Digital Signage is a form of out of home advertising which is gaining popularity globally. Dynamic in nature, this solution can send across relevant information in real time and that too to target consumers at specific locations. Even though the initial investment is high, the return on investment is much higher compared to the static, print medium of advertising since content can be updated without additional expenditure. This medium reduces the cost associated with the static medium and provides enhanced flexibility along with complete control. It also offers the opportunity to generate revenue by promoting products and also creates brand awareness and generates customer loyalty.

Consisting of software, hardware and content, digital signage solutions allow updating of content from any location. Some applications require manual updating of content as needed, through a scheduling system, or by linking in with an outside feed so that appropriate messages are displayed. This content can be in the form of text messages, video, audio, animations or data. On the other hand, software solutions are built on Microsoft Windows technology and do not require any proprietary hardware. Compatible with all industry standard file formats, such as Flash files, Video, HTML, QuickTime, Microsoft Office, and JPG, they allow content delivery using standard TCP/IP protocols resulting in cost efficiency, reliability and faster deployment on any network. Read the rest of this entry »

The digital age is a peculiar period for online marketing. Because of the ever-expanding number of functions and applications the Internet can offer the average web user, advertisers are scrambling just to keep pace with the latest trends but staying on course isn’t enough; they must also jump one or two steps ahead of the pack to keep themselves always within arms’ reach of their target market.

This isn’t always the easiest thing to do, which is why as much as marketers spend time promoting their products and services on the Internet, they must also allot a significant portion to monitoring web trends. This will keep them on top of the marketing game, allowing them to adapt to the way the web is being used to maximize brand exposure.

So what’s in the cards for online marketing? Here are a few of the things that might shape the future of advertising in the digital era.

Mobile Marketing

In this day and age, mobility has become both a necessity and a commodity. More and more people are shunning the wires that tether them to desks and fixed locations, and instead preferring to maximize their time by accessing information from the Internet on the go.

This wireless, mobile trend has people depending on their smart phones and mobile devices like netbooks and tablets, and more people are exploring how their devices can be sued to scan bar codes. The future looks like it will be suiting up for this unique kind of mobile marketing.

Already, smart phone apps are being developed to scan bar codes to allow consumers to gather data instantly about products, and enterprising marketers can use this feature to offer customers redeemable coupons for certain products whose bar codes they scan via their devices. It is a budding technology, but one that has great potential to increase product awareness.

Social Shopping

Everything can now be shared these days, and shopping items are no exception. While most social network users already use their status messages to broadcast their purchases, there are newer shopping technologies that allow this kind of purchase sharing with just a click or swipe of the credit card.

These sites allow open sharing of what services or products consumers have tried, and good reviews on these sites could translate to great advertising for the web-savvy marketer. Read the rest of this entry »