An effective digital signage solution is made up of two crucial elements: engaging content and a content management system or CMS that you can use quickly to create and deliver real-time, valuable information.
A CMS helps you manage and operate a network of digital screens efficiently and without too much work. It allows you to simplify the creation of your messages and deploy and display them quickly and easily.
The best content management system providers and services also allow you to customize your message delivery strategy to meet your requirements.
Because of this, you can transform your digital signage system into a powerful communication tool and make the maximum impact on your audience.
Selecting a Digital Signage Content Management System
If you are planning to get a CMS for your digital signage system, here are some tips that can help you find the right one:
1. List down your specific requirements.
Identifying the needs you want your CMS to address is the first step you have to take to narrow down your options.
Be specific about the requirements or goals you expect the CMS to answer. These can include:
- Developing and managing better, targeted content
- Creating and managing branded videos
- Developing informational content based on location, maps, menus, and other factors
- Deploying content for internal communications
- Updating content automatically in real-time based on specified data triggers
Ultimately, your CMS should have the right features to address all these needs and more.
2. Identify the team members who will use the software.
Having numerous digital signage in various parts of the city can prove to be difficult for only one person to manage.
Your new CMS should help you and other members of your team handle this task.
Identify the persons you want to have access to the content management system and find out how many users your shortlisted platforms allow.
Also, check if it will permit you to set up multiple accounts with credentials for each user so that everyone won’t have to share one username and password.
Find out if the CMS also has the feature to designate certain permissions to each user. You may want one employee to control the screens in areas where they are assigned and not those found in other places.
Lastly, there should be one master or admin account that has full access to the system and can control all user permissions.
All these features can help keep your digital signage system organized and secure.
3. Check for remote content management and easy integration features.
Your CMS should allow you to manage your content and screens from anywhere. It should also let users upload and change the content using a web browser or app.
Additionally, make sure all users are able to access the CMS beyond simply using the company intranet.
Although a remote content management capability is standard with almost all digital signage CMS software, you have to ensure that the platform you choose has this crucial feature.
Also, you may need to integrate your CMS with third-party data sources to display last-minute sales if you own a retail chain. You should also be able to connect it with your restaurant or café POS to show changes in your menu.
Find out if your chosen software offers both these capabilities since they will make managing your digital signage content easier and more efficient.
4. Assess the platform’s content scheduling capability.
Content scheduling is one of the most crucial features your digital signage CMS solution should have.
This feature allows you and the other users to automate the content you want the screens to display. As a result, you will be able to put more time and effort into the other more important aspects of your work.
Additionally, content scheduling also helps you reach your target audience at the right time with carefully created content.
You can use the data you have to create content that appeals to a specific demographic of your target market in a certain area. You can also display more messages that more people will see during the busier times of the day.
Your CMS should help you create and display relevant and targeted content at the right time without too much work on your part.
5. Check the different media formats and apps the CMS can support.
Your digital signage system should be able to show more than just static and dynamic texts and images.
With the right CMS, you will also be able to display the following:
- Web pages
You can display your homepage and other websites to entertain or inform your audience. If you are using digital signage internally, you can have them show important announcements from your site or your latest blog.
- Videos
Videos are the most popular form of content today since they are entertaining, engaging, and easy to digest. As such, they should be part of the messages your digital signage displays.
- Social media sites
With the right CMS, your digital signage can be used to display feeds or posts from certain social media platforms. These include Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. You can share posts from your accounts or those of others that are relevant to your business, products, or services.
- Inspirational quotes, fun facts, and short quizzes
If your digital signage is seen by your target audience or customers who have to wait, you can use your CMS software to display trivia, inspirational quotes, or quizzes that give people something to think about, keep them entertained, and help them pass the time.
The bottom line is to ensure that your digital signage shows more than just images. You should have different content media formats that capture the attention of people who see them.
6. Select the right provider.
Lastly, you can get the most from your CMS if you work with a vendor that can provide the right solutions to help you meet your business needs.
You also have to work with a provider you can rely on to support you and your team as you use the CMS to optimize your digital signage system.
Do as much research as you can on your shortlisted vendors and the solutions they offer. Assess their presence in industry publications and check if they are considered trusted names.
Also, look into their history and the reviews they have online.
All these factors will give you a good idea of how reputable a provider is and if you will feel comfortable working with them.
Your CMS can be a crucial part of your business’s digital display strategy. Follow these tips so that you can choose the one that allows you to get the most returns from your investment.