Digital signage is now considered an essential part of business communication with customers, management, and promotion of brands. If you are operating a restaurant, managing a store or are a part of a corporate communications team, the type of digital signage system you opt for can go a long way in determining whether or not you will achieve your objectives. The vast choices that are available, make it very hard to make the right decision. This guide will take you through the factors that you need to consider in order for you to make the right decision on the right digital signage system that you need.
1. Define Your Objectives
It is important to understand that before going into the technicalities of designing digital signage, it is important to get a clear understanding of what is intended to be accomplished by the said form of signage. Do you want to sell more products, enhance customers’ satisfaction, or deliver the necessary data in real-time? The requirements will be determined by the objectives of your business and what type of content you want to share as well as the functionality that your digital signage system needs to offer.
For instance, a restaurant can employ the technology to display their meals on offer and special offers in a certain week, while a corporate firm can use the display to communicate new in the company and performances of the company. By identifying your goals, you will be able to filter out the various systems that are available on the market and go for systems that will address the requirements of your organization.
2. Understand Your Audience
It is therefore important to identify your target market so that you can be able to select the right digital signage system. One must consider age, preference and behavior among other things. A digital signage system in a high traffic area such as a retail store may perhaps need large and flashy signs while a digital signage system in a health care facility may need easily readable messages.
Consider the way your audience engages your content. Will they be touching the screens or the signs and messages will be perceived from a distance? This will affect the size of screen, the resolution and the position of the screen.
3. Choose the Right Hardware
The kind of hardware you decide to go for is the foundation of your digital signage solution. It consists of screens, media players, mounts, and if there is interaction involved, then touch screens as well. Here are some key considerations:
• Screen Size and Resolution: Based on the room size and the number of people you are going to address; you are to choose the right size of the screen and its resolution. For large halls, screens may have to be much bigger than for halls or screens which may be installed in small areas.
• Display Type: LCD and LED are the most common types of displays with OLED being the newest type of displays. LED is suitable for high light environments while OLED gives better color and contrast and is great for high end retail or art displays.
• Media Players: These devices are the ones which dictate what content is to be displayed on your screens. There are some digital signage systems that have media players included in the system while others are additional. Check that the media player you are using supports the formats and resolutions which you are going to use.
• Mounting Options: You should decide whether your screens will be fixed on the wall, on the ceiling or will be portable. It will depend on the available space and the angles at which the games are to be viewed.
4. Evaluate Software Options
It is the control center of your digital signage system. It manages the content that is to be posted, the time at which the content is to be posted, and how the site is to be designed for the users. When evaluating digital signage software, consider the following:
• Ease of Use: The software should be easy to use so as to enable one to create, schedule and manage content without much strain. Search for clear navigation and drag and drop functionalities.
• Content Management: Find out how it will deal with content update. Is it capable of real-time update, access from remote locations, and feeds from other sources such as Social media, Weather feeds etc.?
• Scalability: When you expand your business, the necessity of digital signage also evolves. Select a software solution that can be easily expanded to accommodate more screens or new features at your company.
• Customization: It is important to be able to modify templates, layouts and the content to be consistent with the corporate identity. It is essential to select software with a possibility to set up different options and parameters.
• Support and Training: Good customer support and accessible resources can help you avoid the time-consuming process. Make sure that the software provider avails these services.
5. Consider Connectivity and Integration
Digital signage systems must also integrate into the current network. This can be POS, CMS, or even social media integration into the designs. Consider the following:
• Network Requirements: Make sure that the bandwidth can support the digital signage system as it is a considerable system. Often wired connections are more reliable, but with wireless connections there are more choices.
• Integration with Existing Systems: If you are going to incorporate the digital signage with other systems, then it is important that the signage solution supports it. For instance, it is possible for restaurants to have digital menus linked with POS systems to make the changes automatically.
• Content Sources: Determine where the content is going to be sourced from and this could be images, videos, live feeds, social media, etc. Ensure the system is capable of handling these content types and sources.
6. Maintenance and Upkeep Schedule
Like any other technological systems, digital signage systems have to be updated periodically to ensure the proper running of the system and proper display of the intended content. Consider the following when choosing a system:
• Reliability: Search for the most reliable and long-lasting solutions in terms of both hardware and software. It is the last thing you need when your screens go off in the course of the business day.
• Remote Management: There are systems that can be monitored and managed from a central location, and this can be very helpful if you have several premises that you have to visit regularly.
• Warranty and Support: Read the warranty and the support that the vendor is willing to provide. You can have a full support plan that will enable you to get any problem solved immediately.
7. Budget Considerations
Finally, consider your budget. Digital signage systems can be cheap or expensive based on the kind of hardware, software, and options that one will go for. However, do not only look at the costs which are incurred at the beginning of the project. Think about future costs of maintaining the site, of updating the content, of possible future additions.
• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): Determine TCO of the hardware, software license cost, installation cost and maintenance cost. This will help you to appreciate the long-term commitment that is needed for such investments.
• Return on Investment (ROI): Think about the ways in which the digital signage system will affect the financial profitability of your business. Higher sales, better customer satisfaction, better brand recognition and many other factors can define the ROI as positive.
Conclusion
It is therefore important to evaluate the goals and objectives of the company, the target group, the hardware and software, networking and most importantly the cost when selecting a digital signage system. When one has the time to consider these factors, one can be able to choose a system that will cater for the present and also the future growth and changes in the business. So, when you invest in the right digital signage system you will be fully prepared to communicate with your audience, improve your brand image and meet your business objectives.
