Digital signage networks concern the creation and management of multimedia content (images, videos, news, web content) and their availability through one or more displays.
These networks can be used in different locations and with different functionalities, such as, for example, outdoor campaigns, information dissemination and places with a large number of people. The main objective is the dissemination and presentation of information/content.
The contents of these displays can be updated remotely, thus allowing content updates on dozens or even hundreds of displays to be carried out effectively in a few seconds.
Today, almost all sectors of society use digital signage networks: intelligent cities, cinemas, hotels, gas stations, restaurants, cafés, stores, municipalities. The list is endless, so with all the benefits inherent to digital signage networks, they end up being everywhere.
All these digital outputs use technologies such as LED and LCD to project and display content. Dynamic and innovative, digital signage networks are modern and technological ways to increase the reach of a given brand and/or company.
The definition of objectives
Digital signage has surprising results for the public due to its extremely strong impact, so there are many objectives that it entails:
- Inform;
- Update content in real time;
- Reduce waiting time;
- Provide attractive visual content;
- Decrease printing costs;
- Create an advertising space;
- Promote brands.
So, in order to build a digital signage network, you must first set objectives. This question is fundamental when configuring a digital signage network because, reflecting on what is intended to be achieved with these displays, the answer may lie in the target audience and in the sector in question.
Once the objectives are established, you must take into account your budget, the current business situation and the goals you want to achieve. In this sense, PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS multimedia kiosks and digital billboards are recognized both nationally and worldwide, and offer users unique experiences – innovation being a differentiating factor and a prerequisite in everything we do and we develop.
Regarding the software, PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS ‘QMAGINE software allows you to highlight your product and capture the customer’s attention through digital signage. This is, therefore, a new way of communicating with customers (or potential customers) and, at the same time, creating creative and innovative experiences, replacing magazines, pamphlets and posters and making communication more active and dynamic.
So, when using our software, you must take into account the numerous benefits:
- Centralized content management;
- Dynamic and interactive dissemination of digital content;
- Layout and design customization;
- Ease of use and quick update of content, in real time;
- Collection of statistical data;
- Adaptation to the context and audience.
The skills and technological capacity of the PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS software division allow the company to respond to any project, from the simplest to the most complex. The company even has the ability to adapt the software it already has or to create additional modules to respond exclusively to the specifications of the project of a specific customer.
Related article: What to know before installing an outdoor digital billboard
This means that, despite having standard software, new versions or customized versions can be created exactly for a specific customer. Challenges at the software level are faced naturally by the software division and allow to improve and create new versions of software, which can later be reused by future customers.
As for hardware, it is important to select the one that is most appropriate, depending on the location of the displays, the proximity to the public and the type of content you want to convey. LCD and LED screens are very common for the interior, while for the exterior it is recommended to use LED screens. In order to guarantee a balanced combination of hardware and software, you must hire a reliable team, such as PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS, to install and configure the network.
Choosing network locations
If you have already defined your objectives, you must select displays and locations to implement them. You should be aware that the most opportune places are those that offer good exposure to the target audience. Thus, they must be able to be easily viewed, as well as suitable for the displayed content.
When choosing the location of the installation, all restrictions and standards must be taken into account, in order to guarantee the adequacy of the area for your screens. Climatic conditions must be considered immediately, as heat is the main cause of hardware malfunction, in addition to high temperatures that can damage the equipment. Therefore, the screens must be able to withstand bad weather.
Before choosing a location, you must also ensure that the screens adapt to it. You must consider the rules and regulations of the local. Outdoor screens, for example, must obey certain rules, taking into account that they are dependent on the environment in which they are inserted.
Reading the signage regulations and checking with local agencies that the project complies with all standards and can obtain the necessary licenses are essential steps before installation.
The installation of the digital signage network
After confirming the location, the installation team can start the configuration of the digital displays/billboards. In view of the fact that most displays are located in public areas, there are some rules to consider:
- Make sure the screens are secure and difficult to access and remove without permission;
- Ensure that all equipment ports and connections are secure and password protected;
- Disable any unnecessary network services;
- Install a firewall that blocks unwanted traffic.
In fact, the first step towards a correct implementation and installation of the system is to have chosen the correct products, necessary and recommended for your project.
A professional installation allows the system to work with the minimum of failures and the way it was designed. PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS installs and provides services and support of the highest quality through a network of national installers and international partners.
The content of your network
After thinking about the hardware, you need to start configuring the digital signage software. Displays must be categorized by location, audience and reach. The aim is that the contents are appropriate for each of these categories.
The demographics of the network: the use of Real Catcher
In order to ensure that the screens are showing relevant content to the public, it is important to conduct a survey to find out who is viewing the displays. In this sense, PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS multimedia kiosks and digital billboards can integrate the Real Catcher system, a facial recognition and audience measurement application in real time.
This is a software that detects one or more human faces, using a standard webcam, IP camera or special video analysis systems, such as Kinect, PrimeSense and others. As the set of face measurements is unique for each person, the accuracy of facial recognition is always very high, usually very close to 100%.
Through the integration of Real Catcher in PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS equipment, it is possible to obtain a real-time monitoring system, to carry out personalized campaigns according to age, gender, purchase intention, location, etc.
Among the various benefits of this software, the following stand out:
- The possibility of programming and defining the passage of content in a time interval and monitoring results in real time;
- Decrease in the dispersion of advertising funds, due to the automation of processes;
- Audience reach in multiple locations, in a single purchase;
- Results analysis and audience measurement, which allows the optimization of campaigns.
The objectives of the campaign
Given the fact that each campaign has its own goals and strategies and in order to obtain the best possible results, there is a need to know which network resources to use. Thus, it is important to think about the following aspects:
- Broadcasting (if the campaigns aim to reach a wide audience, the content must be disseminated on more than one display);
- Target audience (the content is directed to displays based on geographical proximity, demographics, size, language, among others);
- Proximity (sponsored content, for example, may need to be played after certain content);
- Interactivity (if users need to interact with the displays, YPortal is ideal: this software from PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS performs innovative features that meet the technological trends and, at the same time, gives relevant information that the user is looking for, also providing news, events, routes, points of interest, social network information and contacts);
- Saturation and separation (the contents, if competing, must be spaced from each other);
- Personalization (some content may need to be personalized due to its location);
- Varied programming (the displays will reproduce a different message depending on the time of day or day of week);
- Anticipation (a message can be removed if another has more priority and/or is better paid);
- Synchronization (the same content may be synchronized with several displays);
- Emergency communications (in some cases, it is necessary to ensure control of the displays).
Revenue generation through digital signage network
After the objectives defined, strategy outlined, categorization of the target audience made and capabilities of the displays described, it is important to think about selling in order to obtain return on investment (ROI).
Direct selling is the most traditional process, during which the details of the price of each campaign are established, as well as the respective exhibitions. Price tables are implemented in order to simplify the process.
Direct sales are therefore essential to create a connection with customers and to know the needs and objectives of the campaign. However, this kind of contact takes some time, so tools can be created that automate the creation of proposals and content – which further increases the possibility of selling.
The Programmatic Advertising
Programmatic advertising is a trend that is here to stay. Over the past decade, the world of advertising has allowed brands and companies unprecedented precision in reaching and activating the target audience.
Thus, this type of advertising covers different technologies that automate the purchase, the positioning and the optimization of advertising, performed in real time, with different levels of control and automation. This allows advertisers to know exactly what medium to be in, what the right ad to display and the times it should be displayed.
In an increasingly technological industry, programmatic advertising has changed the way advertisers buy advertising space.
The programmatic advertising works through the automation of buying and selling processes, which consists in:
- Choose a target audience;
- Define the investment to make an impact;
- Search sites and places where the target audience is present;
- Buy advertising spaces in a smart and studied way, exactly when the target audience is online.
The programmatic advertising allows the purchase of different spaces/inventions such as displays, videos, social, mobile, etc. In fact, here are some of the benefits of programmatic advertising:
- Cost reduction;
- Automation of purchasing functions;
- Segmentation, which means the reach of the audience in several locations, in a single purchase;
- Campaign optimization.
But what are the advantages of digital signage networks?
The digital signage networks allow, in this way, to reduce the cost of printing and transportation, as well as the graphic design. On the other hand, they increase the possibility of business or events, the opportunities for partnership with other local companies and the opportunities for more effective branding.
In fact, companies that install displays in their business spaces are better able to determine how many people view this content – regardless of whether the companies sell advertising spaces on the displays or use them only for informational and brand building purposes.
In PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS products you will find the best digital signage solutions on the market.