5 Key Aspects to Know Before Starting a Digital Signage Deployment

Digital Signage has transformed the way businesses, schools, banks, & other industries interact with their employees and visitors. However, successfully implementing a digital signage project requires careful planning to ensure a maximum ROI for your investment.

Before you dive in, here are five essential aspects you should keep in mind to ensure your rollout runs smoothly and meets your goals.

1. Clearly Define Your Objectives

The most important question you need to ask is, “What do I want to achieve with digital signage?”

Some common objectives include:

• Improving Communication: Sharing updates, announcements or metrics with your employees.
• Boosting Engagement: Create and publish eye-catching content to draw attention and improve sales.
• Assisting Visitors: Help visitors with wayfinding, informational displays, or event details.

By defining your goals early, you’ll be able to guide every decision in your project including the content you’ll need to display to the specific digital signage solutions necessary to reach your goals. Without clear objectives, your signage may struggle to deliver meaningful results.

2. Understand Your Audience

Knowing your target audience is critical to the success of your digital signage. Be sure to tailor your content to address their specific needs, preferences, and behaviors.

For example:

• Employees: Focus on internal communication updates such as KPI dashboards or HR announcements.
• Retail Customers: Use dynamic and scheduled ads to drive purchases.
• Visitors: Provide directions or event schedules to help guide them to their destination.

The better you understand your audience, the more relevant and impactful your signage will be.

3. Choose the Right Hardware & Software

Digital Signage is a broad term for a variety of solutions ranging from simple digital menu boards to full touchscreen setups. The hardware & software you need will vary depending on your goals.

Key factors to consider are:

• Display Types: Will your screens be indoors or outside? What screen size do you need? Is it a touchscreen?
• Media Players: Choose devices that will be able to support your content and provide seamless playback.
• Software: Be sure to opt for a CMS (content management system) that is user-friendly & scalable.
• Environment: Ensure all your hardware will be handle the elements it will be in.

Investing in reliable equipment now will save you from unnecessary downtime & repair/replacements later.

4. Plan Your Content Strategy

The heart of every digital signage deployment is the content that is showing on your displays. Rushed or poorly planned designs will not deliver impact and undermine your entire project.

An effective content strategy includes:

• Engaging Visuals: Use bold colors, high-quality images, and readable fonts to grab attention.
• Keep it Concise: You will be competing with other technologies. Aim for short, impactful messages.
• Use Motion Wisely: Videos & animations can boost engagement, but try to use only one at a time.
• Update Regularly: Old designs can cause viewer fatigue. Update your content regularly with fresh visuals.

Lastly, be sure the CMS you choose has the ability to schedule content for a future date & be able to automatically expire old content. This will help save you time and better plan out your campaigns.

5. Budget Properly

Digital signage projects are more than just buying a screen, plugging in the media player, and turning it on. There are other key aspects that help ensure a smooth rollout and long-term success.

Key Considerations are:

• Installation: This can include the mounting & wiring setups. Professionals can ensure proper placement.
• Software Fees: Most CMS vendors require subscriptions and must be factored into your budget.
• Content Updates: If you do not have a designer on staff, use tools such as Canva to create new content.
• Repairs & Upgrades: Hardware will eventually need servicing or replacements over time.

Planning for these expenses upfront will help you avoid unexpected costs later.

Final Thoughts

Starting a digital signage project is an exciting opportunity to enhance communication and engagement. By focusing on clear objectives, understanding your audience, & developing a good strategy, you’ll set your project up for success.

Not sure where to start? Click the link below to download our Digital Signage Project Planner to get a good idea of what you should keep in mind on your first digital signage deployment.