Genre: Smart city

Most digital signage providers will tell you that developing content strategy is an essential step in a successful digital signage project. They are right! However, the content strategy is often misunderstood by customers, but also, by suppliers.

Let us set the record straight and share with you the important elements of content strategy to consider when planning your digital signage project.

Everything You Wanted to Know About Digital Signage but Didn’t Think to Ask

What is Content Strategy?

First, it’s important to understand the role of content strategy in digital signage: it’s the result of the analysis of your company’s communication goals. The content strategy is developed to effectively meet the diverse needs of a company. Concretely, the process involves determining how the content will be displayed on the screens; what kind of content will be displayed in the different parts of the screen depending on the location of the screen, the target audience and the time of day.

Moreover, it is at this stage of your digital signage project that you will decide on the ideal location to install your screens. Remember that the installation of screens outside the establishment serves a completely different purpose than the installation of screens inside.

How does outdoor digital signage survive Québec’s winter ?

Developing a content strategy is a crucial step in planning a digital signage project. The strategy will provide a guideline to your messages: what to publish, to whom, when, where to install the monitors, etc. The strategy will also allow you to determine the font size of the text. Make sure the messages you broadcast are easily readable from where the screens are installed.

If you want to set up your digital signage project without a content strategy, you will not be as successful as you expect. Think about it, how do you capture attention and engage a target audience if the messages you broadcast are inappropriate, inadapted, or worse, uninteresting? Depending on the industry and the sociodemographic profile of the employees, their interest varies greatly. You will lose time and resources in communicating messages that are not personalized and do not have a target audience.

A good content strategy will allow you to establish the specific content you want to broadcast on a particular screen in order to trigger a change in behaviour in a particular group of employees.

This is why this step requires a great deal of thinking. It is best to write the messages first, and post the content later. Knowing the target audience of each screen installed in different locations of the company will allow you to broadcast the right messages to those concerned.

How to Develop a Content Strategy?

Developing a content strategy, as mentioned previously, requires a great deal of thinking. The majority of our customers do not know where to start or which direction to take to begin with their project. That’s why we suggest you get help from content strategy experts to support you. They will help you analyze the communication needs of your company.

That being said, you can already begin the reflection process on your own before getting help from an expert. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help guide your thinking process:

• What are the important messages you would like to communicate?
• What kind of information would capture the attention of my target audience?
• Where would be the best location to install screens based on the movements of the target audience?
• How much time is needed to understand the content?
• What performance indicators could be used to motivate the target audience?

What Content is Interesting to Broadcast?

Depending on the location of the screen and the target audience, it is possible to broadcast several types of content. Here are some examples of interesting content according to the location:

At reception areas or in waiting rooms, you can capture the attention of clients with the following content:

• Capsules “Did you know …”?
• Real-time statistics on health and safety at work
• A corporate video
• A calendar of upcoming public events
• Current projects and mandates
• News and weather forecasts

In office spaces, a cafeteria or an employee lounge, you can motivate employees with the following content:

• Educational videos to perfect knowledge
• Real-time statistics on health and safety at work
• Key performance indicators
• Birthdays of employees
• Ongoing projects
• Special Mentions
• Upcoming social events

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In conclusion, it is essential to develop a content strategy before diving head first in a digital signage project. You can determine the strategy yourself, but make sure you still get the advice of an expert in order to achieve the best results.

With a good content strategy, your digital signage project will be successful!

Outdoor digital signage is a very effective way to reach a broad audience. During summer, things are simple because of the mild weather conditions which help the screens and the installations function properly. However, several factors can affect your installations during the winter season. For this reason, we decided to write an article to help you understand how outdoor digital signage holds up during the winter season.

1 – Product quality

Quality is the most important factor to take into consideration when buying your screens and installations. Knowing that you will install them in a location where weather conditions are changing and can sometimes be hostile (cold, humidity, extreme heat, etc.), it is important to invest in a good product that can withstand such changes in temperature. We suggest that you seek advice from an expert in the industry who will fully understand your needs and present you with quality products that can withstand the four seasons.

A high quality display has a built-in ventilation system to prevent moisture damage. Outdoor screens installed in Las Vegas (extreme heat conditions, prolonged exposure to the sun) and outdoor screens installed in Québec may seem similar at first sight, but the one located in Québec will have to withstand the harshness of winter and must therefore be heated and better ventilated . A screen designed to operate in extreme conditions will be waterproof and insulated to prevent damages from water, cold, sun exposure, extreme heat and other natural phenomena.

Also, it is important to buy a screen with strong luminance (brightness) so that people looking at its content are able to see what is being broadcast even when the monitor is directly facing powerful sunlight. If your screen is not suitable for the outdoor (but is a quality product), you won’t be able to see the content displayed on the monitor. You can test it with your smartphone or your laptop; you can barely see the content. Note that the minimum recommended brightness for an outdoor screen is 2500 NITS.

2 – Remotely control your screens

Get an operating system that will allow you to control your screens from your computer. This way, you will be able to know immediately when a problem comes up. Most of the time, you can fix a problem directly from your computer. It’s important to know at all times what is happening on your screens and to keep control of it.  In addition, you can change the content of your screens from your computer. For example, if your screens are located in a ski resort, you can inform the skiers of the next weather alert.

3 – The installation of a protective housing

To ensure that your screens are well protected outside, you must have a heated and ventilated protective box covering each screen. The protective housing has to be transparent and very rigid as it must  resist heat, frost, snow, rain, wind. etc. It will act as a shield for the screen which we want to protect as much possible.  Moreover, with such protection, your eoutdoor digital displays are less likely to be vandalized or stolen. It is better that the protective housing  be damaged rather than your screens.

To sum up, if  you decide to invest in outdoor digital signage, make sure to do your research beforehand. It is important to take into consideration the orientation of your screen, the level of brightness, the vibrations in the ground, the weather conditions and the risks of vandalism. Also, a very crucial yet often forgotten detail: make sure to have access to electricity and the Internet!

If you have any questions about outdoor digital signage, do not hesitate to contact an expert!

Contact us:

By phone (toll free): 1 866 553-5462 ext: 251

By email : Click here

ITESMEDIA has decided to go ahead and migrate its servers to the Microsoft Azure CLOUD. Every year, we strive to provide a high quality service to our customers so they can get the most benefits out of it. As a customer of ITESMEDIA, you have a guaranteed access to the latest updates of the applications you use.

“A significant part of our income is invested in the improvement of our software suite,” says Richard Fortin, CEO at ITESMEDIA. “Migrating our servers to Microsoft Azure is a part of our strategic plan to strengthen our leadership position in digital signage over the country.”

Here are 4 reasons why we are making this technological investment:

1- Protecting our customers’ data

Over the past 18 months, ITESMEDIA has redoubled its efforts to improve the protection of its customers’ data.

First, we set up a strengthened encryption methodology. Then, we decided to move our servers to Microsoft Azure. We made this decision because Microsoft is the first CLOUD supplier to adopt the new international standard ISO 27018 regarding privacy in the CLOUD.

2- Trusting an approved CLOUD service

The Azure solution has been designed to handle all workloads. More than 66% of Fortune 500 companies rely on Azure, which offers SLA contracts as well as technical support and an analysis of how services run continuously.

3- Business continuity

Microsoft Azure offers a plan for its users to access their applications and data at any time. If you are out of office without access to your computer, you can still recover your data because it safely lives on the CLOUD. This is business continuity and it’s the reason why ITESMEDIA stores the data of its customers on Azure.

4- The evolution of servers according to the growth of the company

By using Microsoft Azure, ITESMEDIA ensures that its servers are always able to meet the highest demand for its web applications at any time. In other words, we migrated to Azure to offer a robust and flexible infrastructure that will be available at all times.

Because Azure is simple and safe, ITESMEDIA moved its servers to this CLOUD. Our company wanted our data as well as our customer’s data to be safe (in terms of backup and confidentiality). While other CLOUDS are more at risk with regards to data piracy, Azure is the only one to have adopted the new ISO 27018 international standard.

If you have to deal with a digital display situation during a trip or if your computers and monitors are broken, you can always find your data. We wanted to provide our customers an easy way to work from anywhere at any time. In this way, Azure is useful if your business runs in different countries or cities.

We are here to help! Rest assured that we are always there to answer your questions about this change.

Toll-free : 1 866 553-5462  Ext.: 251

By email : Click here

Knowing your objectives

Above all, you must know why you want to use dynamic digital display in the company. It is by determining clear objectives that you can use the network at its full potential. It will also be easier to evaluate results if precise goals are set. It is by addressing certain needs to be met that you will see the benefits of using this strategy.

Communication is an essential element in any kind of company and can be facilitated through dynamic digital display. You can share information with employees easily, without any loss of time. Businesses want their service to be faster and interactive. More and more restaurants, for example, are adding interactive menus or digital billboards to enhance customer experience. In other environments, companies are using this tool to further motivate their employees by keeping them involved in the development of the business.

Having a good content strategy

Once the objectives are targeted, the focus shifts to content strategy. There are tons of ways to display information on the screens. You have to choose a specific template that will effectively disseminate the digital content. In fact, the size of each diffusion zone needs to be defined. A few aspects can be seen on the monitors: the main message to communicate in words or images, news that would scroll at the bottom of the screen, the weather display, the frequency at which information is shown, etc. For example, in a factory where workers are predominantly male, sports news at the bottom of the screens would be a good option. On the other hand, a major newspaper’s offices would more likely spread last minute headlines on different monitors. In the example below, educational content and important messages appear in the main area, the news and weather are shown in the secondary area.

These elements have to be adjusted according to the type of environment and customer. This way, you make sure to capture people’s attention while conveying messages. It is all about knowing the environment and adapting the information displayed to customers, employees or passers-by.

Choosing and placing the equipment strategically

Now that the content strategy is in place, you must address some important technical aspects. Screen location is a key element for attracting maximum attention to the information displayed. Specifically, it is more logical to place the screens in a waiting room or in a rest area than in a busy hallway, for example. Of course, content must be clearly visible and easy to understand. You need to go with meaningful words or short video clips rather than long explanations that may discourage viewers.

Other technicalities should be considered, such as screen size and quantity. Do you want to place small screens knowing that the persons concerned are far from the content, for example? It goes without saying that the size of the content must be adapted depending on the proximity level between the screens and the viewers. If the equipment is outdoors, the brightness should be adjusted accordingly so that the information remains clearly visible despite daylight. These are all small details, but they are essential for a proper usage of dynamic digital display.

Finding the right dynamic digital display software

All kinds of software are available on the market. The features vary from one to another, some provide several customizable templates, and others are better at automatizing content, for instance. Therefore, according to your needs, software selection is crucial. If you want to be able to frequently modify the information displayed, it would be logical to choose multiplatform software that allows you to make adjustments easily with a cell phone or any other device connected to the network.

Also, some software can connect to business database and automatically display real time content. If you want to make a more commercial usage of dynamic digital display, where the content does not change very often, you will look for other qualities. Indeed, you should turn to easy to use software that provides an attractive visual content with high-quality display. Another interesting aspect to consider is the availability of technical assistance, which can guide you in the operation of the software. Again, objectives have to be clear in order to make wise choices, depending on your needs. To help you throughout the decision process, have a look at our two part article: Free or paid digital display software?

Broadcasting meaningful and dynamic content

Once objectives, equipment and software have all been chosen, it is important not to overlook the main content to be broadcasted. The information displayed should mean something to people targeted by the message. For example, as far as prevention is concerned, displaying revealing video footage is a great way to influence the environment.

It is essential that the content remains the center piece on the screens. In other words, it would be a shame to spend too much time on the layout and forget what message you really wish to spread.

Do not forget that no matter the screens size, their location or the choice of software, content is the most important aspect for reaching effective communication within the company.

Digital signage Software Free vs Paid

You know about digital display, but are having some trouble picking the best software for your needs. Free or paid software? What should good software offer? What are my needs? In the second part of this article, we will present 3 other factors that must be taken into consideration when choosing a digital signage software, whether free or paid.

Read the part 1 of this article

Ease of use

The software’s ease of use is the most important point to consider. It brings together all the other points of this article.

Free or paid, your choice of digital display software will let you do many things, but how easy is it to use? Will you enjoy or dread using it?

What constitutes easy to use software? It’s software that:

• Is intuitive and user-friendly, which lets you make changes quickly and easily (in less than 3 clicks and less than 30 seconds). This means you don’t need to be a professional in computer technology to use it.
• Offers the features you need and sometimes even some that you didn’t know you needed but that make things much easier for you. For example: previewing and integration of different data formats.
• Automates your on-screen content. Which lets you automatically display any data you possess effortlessly.
• Is not intimidating.
• Offers the support you need when you need it.
• Offers an IT structure (server) that is complete and secure.

In summary, easy to use software frees you from the stress that managing a network of screens could cause.

Support

Regardless of your software provider, you may have questions or face problems during your project.

While it is common to offer support, some companies do not, or offers it only partly. Paid software usually offers good support. However, free software often charges fees to access help. In some cases, it is e-mail-only support or phone support at very specific times.

Since we never know when a problem can occur, it is preferable to have a service that can help you when you need it.

Hosting server

An other important factor is the hosting server. Some free software does not always offer this service or does not offer an adequate level of security. It is very important to double check this since if hosting is not offered at all you will need to build your own dedicated server, the cost of which alone justifies the price of paid software. If security is lacking, your data can be at risk or some unwanted content can appear on your screens.

Finally, free software has its advantages and can be a good digital display solution. It can be an interesting option in the beginning, you can then move on to a paid solution as your needs evolve. In any case, it is always preferable to get information before choosing software, whether free or paid. I would like to close by saying that the best solution is the one that will lend an impact greater than efforts (time and money) that you spend on it.

The largest event in the field of digital signage took place this March 16th and 17th in Las Vegas: the Digital Signage Expo 2016. More than 6000 experts from all spheres of the industry were there to present their brand new technology. It is a must see event where all the players in the market learn about the latest trends.

Richard Fortin, chairman and founder of ITESMedia for over 11 years, was of course present and he will now share his impressions on the upcoming trends for equipment, software, and content management in this article.

ITESMEDIA is a company that has been working in the field of digital signage for more than 11 years. It deploys interactive terminals, digital signage equipment, and interactive kiosks, in addition to having its own content management softwareITESLIVE.

The Digital Signage Expo 2016 is without a doubt the must see event in the field of digital signage. Here is the convention, by the numbers:

• More than 4100 people visited the convention
• Visitors came from 69 different countries
• The convention takes up over 84 000 square feet
• More than 200 exhibitors, 45 for whom it was their first show

Source: David Haynes, http://www.sixteen-nine.net/2016/04/04/dse-reports-slight-upticks-in-2016-attendee-exhibit-space-numbers/

OLED screens emerging, LEDs growing

Source: http://www.digitalsignageexpo.net/

Large businesses like LG, Samsung, Panasonic, NEC, Planar, and a few manufacturers were well represented during this gathering. They showed off all the latest innovations in computers, monitors, and supports.

OLED screens were part of these innovations and have as their main advantages a thinner size and richer colours. This technology, for which we have been waiting for a long time, is now seeing more availability on the market. However, their high price and their poor performance in well light areas will limit their growth in certain markets. This type of screen is therefore only used in places where there isn’t too much light, for now.

LED technology, on the other hand, finds a new vocation. This technology, which was mostly used for very large size exterior screens due to its excellent performance in well lit conditions, is now used indoors for the implementation of video walls. Therefore, all the largest monitor manufacturers have started using this type of product aggressively, which will reduce its cost in the near future. It’s good news for consumers.

Display systems

Source: http://www.digitalsignageexpo.net/

As for display systems, on-board systems, or “on-chip systems”, have once more received a lot of attention at the convention. These systems, that have now been available for a few years, use a proprietary system unique to each manufacturer that allows the use of the screen’s internal system instead of having to buy an external computer. It is therefore a significant cost reduction for the user.

Another technology that is receiving attention: Android-based display systems. However, many players in the industry have their doubts on those types of systems, since they present some data security risks. Despite this problem, there is most probably a market for embedded systems since the material costs are relatively low.

Software developers

According to David Haynes, editor of the 16:9 blog and an influential player in the field, there are only about 40 serious companies left in software development for digital signage. It is a sobering assessment, albeit a realistic one. Health care businesses are the ones with a specific niche. According to David Haynes, it is only a matter of time before a hundred businesses, differentiated only by their low price, disappear. The companies that stand out not through the quality of their product but by their smaller margins will have a hard time investing money into improving their software.

Therefore, we can conclude that companies that will have developed very effective software in a specialized market have a much better chance of succeeding.

Content creation

Digital signage is of course leaning heavily on the visual aspect, but, strangely, few firms were present for the convention. One thing is for sure, there were fewer than last year. The very high cost has certainly discouraged many content creation companies from participating in the event.

Moreover, we notice that creators are now a part of software integration teams. The implementation of a multidisciplinary team (creator, developer, integrator, designer) allows a business to offer a turnkey service to its clients.

Visiting this Expo has allowed us to take the pulse of the market and has given us many hints on what will happen in the next months for digital signage.

The digital signage industry has been growing quickly in the last few years. Big players in retail and large companies have both adopted this method of communication. It is regardless a fairly young industry that evolves rapidly and this creates misconceptions. We have therefore decided to dispel 5 of the most frequent myths about digital signage.

Myth #1: Digital signage is difficult to install

With the evolution of technology, it is now simpler and simpler to enjoy a digital signage network. The cost of equipment, including monitors, has significantly decreased in the last few years. Simply think back to old CRT monitors that had to be installed overhead. Nowadays, monitors are often very thin and relatively light, therefore much simpler to install. As for the signage system and external peripherals, they are also fairly simple and quick to install. Most companies will assign a specialist that can complete the installation in less than a day.

Myth #2: Creating graphical material is expensive

This is important for any company that wants to benefit from the advantages of signage by showing off the company’s colours and graphic standards. There are of course costs related to this service, but they are not necessarily expensive. In most cases, a graphic designer will take inspiration from existing graphical models on your website or sales documents in order to build unique signage templates for each client. Each project is different and prices are defined based on the work to be done, but, on average, the content strategy and the creation of personalized templates cost about $3000 per project.

Myth #3: The costs are exorbitant

For many years, the field has been growing exponentially. Most of us now have a cellphone, a laptop, many televisions, and a tablet. This strong demand in the field of technologies has driven fierce competition, which greatly benefits consumers. This competition between companies has of course brought a reduction in price and great technological advancements. The digital signage market is no exception. The costs of equipment have significantly decreased, as have the management fees since the software is simpler to use. Once more, to give an idea of average costs, a turnkey project with content planning, content strategy, and two monitors should cost you around $10 000. This includes equipment, installation, content strategy, graphics, and the content management system.

Myth #4: Modifying content on a screen is long and complicated

If you are using effective and user-friendly content management software, a change should only take you a few minutes. After training, which should be included in your project’s implementation, persons in charge at your company should be able to modify or add a message in less than 30 seconds. A good practice is to have your signage templates built by a specialist at the start of a project. This way, you have all you need and the modifications will be much simpler.

Myth #5: The impact on your audience is minimal

Without planning, your screens will probably just be a decorative fixture in your office. Good planning and a good knowledge of your target audience are crucial before undertaking such a project. First of all, determine what the goals of your monitors are. Then, in order to ensure that the monitors are watched and that they have an impact, there are many factors you need to consider. Their placement, the signage templates, the interests and needs of your target audience, the duration of your animations and messages, to name a few, are all aspects to analyze in order to ensure you reach your intended results.

In summary, digital signage is now a simple and relatively inexpensive way to reach your company’s communication goals. Of course, there are several pitfalls that should be avoided for a good return on investment. We encourage you to read our article: 5 Biggests Mistakes to Avoid in Digital Signage to improve your reflection.

Have you ever seen digital signage monitors that aren’t working, or are completely ineffective? With more than 11 years of experience in the installation of digital signage solutions, we have seen many situations that have often led to screens being turned off. We have therefore decided to show you, in this article, some of the mistakes to avoid if you plan on using this technological tool.

Mistake #1: Underestimating your audience

It is very important to keep your audience in mind during your content planning. An in-depth analysis of your target audience must be undertaken to ensure your screens will have the desired impact. Whether your audience is clients, suppliers, or employees, you must know their information needs and interests in order to grab their attention. For instance, for a company that is mostly made up of men, it would be a good idea to display some news about the Montreal Canadiens to encourage workers to look at the monitors.

Mistake #2: Not automating data

We live in an instant gratification world where everything needs to be known very quickly. Why not automate the data displayed on your screens? Every company nowadays has a many data systems that are often scattered over many programs. Why not centralize this data and broadcast it in real time on your screens? Maintaining your display system must require as little effort as possible from your communications team. Thus, with the technology now available, make sure the data displayed on your screens, such as performance indicators, is automated for better efficiency.

Mistake #3: Forgetting to assess the placement of monitors

At what height must the monitors be installed? Where? Is it a sunny room? All of those small details can make a big difference and must therefore be considered when analyzing the placement of screens. By placing monitors in an area that’s too bright, the screen’s visibility will inevitably suffer. Screens therefore need to be used accordingly. Moreover, the duration and quantity of content to be broadcast will be influenced by the time your audience spends in front of the screens. To reach your communication goals, the placement of your monitors is crucial.

Mistake #4: Not having a content strategy

During your planning, it is important to analyze the content and type of information that you want to broadcast. After putting down all the messages on paper, they need to be organized. First, they need to be grouped by category and then to be prioritized. You do not want to broadcast all your messages at once. It if preferably to show less messages in order for them to be better understood. At ITESMEDIA, we have developed 4 great categories that define the different broadcasting axes to help our clients with their content strategy: “ Health and safety at work (HSW) , productivity, training and internal communication“.

After categorizing content, it is easier to position messages properly in our display template.

Mistake #5: Neglecting training and customer service

Most digital display solutions require very few manipulations to ensure their proper functioning. Nevertheless, some operations are necessary depending on the type of content you publish. For instance, if you would like to wish an employee a happy birthday, you must know how to operate the display management software. This is why you need to make sure that your digital display provider offers a complete training program at the beginning of the contract. Moreover, good customer service is often important to help you use your equipment properly.

In conclusion, installing a digital signage system is more complicated than simply choosing the size and model of your monitors. It is therefore absolutely necessary to plan properly to ensure that your investment yields the expected benefits. Ensure that you are surrounded by experts in the field that will know how to help you develop a strategy that will fulfil your objectives.