
Have you ever considered using digital signage for your business?
Digital signage has become a crucial addition for any business to stay competitive and improve customer engagements. Based upon a survey in 2022, 77% of business owners said digital signage increased sales, while 82% said it has increased sales and also improved customer satisfaction.
As more businesses evolve their aesthetic and brand awareness through digital signage. It's not always a straightforward path to finding out what type of digital signage fit your needs.
You might be looking for a menu board, retail digital display, digital wayfinding, and corporate signage for your office. There are hundreds of digital signage companies worldwide that offer these capabilities. However, setting up and handling digital signage on their screens can feel intimidating.
Alternatively, the USB drive becomes a simple, possibly affordable and effective way to achieve the same digital out-of-home DOOH experience for your customers; but at what cost?
Here are the Pros and Cons of using a USB drive as a digital signage solution:
Pros of Digital Signage USB Drive
1. Staying Independent

If your time is always spent wisely, you would instead occupy yourself with essential matters than spend it on demo meetings and browsing the best digital signage hardware; at an affordable price.
Most digital signage companies
will ship their product at your expense to your location.
Expect longer turnaround times of 14 to 21 business days, depending on your location.
With a USB drive, you can go to your local tech or office supply store and purchase it on your own time. Easy to get hardware whenever you need it!
2 . USB Drives Are Affordable

Not only can you quickly obtain a USB drive online or at your local office or tech stores, but it is also very inexpensive. Some digital signage companies require you to purchase their hardware to utilize their services.
Media players and other digital signage hardware price ranges can be anywhere from $80 to $500 per media player. For 3 TV screens, you can spend $1500 to display your content or menu boards.
3. Customization
You have creative control with how your digital creations can look. Most digital signage companies offer a do-it-yourself DIY graphic design solution, where you can use a premade design template. You and many others may have the same design without even knowing.
You can also hire a graphic design from the digital signage company. Pay upwards of $1000 for a personal design plus hardware, it's a hefty price if your business is just getting started.
If you're only using a USB drive, you can determine how to handle your digital creations how ever you see fit. No need to buy hardware just to create your digital creations, simply upload it on your USB.
4. On The Go

Plain and simple, its a tiny USB drive. You can take it anywhere you need to go, especially if you need to make changes on the USB drive. In a office setting, computers are fairly in reach, you can grab the USB drive, plug it in your computer then put it back.
Can't do that to a Media Player.
You might be thinking, what can be so wrong with using a Digital Signage USB Drive? Well...
Cons of Digital Signage USB Drive
1. You're Really On Your Own

Independence is excellent, but what happens when you handle everything on top of your daily duties? If you're a business owner or manager, you are responsible for sorting through every aspect of creating a digital signage USB drive.
Some USB drives require extra hardware to maintain a more elaborate digital signage involving videos animation. As an owner and art director of your own digital creations, making sure your designs fit on a TV screen can get complicated. Imagine creating your digital creations, installing your USB drive in the TV only to realize your designs appear blurry, small and not the ideal look you hoped for.
Time will be taken out of your busy schedule to make sure all is sorted out!
2. Shorten Lifespan

The estimated life expectancy of a USB drive can be up to 10 years or everyday use or withstand up to 100,000 write/erase cycles.
In this case, your USB drive will be functioning above average service when it's plugged into a TV screen for 16-24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The wear and tear of the USB drive will increase, and the constant plugging and unplugging run the risk of corrupting and burning out the USB drive and everything on it.
3. Installation Can Be Difficult

Most TV screens in a restaurant or administrative buildings are mounted at least 6 feet, from the ground. A ladder is required to climb and find access behind the TV and locate the USB ports. Some TV screens can be mounted on the ceiling, reaching 10 feet or higher.
Try looking for the USB port on your TV screens at home; now imagine standing on a ladder at its highest point. It becomes a hazardous situation; you or anyone must be willing to risk.
The TV displays, USB, and HDMI ports are all located on the same side of the TV.
Moving around on a ladder blindly trying to find the connection ports, every time you need to plug in the USB can be tedious and cause severe accidents.
4. Too Small And Portable

The compact size and portability can be a benefit but have it's downside. If you're not fully aware of the whereabouts of your digital signage USBs, there is a very high chance that you might lose them and your data.
An unsupervised USB Drive can lead to misplacements and thievery. A free USB drive to other might be someone else's treasure, even if it was unintentional. All your data and hard work gone!
How to Have Both Solutions

You don't have to break the bank to achieve your customers' digital out-of-home
DOOH experience or settle for the minimum.
Look for a digital signage provider you can afford, primarily a provider that can do it all!
Digital Signage providers like Nia Digital LLC is a one stop shop for every digital signage solutions. Having someone like Nia Digital LLC, handle the technical and creative aspect of your digital signage can put your mind at ease. Don't worry about shipping or installing! Their expert installers will ensure your digital signage is set up at your location within the week! As an added bonus, they can create your ideal digital creations that fit your brand for FREE!
SOURCSES
Comments