What is Digital Signage?

We live in an environment loaded with the information: from subway announcements and Facebook ads to visually overwhelming media of all kinds and in any part of our habitat. This environment is somewhat chaotic and barely gives people a chance to grasp the essential bits of information or to even find the right ones in the myriads of messages. For companies that rely heavily on visual communication with their target audience, finding a way to stand out in the informational noise becomes a vital issue. However similar to the other visual media sources, digital signage is one of the few tools that can help convey your brand’s messages and ideas you actually want your audience to see, hear and understand.

So, what is digital signage?

Next time you’re in a mall, in a restaurant, at your campus, in a lobby of a bank – take a look around you and notice that every display on the wall, every little screen on the desk is a source of information. Every display has its function: establish a visual communication with you. This is the digital signage in a nutshell. It starts with an AppleTV and a screen and can end up with a trans-Atlantic digital signage network for a retail chain. From hospital wayfinding to DOOH (Digital out-of-home) advertising – nowadays, digital signage is a versatile, stable and easy-to-use multimedia instrument that can help you get the most out of the “eight-seconds attention span” and deliver a high-quality experience to your customers, clients and any audience you need.

Are there any benefits?

Let’s put this question aside for a moment. Rather, ask yourself: is digital signage a solution I need? And that’s when you have you start with your goals. Whether you need to drive sales, inform or entertain – your whole digital signage experience depends on the understanding of what you want to convey, what you want to receive. Once you define your initial goals, and once you see how much they rely on offline communication with your target audience – it’s time to include digital signage into your marketing strategy. Because yes, you need it.

But what are the benefits, though?

The truth is, digital signage is an adaptive tool, with a wide span of application: retail, finance, hospitality, spa, education, sanctuary, you name it. It is equally effective if you want to boost sales in a store or you lack time to educate your employees on safety and policy changes, or you need a quality promo of your menu specials. However, there are three key benefits that any digital signage project brings to the table:

Brand awareness and retention

People perceive around 90% of the information in visual form. Simply put, we can be drawn by what we see. Furthermore, digital signage displays capture 400% more views than static ads. But it’s not about the views only. Implementing the latest technologies is an investment in the creation and improvement of your brand's perception. Digital signage provides 60% more brand awareness. Even if your regular customers and clients have been unaware of your company’s name, a small attractive feature represented by digital signage display might increase the company's rating and popularity.

Revenue growth

Sometimes, your customer needs to be persuaded, motivated or informed to make a purchase. Digital signage solutions will help with this tasks easily. If you own a cafe, digital signage network with menu boards can boost your visitors’ satisfaction by 46%. If you run a store, you might find interesting that screens encourage customers to spend 30% more time in stores. But what’s more important, digital signage can create a 31.8% upswing in overall sales volume and improve your revenue significantly.

Cost-efficiency and paper use reduction

Can you imagine the volumes of paper used for publicity or promotional purposes? One too many. You remember the sum of money you’ve already spent on boards, flyers, posters, and other paper items end up in a recycle bin. Implementing proper digital signage software changes everything drastically. You will forget about paper costs and related issues. Additionally, the effect of trading paper content for displays is important in terms of the environmental impact.

How do I install all that digital signage thing?

Once you’re done with finding your goals and understanding your target audience, all you need for effective digital signage is at least one screen, a media player, the Kitcast app, and four simple steps:

1. Connect your device (Apple TV/ Android devices/ Amazon devices)
2. Download the Kitcast application from the app store
3. Link your device via the Kitcast dashboard
4. You’re all set and ready to create stunning and effective digital signage content

Yes, it’s that simple!

Is it complicated to maintain my digital signage network?

Digital signage is a powerful tool to improve your marketing, increase sales and inform visitors. But what’s more important, your Kitcast-powered digital signage doesn’t require a designer involvement or any help from IT specialist. The Kitcast app allows you to turn your digital signage network into an effective communication channel with just several clicks, bond with the audience by creating a new language with digital content and a bazillion of templates. Ultimately, It's the best way to keep up the pace with the digitalized society, stay competitive and improve customer loyalty. Watch our case studies to see how Kitcast-powered digital signage can change lives and business experience.We also recommend subscribing to our blog for more practical pieces of advice about using digital signage for different business goals and improving your marketing.