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In this information technology-driven society, the practice of advertising is fast adapting to the dynamics of high-tech communication. Among the innovations in the industry brought about by advancement in information technology is a form of outdoor advertising called digital signage. This is the use of electronic technologies to display content such as digital images, video, streaming media, and information targeted at audiences in private and public places. It is centrally controlled, content distribution platform which is used to playback digital content to one or many displays or screens. Advertising utilize this form of out-of-home channel to target customers with various product brands in colourful format. Find out more about the concept of digital signage and digital signage advertising by reading the article below.
What is Digital Signage?
Digital signage is a form of electronic display that shows television programming, menus, information, advertising and other messages. Digital signs (frequently utilizing technologies such as LCD, LED, plasma displays, or projected images to display content) can be found in both public and private environments, including retail stores, hotels, restaurants, and corporate buildings, amongst other locations. Advertising using digital signage is a form of out-of-home advertising in which video content, advertisements, and/or messages may be displayed on digital signs with a common goal of delivering targeted messages, to specific locations and/or consumers at specific times.
Since digital signage content may be frequently and easily updated, it saves the printing and/ or construction costs associated with static signage. Also, because of the interactive abilities available through the accompanying employment of real-world interfaces like embedded touch screens, movement detection, and image capture devices, it has won wide acceptance in the marketplace. Digital signage is all about targeting your audience with relevant information. Using network connected digital signs, it allows you to get your message across effectively, conveniently, and efficiently.
So how can digital signage improve your business?
Digital signage makes it possible to deliver compelling content at the right location at the right time for maximum impact. It works whether your goal is to increase revenue, encourage wellness and certain behavior, satisfy the needs of customers, visitors, and employees, and improve communications throughout the organization.
What are the elements of Digital Signage?
Display/monitor – The display platforms for digital signage can be Plasma screens, LCDs, HD Projectors, touch screens, LED sign boards, DLP rear projection TVs, older tube based TVs, and standard monitors.
Media player – The media players function essentially as storage devices to play back digital media content. They can operate on their own, or they can be networked so you can update your digital signage more easily.
Software – There are a number of different software programs that allow digital signage to be incorporated in a variety of ways. They allow the user to create customized content that includes video and audio through a computer program. Connectivity – Information can be delivered to your central platform to your players through your LAN/WAN/Internet connection. The players then connect to your displays using cables.
Content – Through drag-and-drop software applications, content can be uploaded to media players and delivered to customers, employees, and audiences through the display portal and monitors.
(For more; see https://d2oc0ihd6a5bt.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/585/2013/11/Digital-Signage-Modern-Office)
What then is digital signage advertising?
Digital signage advertising is a type of marketing communications which features a display unit (whether LCD, plasma, or some other type of technology) that is strategically placed for either informational or advertising purposes. These displays can be as big as a billboard or as small as a grocery store counter monitor panel (www.dataprojections.com).
Once the displays are installed, they display material either by way of a connection to a network—whether a local network or the internet—or they display data from a storage drive (usually connected to the unit). This fact highlights a significant difference between digital signage advertising and traditional print-based marketing. For example, with print-based marketing a major limitation has always been that every new advertisement required a new process. In other words, every ad had to be designed, submitted, and printed, a process that could take significant time and was often expensive. Aspects of this process had to be repeated from poster to poster or billboard to billboard (www.dataprojections.com).
With the advent of today’s high-resolution, weather-ready, and cost effective digital signage advertising, that’s no longer an issue. Instead, once a client’s advertisement is ready to be displayed to its intended target base, it may simply be uploaded and displayed per the agreement of the equipment owner.
The flexibility of this medium also opens up a variety of possibilities and scenarios that were previously impossible. For example, the glow of a display naturally draws the eye, and wherever they are being used, people look. This means that monitors can be placed wherever advertising may be deemed appropriate, whether it’s on a walkway to a destination, inside of a retail establishment, or anywhere else a target audience may be present.
This technology also allows marketers to think outside of the box and market in places where a message may not be expected. Creativity may be what draws a pair of eyes to one’s signage over the traditional print media of a competitor. With the ability to display video and static images, or even allow for interaction, the marketing possibilities are endless with this technology (www.dataprojections.com).
Having understood the concept of digital signage advertising, how then does it impact consumers? Does it really achieve the goal for which it was set to achieve? The research-based piece below posted on www.digitalsignagetoday.com provides answers to these critical questions.
How is digital signage advertising impacting consumers?
Kinetic Panel’s research involved asking 1,000 consumers what they were looking for upon seeing an outdoor digital signage display. Almost one-fifth (19 percent) of those asked said that they sought more information about a product, service or experience being advertised. This increased to 24 percent among a younger demographic (18 -24 year-olds).
Interestingly, 23 percent of the younger demographic had downloaded a mobile app after viewing an outdoor digital signage advertisement, compared with just 1 in 10 adults.
It should come as no surprise then that the younger generation tends to interact more with a digital poster than the older generation. However, according to the research, one method that advertisers could use to remedy this and reach more of the older demographic is to expand the appeal of digital posters by providing location-specific information.
The research found that location-specific information is what adults most desire from digital posters. Approximately 48 percent of the 1000 research participants said weather updates were most desirable. A further 38 percent said digital signage should feature transport updates; this increased to 50 percent among research participants aged between 55 and 64.
Additionally, 29 percent said they would like to see more interactive wayfinding solutions in public locations, 32 percent said new updates would be useful and 30 percent said that information on local events would be helpful.
Digital signage featuring location-specific information helps users to associate with it, potentially boosting brand loyalty and consumer interaction among the older demographic.
Around a quarter of respondents said that, to make digital signage more useful, they could feature a battery charging port for mobile devices. This could work in favour of advertisers because it could potentially improve dwelling times.
Kinetic Panel’s research further identifies direct retail services as an opportunity to maximise the potential of digital posters, particularly when you consider that 1 in 10 of their research respondents said they would shop direct from a digital signage display.
In fact, nearly one-third of 25 to 34 year-olds anticipate being able to buy direct from a digital signage system in the future.
Make digital signage advertising personal
Consumers want digital signage advertising to be personal, in particular they want to see advertisements that are relevant to their activities and them as a person. One common request was the use of more facial recognition software, which is connected to an online loyalty account and activates a list of offers specific to their needs.
Click and collect systems
Nearly half (44 percent) of the 1000 participants felt that digital signage systems could offer click and collect services because they would certainly consider using them. Incorporating Bluetooth technology as part of the system would enable digital signage to identify a customer at the point of collection.
With the customer identified, their purchase jumps to the top of the queue, improving the service experience and boosting the likelihood of a customer remaining loyal to the retailer’s brand.
What content are consumers interested in?
A proportion of 18 to 34 year-olds questioned said they would be reluctant to download content from a digital signage display. However, they would be more inclined to do so if it was of any relevancy to them.
The content that most interested the majority of consumers in the 18 – 34 age bracket involved special deals, with 43 percent of research participants saying they would definitely download a retail voucher from a site accessed via a digital poster.
Content that entertains was also important, with 24 percent saying they would download an app or game. 27 percent within this age range said they would download travel information, while a quarter said content should provide information about things to do, eateries and attractions within their local vicinity.
For the youth market, specifically 18 to 24 year-olds, media services were of the utmost importance with 29 percent of this demographic saying they would download clips of upcoming films, TV shows, games or music to their phones if they’d viewed them on a digital screen.
Digital signage advertising empowers advertisers
What we can gauge from Kinetic Panel’s research is that consumers across all demographics are already engaging with digital signage advertising, but not necessarily with content specific to them.
This research empowers the advertiser because it enables them to make their content more target specific to suit the demographic they’re aiming at. From just 1000 respondents, we can see that what consumers want from digital signage is varied, but they’re not impossible to reach.
Ultimately, despite the differences across the demographics, there are similarities. Consumers want content that’s informative and relevant to them. (www.digitalsignagetoday.com)
