How much does it cost to install and use digital signage for your business? It depends on how complex a system you're looking for. With hundreds of signage systems on the market, it can be daunting to invest in one — especially you're unsure of what the return on investment will be.
At Promota, we revolutionize small business digital signage by providing a free app. We remove most barriers to entry in order to provide our users (most of which are independent business owners) with a low-risk high-reward solution. In this article, we explore four basic elements that encompass a digital signage network: (1) content, (2) hardware, (3) software, and (4) operations.
Content
Content is the fuel that powers your display. To bring attention to any advertising display, you need a powerful message and engaging visuals.
Our team understands that digital signage and content creation services come hand-in-hand. That's why we provide a library of 180+ templates at no cost to our users. Made to save business owners time and money, the photos and text can be edited with a tap of your finger.
Here are some examples of the templates provided in-app, with more added every week.
Hardware
Hardware is the piece that's responsible for displaying your content to the world. The goal is to deliver information to your customers as smoothly as possible. For many small business owners, budget also plays a big factor.
With Promota, you can display digital signage using a Google Chromecast, which is $35 at most retailers. This is the only cost — our app itself is free.
To playback content, Chromecast plugs into any TV or monitor with an HDMI port. If you don't have a TV, you can still display content full-screen on an iPad using Fullscreen Mode.
Traditional digital signage hardware will typically include computers that feed information to the displays. These run anywhere from a few hundred to thousands of dollars a month on subscription-based services.
One Promota user who runs two restaurants says, "I have two restaurants and a total of 7 displays between them and many other options would be almost $100 per month which is just absurd for something I could do (although much less conveniently) with Photoshop and a flash drive stuck in the back of all the TVs."
Software
Digital signage software encompasses the media player that displays content. Generally speaking, different types of players support different types of media. Most signage software downloads the content to provide continuous playback, even when there's no internet. Other signage software uses streaming, which requires consistent internet connection.
The Promota app does not require internet to continue casting. However, it does require a stable Wi-Fi connection for the initial setup process. Once the content is casted, you are free to disconnect and even leave the location. It's also possible to change the content remotely — meaning you don't need to be in-store to switch out your daily special.
Operations
When it comes to the day-to-day operations of your digital signage, we recommend registering with a shared business account or email. Though you don't need to be in-store to make changes or continue casting, different employees may need to access the same saved content.
For more info, read our article on how to create digital signage using Chromecast.
To start your first digital sign, download Promota for free in the App Store.
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