Lets explore the use of timed content within your digital signage content management system.
What is timed content?
Timed content for digital signage is content that changes based on time. This might be:
- Time of day
- Day of the week
- Seasons/Weather
- Holidays and events
Why does timed content work better?
Timed content is more timely if you will excuse the pun. When your digital signage content management system delivers timed content, it:
- Reaches the audience segment paying attention or present at that time
- Lets you craft messages specific to the audience in front of your signage right now
Example: Timed Content for Shopping Mall Digital Signage
Here are some examples of timed content in a shopping mall with digital signage.
Time of Day: Food
You can show food advertising for restaurants and food court vendors based on the time of day. Early in the morning you can show breakfast specials and pictures of mouthwatering bacon and eggs, and switch to burgers, soups, and sandwiches at lunch and dinner entrees later in the day.
Shopping Mall: Seniors Day
If your shopping mall has a special seniors day, your digital signage can highlight:
- Seniors tea/coffee shop specials
- Senior-friendly fashions
- Sale prices for seniors
- Health aids
Shopping Mall: After School
When the teens hit the mall after school, your advertising can shift again to show advertising of interest to teens, like:
- Teen food/drink specials
- Teen fashions
- Teen event promo
Shopping Mall: Weather Changes
You can also change your advertising based on changes in the weather by having special weather-related playlists in your digital signage content management system. Just check the weather early in the morning or the night before and trigger the appropriate weather playlist for that day.
- If it is snowing you can promote winter boots, coats, hats, gloves, and scarves.
- If you are having a heat wave, you can promote air conditioners, fans, bathing suits, sandals, and sundresses.
- If it is raining you can promote umbrellas, raincoats, rain hats, and rain boots.
Shopping Mall: Seasons
In addition to playlists for weather changes, you can also include playlists for the change in seasons.
For example, when spring is starting you can show:
- Spring fashions
- Lawn mowers
- BBQs
- Gardening products
For the onset of winter, you can highlight:
- Snow blowers
- Snow shovels
- Winter fashions
- Winter automotive products such as window scrapers, de-icers, remote start
Shopping Mall: Special Sales
You can also highlight special sales events in your mall, such as:
- Black Friday
- Exclusive fashion brands
- Loyalty campaigns such as “mall bucks” or door prizes for shopping in the mall
Shopping Malls: Holidays
And of course, one of the biggest uses of timed content would be holiday seasons such as:
- Christmas
- Halloween
- Mothers Day
- Fathers Day
When Mother’s day is coming up, you can focus on gifts, flowers, or activities suitable for giving mothers for their special day. The same for Father’s day.
And your Christmas playlist can be all preset to kick in once Halloween is over.
Shopping Mall: Events
Most malls have special events. When you have an event scheduled, set the timing in your digital signage content management system to highlight these upcoming events. This might include:
- Fashion shows
- Performances
- Kids events – pictures with Santa
Restaurants & Bars
We had already mentioned how shopping malls can use digital signage to highlight their restaurant’s offerings based on the time of day. But standalone restaurants and bars can use timed content this way as well. In addition to the ideas already presented, the restaurants and bars can use timed content to promote:
- Happy hour
- Upcoming events
- Themed drinks – St. Patrick’s Day green beer
- Upcoming sports events on TV in the bar
- Trivia and other contests
- Karaoke night
Health Clinics
Timed content isn’t just for retail and restaurants. Many other fields can benefit as well. For example, a health clinic can use timed content to show information relating to:
- Current health crisis
- Flu season
- Allergy season
- Seasonal affective disorder
- Tick season
Manufacturing Industry Timed Messages
Within the manufacturing industry, timed content can be used for:
- Safety reminders
- Break and lunch reminders
Internal Office Communications
For internal office communications you can use timed content to provide:
- Meeting reminders
- Special event reminders
- Birthday celebrations
- Company news
Digital Signage Content Management Tools For Timed Content
Here at PresentationPoint, we have developed several powerful digital signage content management tools to help you manage your timed content as well as your regular playlists. Here are some tools to check out.
iPoint
iPoint is a Windows-based playlist management system that lets you manage playlists of a wide range of media types including video, PowerPoint, and most audio and image formats. iPoint is network and web-enabled so you can control multiple locations from a single computer.
MessagePoint
MessagePoint is our Windows-based tool to turn your existing computer network into a company-wide broadcasting system. MessagePoint communicates via screensavers, wallpapers, and push notifications.
SignageTube
SignageTube is our multiplatform, cloud-based playlist management system. Works similarly to iPoint except that it is multiplatform and cloud-based. An excellent choice for digital signage on smart TVs.
Not sure which tool to choose? Contact us and we would be happy to help.
