How to Build a Digital Signage Display That Will Wow Your Customers

At the core of any successful business is the methodology used to disseminate information about its products. Digital signage displays or electronic signage displays can be used for that and many more things. Digital signage uses digital display devices to cast media. Commonly used for sharing information and advertising, digital signage displays are becoming a smart marketing tool. If you look around, you would find it everywhere -- in airports and railway stations and in cinemas, restaurants and museums.

A set of hardware and software solutions are used to create perfect digital signage displays to transmit the relevant content.

Digital signage displays allow a business to upload its content in a number of formats -- video, photo, text, audio, etc. -- for its customers, on a monitor of its choice.

Before you make a headway with digital signage display technology, it's important to understand that there's a lot of technology involved in making effective digital signage displays. Broadly, a digital signage display technology can be divided into the following categories-

1. Hardware- Putting together the physical components that includes screens (digital signage displays), media players (if necessary), other network components, mounts, etc.
   
2. Software- The device management system, the playback software, media players and solution to stream the content are the most important software.
   
3. Connectivity- One of the trickiest parts of having digital signage displays is to ensure the connectivity -- decide on whether you want to use hard line, Wi-Fi, or mobile technologies.
   
4. Installation- the entire installation process, from site surveys through the final installation
   
5. Content- A content management system and the continuous flow of content is the core to keep the display relevant and effective.

The first step to building digital signage displays is the procurement of all the hardware, software, and other services and resources required. And that isn't easy. The more time one spends on procuring the right stuff and making the right choices, the better it would turn out in the long term. For instance, you will have to make a choice between a touch-screen display or a regular display. If your business requires customer interaction and engagement, it is always wiser to go for a touch-screen. If you just need to disseminate information, use regular digital signage displays; which is easier on the pocket.

Here is a step-wise guide on how to put together digital signage displays.

1. Choose the display device for your signage
To display any content, you're going to need a digital signage display device. It's the front end of your digital signage hardware. The display device and the content are the only components your target audience is going to be seeing.

2. Determine the media players that work best with your device and for your business
After setting up your display, you need a media player to deliver media to the display unit.
There are many different kinds of content players, each having its own set of configurations and properties.

Developers have to take into account the set of challenges that can present themselves while designing media players. Different media players support various types of media through codecs. Advanced software saves these media files on the internal storage to ensure uninterrupted playback if there is an internet connectivity issue. While in the case of a streaming solution, constant internet connectivity is required.

3. Select a distribution network that is hassle-free
One of the best and most traditional examples of content distribution is cable television. With that, a service provider distributes video programming to its customers. The most current technologies, however, use wireless technology like Wi-Fi and even Ethernet, to cast content on a display device. But a stable internet connection is a necessity for wireless technology. In the absence of a reliable internet connection or to have a reach at places where the internet may not always be a plausibility, hardware (HDMI, AV, VGA cables) is the best choice.

4. Content management system and content are the core of your digital signage displays
Content Management System (CMS) and content are the pillars of effective digital signage.
CMS is software that works in the background and manages what to display and how to display. Using a Content Management System is simple.

One simply has to upload content to the CMS interface if it's cloud-based. If it isn't cloud-based, the content can be loaded on its storage and the online user interface can be used to control how it displays.

Once the CMS is taken care of, the most important element is the content. The adage, "content is the king", hasn't gained momentum in the last decade for no reason. Content, or more precisely clear communication with your target group, can make a huge difference to your business.

Thus, it's important to have a content team that understands the essence of your business and creates content effectively to be displayed on the digital signage. Or, if you are looking at interactive signage displays, create content accordingly.

Digital Signage Displays is a rapidly-growing marketing technique. The benefits of carefully and creatively designed and implemented digital signage displays are multi-fold, including advertising and customer engagement.

Additionally, it is versatile. After the installation, changes in designs and messages can be made often to communicate separate messages about your brand depending upon the audience's demands. The question, however is, how do you find the perfect display for your needs?

Practically, there is no perfect answer to this. What works for you may not work for another business. Hence, the only way to determine a perfect digital display for your enterprise is to ask more questions-
1. Who is your target audience?
2. What is the location of your display?
3. What is the size of the display area?
4. Is the size of your digital signage displays in coordination with that area?
5. What fonts and colors will look good in that location?
6. Do you just need a video wall or a touchscreen kiosk?

Once you have the answers to these questions, the options are really unlimited. There are screens ranging from 10 inches to 100 feet in size. Apart from the size, there are a variety of options to choose from when it comes to the screen type -- LED display, LCD display, Ultra HD, 4K and 8K, interactive and touch displays -- with advancements in technology, the list keeps getting bigger.

The benefits of digital signage displays as a marketing tactic is truly remarkable. But to make the most of this increasingly in-demand technology, it is essential to choose the best digital signage software that compliments the hardware of your choice. The software should enable you to control the screens, content and the messaging, remotely.

There are many tools available in the market today that specialize in displaying digital content. These tools range from drag and drop interfaces that allow you to create your own content with ease, to tools that produce live video streaming displays. Here are five features that you should look for while shortlisting a digital signage software for your business-

1. Ease of use.
   
2. Intuitive interface.
   
3. The content distribution platform should support any display.
   
4. It should be manageable from any place and any device.
   
5. The software should be 100 percent responsive.
   

For instance, NoviSign with an enviable client base of close to 20000 (including Disney and Papa John's Pizza) enables users to produce custom-made, high-end signage displays. Its interface is simple to navigate and the information is easily integrated into digital signage displays with RSS feeds, widgets and apps. Moreover, the interface is divided into three segments -- creatives, playlists, and screens -- making it easier and intuitive to operate.

While it is best to sift and choose, at times, it may seem like a herculean task to go through so many available options. In such a scenario when you want to optimize the growing Digital Culture to its best, but lack proper resources, it is best to opt for a partner program. An effective partner program helps accelerate your business growth with digital signage software and other resources required in commercial displays of digital signage.

When you think of digital signage hardware, chances are that you think of a monitor that displays a sign or an advertisement. True, but only to an extent. The monitor is one of the most prominent and important parts of digital signage displays. With the growth in popularity of digital signage displays, there's a lot of confusion about what to look for when choosing the right hardware. If you're planning a new digital signage installation, here are some things to consider.

Before getting into the specifics, it is imperative to distinguish between the commercial display options as opposed to the consumer variety. It is pretty simple to understand. You can buy a consumer television and use it as a display in a retail store, but a commercial display isn't the same. In layman's terms, the base frame of a consumer variety is aesthetically designed to be used in homes etc.

In the case of commercial displays, use of commercial grade equipment is a must to make them durable and resistant in high traffic areas and even in open spaces. For instance, UHD Commercial displays (offered by a plethora of brands including Samsung, LG, etc) have a number of features designed specifically for diverse business environments. Besides smart connectivity features and simple, user friendly interface, and Ultra HD picture quality, these are compatible with AV Control system and Display Power Management.

However, as we mentioned, the hardware for digital signage displays entails more than just the monitor. One important thing is to figure out the media player. Like the monitor, the media player comes in a number of varieties too -- in consumer and commercial grade -- categories. The consumer varieties usually refer to attaching a simple and easy-to-use media player like the Amazon FireStick or Google Chrome Cast to the monitor, to which the content is synced-in. But if you are choosing a high-range commercial digital signage device, consider the following-

1. Check manufacturer support options.
2. Check the processing power.
3. Check the type of operating system.
4. Check the licensing costs.
5. Check how well its remote device management features work.
6. Check if it offers theft protection features, secure mounts, and warranty options.
   
7. Check if the device offers service in the location of your choice.

In this article, we have discussed the benefits of digital signage displays and how can they be used to reach a wider customer base. Digital transformation is quickly gaining momentum. Everyone wants to be a part of the growing digital culture. But to do that, it is important to understand the specifics and functioning of digital signage displays. Digital signage is one of the most important aspects of Digital Transformation in advertising, marketing and customer engagement.

Taking that into consideration, in this article, we talk about ways in which an enterprise can use digital signage displays to promote its products and services, and also increase customer interaction and engagement. With digital signage displays available for a fraction of the cost of traditional media and with little to no maintenance cost required, it's become the perfect marketing tool for businesses of all sizes. The future for digital signage displays looks bright.