How to find digital signage content that won’t break the bank

In October 2007, LG Electronics hosted the LG Transolve event in New York. The event included a presentation on the digital signage marketplace and covered applications, projections, and business models. One fact that LG presented caught my attention: a table that illustrated the current penetration of digital signage screens across the United States based on available locations. Here are a few quick facts:

   • There are over 47,000 locations for “big box” retailers in the US and only
      4100 installed screens—that’s less than 10% currently installed.

   • There are over 2403 shopping malls with only about 150 installed locations—
      that’s less than 7% currently installed.

   • Grocery stores have more than 17,600 locations with only 3500 locations
      currently installed—that’s less than 20% of the available sites.

InfoTrends, Frost & Sullivan, and ISuppli have all made projections that value the industry in the next few years in the billions of dollars, so there certainly is reason for optimism regarding growth for the digital signage industry. Digital signage is rapidly moving onto Main Street as a mainstream medium.

The Content Puzzle

How to find digital signage content that won’t break the bank

The cost and availability of high-quality content is a big issue for any company that is considering an investment in a digital signage system. Digital signage content needs to be maintained and updated on a regular basis to keep the information relevant and engaging. As the cost of equipment and software continues to fall, the cost and quality level of content needs to evolve to keep up with this expanding marketplace. Advertising agencies, motion graphics, and production houses are starting to move into the digital signage market as the metrics prove that digital signage is a valid part of the media mix. As a result, quality custom content from large national advertisers is starting to find its way onto digital signage screens. It is a completely different set of issues if you are running a small business. Small businesses in particular need to control the cost of content development to make their investment in a digital signage system worthwhile. A few years ago you would have had a difficult time trying to find good sources of digital content. Today however, there are several companies that provide content and products specifically targeted at digital signage content development.

Software Solutions

X2O Media is a Montreal-based digital signage solutions provider that was spun off from the sale of VertigoXmedia to Miranda Technologies in 2006. In addition to providing custom content and services to the digital signage market, X2O Media offers  a suite of content creation tools called Xpresenter.™ Xpresenter is Windows-based software suite comprising 8 separate applications that provide end-to-end content creation, management, playback, and monitoring of digital signage content.

For content creation Xpresenter’s Template Maker application enables users to work directly inside Microsoft® PowerPoint® to develop digital signage content. Based on a concept of “smart” templates and reusable objects, Template Maker extends PowerPoint by adding high-end digital signage features, allowing users to author content that includes video, animations, graphics, audio, and real-time streaming content. Xpresenter includes a library of graphics templates, custom control panels, video clip previewing, and tools for quickly resizing content to fit various display screens. More information on  X2O Media’s Xpresenter is available at http://www.x2omedia.com

The MediaTile Company, a provider of cellular digital signage solutions based in California, offers content solutions to its clients through their MediaTile Broadcast Portal, a Web-based application that allows its users to manage their network with any Web browser. MediaTile offers enhanced content services to its clients, including AccuWeather, US and International news, and custom RSS feeds, along with custom content services. In addition, MediaTile has a partnership with World Wide Entertainment, an Australian-based content company to provide prepackaged video content. For more information on The MediaTile Company, visit their Web site at http://www.mediatile.com

Symon Communications offers content subscription services with its TargetVision™ digital signage system that include a number of packages, including world and national news, business news, weather, sports, trivia, and entertainment news. They also offer specialized content for enterprises such as call center, electric utilities, and pharmaceutical industry news. Symon has a service bureau for the creation of customized messages and graphics. For more information on Symon Communications’ TargetVision and content services, visit http://www.symon.com

Real-Time Streaming Content

The Internet has enabled real-time delivery of content in the form of news feeds for a variety of information, including weather, financial, and traffic conditions. Several companies specialize in delivery of live feeds, DataCall Technologies, AHN Media,  and AccuWeather.

DataCall Technologies’ N-Volve is a real-time streaming service that provides a wide range of news feeds that include general interest, weather, traffic, sports, financial, and world news. DataCall’s clients include Helius, Scala, 3M Digital Signage, Chy TV, AdtekMedia, and Keywest Technologies. For more information on DataCall Technologies, visit http://www.datacalltech.com

AHN Media (All Headline News) is a global news agency and content service with offices and regional bureaus in South Florida, New York, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Denver, Europe, and Asia, providing 24/7 coverage of breaking news and content. The company is a provider of news, weather, and other content for Web sites, wireless, digital signage, interactive applications, broadcast, and print use. For more information on All Headline News, visit http://www.allheadlinenews.com

AccuWeather delivers accurate weather data to digital signage companies in the form of weather videos and graphical weather information. AccuWeather also offers its clients Graphical News Modules that feature brief news stories covering U.S., world news, business, sports, and entertainment news. The modules are updated on an hourly basis and include an image, headline, and brief story that can be easily digested in 10 seconds or less. For more information on AccuWeather, visit their Web site at http://www.accuweather.com

High-Definition Stock Content

HD content is becoming easier to find and there are several companies that offer individual clips as well as packages that can be used on digital signage systems. Using stock content may require some knowledge of editing software such as Apple’s Final Cut or Adobe’s Premiere applications in order to combine these sources with other content and messaging.

Mammoth HD Vertical Collection is the first to provide royalty-free high-definition content in portrait (vertical) orientation. Although the collection is mostly limited to nature footage, the content has been expanding to include more subject matter. Mammoth HD also offers a large selection of high-definition content in standard landscape mode that includes abstract backgrounds, aerial footage, cities, sports, travel, and weather. For more information, visit http://www.mammothhd.com

Motionstream creates royalty-free libraries of content that were developed exclusively for messaging and promotion on digital signage systems. Motionstream offers several multi-volume libraries that include:  Luxe HD Powertools—the first library of animated diamonds and gems available in high definition; Holiday-Maker HD Powertools—7-volume set of holiday animations; Amore HD Powertools—4-volume set of heart animations for Valentine’s promotion; Genome HD Powertools—the first library of DNA animation available in high-definition; and Superstars HD Powertools—a graphic library of star animations. In the interest of full disclosure, Motionstream is the owner and publisher of Digital Signage Universe. For more information, visit http://www.motionstream.com