Using digital signage hardware for profit.
Planning an advertising campaign will have a positive marketing success with digital signage. Information is fed to us constantly on multiple electronic devices 24/7, but reaching your target audience is crucial, as explained on CNN. Which display boards work best?
DOOH the digital signage solution.
We have come a long way from the traditional and prosperous form the paper poster on a static billboard, but it is no surprise how technology has evolved into DOOH – digital out of home advertising and entertainment. Large or small, a digital signage screen can offer a myriad of advertisements, supplementing the initial outlay of the hardware and software. Digital signage, in any format; touch-screen kiosks, for example, has accelerated in popularity over the last decade to such a degree that it is an acceptable part of our urban landscape. This kind of media is suitable for many aims like selling merchandise, a trade advert or for educational purposes.
Realistic images are brought to life on LCD screens or via projectors, enhancing the customers retail experience and influencing that all important buying decision. So where could it lead to… a virtual guided tour bringing ancient stories to life?
Whilst it is a progression of technology, it is still in its infancy as retailers and hosts are still shy of installing and making such a financial commitment in changing the ways of advertising. Employing people is an expensive commodity for business to support and takes into account sickness and holiday leave. So compared to a one-off cost of purchasing a digital screen and the software, there is very little to outlay; apart from new content, the hardware has a life span of 50,000 hours. Touch-screen kiosks and wall mounted digital signage screens fill the gap between giving a personal service to a customer, without human intervention.
Delivering the message to consumers raises a number of thoughts…
Installation, creative and dynamic content, size of screen, kiosk v screen v touch facility, audience measurement…
Digital Signage Screens.
What will help a business decide is to consider the location and restrictions. Digital signage is a ‘plug and play’ system by uploading the content in any media, like video with audio. The screen is usually displayed in a portrait manner, which is a good point; people do not understand that a commercial screen must be used, rather than a domestic screen which is not robust enough nor designed to run continuously for 24/7 and a domestic TV screen can not rotate to a portrait position, whereas a commercial grade TV screen can perform both tasks. The software allows editing, uploading and scheduling in real-time from a wireless network. This application works best where regular changes are needed on a frequent basis – transportation stations are a perfect example, where many advertisements can bombard passengers as they wait for a train. Digital signage is a low maintenance option and therefore has lower costs. However due to the nature of multiple advertising, a busy area would not be suitable lessening the effectiveness of advertising and a security enclosure needs to protect the screen from theft or damage.
Touch Screen Kiosks.
This kind of application is most suitable for shopping malls or tourist information points, where they act as a way-finding route planner supplemented with advertisements which bring in additional revenue. Interaction between the broadcast message and the consumer is the ultimate objective – customers feel empowered, engaged and authorized to make decisions, influenced by the content. The key to a successful touch screen application are the diverse operations. Seeing a kiosk standing in a retail mall is an enticing piece of urban furniture and encourages consumers to investigate. The remote management offers the ease of editing, amending and uploading. Additionally tracking software gives vital audience data for future campaigns, tailored towards specific demographics. Kiosks are a more robust option which cope well with the rigorous demands of high public traffic and are lockable to hide away all the expensive hardware, like the screen and prevents unwanted access causing damage. On the downside, a kiosk is more expensive that standard digital signage, however they will last longer and are more suitable.