At the heart of any out-of-home network is a purpose for it to exist, and content for it present. As digital out-of-home, also known as DOOH, networks have become more widespread, powerful, and capable, the tech behind driving and controlling them has evolved considerably. In this blog series, we will discuss keys to deploying an optimal DOOH network.
Overview
At the heart of any out-of-home network is a purpose for it to exist, and content for it present. As digital out-of-home, also known as DOOH, networks have become more widespread, powerful, and capable, the tech behind driving and controlling them has evolved considerably.
In this blog series, we will discuss keys to deploying an optimal DOOH network. We will present key factors and features to consider when making your next move in the digital media world, whether it is the launch of a new network or an upgrade to your existing systems.
Tech is always marching forward at a rate that makes it difficult to stay aware of the latest and greatest things. Considering factors like which Content Management System (CMS) to use, how to design passive and dynamic content, how to build and deploy interactive customer experiences, and how to make sure it all works together can be daunting.
This will be your insider’s view cheat-sheet to make informed decisions by reviewing key features and learning how to engage the right subject matter experts to help you succeed with digital media networks, dynamic content creation, and content management solutions.
Consideration 1 – OOH vs. Web Platform
Before widespread use of the web, the first software-based content management systems were designed for TV and radio content, and some are still in use today.
The explosion of network technology in the last 20 years has exponentially expanded the demand for digital content and has brought many new types of software systems to manage and distribute content to websites, apps, desktop software, etc.
As retailers, entertainment venues, restaurants, and other out-of-home networks have gained access to lower-cost and better quality digital signage hardware players, and as digital content creation tools have become ubiquitous, the need for more powerful and flexible digital signage CMS has exploded.
Marketing organizations have much more to share with their target audiences, and the pace at which they need to change it is always increasing. Fixed images and video spots are no longer relevant – dynamic messaging, interactive apps, social media based content, and an ever-changing stream of new content sources must be incorporated into the content supply chain.
While content is often shared between systems, the purposes and capabilities for web and mobile-based CMS platforms are quite different from out-of-home CMS platforms.
The best out of home CMS platforms give you many advanced features that allow for running great physical networks without being limited by what is available to web and mobile centric platforms.
New software trends like HTML5 allow for things to be used in more places than ever before, but desktop web pages and phone apps are not designed to run on devices in venues – they need to be managed properly for the best experience.
For example, shoppers behave differently in-store than they do online. So, retailers must rely on different marketing approaches to attract shoppers. And DOOH digital tools offer a wide range of features that are more relevant for the in-store environment.
Messaging when someone is physically present at a location can take many forms. While on-site, tactics such as purchase conversion and calls-to-action that generate a sense of urgency to purchase are key capabilities of out-of-home platforms that have shown extensive value to retailers.
Someone physically came to your store for a reason, and properly designed in-store digital marketing can change a showrooming client or a potential shopper into a closed sale when managed correctly.
A highly capable CMS will allow you to manage experiential media experiences that make the space feel cool and interesting, display targeted brand information at the point of display, provide interactive resources that augment the sales process, provide inventory and location information, showcase brand-managed social streams, and much more.
Stay tuned, next week we will discuss cloud vs. on-site!