7. Schedule content.
Look to be sure you can control the timing of viewer schedules throughout the network. You don’t want your content to go stale and micro-scheduling your displays can help keep things fresh for your audience.
8. Start with a stable, proven platform.
As organizations gain experience with digital signage, their networks can grow from a handful of displays to perhaps hundreds or even thousands. The IT platform for such a system must be proven, robust, reliable and scalable.
9. Measure performance.
A digital signage system needs to be able to tell its operators which content has been played where and when, especially if the network is a large-scale deployment. Only then can the organization feel confident the system is reliably delivering on its promise.
10. Connect with mobility.
Mobile devices provide an opportunity for digital signage to become more interactive and improve the audience experience. Quick Response (QR) codes have become a popular type of integration point, with passersby scanning them on screens to download related content. This means a viewer can still receive information even after walking away from the screen.
A successful pilot deployment can lead to a network of hundreds or even thousands of displays.
11. Consider kiosks.
In a growing number of environments, particularly retail stores and banks, self-service has become a standard part of the customer experience. Indeed, many people seek out interactive kiosks for faster, easier and more accurate service, so these devices have come to represent an important integration point for digital signage.
12. Use social media.
Another emerging trend is connectivity between social media and digital signage. When organizations’ customers and employees are already discussing brands on the web, digital signage provides an opportunity to connect branding with social media to reach them.
13. Respond to advanced analytics.
The ability to combine digital signage with advanced analytics software, especially in retail environments, can help turn information into action. This kind of software can identify non-linear patterns involving customers and products, many of which may otherwise be far from obvious, enabling retailers to more accurately anticipate future purchasing behaviour. As such, analytics can help program digital signage to automatically target the ideal message to the right customer, at the optimal time and place.
14. Keep content dynamic.
Digital signage software should allow on-screen content to be changed quickly and easily. Some elements of this content can be automated, such as weather forecasts, advertised product prices and inventory-related data. This approach avoids the time and expense involved in creating entirely new content.
Clive Fort is director of product management for Scala, which provides software for digital signage. For more information, visit www.scala.com.
