Digital signage is a communication channel, championed by many companies whereby multimedia content is shared on screens rather than on traditional static media. The promises of this innovative tool are many, and the return on investment is particularly strong. Learn about the challenges and operation of digital signage, the most widely-deployed marketing strategy in recent years.
The aims of digital signage
In addition to increasing the reach of a message and encouraging interaction with its target, digital signage improves the company’s visibility, thereby generating traffic and profits. It also offers it the ability to measure the impact of its campaigns and is therefore part of a very cost-effective global marketing and communication strategy.
Digital signage: how is it useful?
Digital signage is a communication tool that enables multimedia content to be broadcast on a fleet of digital display media, remotely and in real time, in public spaces or internally. The content can be of many forms, including text data, videos, animations, or photos.
Today, digital signage is beneficial for all industries and can already be found everywhere in places such as transit areas, train stations, airports, lobbies, waiting rooms, public transportation as well as physical sales outlets. Companies have also adopted it in-house, to better circulate information among their employees. This general popularity is a sign that companies have realised the importance of modernising their communication and developing a fully customisable and contextualised strategy 24 hours a day, in order to grasp the attention of their target, create a real connection and increase their visibility.
How does it work?
Digital signage delivers a wide variety of media: videos, photos, animations, presentations, RSS feeds or internet pages. It can also connect to applications to extract and process information, as well as to data streams for instant display. Regardless of its format, the file is sent to a content management system from a computer using a web browser or local connection, and then to servers. The file is then sent to the player, a tool that links the computer to the fleet of screens to allow the content to be streamed.
Currently, there are three content management solutions that, despite their differences, work in a similar way: hosted, SaaS, and hybrid systems. These control tools offer the ability to configure and manage the display, according to the defined programme. The various types of content can be shared on screens of varying sizes, touch screens or otherwise, video walls, interactive terminals or totems, inside or outside.
Digital signage examples
Thanks to digital signage, the manager can create, manage and configure delivery of content to a fleet of screens by connecting to the management software over the Internet from a computer. With this management tool, they can easily and instantly update the contents and stream them in real time to the screens. Intuitive, ergonomic and functional, the management systems allow easily customisable digital content to be transmitted, to deploy attractive and dynamic communication campaigns.
The different management systems in a nutshell
The hosted system also called “on-premise” works through the company’s local area network. The content servers are only available via this LAN and therefore require the presence of the on-site administrator.
The SaaS or “cloud” system relies on the use of an Internet connection to access the software online. This solution offers great freedom: It can be accessed remotely by the administrator from any browser. This system offers easy maintenance, and maximum flexibility to the company in managing its fleet of screens.
As for the hybrid system, its features are borrowed from the hosted and SaaS systems. The players and management computers are connected to the local server, but information can still be retrieved via an Internet connection, for example, to collect data and distribute it to the fleet of screens.
DOOH or digital outdoor advertising
Dooh, the abbreviation of Digital Out Of Home, is digital outdoor advertising. It enjoys a visual impact and a high teaser potential, amplified by display in captive locations such as waiting rooms of medical professionals. The incompressible waiting time means visitors can enjoy watching advertising campaigns on the screens, viewed as sources of entertainment and information. Many studies have found that the rate of memorisation of these campaigns is excessively high, thanks to the level of attention of the viewers, driven by the power of attraction of digital signage. By reducing the perception of waiting time and by broadcasting marketing content relevant to the activity in the location, DOOH contributes to a company’s attractiveness. For professionals, the installation of such media enhances the company’s brand image and enables messages to be circulated efficiently which are useful for their communication and interests.
Interactive display
Interactive display is used to create a relationship and a real connection between a user and a brand. Digital signage encourages and facilitates real-time interaction, so that the user can benefit from relevant and targeted information based on their intentions. Interactive display offers a bespoke experience in a point of sale or in the public space, and places the user at the centre of a new experience designed to improve their satisfaction. As an actor and consumer of the brand communication, they are free to choose and view the advertising content which interests or is relevant to them. These facilities - terminals, totems or touch-sensitive tablets - can, for example, be used to inform and direct individuals present in health care establishments, schools, places of visits and sales outlets. Thanks to them, they can quickly access information and access content regarding the interpretation of the visit, weather data, current promotions, catalogues to view, the room occupancy rate, or safety instructions. Interactive display facilitates the circulation of information and communication, and is proving to be a fun and attractive communication channel that reinforces the commitment and attention of visitors.
Digital signage: advantages and drawbacks
Digital signage is a major growth lever for companies, but also a significant financial and human investment. But its ubiquity is proof that it is a marketing channel that attracts and guarantees significant benefits.
Advantages
Digital signage is beneficial both for the company and for the audience that receives a message via this channel. Its main strength is its great attractiveness: bright, dynamic content captures the eye, and maintains attention far longer than static media. This visual impact increases the rate of campaign memorisation, which reaches exceptionally high levels. Regardless of the company’s particular activity, digital signage will therefore emphasise its communication, and increase the perceived value of the brand to the target. More than a proven way to boost sales by advertising a product, digital signage brings to life the brand’s image and its values.
It is also a great way to improve the customer experience, encouraging the development of new interactions. The installation of screens, tablets, terminals and totems in physical points of sale encourages sales and contributes to a new customer experience. Indeed, apart from its aspect purely as an advertising tool, digital signage redesigns the customer journey in a significant way. Fun and innovative, it becomes a differentiating element for the company and a key in deploying any impactful communication and marketing strategy.
Digital signage removes the usual constraints of paper thanks to screens controlled by a management system, capable of delivering updated content in real time and remotely. These media offer an infinite field of expression: in a small space and in any location, a lot of information can be provided simultaneously. It offers incredible freedom and flexibility with automated broadcasting for customised and personalised communication. Finally, it is a formidable analytical tool, able to report back valuable data in order to assess the effectiveness of the communication.
Drawbacks
The acquisition of a fleet of screens and a management system represents a significant outlay, but it quickly becomes profitable because there is a high ROI. Such a transformation may result in significant upfront costs and maintenance expenses, but ultimately reduces the constraints and high costs associated with paper signage. Many industries now use digital media for their communication, the exception now becoming the norm: the price of digital signage is continually falling, driven by the success of these solutions.
Besides the financial aspect, digital signage requires human resources and a continuous stream of work; communicators must continually update their content to provide relevant, up-to-date and high-quality information. Internally or by using outside providers, it is essential to build a team dedicated to this innovative form of communication.
Digital signage, a response to digitisation
Digital signage continues to gain ground in the public space and in companies to meet growing digitisation needs. More than simply an innovative communication channel, it is proving to be a major growth lever. Cenareo assists professionals in deploying a successful communication and marketing strategy with high ROI. With its intuitive and ergonomic digital signage management system, empower your teams to manage your fleet of screens in a simple way and provide a unique experience for your customers and employees. Easy to install and use, digital signage promises customised, flexible, increasingly contextualised and managed communication in a centralised and automated way.
Do you want to enhance your company’s image thanks to digital signage? Make your communication a global, high-performance strategy for growing your company. Digital signage gives you the opportunity to create, manage and deliver your campaigns to your screen fleet instantly, for a unique and immersive experience. Cenareo assists you with the digital transformation of your company that your employees and prospects expect.
