Digital signage software has increasingly become a primary in-store marketing tool that has delivered results for businesses of all sizes and industries. According to one survey, 80% of brands using digital signage have recorded up to 33% increase in sales, especially among customers who haven’t come up with a list of products they want to purchase. Moreover, another survey carried out by FedEx revealed that 8 out of 10 customers are influenced by digital signages and enter an unfamiliar store. It’s apparent from the facts that digital signage has efficiently helped store owners increase the footfall in their stores, which eventually impacted the business revenue positively.
What is Digital Signage?
Any size of the screen that can display content like videos, gifs, images, live streaming, and any visual information using technologies like LED, LCD, or Projection is called digital signage.
Though digital signage shows what you want to show, digital signage software helps you execute your content marketing strategies to connect with your consumers and enhance their experience. Hence, whenever you consider opting for a digital signage provider, you must understand the capabilities of its software and how it works.
Let’s understand the what and how of digital signage software.
What is Digital Signage software?
Digital signage software is a program that allows its users to design, schedule and allot information through digital media signages. The software empowers businesses to control. Manage their digital signage marketing remotely.
An efficient and extra flexible Digital signage software can be the X-Factor or the Extra Edge for any retail store since it can completely transform your in-store marketing game. The more intuitive your content on digital signage is, the more influencing it will be.
“60% of enterprises without digital signage in their store are planning to invest in the digital signage technology in the coming two years.” Source – Webinarcare
Components of Complete Digital Signage Software and How They Help in Creating a Fully Functional Digital Signage Campaign
Complete digital signage software will always offer these functionalities or tools.
- Media Player Software
- Content Management Software
- Device Management Tool
- Content Creation Software
- Audience Analytics
1. Media Player
FTx Digital Signage’s android-based Media Player enables the users to playback content. The device can be connected to the screens using an HDMI port, allowing users to play back content that is scheduled on the cloud-based content management system.
Moreover, the extra features of the FTx digital media player include:
- Gathering data and reporting about each media through the proof of play reporting
- Monitoring its status of health
- It can also interrupt and change the scheduled content for emergency messaging, mobile interactivity, and many other tasks
- Synchronization of content with other media players when required to create extensive spectacular experiences for the customers
2. Content Management and Distribution System:
FTx Control Center is an all-in-one system that does content management allowing the users to update, organize, schedule, and create the flow of the playlist and conditions for the content to be played. Moreover, it also helps distribute content to media players across the locations. The control center is cloud-based and very conveniently eliminates the need for on-site servers, thus enabling the business owners to scale quickly without any limitations. With the control center, you can manage digital signages remotely and make changes when needed.
Many content management systems are on-site or hosted, or LAN-based. Though this type of system allows total physical control over the system, it often requires a hefty amount of money to establish the entire setup. Large companies can majorly prefer it.
3. Digital Signage Device Management Software
Device management software is critical to a digital signage management system. It not only monitors and collects information on devices in different locations but also can reboot the devices from a remote location.
Tasks that a digital signage device management software can do –
- Provide snapshots of the content running on the screens
- Reporting device temperature, network status, memory status, etc.
- Update the media player software and firmware as the updates come.
- Communicate through notifications sent via email about the network status.
4. Digital Signage Content Creation Software
Content creation software like FTx AdPro equips the users with content and graphic development tools that don’t require professional-level knowledge. People with minimal understanding of visual development can use the tools and develop professional-level graphics. With numerous readymade templates, drag and drop tools, and an easy-to-use user interface, the content, design tool will help you communicate with the customers clearly and engagingly. You can also create small animated videos and dynamic content. Once the graphics are created, they can be directly uploaded for scheduling through a control center or content management system.
5. Digital Signage Audience Analytics Software
Firstly, Measuring how your efforts are working is a must because then only you can understand whether to keep going with the current strategy or you have to modify your approach. Secondly, It all depends on how consumers react to your content displayed on the signages. Audience analytics is critical, especially in retail stores and F&B businesses. Thirdly, The program accumulates the audience’s data through a camera feed and detects how the information on signage influences the customers to make decisions. Through audience analytics, you can understand –
- The effectiveness of the current campaign
- The clarity of the message conveyed
- The impact of the content displayed on customers’ decisions
- Is it attracting customers’ attention
Advanced audience analytics software uses face analysis tools to capture and analyze headcounts, facial expressions, gender, the duration it attracts the information, and the time of day.
To Conclude
In Conclusion, Companies contemplating digital signage should focus on the pros of using intelligent digital signage software. The software with the above-given components is said to reap positive results if the content marketing strategy is vital.
Content, if displayed meticulously, has the power to change a customer’s opinion within seconds it’s like a consumer walking by your store, and suddenly they see your signage, something clicks, and the next moment they are in your store. It’s that powerful.
