Digital Signage Content: It’s All About the Flow

Too often, content is an afterthought in digital signage. A great deal of time and resources go into building the network’s technical infrastructure, but little thought goes into what will actually appear on the screens. In some ways this is understandable. While technical challenges can be engineered into a solution, editorial challenges require more finessing, research and an understanding of “soft” concepts such as audience demographics, viewing habits, design, branding and message retention. It is the content and its impact on audiences, however, that makes or breaks a network. Network operators need to make content a priority early in the planning stages and become familiar with the skill set required to program a successful network.

One strategy is to focus on the network’s overall content flow instead of the individual items that make up the content inventory. After all, it is the selection of items, their positioning, the pace, the identity package, screen design and other factors that all work together to create “the flow” and the network’s overall brand experience, and this will ultimately determine its success. Unfortunately, network operators often simply select content to avoid black on the screen without any consideration of how it all ties together. To help ensure a good content flow, there are three key factors to consider:

1. Have a clear understanding of the network’s business objectives and stick to them

Every network has a specific purpose — a brand promise that attempts to engage viewers and deliver a positive experience. In the case of an ad-based network, the purpose is to deliver an audience to advertising content. So network operators should make editorial content choices that work in partnership with the ad content. A great example of this would be a health club network running exciting extreme sports content that is adjacent to an ad for a sports drink brand. The editorial and advertising content work in tandem and create a complementary relationship that has a better chance of resonating with viewers.

2. Make smart, consistent thematic editorial choices

The content must be appropriate for the audience, so it is critical to know and understand who the audience is demographically. This can only be done through research, and using a third-party research firm is the best approach. This will give credibility to the network and the research will be better recognized by agencies and brands, which will influence their decision to buy ad time. Make content choices based on this information and be sure to revisit audience research periodically. It is an error to attempt to be all things to all audiences. Use the new-found knowledge of your audience to select content that is relevant. Relevance boils down to two criteria: Does it attract and retain attention, and does it give the audience a reason to watch?

3. Maintain consistent branding and presentation quality

The look and feel of the network must be consistently presented. That means maintaining technical quality, sound levels and a pace that matches the venue. A doctor’s waiting room may not be the appropriate venue for a fast-paced, highly graphic series of short items. However a health club whose brand is consistent with a high-energy experience would welcome a fast, vigorous presentation. The same thinking should be applied to the network’s branding. Branding elements should be designed to match the network’s objectives. The color palette, animation and music all work together to transmit a brand statement. By displaying a consistent identity, the network communicates its uniqueness and presents its distinct “voice” to audiences. Audiences will come to recognize the network, anticipate its content and therefore be more receptive to its messaging.

Audiences are incredibly sophisticated. They watch high-quality content at home on spectacular HD televisions, and they can’t be expected to lower their standards when they are exposed to a DOOH network. Network operators need to think of themselves as content programmers asking themselves, “How can I attract viewers and make sure the ad/messaging content being purchased on my network is being retained?” Examining the overall content flow and implementing a consistent, objective driven approach to content is a great strategy to move in the right direction.

Vern Freedlander is vice president of production services for Montréal-based X2O Media, a full-service provider of technology, network management and content services for professional digital signage applications. With more than 20 years of broadcast television experience as a producer, director and executive, Freedlander oversees all of X2O Media’s content initiatives. He can be reached at vern@x2omedia.com

Note: Vern Freedlander will be leading a Vertical Industry Discussion Group on the topic “Producing Your Network: Success is in the Flow, Not the Show” at DSE 2012. In addition, he will be leading a Vertical Industry Discussion Group titled “Just-in-Time Ads: Improving the Ad Creation Process with Improved Efficiency and More Targeted Ads.”