From retail stores to menus and outdoor displays, a strategic, integrated digital signage system can help you manage your digital signage campaigns, while attracting and retaining customers.
Many businesses have questions about the technology, and whether it’s the right solution to adopt.
What are the key elements of a digital signage solution?
What are the benefits and best practices for network deployments?
Are there any particular considerations when evaluating technology partners?
In this post, we’ll cover the basics, , key components, digital signage best practices, software compatibility, benefits of an integrated system.
What is a digital signage system?
Simply defined, a digital signage system comprises a centrally operated content management system and digital screens to display content across its network. This can be found in many forms — from retail store window displays to service counter displays in retail banking, video walls in corporate lobbies, indoor or drive thru digital menu boards and more.
It’s also important to delineate the difference between a standalone digital display and innovative digital signage connected to a content management platform that enables scale, messaging customization, real-time updating, and draws attention from audiences.
Reasons to use a digital signage system
Today, businesses and brands need to compete for the attention of their customers — many of whom spend a lot of their time looking at their smartphone screens all day.
While there is a great opportunity to engage with consumers through their smartphones, large and small format digital signage provides an opportunity for businesses to engage with customers while building evocative brand experiences and brand loyalty. Digital signage can cut through the noise that mobile and traditional advertising often creates for consumers. Consistently, senior marketers report seeing better brand recall, recognition and interaction through enriched and meaningful content.
Other key reasons to utilize a digital signage system include:
- Increase in sales and brand awareness
- Higher levels of custom customer engagement
- Modernization of the physical space
- Enhanced automation, self-service
- Mitigate friction in the customer experience
Digital signage also improves overall experience outside the traditional four walls of stores, restaurants and banks. By extending the experience outside, retailers and marketers are using digital signage in solutions from traditional drive thrus to new curbside pickup experiences and designated pickup areas, all enhanced with digital signs. Drive-thru digital menu boards offer other advantages like increased relevance, dayparting, updating offerings in real time, and personalization — all benefits for organizations to increase customer engagement and sales.
Key components to an Integrated System
Digital signage systems vary in features and scalability, and it is important to work with a partner who can support your project, at scale, as well as have the expertise to facilitate the transition. Here are some key common components to what makes up the system.
Digital Display — This is the screen that displays the content to the viewing audience. Typically, the screen is a flatscreen like a TV, LCD or LED-type display. Displays can be standalone kiosks or mounted on the wall or other areas. Some solution providers offer interactive modalities such as touchscreen or photo-lens for immersive experiences.
Passive and Interactive Tablets— Commercial-grade tablets are used to deliver digital signage content in a variety of use cases in retail, quick service restaurants, banking, transformation, grocery, and other scenarios. These tablets differ from consumer electronics in that they are ruggedized for 24/7 use and are available in a wide range of large format sizes. Commercial tablets can provide multiple ways for a business to connect with the customer as well as integrating functionality such as payment processing, barcode scanning, communications, and mobile sensors. Some tablets can be passive with their display of content while other touchscreen tablets can feature a range of interactive customer experiences.
Digital Signage Software — The software helps manage the content that is displayed. And in doing so, some software can organize, personalize, schedule, deliver and monitor that content accordingly. Look for a software solution that is centrally managed or locally updatable to help you easily and quickly manage/update your content. Ability to scale with your project is important as well.
Media Player — The media player is the hardware that drives the digital content to the display screen. It’s basically a computer, which is powered by the signage software, to deliver the content to the display.
Rich Media Content — This is the actual digital message you are communicating via your digital signage system, and a content strategy with clearly defined goals is key to a successful digital signage network. Content is the core of the digital signage experience as it is the way for a business to connect with the viewing audience. Consider partnering with a provider who can offer creative best practices to maximize your investment in digital signage technology.
While there are other components, which may include the signage system hardware and sensors, the above elements are the crux of what makes up a digital display system.
Digital Signage Best Practices
Deploying digital signage systems requires a strategic approach to help you maximize your signage efforts. The following are six best practices to consider when using digital signage.
#1. Make it legible — Your message is often viewed by your audience at a glance and from a distance. Make it easy for them to see and comprehend your message. Keep in mind that signage in lobbies is usually 5-10 feet away while signage in areas such as data centers can be up to 30 feet away.
#2. Make it accessible — Increasing readability means increasing accessibility — for all of your audience. Text should be large enough that it can be read from a reasonable distance.
#3. Study the location — It’s important to know where your audience is viewing your digital signage. For instance, corporate communication digital signage is typically viewed in transit areas or waiting/dwell areas. Knowing the viewing scenario of your audience can improve the success of your message and allow you to design content appropriately.
#4. Consider graphics and animation — Make the message interesting, evocative and actionable. Designs, graphics, animation and video can enhance your message. But make sure it complements, doesn’t distract and is compliant with brand standards, complementing the corporate brand messaging strategy.
#5. Create a playlist — Schedule your playlist to change according to the dynamic of the space where your signage is located. Use frequent transitions for busy areas and consider slower paced playlists that might be ideal for smaller areas.
#6. Measure and fine-tune — Constant iteration, even minor tweaks or updates, can ensure that your message is always optimal and has the biggest impact. Don’t be afraid to experiment, which can help you find new ways to connect with your audience. By displaying messages and measuring success — were appropriate actions taken such as promoted items being purchased or company meetings attended — you are able to optimize your digital signage network. Defining how success is measured is an important element of a digital signage content strategy.
Following these best practices can help better position your digital signage initiatives for success.
Digital signage software compatibility and considerations
Digital signage software helps businesses manage the content across their display systems. While there are free software solutions within this industry, it’s advisable to consider deploying a marketplace solution vendor that can offer you more robust features. Look for a strong technology partner who has the experience and expertise to help scale your project.
Key considerations when evaluating digital signage software solutions:
- Compatibility with display system — Will the software be compatible with the digital signage hardware/display?
- Adoption — Is the interface intuitive to use or does it require a lot of onboarding and training?
- Content strategy — What is the goal of the digital signage network and who are the team members dedicated to success and optimization? How do you define success?
- Software updates — What is the frequency of these updates and how does it tactically happen?
- Software compatibility with existing technology — Think of how this software may integrate with your other software and technology investments.
- Cloud-based platform — Is the solution cloud-based or not? If it is cloud-based, how secure is the system?
- Range of features — Some signage software is limited and doesn’t evolve. Consider teaming up with a provider that can add new features and functionality so you can make the most of your digital signage investment.
- Cost — Weigh the features, functionality, support and all other considerations when determining if the cost fits within your budget.
- Success measurement— Does the solution provide a way to measure campaign effectiveness? Can the provider also make suggestions on how to improve the campaigns? You want to ensure that the solution you deploy offers metrics to not only analyze results, but then take action to improve efforts.
- Technology partnership — Is your provider able to deliver and support a full solution, adding value to the network.
Why an integrated digital signage system matters
While some businesses may try to combine various technologies, it’s important to consider partnering with a solution provider who delivers an integrated digital signage system.
All the key components are created to work with each other, which is better than risking a system that is made of disparate technology which may not integrate properly. Ensure your investment is worthwhile. Consider that some vendors will sell you a system, or rather parts of a system, and that’s it. The technology is static, and customer support is non-existent.
It’s critical you partner with a solution provider — like STRATACACHE — that has the experience and expertise of working with businesses like yours. STRATACACHE is dedicated to innovating technology to help customers push the digital signage industry forward.
Discover how you can integrate a digital signage system into your business.