1. Introduction
Digital signage is a communication platform that can be used as an audio or visual medium depending on the device or hardware you are using. Digital signage can be used for many different purposes; a large variety of message types are available, but the most common are promos, weather, traffic reports, and news updates. It’s no mystery that more and more organizations are now using digital signage, mainly for the purpose of communication and engagement. It’s become a ‘must have’ for business communication.
But one of the significant barriers to that success has been the cost of digital signage for this technology. Digital Signage and Display solutions are a broad and powerful display hardware and software category. The problem is, as, with all technology, not everyone understands the cost of any specific product. Let’s see a few metrics that need to be considered in order to get cost-effective digital signage:
2. Displays
For digital signages, this is equivalent to 300 to 400 LCD screens and 600 to 1,000 projectors. But it really depends on the display technology. Some have LCDs, and others have LED lasers and other technology. Samsung, Sony, etc., make the most common LCD displays.
LED displays are a newer, less expensive display technology. And some vendors still make projectors, but these are expensive. Cost per square foot of display surface (sq. ft.) depends on the size and the technology. Digital signage uses less square footage than standard signage due to all the pixels, and in theory, the cost per square foot is less. All the displays used as hardware for digital signage are too expensive. All the displays used as a hardware for digital signage are too expensive.
3. Players
A lot of the equipment cost is made up of two things: Media equipment like flat panel displays, play sticks, and amplification, and non-TV-related gear, such as media boxes and smart home kits. A key focus for the digital signage market has been on lighting automation solutions and solutions designed specifically for video wall applications.
The best news is that most of the products could be installed in a pretty basic media box, except for the MediaPlayerMVP PVM-1530P model, which has a dedicated PWM control interface. But keep in mind that for simple to medium-sized media and TV video wall applications, a significant number of LEDs (between about 5 and 15) are installed on the screens and above the video wall itself in order to provide the full visibility required.
4. Mounting, Provisioning, and Installation
Mounting costs vary widely. You need have to spend a considerable amount of time measuring, bidding, planning, and designing the hardware required. Many businesses wait for a budget to be available before actually committing to the project. In some cases, the hardware cost is out of the price range of small-business owners, and many businesses stick to off-the-shelf options.
Another issue is staffing, manpower, and staff resources. Ask yourself: Do you have an owner, a floor manager, or a project manager? Are you sure they’re available when it’s time to install the software, hardware, and network? Think about installing your digital signage software yourself if it’s not a large-scale project. Billing is also a major cost when installing digital signage. Often, companies underestimate the actual cost of the hardware needed and carry the cost over to the next year.
5. Licensing
It’s usually easy to find someone who can do the installation of software, but getting someone to service and support your software costs a small fortune. Once you have software installed, you’ll need to log in using your login details. These are often restricted as companies have various pricing plans that users can opt for. These are done differently across different parts of the market. Some apps give free trials or free downloads but cost extra.
Of course, a business will want to spend as little as possible on this. So, all users need to do is enter their username and password. The payment terms often include either monthly payments or paying in full for the first three months. But licensing cost is also a major factor that needs to be considered.
6. IT Costs
It takes a significant amount of software license costs and IT staff support to successfully implement and manage digital signage in your organization. It’s generally difficult to estimate these costs when you do not know the exact project plan for your signage infrastructure.
We, therefore, encourage you to hire an expert team to provide help in the planning, implementation, and operation of digital signage in your organization. The cost of digital signage depends on various things like the type of system that is implemented, the amount of content that is supported by the system, the type of software, and so on.
7. A Cost-Effective Alternative: Cloud-based signage
Cloud-based digital signage solutions for small to medium businesses are comparatively less expensive than their traditionally manufactured counterparts. In recent years, cloud-based digital signage has slowly taken over traditional solutions in the public sphere, and there may be a shift towards cloud-based solutions. It does not require high-cost media players, and you just need a smart TV and a cloud-based subscription where you will pay monthly/annual fees (which will have a reduced upfront cost). Digital Signage comes in the form of services that allow you to host your digital signage systems remotely and then digitally distribute content.
The data center hosts the content server in a cloud-based solution, which the end-user accesses and displays through a browser or mobile app. Some of the capabilities are content management, content distribution, and maintenance. The multiple advantages offered by cloud-based signage across the globe cannot be ignored. All stakeholders – the business, employees, and the end customers- can access these services through one unified website or application. As per the survey findings, about 60% of the enterprises are willing to replace their existing signage systems with cloud-based signage systems. This makes cloud-based signage a sought-after component. Hence, cloud-based signage is really a good alternative as it does not require costly charges.
