Digital signage: strategic and operational issues

Digital signage is a popular distribution channel for many companies, who prefer to share multimedia content on screens rather than on traditional static media. The promises of this innovative tool are numerous, and the return on investment is particularly attractive. Find out more about the challenges and benefits of digital signage, the most widely deployed strategy of recent years marketing .

Digital signage objectives

In addition to increasing the reach of a message tenfold and fostering interaction with its target,digital signage enhances a company's visibility to generate traffic and profits. What's more, it allows you to measure the impact of your campaigns, making it part of a highly profitable marketing and global communications strategy.

Digital signage: what's it all for?

Digital signage is a communication tool that enables multimedia content to be displayed remotely and in real time on a range of digital display media, in public spaces or in-house. Content can take many forms: textual data, videos, animations or photos.

Today, digital signage is beneficial to all business sectors, and is already ubiquitous in transit areas, stations, airports, lobbies, waiting rooms, public transport and physical points of sale. Companies are also turning the corner internally, to better circulate information among their staff. This general craze is a sign that companies have grasped the importance of modernizing their communications and developing a strategy that is fully customizable and contextualized 24 hours a day, to arouse the interest of their target audience, create a real connection and gain visibility.

How does it work?

Digital signage can be used to display a wide variety of media: video, photo, animation, presentation, RSS feed or even a web page. It also offers the possibility of connecting to applications to extract and process information, as well as to data streams for instant distribution. Regardless of its format, the file is sent to a content management system from a computer via a web browser or local connection, and then to servers. The file is then transmitted to the player, a tool that acts as a link between the computer and the screen park, enabling the content to be broadcast.

Currently, there are three content management solutions which, despite their differences, work in a similar way: hosted, SaaS and hybrid systems. These management tools offer the possibility of configuring and managing the display, according to defined programming. Content can be shared on screens of varying sizes, touchscreen or non-touchscreen, screen walls, interactive kiosks or totems, indoors or out.

Examples of digital displays

With digital signage, managers can create, manage and parameterize the distribution of content on a fleet of screens, by connecting to the management software on the Internet from a computer. With this control tool, they can easily and instantly update their content and broadcast it to screens in real time. Intuitive, ergonomic and functional, management systems can relay digital content that can be easily customized, for attractive, dynamic communication campaigns.

Understanding the different management systems

The hosted system, also known as "on-premise", operates via the company's local network. Content servers are only available via this network, and therefore require the presence of an 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. It's easy to maintain, and offers maximum flexibility in managing your screen inventory.

The hybrid system, on the other hand, borrows its characteristics from 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, in particular to collect data and distribute it to the screen fleet.

Dooh or digital outdoor advertising

Dooh, short for Digital Out of Home, refers to digital outdoor advertising. The visual impact and eye-catching potential of this type of advertising are multiplied by the fact that it is broadcast in captive locations, such as the waiting rooms of medical professionals. Incompressible waiting time allows visitors to appreciate the viewing of advertising campaigns on screens, which are seen as sources of distraction and information. Numerous studies have shown that the memorization rate of these campaigns is excessively high, due to the attention span of viewers, driven by the drawing power ofdigital signage. By reducing the perception of waiting time and broadcasting content marketing relevant to the activity carried out on site, the dooh is proving to be a key element in a company's attractiveness. For professionals, the installation of such media enhances the company's brand image and enables them to circulate effective messages useful to their communication and interests.

Interactive display

Interactive signage creates a relationship and a real connection between a user and a brand. Digital signage encourages and facilitates interaction in real time, so that users can benefit from information that is relevant and targeted to their intentions. Interactive signage offers a tailor-made experience at the point of sale or in the public space, placing the user at the center of a unique experience designed to enhance their satisfaction. As an actor and consumer of brand communication, they are free to choose and consult the advertising content that interests and concerns them. These installations - kiosks, totems or touchscreen tablets - can be used, for example, to inform and orient people in healthcare establishments, schools, visitor sites and points of sale. They can quickly access information and consult content relating to the direction of a visit, weather data, current promotions, catalogs to consult, room occupancy rates and safety instructions. Interactive displays facilitate the flow of information and communication, proving to be a fun and attractive channel that enhances visitor engagement and attention.

Digital displays: advantages and disadvantages

Digital signage represents a major growth lever for companies, but also a significant financial and human investment. Nevertheless, its ubiquity proves that it's a channel marketing that appeals, and guarantees significant benefits.

Benefits

Digital signage is beneficial both for the company and for the audience receiving a message via this channel. Its main asset is its great appeal: dynamic, bright content catches the eye, and holds attention for much longer than a static support . This visual impact boosts campaign recall to exceptionally high levels. Irrespective of the company's activity, digital signage will enhance its communication and increase the perceived value of the brand to its target audience. More than a proven means of boosting sales by advertising a product,digital signage brings a brand's image and values to life.

It's also a fantastic way of enhancing the customer experience, and encouraging the development of new interactions. The installation of screens, tablets, kiosks and totems in physical points of sale encourages sales and contributes to a new customer experience. As well as being a purely advertising tool conveying messages, digital signage radically rethinks the customer experience. Fun and innovative, digital signage becomes a differentiating element for companies, and a key element in the deployment of any high-impact communication and marketing strategy.

Digital signage does away with the usual constraints of paper, thanks to screens controlled by a management system, capable of broadcasting updated content in real time and remotely. These media offer an infinite field of expression: in a small space and at any location, it's possible to provide a great deal of information simultaneously. They offer unprecedented freedom and flexibility with automated distribution, for customized, personalized communication. Last but not least, they are formidable analysis tools, capable of providing invaluable data for assessing the effectiveness of your communications.

Disadvantages

The acquisition of a screen fleet and a management system represents a substantial investment, but one that quickly pays for itself in terms of ROI. While such a transformation entails substantial initial outlay and maintenance costs, it ultimately reduces the constraints and very high costs associated with paper displays. As many sectors turn to digital media for their communications, the exception is becoming the norm: the price of digital signage is falling steadily, encouraged by the success of these solutions.

In addition to the financial aspect,digital signage requires human resources and continuous work; communicators must constantly update their content, in order to offer relevant, up-to-date and qualitative information. Whether in-house or outsourced, it's essential to set up a team dedicated to this innovative form of communication.

Digital signage, a response to digitalization

Digital signage continues to conquer public spaces and businesses to meet the growing need for digitalization. More than just an innovative communication channel, digital signage is proving to be a major growth driver. Cenareo supports professionals in deploying a high-performance, high-ROI communication strategy and marketing . With our intuitive, ergonomic digital signage management system, you can give your teams the means to easily manage your screens, and offer a unique experience to your customers and collaborators. Easy to implement and use, digital signage promises customized, flexible and increasingly contextualized communication, managed centrally and automatically.

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Do you want to enhance your company's image with digital signage? Turn your communications into a global, high-performance strategy at service .Digital signage gives you the opportunity to create, manage and broadcast your campaigns on your screens instantly, for a unique, immersive experience. Cenareo supports you in the digital transformation of your company that your employees and prospects expect.