The use of digital signage cannot be underestimated in today’s world of marketing. Digital signs have a professional look and target, educate and attract customers using digital and streaming content.
As an online company, using offline digital signage can be a great strategy to implement especially because it’s easy, cost-effective and allows for complete creative control without incurring the huge advertising costs.
Having said that, it’s worth underlining the fact that digital signage can be used without the internet and this article will show you how.
How Can You Use Digital Signage without the Internet?
The answer to this question is simple and straightforward. You can do this by using an on-site software solution which allows you to upload your streaming content including videos and images. These are stored and accessed without the internet for digital signage.
There are several types of software solutions, some which require the internet for content updating from your computer.
Others however are designed to use servers, portable hard drives or flash drives for the same purpose. Using this technology in-house can be a great approach to take in the modern world of advertising and marketing.
Although most digital signage solutions are cloud-based, there are also others which are site-based which means you do not need to use an internet connection to display and manage your information.
With the site-based solutions, you can use a network or computer to run your digital signage thus eliminating the use of the internet connection.
In order to achieve this, the streaming content is uploaded in a portable flash drive or hard drive which is then imported to the content management system for use to create a digital sign message.
The use of digital signage without the internet means that anyone can easily relay and advertise their business information anywhere, including areas with no internet coverage.
What Exactly is Digital Signage?
In layman’s language, digital signage is the display of marketing content through a screen. This screen works akin to a billboard but is digital in nature as the name suggests.
The signage can use different mediums such as LED or LCD monitors, projector screens or flat screen television to cast the content.
The good thing with digital signage is that the content can simultaneously be displayed on several screens mounted on different locations.
Your marketing content can also be updated and modified easily to perfectly fit the targeted groups of people.
Digital signage normally uses a server or cloud-based software application to upload and control the content.
Most of the cloud based digital signage systems are designed to work with both the internet and USB only. You only need to switch from either if need be, in order to display your content.
It’s also good to note that some digital signage software systems are designed with a desktop solution which means you do not have to use an internet connection whatsoever to run.
Internet-based Digital Signage Components
Conventionally, digital signage depends on internet connection to run. This means that internet connection is essential for uploading and running the marketing content on the screen/s.
Components such as online designer tools, content management systems and display largely depend on the internet to operate.
The internet is normally required especially for the integration of news and social media as part of the display content in cloud-based CMS systems.
Most of the digital signage software providers solely focus on subscription-based content management systems and design, which are cloud based.
As such, you pay a monthly subscription fee that’s based on the number of media players or screens used.
An online solution may suit you if at all you need constant content updates such as real-time information dispatch about social media feeds, stocks and the like.
However, it’s good to choose a software solution that makes it easy for you to design the digital signage based on your needs. There are those that work offline and still provide templates which you can easily use to organize your content and drop your message strategically. These are ideal especially if you’re seeking to cut down on operation costs in the long run.
Advantage of Offline Digital Signage
Although cloud–based digital signage may seem superior and better, the use of on-premise software solutions has a number of advantages especially when it comes to security and cost-cutting.
This gives you great control over your content while at the same time limiting outside access and interference. On top of that, the cost of advertising your business becomes significantly low when compared to cloud-based subscription services.
Data integration also becomes easy and manageable when using an on-premise system. The fact that one can advertise their business and capture the imagination of their potential customers even in areas with no internet coverage is a huge advantage for any business.
Conclusion
Digital signage is an excellent approach if you want to give your business better exposure without recurring expenses. It is easy to use especially with preset templates which are offered by most software solutions.
The good news is that you can choose between online and on-premise software programs based on your needs and preferences.
If you do not wish to pay a monthly subscription fee or can’t access internet connection, an on-premise digital signage display is a great option to choose. It’ll cost you at the beginning but save you advertising money at the end.
