4 Factors To Consider When Creating Your Digital Signage Content Loops

You've made the decision to install a DOOH network in your venue. You've set aside the budget, and have made certain the support team is ready in the event problems surface, technical or otherwise. You've also had the foresight to invest in an initial stream of content for your screens. One question remains: how will you fill your screens with content over the long run?

The hardware and software that drive your digital signage platform are important. However, content determines its effectiveness. Unless your intent is merely to entertain passersby, you'll need to design your loops and messaging to accomplish a defined purpose. With this in mind, we'll present four issues below that should influence the content you choose to display on your DOOH network.

Digital signage can be deployed in a wide range of markets, including retail venues, universities, health care facilities, and sports arenas. The breadth of markets demonstrates the different purposes for which a DOOH solution can be leveraged. The segments you design or stream should accommodate the reason you deployed your network in the first place.

For instance, screens installed within a retail store might be tasked with promoting brands and helping consumers choose products. In a dentist's office, digital signage may be used in the waiting room to create a calming environment. Train stations may rely on a DOOH platform to inform commuters about arrival and departure times.

Identify the purpose of your network. Then, create or stream content loops that complement it.

Even when installed within similar settings, digital signage networks can have disparate goals. This, too, must be taken into account when creating your play loops. Take retail stores as an example. One venue might use their in-store media platform to promote specific products. Another might use their digital signage software to display third-party advertising in order to produce a predictable revenue stream.

Determine the reason you have a DOOH platform in your facility. Pinpoint the precise goals you have for your screens. Your content loops should be designed accordingly.

Oddly, this is an area many venue owners neglect to consider when creating their messaging. A person's frame of mind reflects the venue they are visiting. For instance, those visiting a retail store are willing to spend money on items that offer the right set of benefits. Those visiting a sports arena are interested in scores, snacks, and directions to certain areas in the stadium.

Knowing your audience's mindset will help you design play loops that address their needs at the moment they are watching your DOOH screens. This makes it easier to create messaging that prompts a response.

Creating a loop filled with segments that are several minutes in length might fail spectacularly if your audience lacks the time to watch them. Conversely, a loop filled with short spots may seem erratic to those with plenty of time to watch. This is the reason it is important to consider how much time your audience spends in front of your screens.

For example, morning commuters at a train station are likely to be in a hurry to catch their trains. Thus, they are unlikely to watch segments that last more than a few seconds. By contrast, those in a hospital waiting room may have an hour or more to spare. This factor should influence the length of your messages.

There are, of course, myriad other factors that must be taken into account when creating content for your digital signage network. You want to grab your audience's attention, and keep it long enough to deliver your message. Moreover, your segments must be able to prompt a desired response - otherwise, your messaging is ineffective. The first step is to design a basic framework for your play loops that accommodates your network's purpose.