brokerage assets and collateral can make your brokerage look – and act – like a well-oiled machine. Plus, there’s an added benefit: tears of joy and applause from all your colleagues. This simple act can have far reaching effects top-down and back again.

At MoxiWorks, we utilize a naming convention and folder architecture derived from Platform as a Service (PaaS) best practices. Here is a sneak peek into how we use folders across a number of our teams and help to keep everyone sane.

Parent-level (team) Folders

In our ecosystem, there are platform components where teams utilize common tools. To help each easily distinguish “where to play,” we start with parent or “team-level” folders.

• Admin
• Marketing
• Account Management
• Sales
• Relocation Services
• Finance
• (z)Testing
• (z)Training

By calling out these folders initially, each team can easily navigate to their pertinent place of truth.

Child-level Folders

Child folders are those that live within the parent or team-level folders. As a best practice in the marketing team, we name child-level folders to align with either asset or marketing channel type.

Marketing (Parent Folder)

Child Folders

• Calendar: Launch dates for campaigns and programs with parents, vendors, internal, etc.
• Campaigns: Years, type/channel
• Content: Images, videos, collateral like case studies, infographics, white papers, Bit.ly links, etc.
• Emails: Sent emails, draft emails, and email templates
• Forms
• Landing Pages
• Search Marketing: PPC, Google, Bing, Paid Social Etc.
• Social Media: Content media posts, copy, mockups, etc.

Grandchild and Great Grandchild Folders

I know what you are thinking right now: “you guys have a lot of folders!” Yes, we do, but it keeps us extremely organized and our productivity up!

Grandchild folders nest under the child folders. An example would look like this:

Marketing (Parent)

• Campaigns (Child)
  • 2015 (Grandchild)
  • 2016 (Grandchild)
  • 2017 (Grandchild)
  • 2018 (Grandchild)
    • Advertising (Great Grandchild)
    • Blog (Great Grand Grandchild)
    • Direct Mail (Great Grandchild)
    • Email (Great Grandchild)
    • Public Relations (Great Grandchild)
    • Seminars/Trade Shows (Great Grandchild)
    • Social Media (Great Grandchild)

We utilize channel at the great grandchild level to quickly navigate between past and present for easier benchmarking and reference of initiatives Year-over-Year.

Naming Conventions for Assets and Collateral

Just like your folders have a naming structure and architecture, so should your files. First, you should define which types of files need naming. For marketing assets, here are some suggestions:

• Header: Email headers images
• Footer: Email footers images
• Content: (White papers, case studies, flyers, onesheets, etc.)
• Social Icon: Images for your social media channels
• Logo: Brokerage and partner logos
• Ad: Digital advertisements for PPC or paid social

Here are some working examples how you might be able to customize naming for your own brokerage:

[File Type] [Purpose or Name] [Intended Audience] (where applicable)
Header – 2018 Market Trends Webinar – Real Estate Agents.png
Content – Brokerage Communication Success Guide – CMOs.pdf
Content – Agent Success White Paper – Agents.pdf
Logo – 2017 Your Brokerage Here – Large – New Prospects.png

No two brokerages or teams are alike, so, what works for you may not work for someone else. So, figure out what best aligns within your own organization.