What Is Digital Signage? All That You Need to Know

What Is Digital Signage?

As the name suggests, digital signage is a digital screen that displays signs. Usually, it is intended to send a specific message to a set of people. These people can be internal teams of an office, students of a school, or potential customers of a brand. Based on the particular purpose, the signage can be tailored to show unique content that maps to your purpose or objective.

Whether you hit a supermarket or visit the airports, these signage displays will be staring at you and sending you some kind of message. Almost every domain has embraced the potential of digital signage today. These industries use different technologies like projection, LED and LCD to display additional content in the form of video, images, streaming media, and more.

Digital signage displays have remarkably replaced paper marketing and minimized its prominence. Businesses and many other industries are focusing on a paperless approach to put out the word.

What Are The Different Types of Digital Signage You Can Use?

Indeed, there are different types of digital signage systems that you can use according to the requirements. Each type of digital signage fulfills a certain demand of the client. Hence, it is important for you to select the right type of digital signage that can yield results.

Here are different types of digital signage:

1. Digital Posters: It is the simplest digital signage that has been used for a long time now. These are displayed on LCD screens and among the basic digital signage.
2. Digital Advertising Displays: These are floor-mounted displays that you can generally find in the form of kiosks and booths.
3. Ceiling Mounted Digital Signage: It is a less eye-catching digital signage that is mounted on the ceiling.
4. Outdoor Digital Signage: This one is becoming widely popular of late. People are using LCD and LED screens on outdoor locations for better promotions.

Components of Digital Signage System

The two basic components of any digital signage system are software and hardware. While the hardware is a screen that displays the information, digital signage software helps in processing the data and displaying it on the screen without much hassle.

If we go a little deeper into the digital signage solutions, you will find it divided into four components:

• Display: A digital display or a signage screen is just like your mobile or TV. It is a screen that displays information. Now, this screen can change in size and type based on the information that has to be displayed on it.
• Content Management System (CMS): This part of the digital signage software manages the content that is being shown on the screen. It serves functionalities like management of screens, managing media files (creatives), schedules, screen layouts, reports, and other admin functions.
• Player Hardware and Software: This component is crucial because it makes sure your content gets delivered exactly how you want it to. The digital signage player is nothing but a media player (often a small box that can be connected to the digital screens). This piece of hardware has its own software that drives the signage player for various functionalities like downloading the content from CMS, managing the schedule - what and when to play, and rendering the content in various formats like video, image, HTML, etc.
• Cloud for Content Management: CMS can be served from in-house data centers or from the cloud. Cloud deployment helps organizations in easier management of server infrastructure, easy distribution of content across geography, and high scalability. Pickcel’s cloud digital signage software solution helps you manage the content effectively.

Placement of Digital Signage Displays?

Digital signage systems are essentially tools of communication. Therefore, the strategic placement of digital screens is crucial. Where and how you place your these displays largely depends on two major factors:

• The Type of Content: What type of content are you going to show on your digital signage system? Is it an advertisement for a product? Or will you use the displays to share public information like bus timing, weather reports, etc?
  
  If you are using large digital signage displays for playing commercials, surely they will be placed outdoors at locations that receive constant footfall of crowds like road signals, places near shopping malls, and theaters. But, if it is a smart digital signage system like passenger information system (PIS) that shows bus or train arrival/departure timings or GPS locations of vehicles, then, such displays will be placed at the precise locations as warranted.
• The Target Audience: What's the whole point of installing a digital signage system if no one is really staring at it?
  
  If you are getting started with your digital signage system, the very first question you need to be ask is "Who am I trying to communicate with?"
  
  Every product or service or even a tiny piece of information has more value to a certain group of consumers than the rest. That is your target audience. If you are a brand selling healthcare products, it is important that you know where your target audience will gather. Probably at areas that have hospitals or clinics? If so, you will need to place your digital signage displays strategically at such locations so that they attract the correct audience's attention. When you draw the attention of the right group of consumers, your sales prospects shoot up.
  
  Similarly, you can also determine your target audience by studying your consumer demographic. For instance, if your target audience is young, working-class people, a wise choice will be to deploy your digital signage displays in areas populated with offices, tech parks and corporate club houses.

What Are the Benefits of Digital Signage?

In case you are confused about opting for digital signage, here are some benefits that will help you make a decision.

#1 Drive Higher Engagement with Your Audience

When shoppers are engaged in your products or services, they are likely to turn into loyal customers. That’s the reason most businesses ensure they provide their shoppers with all the required information to feel comfortable.

Have you ever waited in a store wishing a sales guy to ask if you need anything? If yes, then you probably have not visited that shop again.

That’s precisely what happens when you are not concerned about your customers. By using the apt digital signage content, you can allow your customers the freedom to help themselves.

No more making your customers wait, as efficient digital signage can do it all for you.

#2 Expand Your Territory

Today everyone knows what is a digital signage display. It is the media player on which digital signage content is showcased in an appealing manner.

Even if you are operating from a different corner of the world, the digital signage display can be installed in any part of the world.

It is a huge benefit for the branding process as you can get globally recognized with the help of digital signage. For instance, if you have different branches at several places, the displays will ensure that there is consistency in the system.

This can quickly improve your sales and provide you with benefits that can take your business to greater heights.

#3 Easy and Convenient to Handle

Customers' requirements and preferences change at regular intervals, so you can never stick to a single plan always. One of the significant benefits of using digital signage is that you can use the displays according to your convenience.

For instance, if you own a restaurant or hotel, you need to change the pricing every now and then. The traditional menu board method does not allow you to make real-time changes which can decrease the efficiency.

However, digital signage makes it super simple to make changes in your digital signage content at any hour of the day.

There is specific software that will help you pick the right type of content for the business.

#4 Enjoy Wider Reach and Engagement

The benefits and significance of digital signage are not just limited to in-store facilities. The digital signage display will help you attract a more extensive set of audience and viewers.

You just have to leverage the potential of digital signage. Only then will you be able to create a lasting relationship with your clients.

Also, it will come in handy in attracting new customers and keeping the existing ones closer. Today digital signage has become highly popular and for all the good reasons.

It is all about influencing people with digital signage and seeing what it brings to the table.

#5 Leave a Lasting Impression

It is human nature that we tend to grasp video elements more than textual ones. It is vital to give your customer something that will provoke their purchase intention.

Digital signage helps in spreading the word without any manual efforts. When your customer sees an ad campaign on billboards created digital signage, they will further tell other customers regarding your brand.

That’s how the word will be spread across your target audience and sometimes even outside. It is highly important for your brand that the digital signage comes out successful.

The combination of digital signage content, graphics, display movement, etc., makes digital signage an ideal choice for marketing and promotions.

#6 Make Waiting in Queue Comfortable

Long queues can disrupt the in-store experience of your customers. Don’t let this mistake take away a chunk of profit from you. With digital signage, you can ensure lower wait times for your customers.

Whether it is digital menu cards or self-checkout services, smart digital signage systems can help your business grow to a great level. There are different ways in which digital signage can make waiting in queues interesting for your customers.

You can think about adding quizzes, fun facts, and even interesting information about the shop that will keep them engaged. They can pass their time while waiting in the queue.

Customers will be less frustrated, and companies will be able to advertise more of their services. For this, you need to make the most of the digital signage.

#7 Powerful Analytics to Make Right Decisions

You can optimize all the above-mentioned benefits with the help of analytics systems. Smart digital signage systems can provide all the relevant insight regarding the engagement of customers.

You can check which products/services are most searched, what were the sales of the previous month, and provide you insights regarding improvement.

The analytics report will help you in making tweaks in your strategy and looking at how you can improve your processes. For instance, if you get to know that customers are only engaged in the first 10 seconds of a 20 seconds video, you need to make your video even more compelling.

Who Can Make Use of Digital Signage?

It is important to understand what is digital signage used for, only then will you be able to make the most of it. Today, it is used in the majority of the sectors. It can benefit different industries to increase their traffic and attract customers by making attractive videos and image content.

For instance, retail outlets can get more sales; banking institutions can reduce waiting times with interactive self-service tools; restaurants can change their menu digitally, and so much more. In today’s world, digital signage is used in almost every industry. Here are some common places where you can easily spot these screens:

• Brands/Retail: You can find several brands’ hoardings in public places. This not only helps them deliver their content to a broad audience but also makes the message interesting enough to grab the attention of their target audience. Hence, it proves to be highly effective and beneficial as compared to other methods of advertising.
• Want to learn how digital signage can help to increase your brand value? Find more uses of digital signage in retail.
• Airports: If you have ever been to the airport, you must have seen the screen that displays all the flights’ status. In this way, the people boarding or waiting for someone to arrive can easily see the status of the desired flights without any hassle. They also need not stand in long queues to know when exactly their flight will arrive at the airport.
• Healthcare: With hospitals and medical facilities looking for ways to maximize their returns, they are turning to digital signage to get their words going, engage more patients, and even lend that signage in their space/facility to other brands. Learn more about the uses of digital signage in healthcare.
• Learn more about the uses of digital signage in healthcare.
• Education: Schools, colleges, and universities are making use of this technology to attract students and showcase their goodwill in society. Also, educators can make their lectures and classes more interactive with digital signage. Whether it is making announcements or appreciating the achievements of the students, digital signage will help educational institutions to create a better learning arena for pupils.
• Restaurants: Digital signage is highly important for restaurants to display their menus and change them at any given point in time. They can display their menu, attractive offers and every other information on large screens to attract visitors. This reduces the efforts required to get the information. People can simply sit at their places and keep an eye on the board to learn more about the menus or prices.

Digital Signage Is for You: Tap on its Benefits

Today, everyone knows what is digital signage technology, and that’s the reason it is getting massive traction among the industries. The future of digital signage is bright and fulfilling. In the coming years, you can witness some great changes in digital signage technology that will further pique the interests of the people.

Before embracing the benefits of digital signage, it is important to learn its nitty-gritty. The above mentioned are some fundamental information regarding digital signage that will help you get through. You must explore more about this digital technology to help your business outgrow the competition and reach out to your audience.

How to Find the Most Appropriate Digital Signage Solution for Your Business?

Even after being aware of the technology, you may still get confused about what kind of digital signage software and hardware you should opt for. To find the most appropriate solution, you need to first answer a few questions about your business.

1. Business Goal: For example, you can not fulfill your inter-office communication purpose by getting a digital signage solution intended for advertising. That is why you first need to specify the business goal that you wish to achieve through this signage. Only then can you find a suitable solution for your individual purpose.
2. Number of Displays: Another crucial question to ask here is how many digital signage displays you will need. If you want to opt for only one screen, the system will be different than when you require multiple screens. So you must calculate the exact number of displays and then only go for it.
3. Other Minor Details: Apart from these two, you also need to specify some minor details about the project. It can be about the timeline of deployment, content strategy, or budget.

Once you know all these factors, you will be able to find the most suitable digital signage solution for your business purpose. You will have to learn more about what digital signage is used for and specify your individual purpose to see which digital signage player will fit into your use case.